The shackles were so tight on Rhys's wrists he couldn't budge them without hurting his wrist.
He was intently studying the body language of everyone in the room.
Amarantha, with that swagger that haunted him in his dreams. Maeve with an identical one.
"Would you give up everything in exchange for your mates' lives?" Amarantha asked Aelin and Feyre.
No.
Rhys's head suddenly felt heavy as he contemplated what "everything" entailed.
"Be more specific," Feyre gritted out.
Maeve let out a huff. Rhys looked to the right of him, where Rowan was kneeling, and in front of him where his mate was standing, staring at the two people in front of her.
"The blood oath," Maeve said. "Swear it to me and Rowan will be let free and returned to Erilea."
"Aelin, absolutely not," Rowan sternly said before Aelin could even respond.
But it hadn't seemed like Aelin was going to respond from the pallor of her skin.
"What's the blood oath?" Feyre asked.
"She binds her life to mine," Maeve answered.
"I would be her eternal slave, that's what it means," Aelin whispered.
"Aelin, no, let her take me, let her fucking kill me, don't you dare swear the blood oath."
Aelin looked at Rowan with such admiration that Rhys has only ever seen in Feyre's eyes for himself.
Feyre stared at Aelin for a bit then snapped her head back at Amarantha. "What about Rhys?"
"Oh yes, Rhysand," Amarantha smiled with venom as she walked over to where Rhys was kneeling. Feyre turned every so slowly.
She ran her claws through Rhys's hair. "Rhys, my lover, did you miss me?" She asked. Rhys spat at the ground in front of her.
Amarantha walked behind Rhys and yanked his head back. "That's enough darling."
"I will kill you," Feyre vowed.
"You can try," Amarantha smiled. "My condition for both of you is..."
"I want both of you to decide which of you binds their life to mine, and which of you leaves."
YOU ARE READING
The Ends of the Earth
FanfictionIt's been two years since Aelin defeated Erawan and Maeve in a bloody battle. Two years since her life changed. And it's about to change again. Someone from her past comes back and Aelin must burn through her titles again to keep loved ones safe. Ve...
