#Still won't forgive him for what he did to Nesta though

[litnerdwrites]

What are your thoughts on the weird Cassian and Mor relationship?

There's the obvious of, it's toxic as fuck. There's also the hypocrisy of it, since Mor's issue with Nesta seems to be that her behaviour hurts Feyre, even though Nesta's actions stem from a desire to self harm, while she has admitted that she does it to hurt Azriel. Whether Azriel acknowledges/accepts the rejection, or continues to pursue her despite it, remains to be seen, given that we don't really have his pov, aside from that one bonus chapter.

Mor also uses him protection, only when it suits her. She happily turned to him for help when Rhysand went behind her back to make a deal with Eris, not telling her that he'd be at the meeting. However, when Az tried to protect her from him during the HL meeting, she slept with Hellion to hurt him.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge fan of Azriel, though that mostly has to do with his treatment of Nesta. However, Mor, who is supposed to be his family, and happily uses him for her protection and comfort when she sees fit, only to use his own brother to snub him regularly, even after that brother finds someone he wants to pursue himself.

She then goes to that person and acts like they're the devil incarnate for having the audacity to breath, despite her so called best friend (Feyre) telling them all to stay out of it.

As for Cassian, I don't personally think he minds the arrangement. His biggest insecurity is his status as a bastard born orphan. Yet, now, he has the sole attention of Mor, a beautiful women of high social status who's related to the highest level of authority in the NC. Not only that, but it was her line that once ruled, before it transferred to Rhysand's bloodline. Mor constantly chooses him over his brother. I believe it's in his bonus chapter, Wings and Ember, that he admits that his jealousy of Azriel, and whatever bond he and Mor seemed to form at the time, was a factor in why he chose to sleep with her.

It's mutually toxic, but only benefits Mor and Cassian. Azriel doesn't have much of a say in it, yet he's the one hurt by it. Until one of them (Mor or Cass) wake up and knock some sense into the other, it won't end.

[acourtofthought]

How is Elain's and Nesta's relationship after that CC3 book? Will this be explained in the next ACOTAR book?

I think starting the next ACOTAR book very shortly after the end of SF and leading up to the events of CC3 would make a lot of sense in order to fill in some of the gaps AND catch up ACOTAR readers on the events of HOFAS.

As it stands neither Bloomsbury or SJM have been promoting that ACOTAR readers should read the CC series in order to understand the events of the next ACOTAR book so chances are she's going to need to introduce them into the world of Prythian as if we're learning about them for the first time. And there are a few unresolved questions that some readers had in regards to Nesta's relationships with certain characters (and even Az in regards to her).

It's odd that by the end of SF we had Rhys and Nesta embracing, how he was showering her with gifts for her mating ceremony, gifted her the HOW, how she called him her brother. Then only a few months later she's back to making remarks about his arrogance, how he wishes he were King and leter how her situation with Rhys is complicated and they won't be forgiving her anytime soon after the situation with the mask, how Feyre had to lecture Rhys and that ends with Ember's goodbye to Nesta, telling her "you'll find your way."

It's odd that by the end of SF we had Elain laughing about how it was a good sign that Nesta swore at her, how Feyre and Nesta were beckoning her to join them in the final scene. But in CC3, Elain is completely absent. There is no mention of her back at Rhys and Feyre's manor, neither Az or Nesta note that Elain stabbed the king though Az looked directly at TT then gave all credit to Nesta (and no, he wasn't just trying to hide her identity from Bryce consider Nesta said not a paragraph before "my sister and I"). How Nesta, while wearing the mask, did not respond to Gwyn and Emerie's names but it flared at "and Feyre and Elain."

By the end of it all we're left with Az and Nesta still not giving Elain credit for what she did in the war despite Elain telling them in SF that she is not a child, we're left with Nesta feeling out of place though she was supposed to have found her home, had her mating ceremony with Cassian, and discovered her found family only a few months before. It's evident that Feyre had her back in HOFAS so an explanation for some of this discontent is something having happened with Elain, something Rhys was possibly involved with.

In the Feyre bonus we saw that Rhys was starting to believe Elain as capable so it's possible that he asked something of her in the time between the end of SF and the start of HOFAS (just as he once schemed for Nesta and Cassian to train together), something that triggered an argument between he and Nesta, something that led her to falling back into her old pattern of "Rhys is so arrogant", something that led her to feeling out of sorts because if Elain has left the NC than who is Nesta without the role of her protector?

To me the the best explanation for Nesta being knocked off guard at this point would involve Elain, I can't think of anything else that would create such turmoil for her despite a somewhat happy ending in SF. Se and Elain still hadn't truly resolved their issues with one another, they never actually talked and we never saw Nesta treating Elain as a fully grown independent women. We got a baby step but not a true "I believe in you and know that you can handle something dangerous, that you do not need me as your protector". It would also give an explanation for why she seemed fine being part of the Inner Circle by the end of her book only to now be set on the path to not follow Rhys's rule. Where she thought she was content being a member because she believed Elain also belonged there but with Elain now gone, is that really what she wants for herself?

Sorry, that was a long winded way of saying I think there's still issues with Elain and Nesta's relationship as of HOFAS and that I do think it will be explored in the next book. I think it's also possible that Elain set off on her own journey and Nesta tried to convince Elain to take the Trove as a desperate attempt to offer her protection and Elain rejected them which led to Nesta handing over the items to someone who was pretty much a stranger to them. Sort of a "I couldn't help protect my sister but maybe I can help this person" situation.

If Elain's book is next I think it will pick up right after SF and she'll set off on her journey, the events of HOFAS will occur off page somewhere in the middle and when Elain and Lucien return to check in with Rhys and Feyre, Feysand will recap the events of Bryce having arrived in Prythian. At that point if the Trove items are needed to play a part in Koschei's defeat they'll have already found their way back to their world since the timeline of HOFAS is only a week. And that would be a seamless way of introducing what happened in the crossover, where Feysand were "telling the tale" to a third party rather than someone like Az or Nesta recapping the events in a manner such as "when a stranger landed he thought this" or "when that stranger came into their world she thought that". It's a bit smoother to say "while you two were gone this is what happened in the Night Court."

[cryingoverfictionalcharacterss]

I've been seeing a lot of people on tik tok recently not out right saying it but heavily implying that the fandom forgives and excuses nesta's actions because she is traumatized but so has been rhys but everyone still hates him. To me that argument is invalid for several reason.

First it simply is not the truth. There have been quite some people who started to like nesta after acosif and dislike rhys that's true but he still has much bigger fanbase than nesta and most of the fandom hates her while they love him.

Second I have never and I mean NEVER seen rhys antis invalidating his trauma. Maybe there are people who do it but in the amount of time I've spent reading posts or watching videos that are anti rhysand the only thing people do is hold him accountable for things he DID. That can not be said about a lot of nesta antis tho. Yes you can hate nesta, your opinion is valid. But a lot of (not all) nesta antis invaludate her experience and her trauma and make her out to be this heartless monster.

Third rhys and nesta are NOT the same. Nesta was groomed by her mother (and so was elain btw). Then her mother died and her family lost everything. They became poor and the only reason they survived was feyre. She was kidnapped and stripped of her bodily autonomy without her consent and was turned into a creature she was thought to hate and fear her entire life. She was SAd multible times.

Wrong things nesta did:

1. Be mean to feyre and favore elain over her.

2. Letting feyre hunt in the wood as a child (even though it was not nesta's responsibility to take care of the family either, it was their father's)

3. Be mean to everyone and hurt people's feelings.

That's it.

The worst thing she did was be a bitch to everyone (except for elain on the first four books)

Rhysand has been SAd, his father was an awful being, he lost his mother and sister, been in multible wars and traumatized because of it. Maybe there's more but that's all I can think of right now.

What he did wrong:

1. Killed and tortured innocent people and KIDS.

2. He SAd feyre

3. Was inconsiderate towards mor when he agreed her father to come to velaris and didn't even tell her before hand

4. Lied to feyre about her pregnancy.

5. Probably there are many more things we don't know about. People don't start to fear and hate you for shits and giggles.

Don't even get me started on how "good" of a high Lord he is.

Like he is literally THAT MOST POWERFUL HIGH LORD TO EVER EXIST but can't help the Illyrian women or the innocent people in the hewn city. He killed a whole crew on one of the ships and made them into MIST just with his MIND but he can't help the Illyrian women because the Illyrian men will get mad they can't abuse women and won't fight for his court.

Also it's not like he has been high lord for a day, it's been like 400 years. And he always knew he was going to be a high lord and was trained since birth unlike tamlin who was never supposed to be one and was forced to figure it out on his own.

Don't even get me started on how nesta did more for the priestess in the library in a few months than rhys has done in decades.

Rhysand purposely makes everyone thinks he is a monster then is surprised when people hate him and don't trust him🤦🏻‍♀️

But of course we can't blame him because he has trauma. Nesta on the other hand is not excused by her trauma and is a fucking bitch who doesn't deserve happiness. The hypocrisity in this fandom is 😗👌🏼

[escapingtheconstrictingboxes]

"You won't make it the night" for Nessian! 😊

First of all, thank you so much for the prompt! I loved it! I’m working through these really slowly but I really hope the lengths are making up for it. It is a 4k fic so maybe it helps? I really liked this prompt and my mind went kinda wild with it. I read a few prompts from other people and I’m over here like, are they supposed to be scarier? Because mine aren’t. I might have done this wrong. *shrugs* Oh well. My bad.

“ You won’t make it the night,” Mor said, sipping her wine but her eyes remained on him. If it weren’t for his Fae hearing, he wouldn’t have been able to hear anything over the music at Rita’s. The rest of the Circle all rose an eyebrow at Mor and then at Cassian. Cassian only returned a lazy smile at the challenge in her eyes and looped an arm around his mate.

He ignored the questioning look Nesta was sending him and said, “ Please. I could go in there at dusk and come out at dawn completely fine. Hell, both Nesta and I could do it.” He knew his mate was simmering with anger. He could tell as much through the bond but Mor had challenged him one too many times.

“ Really? Then you wouldn’t have any problem going in those forests tomorrow? Both of you?” She asked slyly, a wicked look in her eyes as those red lips went to sip her drink once more.

Cassian didn’t even look at Nesta as he said, “ Of course not. No reason to say no.” Then, down the bond, Please say yes, Nes. Mor is going to laugh at me otherwise.

A moment passed that caused Cassian’s confidence to waver and Mor to look at Nesta with a raised eyebrow. “ Sure. I’ll go,” was the flippant answer from his mate. Cassian grinned in victory and didn’t notice how Nesta’s mental shield came up and had officially blocked him out.

Now here Nesta was, walking deeper into the forest because of that stupid dare Cassian had agreed to. This forest was renowned for scaring away people because of what they had heard and seen. Of the ancient beasts that prowled around. Of course her mate was childish enough to accept the stupid challenge and then decided to drag Nesta into it too. Only her mate. She was walking ahead of Cassian by a few feet and knew her mate was still probing her mental shield though the bond. No, this time, he could figure it out for himself.

Their relationship was so new. They were barely a year into their relationship and Cassian was parading around, declaring Nesta as his mate. Sure, he’d been aware of the bond for years and he’d been bursting to tell her and everyone. She understood his excitement but there were times when he didn’t consider her own feelings. When he didn’t talk to her about the decisions he made. She supposed she should have called him out on it a few times ago, but his excitement made her give him another chance. But not this time. Not when they were in one of the most dangerous forests in Prythian.

She’d had her mental shield up since the night before and Cassian hadn’t noticed until they were in bed and he had attempted to talk to her though the bond. She’d plainly ignored him and turned away from him. She had bitten her lip at the confusion in his voice as he said, “ Nes? Talk to me, please?” Still, she didn’t let her resolve break and had only strengthened the shield in response. She wouldn’t let herself be the one to tell him. He should be the one to figure it out.

Over the course of the day, Cassian had made it a point to be out of the house and Nesta had no doubt that it was to let her cool down. This cooling down didn’t happen. When he returned an hour before leaving, she still didn’t talk to him and made sure not to look at him. She knew Cassian was suffering but she couldn’t find it in herself to ease any of it. Not in that moment.

When Mor had appeared to make sure they left properly, she noticed the tension in the room and had asked, “ Are you two sure you want to do this today? There’s other days too.”

“ We’re sure,” Nesta gritted out, her first words in front of Cassian. Mor exchanged a look with her mate but had winnowed them anyway and left after telling them to be safe.

They reached their campsite for the night with no sound of any roars or howls. Nesta was starting to doubt the stories she’d heard about this place. What really was out there? She dropped her pack against a tree and debated helping Cassian set up the tents. In the end, she let him do it alone. He hadn’t asked for help and she wasn’t going to offer it either. Her guilt bean gnawing at her and she let out a small sigh before going to her own pack to get their food out.

When Cassian was done, he turned around to see her sitting on a log. No words passed between them but Nesta could feel his presence around her shield, lingering. As if he was waiting for when she would finally open up to him. She wordlessly handed him his portion of the food as he sat down beside her. Near enough that she could feel the heat radiating off of him. His wings twitched as if they wanted to extend out to her like they used to do. Before Nesta started ignoring him. She quickly finished off her portion and then entered her tent. Not to avoid Cassian. Of course not.

She got out a separate sleeping roll that she had packed for herself and ignored the large one Cassian had laid out for the both of them. She turned away to face the wall of the tent and closed her eyes, trying to reach out to the darkness of sleep before her mate could come in the tent. Unfortunately, Nesta heard the flap of the tent moving and then felt the presence of Cassian inside.

“ Oh, come on, Nes,” he said as she felt his eyes on her sleeping form. “ You can’t be this mad at me.” Well, guess what, she was. She felt him taking off his leathers then felt him approach her from behind. Quickly, he stopped and she heard him growl at the barrier of hardened air she had put up. “ Let me in, Nes.” Please, he echoed through the bond.

He got onto his knees and she knew he was trying to push against the barrier. She could feel the power building up inside of Cassian as he prepared to fight back with his own power. But he didn’t. As soon as it had grown, it faded away just as fast. Good.

“ What did I do wrong, Nes?” He asked, his voice nearly sounding like a whine. I miss you, he said through the bond.

Just like that, her self control broke and she sat up and snarled at him. “ What you did wrong? You’re asking me?” Nesta growled at him, her eyes revealing her sparks of wildfire. Cassian flinched and stared at her in confusion. She opened up her shields for a moment and sent out a wave of her rage. Just to let him know how mad she was. “ I didn’t think you did that anymore.”

“ What?” Cassian asked, pain so clear in his eyes and voice.

“ You’re such an oaf!” she yelled at him. She then threw the pillow he’d so lovingly brought along for her at him. To see the shock written on his face as he caught the pillow, tears pricked her eyes and she knew her tears were close to falling as she said in a quieter voice, “ You don’t listen to me. You don’t even ask me things and you don’t care about my feelings.” With that, her tears rolled down slowly. As she looked back down at her lap, the barrier of air disappeared.

Nesta didn’t have it in herself to push Cassian away as he approached her. She let him scoop her up and put her on his lap so that she was straddling him. She buried her head into his chest as his arms came around her and his wings cocooned her.

“ Deep breaths, Nes,” he murmured into her ear as he rubbed soothing circles on her back. Nesta followed his instructions and slowly, her sobs ceased but she didn’t look at him. They stayed silent for a few minutes, listening to their surroundings. “ It’s been building up for a while, hasn’t it?” He asked softly then as he ran a hand through her hair.

“ Yes,” she said quietly, her voice muffled as she didn’t pull back to look at him.

“ I didn’t ask for your opinion on the dare, did I?” He then mused in a far away manner. Nesta didn’t need to answer this one. She doubted he’d been asking for one. Then, he pulled back from her and sorrowful hazel eyes met hers. He held her face in her hands gently and kissed her forehead. “ I’m sorry.” I’m an idiot, he said through the bond. He kissed her temples. “ I’m sorry.” Please forgive me. He kissed her nose. “ I’m sorry.” Yell at me some more if you want. Then, their foreheads touched and he squeezed his eyes shut as their breaths mingled. I deserve it.

“ Why? Why don’t you talk to me? We’re mates, Cass. But if you can’t trust me enough…” her voice wobbled again. She didn’t want to admit it. She didn’t want to hear Cassian’s answer. Was she so untrustable?

“ No, no, no,” he said hurriedly and his eyes snapped open. He must have caught the gist of her thoughts through the bond. “ Cauldron, no, Nes. I trust you. Completely.”

“ Then why not?” She asked, tears once again welling up in her eyes. Cauldron, she hadn’t cried this much in years. Then again, Cassian was the only one she’d allow to see her like this.

His wings drooped and they rested on the floor as he adjusted them both so that he could look at her properly. Nesta could see him scrambling for words. Could see the pained frustration when he opened his mouth and nothing came out.

“ I…when…when I went to those camps, I had to carve out my own destiny because if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have had one. I met Rhys and Az and Mor and we became close but our titles, our duties made us…isolated, I guess. We had to make decisions that affected the whole of the Court. Alone. Neither of us could ever understand what the other one of us had to go through for every decision. What we had to go through every day. I was always alone in that sense.” He paused there and Nesta saw the way his chest shook as he took a deep shuddering breath. “ And then I met you,” he whispered with such joy that it made her heart sing, “ You were so…so, perfect, for the lack of a better word. I felt that bond between us and you don’t know how happy I was, Nes. That we were meant to be. That fate hadn’t ignored me after all,” Her chest tightened with a sorrow so powerful, her breath caught, “ You turned me down so many times, I almost lost hope,” he murmured with a slight laugh, “ Then, you finally said yes and we became mates and-and, I’m biggest idiot in all of Prythian. I’m so used to not having anyone by my side. So used to not having to consult my decisions with others that I forgot that I have the most cunning and beautiful woman right here with me…I was always supposed to have that self-confidence inside of me. The one that made it look like I knew what I was doing,” A pause and another deep breath. I didn’t know at all, he then whispered, “ I got so used to having having that arrogance inside of me, it just…it just spread to every part of my life. I know what I did was wrong, Nes. Please forgive me. ” I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, he echoed though the bond and Nesta was beginning to understand.

“ You’re not alone. Not anymore,” she said in a gentleness that was only reserved for him. She reached up to cup his hands and brushed a thumb across his unshaven jaw, “ if I’m going to be opening up more. You need to do it too.”

“ I know,” Cassian murmured as he leaned into her touch.

“ I love you, Cass,” she said, their gaze only filled with that unbreakable intensity that been there from the start, “ You hold a piece of my heart now.” Please don’t break it, she said down the bond. Cassian’s presence seemed to grow and envelop her in a warm embrace.

“ And you hold a piece of mine,” he returned. I won’t. I love you too much for that, he replied. Nesta grinned slightly as she brought his head down to kiss him softly. At the same time, both of them seemed to clash through their bond as if some unknown barrier had been broken. A barrier she had created, Nesta realised.

“ Then,” she said as she pulled back, “ I forgive you.”

Cassian grinned so wide and freely, Nesta had to grin back with the same wild spark that was in his eyes. “ Thank you,” he breathed. He lowered his head to kiss her once again but a roar went off in the distance. One that shook the tent that surrounded them. Nesta scrambled off him, ready to fight whatever it was.

Then, the thud of legs. So powerful, even the ground shook slightly. Cauldron. Where had they come? Cassian swore filthily and creatively under his breath, something that would normally have Nesta smacking him in the arm but given the circumstances, she would have joined him had she not been absolutely terrified. At the same time, they cast their power out, trying to figure what exactly it was

This time, Nesta swore at a faster rate than Cassian. It wasn’t approaching, it was already here.

What is that, they both hissed at each other at the same time. It was a long serpentine creature with wings. It’s body so long, it had already coiled around the camp three times. The wings seemed to settle almost peacefully and Nesta heard the sound of claws raking against the ground as they rested. A lot of them. It’s head rested on it’s body and Nesta knew it was looking at them both. She already knew it could somehow see them through the tent.

“ Come out,” it hissed at them, truly sounding like a snake. Its voice only spoke of the centuries it had lived and the rage that was straining under its skin.

Cassian was trembling beside her, truly trembling. She had never seen Cassian this terrified. Hell, she’d never even felt this terrified. Quickly, she spun to face Cassian and pulled him down for a kiss. A kiss that held all their passion. All their tightly tucked secrets. All their untold dreams and promises.

We aren’t going to die, you hear me?, she said to Cassian through the bond after they pulled back.

That’s awfully optimistic of you, Cassian returned in a dazed manner. Whether from the kiss or the fear, Nesta wasn’t sure.

That new world you promised me in the War? We can start it now. We escape this and I’ll let you build the whole damned thing, she responded. Please, please, please, let this work.

And it seemed to. Cassian grinned despite their surroundings and said, After asking for your opinion, of course.

“ I don’t have all day, youngbloods,” it hissed again and both of them shivered at the sound. That sound that promised so much pain and darkness at the flick of a tail.

Shaking, they stood, trembling, they stopped at the flaps of their tent and looked at each other. They linked their hands and undecipherable emotions passed between them. Together. They’d go through this together and live.

They took a synchronised step outside of their tent and both of them sucked in a breath. Holy….If Nesta knew any gods, she’d be praying to them in that instant. It was a large dark as night serpentine creature curled around their camp. Thrice. The light seemed to hover around the pitch black scales as if in curiosity but then would only get sucked in. Nesta could see a pair of enormous wings draped over the scales so neatly out of the corner of her eye. Large talons stuck out from many points and if Nesta had turned ever so slightly, she would have seen the remnants of it’s previous meal still stuck on. It was the head that captured their attention. It had the head of a dragon and one that you would hear in stories in camp fires. In stories that would even horrify the teller. The head was tilted in the way a cat might when something strikes its curiosity. Its snout snorted out puffs of smoke and Nesta wondered if it was deciding in which manner to kill them. The eyes were a molten golden. It seemed to swirl around the way golden paint might but it was electrified of something else. Something Other. Its pupils were mere slits that resembled ones of a snake’s. Streaks of an unnamed colour flashed in the iris for brief moments, making her wonder if it was just a trick of the mind.

Then, its head rose almost above the trees and Nesta knew she was trembling. Knew Cassian was doing the same thing. They had good reason to do so. This creature was the one that haunted the ones that lived to tell the tale. But they wouldn’t run away. Even if all her instincts were telling her to bolt in the opposite direction. Those eyes narrowed at them both as the head slowly lowered and came to hover just a few feet above the couple. Its nostrils flared and Nesta reached inside for her power, ready to create a shield if it was going to set them on fire. She kept her eyes on his neck, not quite wanting to meet his gaze.

Instead, it said in an anger that shook through her bones, “ You smell like him. What have you done to him?” Nesta froze, unsure of what to say. Who was it talking about? “ His scent is decades old but yours…” It hissed down at Nesta. “ Yours is new. What have you done?”

She wracked her brain for who she could have possibly visited recently. How new was new? “ Who?” Was what she ended up asking.

“ My brother,” it growled at her and smoke curled out of it’s mouth, caressing her skin in a way that promised her of ashes and death.

Decades?, Cassian asked through the bond before Nesta could feel shock washing over him like a wave, Bryaxis. You went just a month ago.

“ Bryaxis? Is that your…brother?” She asked almost hesitantly. If she was wrong…she didn’t let herself think of the consequences.

“ If that is the name he has made for himself, then yes,” it hissed, anger still somehow roaring through his tone. “ Do not anger me, child. What have you done to him?”

“ I have done nothing,” she replied, her voice shaking slightly.

“ Yes, you have, girl,” it hissed again and more smoke curled out but this time, the way it brushed her cheeks was anything but soft. “ I do not tolerate lies from the Fae. Or the Made.”

“ I’m telling the truth,” she said in a more stable voice, her own anger rising. “ I visited him and gave him some company just like he had requested.” Over the past few years, Nesta chose to go down there, bonding a sort of acquaintance with the creature. She’d been curious at the start but later on, as Bryaxis began talking more, she began sharing her own things. Now, she wouldn’t be against the idea of calling him an acquaintance of sorts.

“ He had requested for company?” The beast asked in a tone of disbelief. There was some sort of amusement underlying its tone. Whether it was targeted towards her or Bryaxis, she wasn’t sure.

“ A couple decades ago, there was a War with Prythian going against Hybern-”

“ Yes, yes. I’m aware of your little battles,” it said in a more impatient tone, the anger seemed to have dimmed down.

Little battles? What kind of war had this creature seen? “ My sister made a bargain with your…brother. Well, two. He asked for company the first time and then a window. He resides in the Night Court’s library in a deep pit. He wished to see the moon and stars. The skylight was built and finished a decade ago,” she replied, her gaze starting to rise further and then stopped right where his head met his…neck? She felt Cassian quaking beside her and she squeezed his hand as a promise. They would get out of here. Alive. He squeezed back and if Nesta had been looking at him, Cassian’s gaze was only studying the body, trying to look at the wings and claws. Perhaps more out of fear or out of strategizing.

“ So you went to visit my brother then. Who sent you down there?” It asked her, the order lacing his voice clearly.

“ Sent me? No one did. It was my own choice,” she replied, her head tilting in confusion.

“ Look at me,” it commanded her in its ancient voice. Her grip on Cassian’s hand tightened as she slowly raised her head and met the pinning golden eyes with her hesitating clash of blue and grey. Its head lowered even further and it studied her for a long moment. Then, “ You are telling the truth, it seems.”

Both Nesta and Cassian released a sigh of relief at the same time. “ Thank you,” they murmured in unison.

“ Is he truly content in that suffocating building of yours?” The creature asked in true curiosity but Nesta could have sworn the creature had a hint of fear in him.

“ He is happy,” Nesta admitted. “ He does have the longing to roam the world but…he is content with what he has.”

“ All of us do,” the beast returned and then its head came down to the ground in front of them as if tired. Its head was big enough that Nesta still had to look up to meet its eyes.

“ Have you been searching for him?” She asked, her mind beginning to whir and put pieces in place.

“ Yes, youngblood,” it said in quiet voice, its eyes closing as if in defeat. “ I have been searching for a long time. Ever since I lost him.”

“ I will tell him of you when I return home,” she said, pity entering for this creature. She remembered searching for Feyre so many years ago when she went missing. She knew what that kind of panic and despair felt like.

“ You will not be returning, child,” it said, its power simmering in the very land beneath them. Nesta’s heart sank and so did Cassian’s. “ You will be my next meal. I have captured you now.”

Through the bond, their fear crashed together in waves like a roaring sea. After a long moment of her mind whirring through all her options, Nesta said in a trembling voice, “ I’d like to make a bargain with you.”

The creature huffed a laugh and opened its eyes slowly, the golden only promising cruelty. “ You have nothing to offer me, youngblood.”

“ We have your brother,” she said and then it growled at her, its anger awakening again.

“ What are you saying, girl?” it asked and its eyes narrowed at her.

“ I’m saying that it’s possible for you to meet your brother if you let us go. Both of us,” she said, her voice surprisingly steady.

“ What bargain would like to make, youngblood?” It asked its head coming closer.

“ My mate and I will be allowed to leave without any harm done to us and we will return to you and let you meet your brother on our terms,” she said slowly and carefully.

“ But you will not free him?” It asked questioningly.

“ That would involve another bargain with Bryaxis. Even then, guaranteeing the protection of my people would be difficult…I’m not sure if that’s for the best,” she replied, bowing her head slightly.

“ But I will get to keep visiting him. For as however many times I like?” It asked then.

“ That…is a conversation for another time,” she said again, her heart racing faster than ever before.

“ You will return?” It asked in a doubtful tone, its head then rising from the ground but its gaze stayed on her.

“ Everything I said in my bargain is all I will agree to,” she said firmly, her own gaze turning more into one of steel.

It tilted its head as if to consider her words and finally, it nodded. “ Alright, youngblood. I will agree to your bargain.”

“ Thank you,” they murmured again. Slowly, the creature rose and Nesta stared in terrified awe he took off with single swift movement of its wings and heard the boom in the air. Cassian kept on watching the the creature as if in a stuck trance as it flew away and Nesta studied her right upper arm as a new tattoo slowly formed. It was the creature but in ink and much less frightening. Its body coiled around her arm thrice just like it had around the camp earlier. On the outer side of her arm, its head was facing upwards as if in mid-roar.

Then, Cassian reached out to her, wrapping himself around her through the bond and then physically put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Nesta lazily put her arms around his neck as if they hadn’t just met Bryaxis’ brother.

Kind of ironic, isn’t it? You didn’t consult your decision with me, he accused playfully. Nest looked up to meet his dancing eyes and kissed his jaw once.

You had a better idea? she asked, raising an eyebrow. She relaxed at the sound Cassian’s laughter echoing down the bond, We can go home and talk to the whole family. This is a decision we all have to make together.

Cassian echoed his agreement before saying, Do you want to leave now or wait till the morning?

A howl went off into the distance and Nesta pulled her mate closer, Leave now. I don’t care about my dignity right now.

The next morning, Nesta woke up with Cassian’s arms and wings embracing her softly and she couldn’t help but grin at the smile that greeted her as she behind at him. They’d flown the entire night back to their own townhouse, not willing to stop anywhere. After sharing a shower, they’d fallen into bed, holding each other close as if to protect the other even in their sleep.

“ Good morning, sweetheart,” he murmured in that half-awake bliss. Then, his attention shifted to the tattoo on her arm. “ Even if that thing did come out of bad circumstances, it’s beautiful.” Nesta adjusted herself to look at the ink in her skin and lightly stroked a finger over the wings.

“ It is,” she whispered back.

“ I can’t wait to see Mor’s face,” Cassian said excitedly and Nesta smiled slightly. “ That is, if you want to tell them today. We can do it another time too.”

Nesta turned around to face him and kissed him softly before saying, “ No, I want to do it too.” Cassian grinned back at her and kissed her once again before folding in his wings, readying to get out of the bed.

After their morning meal, Mor and Rhys winnowed into the room with smug grins on their faces. Both Nesta and Cassian rolled their eyes at them before raising an eyebrow. Of course. It was just like them to enter in like that. The couple were sitting on their couch, a blanket over them both so that it was covering the tattoo. It’ll be a surprise, had been Cassian’s words.

“ Az’s spies told him that you two returned a few hours before dawn. That means you lost,” Mor said in victory and grinned wide for them.

They both shrugged and then Cassian said, “ We weren’t quite welcome in there.”

“ What did you see in there?” Mor asked then, sitting on a bar stool, her eyes narrowing on them.

“ Wasn’t Bryaxis, was it?” Rhys asked and the cousins snickered with no guilt whatsoever.

Nesta rose her eyebrow in an unimpressed manner and then moved the blanket off of her, standing up n one smooth movement. She inwardly smiled at their shocked faces at her new tattoo and then she said, “ No, but we met his brother. We made a bargain so that Bryaxis and his brother will have to meet someday.” Cassian began laughing at their gaping faces and Nesta walked passed them, shutting their mouths on her way. The bargain might have almost been worth it after seeing those faces.

I am so glad I get to build our new world with you, Cassian said as he pushed past the two and followed Nesta.

I am too, she replied, echoing the love that flowed through the bond.