Cursebreaker and Fireheart

Chapter 20: The Arrival

"She's the goddess of the Moon, in some stories." I pointed out a page to Rhys, depicting the woman I'd seen. She looked almost exactly as I'd seen her, except less run-down. Apparently, what Aelin had done to her had greatly affected the immortal. "She has control over something called Moon-fire, a flame so hot it feels cold."

Rhys bent over the page, examining the old script. It had taken me ages to decode the ruined writing. This book was so old, even Rhys had no idea when it had been written. Dust, age, and general wear had made it nearly impossible to read. 

"So she's what we're up against?" He mused. "I don't know, we've seen worse." 

"Like that snotty little Second of ours?" Cassian called from across the library. "I'd wager she'd beat the shit out of any goddess." 

"You aren't wrong, Cassian," Mor replied as she leafed through her own book. "Then again, she can also beat the shit out of Rhys, so we know she has experience dealing with immortal brats." 

"Touche." 

"Focus, please," Rhys yelled to both of them. "You forget that I can also beat the shit out of you two if I wish it." 

"Aw, come on Rhysie, it was just a bit of fun." I could hear the whine in Cassian's voice. He was probably bored out of his mind. 

"Keep reading, Illyrian baby." I yelled. He laughed, but quiet returned. Rhys turned back to the book he'd found, which showed a very, very old map of a land called Eyllwe. He'd also found maps of places called Adarlan, Fenharrow, and the Western Wastes. Aelin had mentioned an Adarlan, so we knew we were on the right track. 

"I don't understand how I never knew these were here," Rhys told me while he looked over the pages. "I must've come here a thousand times, and I've never seen these books in my life." 

"Maybe you just weren't ready for them yet. They weren't needed." I suggested, turning a page gently. My eyes widened slightly when I saw the grainy illustration on the next page. "Rhys, look at this." 

He came around behind me, resting his arm on the back of my chair. "Who is that?" 

The page showed a woman wreathed in fiery light, not unlike the fire we'd been seeing in the streets of Velaris recently. She was titled only as 'Mala Light-Bringer.'

"It says she and Deanna were rivals as well as sisters," I said, reading the page as quickly as I could. "Mala mated with a mortal named-" I stopped abruptly, sitting up straighter. "Brannon Galathynius. This must be Aelin's ancestor!" 

Rhys slid the book toward himself, examining the page. "It does make sense. It would explain why she has such deep wells of power, even after giving so much of it up. But it says Mala is a goddess, the goddess of the Sun." He glanced up at me. "If she's a goddess, does that mean she was one of the gods Aelin trapped in a hell-world?"

"I don't know," I said, glaring down at the page. "This isn't helping. We need to-" 

Rhysand's head suddenly snapped up. Across the library, Cassian and Azriel's both did as well. 

"What is it?" I asked him. He grabbed my hand wordlessly and winnowed us outside. We were quickly joined by Mor, Cassian, and Azriel.

I couldn't see anything wrong for a moment. Velaris looked peaceful as always. Then Mor pointed at the sky. A streak of white hovered right above the House of Wind, shimmering in the breeze. 

I summoned my wings and took off, much to the surprise of Rhys, Cassian, and Azriel. 

"Feyre, wait!" Cassian yelled, catching up to me in a matter of seconds, Rhys and Azriel not far behind. We all soared straight for the House of Wind. When I got close enough to the streak of white, I pulled up short, hovering a few feet away. 

"What is that?" Mor asked from Azriel's arms. "It looks like magic." 

As soon as the words left her mouth, the white streak flared and broke into two pieces. Rhys and Cassian both grabbed one of my arms and pulled me back when it flared again, white sparks flying everywhere. 

"Land," Rhys ordered, and we all headed for the balcony of the House of Wind. My wings vanished when I touched down, and I glanced back up, shielding my eyes against the bright light. I realized it hadn't actually broken into two pieces, but had rather formed a circle. My eyes widened when I realized it wasn't just any hole. It was a portal. Instead of showing the clear blue sky, a land of rolling green hills hovered above us. 

Mor choked. "Red flowers. A land covered in red flowers." I saw what she meant. Tiny little drops of scarlet dotted the countryside. So that meant...

"Terrasen. That's Terrasen!" I yelled. A shadow appeared in the portal. Then it morphed into two. The portal began to glow brighter. 

"Someone's coming!" I yelled. "Do you think-"

Before I could even finish my thought, Aelin Galathynius fell into Velaris.

Art by Starbitart!

Ok so I just finished the first Six of Crows book. HOW DID I NEVER HEAR ABOUT THIS SERIES BEFORE??? Ever since I finished reading all of Sarah J Maas' books, I've been on a reading slump, and Six of Crows FINALLY broke that!! It was freaking AWESOME how the heck had I never heard of it before this year?? Nina Zenik is my new hero, I love her to death she's so badass and amazing.