THE GREAT PRETENDER ¬ ACOTAR

chapter xx.

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CHAPTER XX

STONE HEARTS

FEYRE'S THIRD TASK WAS TO KILL the three faeries before her, since she had no qualms about killing Spring's sentinel.

The silence in the room itself was deafening. Callaghan kept to the shadows, keeping out of anyone's eyes. A knife she nicked from a guard held tightly in the hands behind her back. She positioned herself near Rhysand, ready to protect him now more than ever.

A chill went through her spine as she heard Feyre utter the words I love you to High Lord Tamlin, but to someone with a keen eye like Callaghan, she knew it wasn't the real High Lord. That was why nothing happened when she declared her love.

Feyre stood before the three innocent faeries, staring at the Ash daggers. Cal hoped it wasn't anyone she knew. The mortal was about to plunge her dagger into the first fae's chest when Amarantha stopped her, "Not so fast."

The guard took the hood off the fae's face. He was a young one. What if it was her Vik in that position? What could she have done? She'd rather kill herself, probably.

Cal looked away as Feyre pushed the dagger into the young fae's body, but she still heard his dying gasps. The spy had to take deep breaths to keep her focus on the task at hand: protect Rhysand, keep him alive.

Then the weeping Feyre was forced to move onto the next fae. This time, the fae accepted her fate. She prayed to the Cauldron and to the Mother, making those her dying words. She went quick, Feyre doing it fast.

Although everything changed when the third fae was revealed. It was the High Lord Tamlin. Cal could feel Feyre's heart shatter.

The mortal girl snapped her head towards the wretched queen. The Tamlin beside her transformed into the Attor. It was the Attor the whole time. Callaghan saw Rhysand pale at the realization. Feyre couldn't kill Tamlin, he was their key to get out.

Callaghan knew Feyre wouldn't kill the High Lord, that's why she was so surprised to see how the girl took the blade and plunged it deep within Tamlin's chest. She fought back the urge to grab Rhysand to keep him close in case of any trouble. No one expected that move from Feyre.

But then a grin appeared in Rhysand's elegant face as Feyre took the dagger out, revealing that it had turned inward. It didn't kill the High Lord of Spring, only merely hurt him.

People from the crowd began shouting. Saying that the mortal had won, they were to be freed. This made Amarantha whiten. She just lost and that wasn't her plan, "I'll free them whenever I see fit. Feyre didn't specify when I had to free them— just that I had to."

Amarantha stalked towards the girl, threatening her and calling her names, "Admit that you don't really love him and I'll spare you."

Feyre wouldn't do that. She wouldn't agree to all those deadly tasks just to admit that she didn't love Tamlin.

"Feyre!" Rhysand shouted. What he was doing, Cal didn't know. He continued to yell out her name as Amarantha broke the girl's bones.

The queen was too blinded by rage to hear the faeries around her roaring with their own petitions. They called foul play, demanding to be freed.