Divided (Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses Crossover)

Chapter 35

           

"Why would I help you?" Feyre hissed from where she knelt on the floor.

The Queen smiled sadly at her before answering, "Because you are weak."

Feyre couldn't help but laugh at the creature sitting before her.

"I died and was reborn. I was locked up and escaped. I defeated Amarantha and the King of Hybern. I would say I'm the furthest thing from weak you've ever seen," Feyre spat.

"My dear, you miss my meaning. The love you hold in your heart is what makes you weak. The love for your mate, the love for your unborn child," the Queen stopped then, taking in Feyre's surprised face. "Oh, yes. I can smell it on you. Your love of your family. Even your love of your friends makes you weak, Feyre."

"Bring him in," the dark female commanded, and the heavy wooden door was shoved open. Feyre gritted her teeth as several guards dragged in a gasping Helion. Feyre looked up at the Queen only to her watching her reaction.

"Begin," the Queen said simply, picking up a glass of wine a servant offered to her and taking a deep sip.

With her words, one of the guards drew back his arm and struck Helion hard in the side. A second kicked his legs out from under him, and the High Lord of Day cried out in pain.

Feyre could not grit her teeth any longer, "Stop! You'll kill him! Please stop!"

But the guards did not answer to her and continued beating the poor male until his cries came out as only whimpers in the cold room. Feyre could only watch as the once proud Helion became little more than a husk before her. Finally, the Queen commanded the guards to stop.

When they moved to gather him up and take him away, she said, "Leave him."

The guards nodded, bowed, and left the room quickly. The Queen once again swept down off the throne and made for Helion, a dagger appearing in her small hand.

Placing it at his throat, she said, "I will not ask again. You will give me the answers I need, or he will die."

Helion shook his head erratically, and look in his eyes told Feyre to let him die rather than help the foreign queen before them.

Feyre's eyes didn't leave his as she said, "I'm sorry. I can't just let you die."

The dagger in the Queen's hand disappeared instantly, making Feyre question if it was really there in the first place. The small female clapped her hands once, and the guards returned at once to drag Helion back to the little cell they had shared. Feyre just looked at the Queen, waiting.

"I've heard a lot about you, Feyre Archeron," she started with a small smile.

"I've heard nothing about you. Were you the one that attacked my friends?" Feyre hissed back.

"Probably. I've attacked a lot of people in my long, long life," the female said, examining her long nails.

"What can I possibly help you with? I have no magic here, and Helion has probably told you everything you need to know."

The Queen looked up from her nails and studied her closely, taking in every detail of her face and body language.

"First, I want you to write a letter," the female replied.

With a flick of her hand, a full desk already furnished with pen and paper appeared beside her. Feyre silently wondered about the extent of the female's magic as he pulled herself up into the desk chair. The appearance and disappearance of the dagger and the desk reminded Feyre of the many meals she had spent at the Spring Estate with Tamlin, but she could tell that the Queen's magic went far beyond the small manipulations.

Picking up the pen, Feyre started to ask what she should write but was cut off quickly.

The Queen dictated, "Begin with Dearest Rhysand."

Feyre looked up at her hard.

"I said begin with Dearest Rhysand. Or do you need me to bring our friend back in here, Feyre darling?" she chirped.

Feyre wrote down the words and waited impatiently for the female to continue.

"Come to Hybern. Bring the mirror. Come alone. You can end it how you want. I don't really care. Tell him you love him if you wish, or don't sign it at all."

Feyre chose not to sign it and placed the pen back in the inkwell. The Queen waved her hand and the desk disappeared, throwing Feyre back to the ground. With just a clap, her guards returned and half-dragged half-escorted Feyre out of the throne room and out of the Queen's presence.

The cell she was thrown in was empty, and she couldn't help but wonder if the guards had accidently killed their leverage. She curled in on herself and hoped that Rhysand wouldn't come to Hybern at all. He couldn't be hurt if he wasn't here, but she knew it was hopeless. Rhysand would come. He would come alone, and he would bring the mirror.

It felt like months passed as she sat by herself in the cell. Every so often she heard boots approach her cell, but it was only a guard bringing her food. Every time, fear clenched her heart. She knew that one day those boots would be there to take her before the Queen again, and this time Rhys would also be there.

It was only days later that she felt the shift. Rhys was there in Hybern. The mating bond was stifled, but she could somehow feel in heart that he had finally arrived. It was confirmed when multiple sets of boots approached her cell and yanked her up and out of it. They pulled her through the halls that she knew led to the Queen.

They pulled open the door but did not throw her to the ground as they had done before, so she just stood there. The throne room was very dark. Cold shafts of air wafted through the room, and Feyre tried once again to call on magic to warm her fingers, but it still evaded her, just beyond her reach. Dread clenched at her heart as she waited for Rhysand to be dragged into the throne room as well. Her only hope was that the mirror would be enough for the Queen.

She looked just as she had the first time Feyre had met her, sitting atop the throne, but she was wearing a crown, most likely made out of bones. Feyre inwardly cringed at the vile creature.

The door banged open again behind her, and there he was, thrashing against the guards' hold on him. Her beautiful mate. Her partner. Her High Lord. Her everything. Without thinking, her hand went to her belly, and he noticed, going completely still, eyes wide and hard. His gaze shifting to the Queen before them.

"Lovely to finally meet you, Rhysand, such a beautiful creature. Prythian is very much in raptures at how you defeated the King of Hybern such a short time ago. I find his absence quite a blessing. This castle is so beautiful and was lacking in leadership when I arrived. It's so nice to see the two of you together again. I'm quite intrigued by the both of you."

The Queen's eyes focused on the mirror gripped in Rhys' hand, "Ah. Thank you for bringing me my mirror."

She snapped her fingers, and in an instant, the mirror was in her own hand.

Rhysand spoke up as she examined it, "I'm at a disadvantage, my lady. I do not know your name."

He spoke with as much charm as he could muster, plastering on a smile that could disarm almost any woman. Feyre stiffened when the female glided down the stairs from the throne pedestal and caressed his face.

"I'm going to have so much fun with the two of you," the Queen said with a sadistic grin. She returned to the dais and sat on the throne of bones. With a raise of her hand, some of the guards that had held onto Rhys grabbed onto Feyre and pushed them from the room.

From behind them, she called out, "You may call me Queen Maeve."