Let You Down |Azriel|

.04.

The second trial had come and gone. It had become apparent that Feyre did not know how to read. My heart broke for her, she must've had a tough upbringing if she hadn't learned how to read as a child. Amarantha had placed Lucien in a trap because of his relationship with Feyre as well as how useless Amarantha had considered him. She wouldn't place Tamlin at risk like that. Rhysand and I stood close to each other once more, looking out at the crowd that had gathered for Feyre's final trial. My heart was hammering in my chest as we waited for events to occur.

Three fae with bags over heads were knelt down before Feyre. "Kill them."

"What?" She breathed, stepping back just a bit and taking in the scene before her.

"Kill them and Tamlin and his people will be free," Amarantha produced a venomous smile.

Feyre seemed to be thinking hard about the instructions that had been laid out in front of her. After a few moments of contemplation, her tremulous hand reached for the dagger that had been on a platter. The first fae was unmasked. The young man panicked and begged her not to go through with it, begged her to let him win. She struggled with the thought, but then drove the first dagger into his heart. Tears streamed down her cheeks and some spilled down mine as well. If she survived Under the Mountain, she would live with these memories forever.

The second figure was unveiled and she was handed a second dagger. Upon taking the weapon, the woman began to pray. She continued to say "sent me to eternity" again and again, as if to tell Feyre to end it and end it quickly. The second dagger plunged into the woman's heart, Feyre breaking even more. It took her a moment to stand and move to the next person. She took the last dagger with more hesitancy. The fae was unveiled and a few gasps sounded through the room. It was Tamlin.

"No," she whispered.

At that point, my cheeks were hot and red as tears flowed and crashed on my arms. She struggled for a moment as if thinking about something more pressing, like attempting to connect pieces of a mental puzzle. Her arm drew back and she punctured Tamlin's skin. The thud was audible, the dagger stopped fairly quickly. Vomit threatened to make its way up my throat. I swallowed aggressively as I waited for what was next.

"It's done. Let them free," she stated.

"At some point, I will," Amarantha grinned.

"What?" She turned to face the queen.

"I said I'd let them go, but I didn't say when. Did you think I meant immediately when I had given the riddle? That it applied to the trials too?"

"That's not fair!" Someone shouted from the crowd.

"Let them go!" Another voice rang out.

Feyre's face was a disaster of emotions. She looked at the ground and pondered more. She looked back at Amarantha once more and stated "Love. The answer to the riddle, it's love."

A quick scan of the room revealed masks coming off of the faces of the Spring Court. Lucien's fox mask fell. Tamlin pulled his mask off and his eyes shown with rage. Without warning, Amarantha snapped Feyre's neck. Rhysand lost it. He screamed and attempted to attack her but was quickly thrown against the wall. Tamlin shifted into his beast form and murdered Amarantha without second thought. As soon as her throat had been ripped out, as soon as she had died, the chains broke off of my neck and wrists and clattered on the ground.

A massive breath of air went through my lungs, I felt a thousand pounds lighter. My head became clear, I felt taller. Fire started in my chest and spread through my veins, I finally felt alive. I held my hand out in front of me as Tamlin rushed to cradle Feyre. A small fire was conjured in my palm, as soon as I saw evidence of my magic returning to me, I sprinted for the two that laid in front of the throne. My hands went over Feyre's chest, I attempted to heal her in any way that I could. My hands glowed but nothing came of it. There was no life to heal. My tears ran faster.

Each high lord then stepped up to her. "For what she gave," one of them stated as he held out his hand and dropped what looked like a seed of light into her. I watched with wide eyes as the others repeated that action. A breath after the seventh seed had been dropped, her eyes fluttered open. I blinked as if it would clear my confusion. I wasn't aware that the high lords had the power to bring someone back from the dead. My confusion didn't break, therefore I didn't move from the seated position I had taken until after Feyre had left the room.

Rhys tapped me on the shoulder and then offered his hand to help me up. Once I had reached a stable standing position, I conjured another fire in my palm while I held on to his arm for support. I sent that fire to Amarantha's corpse and watched as she burnt, turning to ash at a slow and steady rate. My face wanted to smile, but my mind couldn't let that happen. It didn't feel real, her death.

"What are you?" Rhys whispered as he stared at the fire I had set.

I shrugged and turned, letting him lead the way out of the throne room. "I don't know. I was supposedly born to Winter Court natives. My parents treated me like shit my entire life. People said I looked too different. That they weren't my real parents. From a very young age I was told to hide my wings, my parents told me that it was disgraceful, that I would be held captive if someone were to ever see me with them."

He winnowed us to a new environment. I glanced around and noted an elegant sitting room with open air overlooking snow-capped mountains from all directions. When I looked back at him, he too, had large wings sprouting from his back. I scrunched my brow. We would have much more to talk about, much more to investigate. Much more, indeed.

@-tashaley I'm pretty sure you're the only one who's gonna read this fic so here's to you haha.