A Perfect World

Chapter 21

AELIN POV

In all honesty, Aelin didn't have much of a plan. Or the plan she  had made didn't require much on her part, at least. 

It was simple: the only way to figure out whether or not Ansel was telling the truth was to confirm whether or not the Ashryvers were plotting against Terrasen. If they were, they'd probably kill her on sight. She knew that they never saw her as one of them—she was a Galathynius, despite her blue-gold eyes and middle name. Aedion, on the other hand, always had a good relationship with them. As a boy, he would accompany his father back and forth between continents, always stopping to visit Varese on the way. He'd be safe in Varese. He'd be able to uncover what the hell was really going on. Especially with the help of Lysandra and Evangeline. 

All she had to do was wait. The trouble was, she wasn't sure if waiting at Doranelle would be wise. 

"Do you think anyone would recognize me at Doranelle?" she asked Fenrys. 

The two were waiting at the stables, near the fortress walls. Atop the walls, Lorcan and Elide were arguing about what the group's next step ought to be. She had no idea where Rowan was. He seemed to be keeping a healthy distance away from her. Purposefully so too. Whenever she entered a room, he would quickly find a reason to leave. She wasn't too sure what that was about. Maybe she got on his nerves. That was the most logical explanation. Although, whenever they had no choice but to interact with each other, he was nothing but kind. Just... distant. Ever since that night in the Ruby Tavern, her whole world had flipped upside down—including the energy the between them. The more she thought about it, the less she could hide her disappointment. 

"You've never been to Doranelle, right?" Fenrys asked, brushing down one of the stallions. 

Aelin deadpanned. She had never left Terrasen until now. 

"Oh right... Sorry," he said, "It would be pretty easy to hide you. Rowan would probably be the one to have to do it. He's got the most resources among the three of us." 

"I doubt he'd want to," she said. 

Fenrys paused his brushing, clearly debating what he ought to say next. 

"Rowan is... having a hard time right now," he said, "It's not my place to say anything. You shouldn't worry about it though." 

Well, that was slightly reassuring. 

"What if someone from Varese is there and recognizes me?" she asked. "If the Ashryvers are really up to something—or anyone else for that matter—it's pretty much a given that they'd have spies in Doranelle. It's the major power on this continent." 

"Again," he said, "We'd hide you."

"What if word got out?"

"It wouldn't. It'd stay amongst us."

"You'd have to tell the Queen though." 

"That'd be up to Rowan. He outranks us." 

"But wouldn't it be treason to not tell her?"

"What's this about, Aelin?"

Fenry's full attention was now on her. 

She sighed. "Nothing," she lied, "I'm going for a walk." 

She turned on her heels and did just that. She wasn't really sure where she was going, she just put one foot in front of the other. She spotted the door to the kitchen. Maybe she'd go con Luca into sneaking her a snack. She had only been at Mistward for a day, but the demi-Fae had made himself well known to all of them already.