#aedion and aelin

[leiawritesstories]

PART THREE: MARCH (PART I)

Word count: 3.9k

Warnings: swearing, friendly teasing, science mumbo jumbo, mentions of police, mentions of illegal activities, mentions of Cairn, Rowaelin being very attracted to each other, so much scheming

Enjoy!

A/N: Part 2 will be posted for Rowaelin Month day 16 ;)

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aelin had been sitting in her car waiting for twenty-three minutes and eighteen seconds. 

Granted, she had a book to keep her company, and she knew her darling cousin was not renowned for his punctuality, but over twenty minutes? That was long enough to ditch a first date. But they were family, and she hardly ever got to see him outside of their monthly lunches, so she turned another page in her novel and allowed the delay. 

Ten seconds later, her phone vibrated. 

>>I’m here. Bet you’ve already finished your food, sorry. The text was punctuated with a grimacing emoji. 

<<Still outside, thought I’d be the bigger person and wait for you to dig yourself out of your mad scientist cave

A middle finger emoji was the response. 

Smirking, Aelin got out of her car, locked it behind her, and strolled up to the tall blonde guy waiting in front of the restaurant, linking her arm through his. “There’s no need to be vulgar, Aedy.” 

Aedion Ashryver snorted and pulled his cousin into a hug. “Hello must not be part of your vocabulary anymore, Miss CEO.” 

“Nope!” Aelin winked. “Business empires aren’t built on platitudes.” 

“You’re as impossible as ever.” He held the door open for her. 

“I’m hungry, too.” She patted his arm in thanks. “And you are late.” She smiled at the hostess. “Hi, party of two for Ashryver?” 

As they followed the hostess to a booth, Aedion poked Aelin in the side. “I really am sorry, work just…it got away from me. I didn’t realize the time until it was already ten after.” 

She slid into her side of the booth and chuckled. “You’re such a mad scientist, Aedy.” 

“Stop calling me that,” he grumbled. 

“Never.” She flashed him an angelically innocent smile. 

Their server returned a few minutes later to take their orders, and because it was later in the afternoon, the food was served quickly. Aelin sighed almost indecently as she bit into her sandwich, causing Aedion to roll his eyes. 

“Really, Ae? Right in front of my fish tacos?” 

“You made me wait almost twenty-five minutes, and I barely had breakfast,” she returned. Elegantly, she wiped her mouth and took a bite of the side salad. 

Aedion raised his blonde brows in dramatic shock. “Am I tripping, or did my darling cousin voluntarily order something green and leafy?” 

“Shut up,” Aelin shot back, gesturing at him with her fork. “I like salad.” 

“Mhmm, you keep telling yourself that,” he drawled, not convinced in the slightest. “And pigs can fly.” 

“If you put them on an airplane, they can.” 

He sputtered a laugh. “Gods, I’ve missed you.” 

Her mirthful grin softened into a genuine smile. “I’ve missed you too, Aed. You spend way too much time locked up in that lab of yours.” She wiggled her brows suggestively. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were doing something rather unsanitary.” 

“You’re the worst,” he grumbled, a faint trace of pink staining his cheeks. 

Aelin nearly dropped her fork. “Aedion Ashryver!” she whisper-shouted. “Are you getting railed in your lab?!” 

“No!” he hissed. “What the hell?” 

“It was a fair question, Mr. I’m-Definitely-Not-Blushing.” 

“I keep forgetting that you’re so observant,” he mumbled. “No, Aelin, I’m not getting anything at my lab, except annoyed.” 

“Hey, I’m a scientist too,” she teased. “And that’s too bad. Where’s your naughty reward for all your hours of hard work?” 

“My reward is my fat paycheck,” he smirked. 

She snorted. “Yeah, I bet working with Orynth PD does pay pretty nicely.” 

His expression sombered. “Speaking of Orynth PD…” 

“Do you have an update for me?” She sipped her water, mentally preparing herself for potential bad news. 

“Yeah.” Aedion dragged his hand through his messy half-bun, tugging the hair tie free and idly weaving it around his fingers. “You remember when I told you PD had brought me a piece of evidence they’d found at the explosion site?” Aelin nodded. “Well, I’ve run every fucking test I can think of on it, and I’m still nowhere. Even particle analysis came up inconclusive. It’s…fuck, I’m about ready to chart it as ‘alien substance’ and tell PD it’s fuckin’ useless as evidence because there is no existing material even remotely close to it.” He huffed, exasperated but at the same time drawn to a problem he hadn’t yet solved. 

“How long have you been running tests?” 

“Since the end of January.” He drummed his fingers on the tabletop. “It’s March 9th, and gods, I haven’t got anything.” 

Aelin pushed the last few leaves of her salad around on the plate, suddenly not hungry despite having half a sandwich left. “Um…” 

He snapped his eyes to hers, the concentrated steel of his stare eerily similar to Gavriel’s commander face. “Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, what do you know about this fabric?” He pulled a small plastic bag from his sleeve. Inside the bag was a tiny scrap of black, tightly woven material that resembled layers and layers of fine, interlocking mesh, so closely stacked that they appeared almost seamless. 

She inhaled, held the breath for exactly six seconds, exhaled, and met her cousin’s gaze head-on. “It’s mine.” 

He swore under his breath. “What is it?” 

“I…I can’t tell you that,” she whispered. Before he could demand why, she held up her hands in defense. “Because it’s in development, Aedion. There’s a very small quantity in existence, and only I have full access to it. This right here–” she indicated the scrap–“must have already been weakened, because all previous tests have pointed at the material being incredibly difficult to damage.” 

“So…only you know what the material is?” 

“Yes.” 

“And you know that it’s currently in PD hands? That I’ll be arrested if it ‘goes missing?’” 

“Yes.” She twisted the slender silver ring around her right middle finger, a visible sign of her nervousness. “I’m not asking you to return it.” 

“Then what are you asking?” 

Aelin pressed her lips into a thin, worried line. “I would ask you to give it back to me, but I won’t go that far.” 

“So…” 

“So…you can give it back to PD. Don’t explain it, though; just tell them whatever science-speak you nerds use to say ‘it’s too convoluted to figure out.’”  

“Says the woman with a PhD in chemical engineering.” 

 “At least I can have normal conversations.” 

“That’s what you think, young one.” He reached across the table and squeezed her hand, reassuring her. “I’ll tell PD  that the stuff is made of a wildly tangled structure that might take years to unravel, and I know they don’t have that kind of time frame. I’ll tell them it’s an entirely foreign substance.” He flashed her a private little grin. “We’ll see how many knots that ties them into, yeah?” 

“Yeah.” Her lips quirked up. “I really don’t deserve you, Aed.” 

“Bullshit.” He nudged her plate back towards her. “Who else would buy you chocolate hazelnut cake as an apology for being twenty-five minutes late to lunch?” 

“My favorite!” she exclaimed. “Does that mean we’re going to the bakery?” 

“Of course it does.” He waved the server over, paid the check, and even carried Aelin’s box of leftovers for her as they left the restaurant. They walked about a block down the street to the charmingly rustic building that housed Aelin’s favorite bakery, where Aedion bought a massive slice of chocolate hazelnut cake, as promised. 

She sighed happily as she tasted the decadent dessert. “This is incredible. Bury me with a box of chocolate hazelnut cake, okay?” 

“Cake won’t make it to the afterlife,” Aedion deadpanned. 

She smacked his arm. “We’ll see who’s laughing in the afterlife when I pull my whole box of cake out of the hellfire.” 

“Hellfire,” he murmured, blowing out a long sigh. “If only that shit didn’t exist.” 

She put away her cake, tucked both the bakery box and her restaurant box into the bakery bag, and linked her arm through his, leading them down to walk along the riverside path. “It’s one dangerous fucking explosive, for sure.” 

“I’m pretty damn certain that’s what was used in the Wilkins lot explosion,” he admitted. “Hellfire. I’d know its chemical scent anywhere.” 

“Yeah, it’s a unique one.” She shrugged. “What? I keep up with the research.” 

“Naturally.” He chewed on his lower lip, working through what he wanted to tell her. “Something about it feels…wrong, though, and I don’t know how to describe it. I know it’s hellfire because the scent matches, but what the site looks like…” He trailed off. 

“Is it different?” she inquired. “Less damaged? More damaged? Is there…” A tight, controlled breath. “Something worse about it?” 

“Something worse.” Emotion–fear–flashed through his eyes. “Aelin, I’m about to tell you classified information. Promise me you’ll keep it to yourself.” 

She pressed her palm to his. “I swear it.” 

He braced himself, as if the information could collapse him. “The scorch marks left at the scene indicate both the burn pattern and rapidity, as you probably know.” She nodded. “Well, the marks at the Wilkins lot indicate a pace nearly twice as rapid as hellfire is known to have.” 

Aelin gasped. “That’s…fuck.” 

Aedion jerked his head in a tight nod. “Yeah.” 

Nearly twice as rapid. Her mind reeled with recognition. The hellfire used to blow up the Wilkins lot back in January–the hellfire that her team had developed, that she had planted and detonated–burned nearly twice as fast as known hellfire did. 

She’d accidentally created a compound that could incinerate a solid steel building in a matter of seconds. 

“Hey.” Aedion’s voice yanked her out of her whirling thoughts. “It’s possible there was another substance involved, something that caused a freak reaction. With the damage done, though, it may not be possible to detect the presence of any other substances.” He fiddled with the strap of his watch. “Hellfire just…it shouldn’t react this way, and I don’t know what the hell to make of it.” 

“Or what the hell you’re going to tell PD about it,” she added. 

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I can’t put them off forever, Ae.”

“Give them as much truth as you can, Aed.” Though quiet, her voice didn’t waver. 

They’d nearly reached the lot where their cars were parked, and Aedion accompanied Aelin to her car, his protective tendencies in full force as always. “Are you certain?” 

“Yes.” She squeezed his hands. “Don’t…don’t incriminate yourself, of course, and that might mean not mentioning me or my involvement. But be honest, as much as possible. Tell PD what you know about the fabric. Tell them your theory about the hellfire.” 

He pulled her into a crushing hug. “Thank you,” he whispered, the words stealing whatever was left of her breath after his embrace stole the rest. 

“Thank you,” she whispered back, “for not losing your shit at me.” 

He chuckled softly. “I’d rather not risk the wrath of Orynth’s most ruthless CEO.” 

She flashed him a half-grin as she climbed into her car. “Bye, Aeds. See you next month?” 

“See you next month.” 

She waved at him in the rearview mirror as she drove off. 

~

“Good morning, Ms. Galathynius.” Ansel fell into step next to Aelin as she crossed the lobby. Judging from her formal address, she was in full lawyer mode. “Are you ready?” 

“Always.” Aelin adjusted her loose hold on her work tote. “Tell me one time where I’ve gone into an important meeting completely unprepared; I’ll bet you can’t.” 

The attorney scoffed. “Last Tuesday, the day after you took a half day off to make your cousin buy you cake, you walked into a negotiation with the Cortlands without having done a speck of research.” 

“And I secured precisely the terms I needed to secure,” Aelin smirked. “That cake was my preemptive reward.”

“Mhmm, bet that’s what you tell yourself at night when you’re awake worrying over the possibility of one misspelled word in that contract.” 

“Has anyone ever told you that you remember too much?” 

“Do you think I listen to that crap?” Ansel’s grin was as wicked as her boss’s. 

Aelin laughed. “This is why you’re my lawyer, Briarcliff.” She parted ways with her attorney as Ansel entered her own office. “I’ll call you if needed.” 

“You better.” The redhead nudged her in the side. “Now go get your big bad CEO office all ready for the investigator.” 

Aelin snickered and headed up to her office, where she moved her disorganized stacks of paperwork and notes to an empty drawer in her file cabinet and tidied up her desktop. She had a certain green-eyed special forces lieutenant to impress, after all. Best not to show a man who’d grown up in the military the chaos that her office typically was–it would probably give him heart failure. She pointed a small remote control at the walls of windows, raising all the blinds to let in the early-spring sunlight. 

At precisely eleven-fourteen, her desk phone rang. 

“Lieutenant Whitethorn is here, ma’am.” Her assistant’s voice was perfectly calm, as if she was announcing any other ordinary visitor. 

“Send him in.” 

The mahogany door swung smoothly opening, allowing Lieutenant Rowan Whitethorn to stroll into her office, casual confidence rolling off his six-foot-three frame. 

“Lieutenant,” Aelin greeted him, rising from her desk to meet him halfway across the expansive space. “So good to see you again. You look much more comfortable in your everyday clothes.” That was the mildest possible version of the truth. His collared black shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up and expertly fitted black slacks–just formal enough for a meeting, just casual enough for comfort–paired with the badge affixed to his sleeve and the faint outline of a bulletproof vest beneath his shirt made Aelin want to forget about the meeting and climb that man like a tree. 

He cracked a hint of a grin. “Tuxedos aren’t exactly my favorite attire, for sure.” His warm hand closed around hers, his handshake firm and confident. “Thank you for scheduling this meeting with so little notice.” 

She dipped her head. “It’s the least I can do, Rowan. I know how important this…issue is.” Rather than lead him towards her desk, she moved back towards the door. “Shall we chat somewhere less imposing? I’d like to think that we’re past all the unnecessary formality.” Since we kissed and everything. 

“I’d like that.” His presence was a solid, steady warmth behind her as he followed her to a small conference room just down the hall. 

“This is probably my favorite meeting room,” she admitted as she held open the door for him. “It’s essentially the office library, but almost nobody ever uses it.” 

He swept a thorough gaze over the dark oak bookshelves lining the walls, the soft yellow lighting in place of the standard office brightness, the plush maroon velvet chairs, and the single table off to the left, and cracked a full smile. “This is lovely.” 

“I used to study here when I had to come to the office after school,” she said, taking a seat in one of the armchairs and motioning for him to do the same. “My parents worked unpredictable hours, and I couldn’t take myself home until I had a car.” 

“Did you go to school close to here?” Rowan inquired, not missing the chance to slip into investigator mode. 

“Yes, I went to Orynth Prep with the rest of the rich kids. It’s about a seven-minute walk away.” 

His lips twitched. “A prep school minutes away from the downtown business sector. How clever of them to be so close to the money.” 

She muffled a snort. “Well, the lovely students needed the right volunteer hours on their transcripts, after all.” 

“Wonder if that’s helped them once they graduate from Harvard Business School,” he murmured, half to himself. “I don’t mean to shift directions so quickly, Aelin, but I am here on official business.” He cleared his throat. “Are you aware that there have been fourteen rather brutal homicides committed over the past seven months here in Orynth?” 

“I am aware. The news has been…eager to remind us.” She grimaced slightly. “I’ll never understand the journalistic fascination with gruesome crimes.” 

He nodded. “Are you also aware that the most recent victim was discovered at a warehouse that your company owns?” 

Aelin pressed her fingertips to her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. “Wh-which one?” 

“This property.” He passed her a photograph of the warehouse where Cairn’s body had been dumped. The shot was taken after PD had cleaned up the scene. 

She examined the photo, nibbling at her lower lip. “I see.” 

“You sound unsurprised.” Damn, the man was perceptive.

Aelin chose her next words very, very carefully. “I’m aware that some of my properties, particularly the ones in the shipping district, are rather sketchy, so I’m not completely blown off my feet to learn that this warehouse is now officially a crime scene.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please know that you have my full cooperation with your investigative efforts on my property.” 

“Thank you.” Unexpectedly, Rowan reached out and laid his free hand over hers. “I’ll do everything I can to make our stay on your property short.” He offered her a crooked smile and glanced back down at his notepad. “You have an advanced degree in chemistry, correct? It’s public information, I promise I didn’t use my police access to sneak into any info.” 

“I do.” She folded her hands in her lap. “I have my PhD in chemical engineering. Still enjoy running an experiment at the Gal Inc labs every once in a while.” She chuckled. “My chief engineer is kind enough to let me make my messes.” 

He wrote something down in his notes. “What can you tell me about the compound known as hellfire?” 

She whistled softly. “If you’ll forgive my language, it’s one hell of an explosive.” That said, she shifted to her scientist voice. “Hellfire is highly volatile and extremely sensitive, not to mention astronomically expensive to produce. Its key components are stable nitroglycerin and PETN; it also contains smaller quantities of some very rare, very finicky liquid chemicals. From what I know, it is most commonly detonated using highly concentrated acid to trigger the explosion, and the heat produced during the explosion ensures that none of the compound is left inactive.” She shuddered. “It’s frightening, even to us scientists.” 

“It certainly is.” He propped his chin on one fist. “You know about the catastrophic explosion of this past January, yes?” 

“Yes.” Twist the rings, Galathynius. She fiddled with one of her rings. 

“We have reason to believe that hellfire was the substance detonated during that event.” 

“Gods,” she breathed, horror coating her faint voice. “That…oh gods.” 

“Hey.” He broke free of his impersonal investigator persona for a moment and placed one hand on her shoulder, lifting her fallen chin with the other. “The good news is that no people were present. The lot was completely destroyed, but there is nothing to suggest any lives lost.” His thumb rubbed her shoulder, comforting. “Somehow, the catastrophe was contained to that single lot, structures only.” 

“It’s still horrifying,” she murmured. “Rowan, hellfire is so volatile, and it burns until it’s run out of fuel or until a sufficiently powerful extinguisher has been applied.” Her breath hitched. “The thought of…of someone dying…I’d be a terrible excuse for a human being if I said that didn’t break my heart.” 

“I know.” He clasped her hands, lending her his solid strength. “The things I’ve seen in my career…I know.” 

She breathed deeply and steeled her spine, putting her CEO face back on. “Ask me more questions–anything to keep me from spiraling.” 

He nodded, understanding what she meant. “Do you know of Cairn Wilkins?” 

Ire flashed across her elegant features. “I’m acquainted with that particular scumbag, yes.” 

“Scumbag?” His brows rose in curiosity; clearly, he hadn’t been expecting her vitriol. 

Tone it the fuck down, Galathynius! “Cairn Wilkins is a drug dealer, smuggler, and pathetic excuse for a man.” 

“Was.” 

“Was?” 

“He, ah…he’s dead.” 

“I’d have thought the media would have jumped on that story,” Aelin mused. “Hmm. Well, then, Wilkins was a pathetic excuse for a human being.” She blew out a controlled exhale. “I don’t say this lightly, Rowan. I was acquainted with Cairn, and he gave me every flavor of bad impression each time we crossed paths.” 

“How so?” Rowan’s pen tapped against his notepad. 

“He had a tendency to pop up in dark corners, stand too close, leer, and make other unacceptable gestures and behaviors while in public. As a businessman, he frequently made evening deliveries himself, which is unusual behavior for the owner of a company that purportedly delivers only to hospitals and pharmacies. Also, he was mysteriously absent from his office two days a week, every week, and his staff would only say that he was ‘away.’ The average CEO does not have recurrent absences, and if they are absent, their staff has more complete information on where they are.” She took a calming breath. “I am not the only businessperson who suspected Cairn of having, um, illicit connections. But…” She stopped. 

“But what, Aelin?” Rowan prompted. Intrigue was written all over his face–he was completely invested in the information she was sharing. Most of it was true. 

“But…he mentioned a partnership or two that I didn’t recognize, so I asked a colleague of mine to do some research. A quick internet search revealed that the companies Cairn had mentioned did not exist, and my colleague’s research indicated that those ‘companies’ were, in fact, drug fronts.” Eyes trained on Rowan’s deeply concentrating face, she named the false companies. 

He froze mid-writing, his chiseled jaw falling ajar in utter disbelief. “What?” 

“That information convinced me that Cairn had ties to the drug trade,” she continued, as if she were discussing an ordinary business transaction. “Perhaps my initial summary of him as a drug dealer and smuggler was too harsh, but my assessment of him as a paltry excuse for a man was not.” 

“Indeed.” Rowan finally stopped writing, lifted his head, and met her gaze. “So you were not friendly with Wilkins?” 

“I was not,” Aelin confirmed. 

He nodded and closed his notepad. “That’s all of my questions, then. Thank you for your time and your willingness to work with us, Aelin.” 

“It’s the least I can do.” Rising, she shook his hand, their joined hands lingering for longer than strictly necessary. “Please call me or my office if you need anything else.” 

“I will.” 

After escorting Rowan back to the elevator, Aelin returned to her office, sat down heavily in her chair, and dropped her face into her hands with a heaving sigh. Gods. That had been more of an ordeal than she’d anticipated. The fact that it was Rowan Whitethorn alone with her was enough to kick her pulse up a few notches, and the details she’d learned from him–and he from her–had her mind spinning with the possibilities. 

She’d seen the look on his face when she’d talked about Cairn, though. The intrigue that ran deeper than pure investigative speculation. It was precisely why she’d readily offered what she knew about that disgusting spawn of hell. 

Perhaps that was the nudge he needed to do some…deeper digging. The kind that involved breaking into a building late at night to snoop through computers, business records, and paperwork.

Aelin picked up her desk phone and punched Elide’s call button. “Ells?” 

Her second-in-command answered almost instantly. “What do you need, Ae?” 

“Disarm the external security protocols for the next few days. I’ve got a feeling we’re about to have a midnight visitor.”

~~~

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[acourtofquestions]

I just know Aelin and Aedion meeting is going to break or make my soul

[acourtofquestions]

If the Ashryver crest had a sarcastic slogan it would be this

Aedion: You're just showing off.

Aelin: Of course. I am a show-off. That's what we do.

[rainingriversofyou]

Throne Of Glass characters & couples 🤍 Artist: inkfaeart

[highladyofterrasen7]

On their wedding night:

Rowan: I take thee…

Aelin *whispering*: say it

Rowan: I take thee

Aelin: say it

Rowan: im not saying it

Aelin: yes you are

Rowan: *sigh* I take thee, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen, heir of Brannon, heir of mala fire-bringer, heir of fire, witch-slayer, queen of flame and shadow, fire breathing bitch queen, adarlans assassin, kings champion, formally known as Celaena Sardothien, Lillian Gordaina, Elentiya and Dianna Brackyn, also aelin of the wildfire, aelin fire-bringer, the queen who was promised, the queen who walked between worlds, gods-killer and fireheart, to be my wife.

Aelin *wiping away a tear*: it’s beautiful

[queen-aelin-of-terrasen]

Manon: Why should I lend my army to Terrasen?

Aelin, who is rusty on her royal training: Um, you really like me??

Manon:

Manon, who also does not have much royal training: yeah why the fuck not

[sassyhobbits]

the queen of terrasen and her bloodsworn

sharing art bc i have no writing😩 but i think this slays (you can see more of my art on my insta @/j.sgrey )

[notyourcamb]

[oblivionsdream]

A new puzzle collaboration with Reverie Puzzles this time featuring the characters from Throne of Glass. It was such a delight to work with them again and I’m super proud of how this turned out. I’m definitely biased but my favorite part is probably Abraxos because he is just the best boy. 😌

[utterlyotterlyx]

A Ballad of Storm and Shadow

Azriel x F!Reader

Part Six

Series Summary - Rhys had been content in taking the darkest secret of his family to the grave, but when the threat of Hybern increases, he has no choice but to send a message to another world and pray to the Mother that his call is answered.

Warnings - mentions of pain, mentions of death, mentions of torture, angstttt, sadness, fluff

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five

This is a crossover series, some aspects will differ from that in the books. Physical attributes are described in this fic, it is essential to the storyline of the character

It had taken 17 hours for y/n to stir.

17 hours of Azriel sat at her bedside hating himself for allowing her to venture from the cabin alone and picturing himself grabbing her hand at the last second to stop her from leaving him.

17 hours of verbal beatings which would have been physical if it weren’t for his refusal to leave her side.

Aelin was furious, her wildfire blazing as blue as her eyes across each one of her limbs.

Rowan hadn’t spoken a single word, but his eyes didn’t leave Azriel for one moment, and he hadn’t unclenched his fists from the moment he had stepped foot into Prythian and scented the direness of the situation at hand.

Lorcan and Aedion also refused to move from the room, being her bloodsworn they had a duty to protect and serve her, and they felt as if they had failed in a sense.

Then there was Manon, the gold eyed witch queen with talons so sharp that they had drawn blood from Azriel’s arms when they coiled around him and demanded to know what had happened with a voice so venomous that he was sure she would drink his blood if she could.

In short, everyone despised him, and even Rhys was reluctant to offer a safe hand to his brother. Azriel understood, Rhys had only just gotten his sister back, and was feeling like a failure in his own way for sending her in the first place. Rhys was so ashamed of his request that he had allowed Aelin to preside over y/n’s care with Yrene, as well as the scouting missions she had ordered Rowan and Manon to embark upon to ensure that no attack would befall the city whilst y/n was injured and vulnerable.

The last 17 hours hadn’t been kind to y/n. Black poison poured from the bandages secured around her chest and abdomen, which meant that Yrene had to change them more often, and a fever so damning had taken over her body, causing the Queen of the Erilean Fae to sweat and shake uncontrollably whilst her body fought an internal war to win back her life. It was horrible to watch, and it all could have been avoided if Azriel had been there, flying below her and ensuring no one could pick them out of the skies, or if Rhys hadn’t sent them to begin with.

Azriel could picture it. A fond and vivid image of y/n flying above him. The rain would cause her raven black hair to stick to her skin, but it was the thin wisps of baby hair that stuck to her forehead that made the faintest of smiles to appear on Azriel's lips. Y/N seemed so unbothered up there, so... at home. Much like he found solace in the shadows, she found songs in the storms. A peace that could never be tainted.

That's what he willed himself to see when he looked upon her pallid, fever-stricken face. He willed himself to see the version of her that she would have wished. One where she was happy. One where she was plagued by serenity.

None of them could pinpoint how Hybern had known that y/n was in Prythian, or how they knew that she even existed in order to create the only poison that could be used to weaken and fatally harm her. Even Yrene had uttered that the ingredients were sparse even within Erilea. It meant that someone had spent valuable time collecting and crafting in order to inflict the pain onto y/n. Azriel swore to himself that whoever it was would die for it in the most curdling manner his mind could fathom.

It was within the thirty second minute that she stirred, her kaleidoscope orbs appearing beneath her fluttering lids and a small groan of torturous pain emitting from her lips. Azriel moved from the chair beside her to the mattress in a matter of seconds, disturbing the peace by shouting into the void for Lorcan and Aedion to call for Yrene, and the healer came quickly at their demands barrelling down the halls.

Yrene was closely followed by Aelin and Manon, the latter of which growled once she spied Azriel’s marred flesh tainting the purity of her queen. The red cloak of Manon swept against the stone beneath her feet, her claws were retracted but her teeth were poised to rip the throat out of anyone who got too close, Azriel included. Not wasting a moment, Yrene crossed the room whilst fastening her apron at her back, reaching out to lay her hand on y/n’s forehead and stealing it back with a hiss and the scent of burning flesh. “How are you holding her?” Yrene asked, perplexed, holding her burnt hand to her chest.

To Azriel, y/n felt hot, but not searing, not burning. From the beads of sweat that teared down her pallid cheeks, he knew that she was struggling to fight off the poison and the infection that came with it.

The Shadowsinger didn’t answer.

Instead, he kept his hazel eyes upon her face, tracing the slow beat of her eyelids and the quaking of her gasping lips as she attempted to form a word. “Y/N,” Azriel cooed gently, causing y/n to stop trembling for a moment, “To me,” he told her, pulling her darting eyes from the ceiling and to his face, “You need to save your energy and rest. Close your eyes and sleep. Let Yrene heal you.”

It wasn’t as much as a command as it was a plead, but she listened, shakily nodding her head and shivering into slumber, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths.

He felt the golden eyes of the witch queen on the side of his face, Manon couldn’t understand how y/n hadn’t noticed her at her side, she couldn’t understand how y/n’s eyes found Azriel instantly over her own. Azriel moved his gaze to meet those orbs of gold and speckled black, refusing the back down even if he did find her terrifying. “She needs Doranelle,” Manon spoke, not to Azriel despite him being in her eye line, but to Aelin who stood behind her, and to Rowan who was propped against the doorway.

“We’re stuck here,” Aelin reminded her, making it clear that she had already thought the same but knew it was impossible without y/n’s power to rip open the fabric of space and time to take them there. Aelin dropped to her knees beside y/n, the fire coursing through y/n’s veins battling against her own, and she ran her fingers down the side of her face, worry clear and fear prominent. “This King,” Aelin spat, “Knows what he has done. Your war will be coming sooner than you think, and he’ll seek to destroy her along with it.”

“I won’t let him,” Azriel growled, tone low and threatening, and eyes peeking through the thickness of his lashes whilst his hand kept entwined with y/n’s like he was her link back to the land of the living.

Aelin honed in on Azriel, drinking in the dark possessiveness in his eyes and the way his shadows flitted over the skin of her dearest friend, almost as if they were trying to shield her from the world.

It wasn’t like Aelin truly blamed the Shadowsinger for what happened to y/n, she knew first hand just how difficult she could be when it came to anything she felt determined to do. In all honesty, Aelin blamed Rhys the most and had told him plenty of times of the fact. Y/N was Rhys’ sister, he knew how important she was to other worlds let alone his own, and he willingly put her in danger. Such motions threatened the survival of Prythian, and by extension, Erilea.

The feelings of Aelin were probably why Rhys had stayed away, waiting for the rest of them to leave for the evening before spending the night at her side, reading and telling her stories of their father and sister to then only leave at the break of dawn when Lorcan and Aedion would arrive. Azriel was the only one who stayed every minute of every hour, refusing to be anywhere else, out of guilt or desperation Aelin would never truly know, but part of her was thankful for it.

Do you see it?

Aelin craned her head over her shoulder to find Rowan’s orbs fixated on the pallid body of his friend and former princess, a woman he had spent centuries protecting and training. His sight pulled from her to Aelin and he nodded, eyes flickering to Azriel who had turned all of his attention back to y/n.

Yes.

The yawning of Aedion who was sprawled across a chair in the far corner halted Aelin from probing Rowan further. The unimpressed guise of the chamber fell upon him, “Tired, Cousin?”

Aedion shrugged, motioning to Lorcan with a wave of his hand, “She’s funnelling our energy through the bond. Forgive us for feeling a little lethargic, Aelin.”

“What do you mean? She’s funnelling your energy?” Azriel asked, brows furrowed and trying to grasp the meaning in his mind.

Sighing, Aelin explained, “Y/N is incredibly powerful,” she smiled upon y/n sadly, “There are aspects of her power that she refuses to use, abilities of the darkness that she inherited from her mother, Maeve. She can absorb strength from those sworn to her and from those who offer their power to her,” Aelin nodded toward Aedion and Lorcan with her eyes softening, “Y/N is absorbing the strength and energy from Aedion and Lorcan, they are her bloodsworn, and her body is in such a bad way that it seems the dark spots of her power are grasping onto anything they can to keep her alive.”

“It’s happened before?”

Aelin smiled thinly, trying to offer some comfort to Azriel who was beginning to understand the pain inflicted upon the woman before his eyes, but before Aelin could reply, Manon’s voice echoed between them. “Once. She was in a much worse state after she destroyed Maeve, her power was drained for the first time in her life, and she was severely injured from what Maeve did before the battle. All of that put her into a state of comatosis. It took her weeks to wake.” From the heaviness of Manon’s recount, Azriel knew just how close they were, all of them, so he understood why they blamed him, hated him.

“I’m sorry that I let her leave the cabin. I’m sorry,” Azriel spoke, staring right into Manon and trying to decipher whatever emotion lay within those cold golden orbs.

Rising to his feet, Aedion crossed the room, nudging a lingering Rowan on the way, “It’s fine. Y/N is a stubborn thing, she’s pulled the wool over all of our eyes at some point.”

“Like when she sacrificed herself to secure my freedom?” Aelin asked with a smile, leaning to run her fingers along y/n’s arm.

“Or when she trailed the ilken following Elide and I and slaughtered them all without us even realising it?” Lorcan huffed with amusement, creeping closer to the bed with humour in his eyes and his arms firmly folded over his chest.

“Then there’s Skull’s Bay,” Rowan almost sang, the words being the first noise he had made since he had arrived in Velaris and the room hummed in fond remembrance.

“And we won’t ever forget how she took possession of that burst dam and swallowed Maeve along with it. She saved us all that day, even when she was barely alive,” Manon spoke softly, a speckle of humanity shining through her soul shrouded in stone, “She’s family,” was all the witch queen said, an olive branch of sorts, an explanation as to why she had been so difficult.

Noting the concern in Azriel’s eyes, Aelin lay a hand upon his shoulder, gentle but unyielding, “She’s survived worse, Shadowsinger. Don’t underestimate her, you won’t survive the humiliation.”

Silenced followed after that, well, silence for Azriel at least. Whilst he traced the contours of her face, the rest of the room spent some time reminiscing, talking fondly of Erilea which Azriel somewhat listened to but didn’t engage with. All he could really wonder was what place could be so worthy of someone so perfect, and part of him wanted to walk the streets of Doranelle for a moment so that he would be able to understand it.

Only when Yrene would periodically swim by would Azriel lift his eyes to give her a thankful smile that she would return with an unspoken warmth. It seemed as though y/n had a family of her own, just like he did, a family not of blood, but of unbroken bonds and unyielding wrathful friendship. They’d all die for one another, it was something Azriel could resonate with.

After an hour, the doors to the chamber opened and Feyre stepped in, fumbling with her fingers and eyes floating through the room until they landed on Azriel and Y/N, and she found her heart fluttering at the way he looked at her, it reminding her of how Rhys’ gaze embedded itself into her at all times.

The expectant void of words caused Feyre to float back into the room, “Rhys would like a meeting. We should discuss next steps in this war and in y/n’s recovery. Yrene can stay with her, it won’t take long.” Aelin rolled her eyes but stood, muttering something about a false king under her breath which caused Rowan to chortle a laugh as they passed by Feyre. “You too, Az.”

“I’ll take care of her,” Yrene told him softly once she realised the reluctance in his eyes and the way his fingers curled tighter around her hand, “If anything happens, I’ll call for you. I promise.”

Stiffly nodding, Azriel stood from his seat that was imprinted with his frame, he pressed his lips tenderly to the pallid and slightly bruised knuckles of y/n before laying her hand softly upon the mattress and following after Feyre, stealing one last look at the fussing Yrene as her glowing hands floated over y/n’s torso yet again.

Azriel trailed behind the group, lingering at the side of his High Lady as they all sauntered through the halls of the House of Wind. Whilst pacing through the fortress, Azriel couldn't help but allow his gaze to float between each one of the other-worldly beings. Beginning with Aelin and tracking how her arm slid around Rowan's waist, to Rowan who placed a tender kiss upon her brow, to Aedion and Lorcan who were bustling shoulder to shoulder, clearly being too large for the width of the halls, and then there was Manon, red cloak swaying at her back and moon-white hair braided over her shoulder whilst her eyes darted past every doorway like she could see beyond them.

Yes, Azriel was very sure of y/n's safety being almost a guarantee.

With all of his watching and observing, he didn't notice the eyes of Feyre drifting over his face with a quirked smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, "You don't leave her side. Why?" Feyre asked quietly, catching how his eyes thinned slightly as he searched his mind for an answer that would appease her.

"I feel guilty," he tried to say, but the heaviness of his voice betrayed his words.

Feyre gently slipped her arm around his, resting her fingers on the indent of his elbow and pulling him into her side softly. "No. I don't think that's why," she gave him a pointed look, one loaded with knowing, "You feel something for her, despite only knowing her for a few days. What draws you to her?"

A more adequate question would be what didn't draw Azriel to y/n?

"I wasn't sure at first. If you had asked me why I couldn't concentrate at the High Lord's Meeting then I would have told you the truth. It was because of her. Not because she was new, or because I thought she was a threat..." Azriel trailed off, his voice softening and shoulders falling lax, like all tension had floated away, "It was because looking at her made me feel like I was finally home. There is a warmth within her, and a darkness that mirrors my own. She is fierce and tortured, but gentle in ways no one would ever be able to begin to understand. Y/N has spent her life fighting, being used for what she can offer but not being appreciated for who she is, and I think that I understand that."

"So, you seek to protect her?"

"No," Azriel sighed, looking to Feyre with a sparkle in his eyes that she'd never though she would ever get to witness, "Well, yes. But I seek to give her a life free of torment. A life of love and one void of the restraints of her station. I seek to be her freedom, Feyre."

The High Lady of the Night Court found herself blushing from sheer excitement. Feyre had noticed it the moment y/n had waltzed into their lives, limbs exposed and hair flowing, eyes glowing with the light of a thousand storms; she had seen something spark, a cog falling into place after so long tumbling around without purpose.

"Does it help that she is the most beautiful thing to walk the universe?"

Azriel scoffed, "Her beauty is incomparable to what lies beneath it," he told Feyre, glancing sidelong with a smirk, "But I suppose she isn't half bad to look at."

Feyre tried to conceal her chuckle behind her hand as they both entered the dining room that Rhys had converted into a meeting room for the sake of convenience.

It was clear that sleep had escaped him, and what was even more pristine was the fact that Aelin could not have cared less about it as she took her place at the head of the table, further solidifying her position as leader of their little merged group. Rhys didn't contest, instead he simply moved to the opposing end, motioning for Azriel and Feyre to take a place either side of him.

A usually convivial dining table now swimming with discontent from two sides.

Aelin assumed her usual position. Legs propped against the tabletop. Arms folded over her chest. Dagger gleaming in the pale lights and reflecting upon the ceiling. A warning. A dare.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Aelin's head curled to meet Rhys' sight, "Have you figured out how this world knew of her and the only thing that can weaken her?"

Silence consumed the room like thick onyx poison, drowning and dimming all forms of barely there happiness. Rhys shuffled in his seat. He had to send himself on such a mission since he knew that Azriel refused to leave his sisters side, and he had come up empty handed.

The location of y/n's downfall had been left void of any traces of armies and magic, the only sign of this incident occurring being the blood soaked earth where Rhys had stood for an hour cursing himself for even thinking about sending her away when he had only just gotten her back.

If he could, he would go back and rip the order from his mouth. He'd carve out his own tongue to keep her hidden.

"No," Rhys spoke roughly with a throat that hadn't been quenched by water in what felt to him like days. "I assure you that such knowledge has never reached Prythian. I sent word to Helion and Thesan, enquiring if such a poison were in any of their libraries. There isn't."

Lorcan scoffed and glanced to Rowan who had his lip curled upward into a snarl from his place beside Aelin, "And you believe them?"

Sprinkles of magic littered the air, casting a faint shimmer that filled the spaces of the open arched windows whilst the faint sound of laughter from the mouths of little ones echoed upward to the House of Wind.

"I do," Rhys gulped. The High Lord of the Night Court ran a hand down his face that was soaked with exhaustion. "Helion and Thesan aren't only High Lords of Prythian. They are friends of the Night Court, and their lives have been dedicated to research and healing. They would never withhold such information."

"Forgive me for not believing a word of it," Aelin muttered, fingers tracing along the hilt of the dagger on the table. "Your enemy knew that she would come. He knew she would come looking for him, and he knew exactly how to ensure her death. If it weren't for that last burst of power that brought Aedion and Lorcan to her position, she'd be gone." Aelin leant forward in her seat, feet falling flat against the ground and venom laced in her words.

"You foolish man. Sending not only your long lost sister but our queen into the belly of a beast without being able to ensure her safety. Your world isn't the only one at stake here. If she cannot recover from this then your world will perish, and our world will have lost its fiercest warrior."

Manon chuckled, pulling the attention of the room to her, and Cassian who was placed beside her leant away from the talons she was running the pads of her fingers down lazily. "In other words, if she dies here, we'll ensure that you do too. Or well, I will," Manon flashed her iron teeth at Rhys, causing Feyre to shift uncomfortably in her seat as her fingers became entwined in his own, allowing her power to ebb and flow from her essence in response to Manon's threat.

Remembering his position, Azriel's eyes manoeuvred over Manon, then Aedion and Lorcan whose fists were clenched but possessed tired eyes, before landing on Aelin and Rowan who were struggling to contain themselves. Tendrils of shadow scattered over his shoulders, dancing wildly in a brisk wind from an opened door, sauntering up and down and shaking in rhythm with a silent, reverberating thumping that was grasping at and rattling his bones.

"I think it would be wise to refrain from talking to my brother like that," the room collectively snapped its gaze to the doorway, and Aelin rose to her feet instantly.

Before them all stood a pale but healing y/n. She was grasping at her side but walked forward with a pride Aelin had never seen before, not in someone who was hours ago so close to the grave. There was something dark about her, the power itself or the contrast of her hair and eyes against her whitened skin Aelin wasn't sure. But what was clear was that she knew something, the truth and ire dancing in the dimness of her eyes. Something that could change the course of all of their fates.

Y/N's silver skirt kissed the ground as she stopped at Rhys' side, laying her hand atop his shoulder and squeezing it weakly, "I can understand being protective," y/n moved her eyes around the room, slowly raking over each one of her Erilean family, "But don't be mistaken into believing that threatening my blood is big or wise. I decided to take to those skies alone. It is my doing and mine alone."

Azriel felt his heart stop when her eyes finally found him, and he stood instantly, offering his arm and seat and feeling a sense of completeness when she accepted his touch and found comfort in the sensation of his presence behind her.

"Y/N-"

"I'm not finished," a voice of dread and death cut through the plea that fell from Aedion's lips, a voice of a ruler, a voice of one of the most deadly beings the universe would ever know. Inhaling deeply, y/n closed her eyes for a moment, as though she was preparing herself for something, and in sensing her discomfort and hesitation, Azriel lay his hand at the top of her spine, allowing every emotion and ounce of pain to wash through his veins.

Y/N visibly relaxed.

"In my sleep, the attack played in my mind over and over again, not like a nightmare, but in a way to make me see the truth. To push me to see beyond the pain," her eyes were downcast, but she moved backward into Azriel's hand, feeling a blanket of certainty and warmth coiling around her frame. "When I was flying over their camp, I felt the power of the cauldron. It was a drowning feeling, it made me feel confused almost, and I felt a certain type of dread. I was scared."

Y/N's eyes dragged down the table, settling on Rowan with eyebrows tight and fear visible within her irises. "There has only ever been one form of power that has ever made me feel like that. Maybe I was too wrapped up in what was happening to realise it."

"What are you saying, y/n?" Rowan urged, knuckles turning pale from his grip around the arms of his chair.

Without thinking about it, y/n's fingers faintly traced over the scar that had held Azriel's attention in the cabin. A morbid reminder.

"Dorian and I had a theory. That souls from our world didn't pass on into the afterlife but rather fell through the plains separating Erilea from other worlds. It had only ever really been a theory, but it was something that we couldn't stop thinking about. It haunted us in a way."

Because they had both lost a parent.

"But being here now with a poison in my veins so putrid and complex that no one from this world could have ever known of it. I realise what is happening." Aelin leaned forward, gaze flickering over the face of her friend until their eyes met. "There is only one person who knows how to make it. Only one person who would find joy in seeing me dead. Only one person who would seek to ensure the upmost pain. Only one person whose power terrifies me."

Aelin's eyes blew wide. "No," she spoke a hush above a whisper, "It can't be. She's dead. You killed her."

"What's going on?" Rhys entwined his fingers with those of his sister, feeling her fear bristling against the walls of her mind like a battering ram, splintering and wrecking the cage of her consciousness.

Realisation was floating about the room, to all those bar the Inner Circle. Rowan's head hung low, his eyes closed and nostrils flaring with each inhale and exhale, and Aedion couldn't lift his eyes from the tabletop.

"Maeve is here. My mother has come to punish me by devouring your world. Only when you're all dead will she kill me, and then can she conquer Erilea for the final time. Who knows, she might even keep me alive long enough to watch Doranelle and Terrasen burn." Y/N turned to Rhys, bottom lip almost wobbling, "I'm sorry. This is happening because of what I did."

Rhys dropped to his knees before her, taking her burning face in his hands and stroking his thumbs along her cheekbones. "We'll face it. We'll face her. And may the Mother grant her some mercy when I get my hands on her." He read the depleting light in her eyes, knowing that whatever energy she had been granted was wavering. "Let's get you back to bed. We can face this tomorrow. We still have time."

The High Lord of the Night Court went to hook an arm beneath his sisters arms, but she wrenched herself away to the side, still under the touch of Azriel, and looked upward to him. It was a silent plead, the widened watering eyes and a gentle shrug that lifted her shoulders.

Azriel moved instantly, scooping y/n into his arms and hugging her tightly into his chest, propping his chin on the crown of her head as he wordlessly carried her away.

Author's Note

I know it's been ages and I'M SO SORRY

Taglist

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[moonlitstoriess]

Across the Universe-ch.14 (Fenrys x Reader)

Summary: Y/n has everything she needs in life. A family, friends, a safe place she calls home and most importantly a male whom she loves. What happens when it all changes when Y/n finds out about the betrayal of her lover and her so called family? Well, ending up in Terrasen and in queen Aelin's court was not what she expected but what she will need to start her new journey full of surprises.

Warnings: Some angst, injuries, past trauma

See masterlist

Something was wrong.

Something was definitely not right with him.

Y/n kept repeating these words in her head as she stood frozen, watching Fenrys watch her while holding his chest.

When she tried coming any closer, he held up his hand and said, "Y/n- I- Please"

She stood back but y/n was still fully confused. What was happening? Did his chest hurt? Why is he looking at her with so much shock?

"Fenrys what's-"

"Let's- let's go"

He slowly held out his hand for her to take but y/n saw the wariness, the worry and realization written all over his face as he refused to look at her. Anywhere but at her. He was clearly out of his mind now but she wouldn't question him yet. Not yet. He has something going on that he isn't sharing with her and y/n would eventually figure it out.

With an unsure and careful move, she took his hand and let Fenrys take them home. Y/n noticed how even though they were holding hands, he kept his distance from her and just kept staring straight as their surroundings began to blur.

Once they were back within the palace walls, Fenrys immediately let go of her hand, and for some reason, that caused her stomach to drop. By the sounds coming from the door down the hall, everyone else were having dinner.

She tried again, "Fenrys-"

Fenrys looked at the wall behind her, his eyes never straying towards her "You should go eat."

Y/n's hand came up to touch him "What about you?"

He quickly moved away from her touch, "I am not hungry. Good night, y/n."

She didn't even get to say something else as he abruptly turned around and left her alone. Feeling hurt, rejected and alone, y/n turned around towards the dining room and plastered on a fake smile as she entered the area.

The conversations stopped the second she entered through the doors, silence overtaking the room as Aelin said with a welcoming tone, "Y/n! we were wondering where you and Fenrys were but-"

"But decided to give you two lovebirds some privacy." Dorian finished with a knowing smirk, earning himself a glare from the queen.

Y/n furrowed her eyebrows as she came and sat beside Lysandra, "Lovebirds? We aren't in love."

Lysandra chuckled, "Y/n, dear, you are not the brightest are you?"

Y/n turned towards the shifter and gave her a glare, "What are you saying? What in the Mother's name is happening?"

Elide, the evercaring mother, stood up and poured some food on to y/n's plate as she said in the softest voice, "We all feel this....this tension between you two."

Lorcan scoffed, "Yeah, it's pretty hard to ignore with the way you two seem to only see one another whenever you are in the same place."

Y/n thanked Elide, before crossing her arms and leaning back on her chair, "That is absolutely not true. Fenrys and I are just friends."

She suddenly felt someone poke her in the arm and turned her head to see Eva, smiling menacingly, "It absolutely is true. You and Fen have this thing between you two. We all see it, we all feel it. Except you and him apparently."

Y/n raised her brows, stumbling over her words, "W-what? I-"

Rowan put down his cup and looked straight at her, "If you keep on denying it, it will be even more useless. We are all aware of your attraction towards one another so-"

Aedion quickly got up and rushed around to close Eva's ears as he said with a small smirk, "So just get to it. Rip off your clothes and fuck it out."

Lysandra gasped and got up to hit her husband. The whole room burst out in laughter and chuckles at that as y/n got up while choking out a "What? You are all crazy!"

Aelin just smiled, "Please don't take what we say to heart. On the contrary, we are very happy that Fenrys is finally giving attention to someon. It has been a while since we saw him this....lively and present, you know?"

Rowan held his mates hand as he said with a small smile, "He may not see it but Fenrys has never been more himself than when he is around you. Because of how you make him feel."

Y/n raised an eyebrow as she looked at the prince "And how do I make him feel exactly?"

Rowan gave her a small, knowing smile as he said,

"Alive."

Alive. That's what they think she made him feel. Y/n barely slept the whole night, preferring to overthink what everyone said during dinner instead. No, surely they must be wrong if they think that she makes him feel alive because Fenrys is anything but alive with her.

One moment he is kissing her, the other he is pushing her. He is being distant and yet getting all protective when something happens to her. He insists that there can never be anything between them because she will eventually have to leave and then kisses her again on top of showing her the place he has been hiding from the outer world. His safe haven. His secret garden.

She couldn't understand him. She couldn't understand what he was doing because Fenrys was being closed off and distant again. And this time, she had no idea why. Y/n didn't even know what she was feeling any more. Was she angry? Was she hopeful? Was she sad? She just.....was.

Whatever. Fenrys can go and do whatever he wants because she was not going to give him any attention anymore. He was right. After all, y/n would leave and this whole thing that is between them will never be anything more than a kiss. It's better to slowly forget about him starting from now. Maybe then her growing attraction and care for him would disappear.

With that final decision in mind, y/n pushed all her thoughts aside as she entered the healing hut to see how Petrah is doing. Once Isolde let her in, to her absolute zero surprise, she saw Lucien still in the same position but with different clothes, sitting next to Petrah. An awake Petrah!

Y/n couldn't hide the smile on her face and the relief she felt when she saw her fellow witch awake. "Petrah!"

Both Lucien and Petrah looked at her as she came towards the bed and stood next to the redhead prince, putting her hand on his shoulder.

Petrah gave her a small smile, "Hello, y/n."

"How are you feeling?"

Petrah shrugged but quickly winced and Lucien immediately put his hand on her shoulder, gently stopping her as he said, "She has been in and out of sleep for quite a while now, just woke up a short while ago when Manon and Lysandra came in to check on her and then fell asleep again."

Petrah sighed "I want to get up. Being bedridden is too suffocating."

Lucien gave her a gentle but firm look as he said, "You heard Isolde. Unless you want your stitches opening up--because there are many of them--you can't get up for a while."

Petrah was about to say something but a yawn overtook her and before she knew it, her eyes were closing again, softly lulling her to sleep.

Lucien smiled at that and gently pulled up the covers that she had pushed off over her body. Y/n smiled at her friend's care before sighing, "She lost a lot of blood and energy. I am no healer but I have seen enough of these kinds of injuries to know that she will be in and out of consciousness for a while."

Lucien sighed as he got up and went to pull the curtain over the window. "Yes, and I will be here for her every step of the way."

"Have you eaten?"

Lucien gave her a small nod as he went towards a pitcher filled with some drink and poured it into a cup to drink. Y/n looked at the sleeping witch on the bed and then at her friend on the other side of the room before deciding to ask, "Lu, is there something going on between you and Petrah?"

She saw his back visibly stiffen befor he sighed and looked down while holding the table, still not turning towards her. And then, Lucien whispered the three words that made y/n fall into the chair out of shock.

"She is my mate, y/n."

"Repeat that."

This time, he turned to look at her as he said, "She is my mate. And she has no idea."

Y/n thought her jaw must have hit the floor because of how shocked she was. Sensing that she wouldn't be able to utter a single word, Lucien just went on, "I felt it when she was getting healed here after the injury. Had to leave the room for a moment and gather my thoughts before returning to her side."

Y/n only managed to whisper a few words, "How? But- I- Elain- What?!"

Lucien shrugged, "I think you were right after all. The Cauldron made a mistake with me and Elain. With her, I never felt this bond, I never felt anything except this sense of responsibility about making her accept me. But with Petrah....y/n, I feel it all. I feel the bond and I feel a rush of emotions whenever I am with her. I constantly want to be with her. I enjoy her company."

Y/n nodded slowly, gathering her thoughts as she asked, "And will you tell her once she is in a proper state of mind?"

He shook his head.

"Why? Don't you think it's her right to know, Lu?"

He sighed and looked down saying, "If she doesn't feel what I felt, if the bond doesn't appear for her then what's the point of embarrassing myself? Besides we will leave anyway-"

"Lucien, listen to me. You can never keep this from her and do not tell me that she won't like you or something similar because that is not for you to decide. Once she is well, you must let her know and then, if she accepts it, you have to put your happiness before anything else-"

"Y/n-"

"No. Lu, please, let me finish."

He nodded stiffly.

"She is your mate, Lucien. Mate. If she accepts it, how can you leave her behind? And no, she won't leave her family, her friends, her queen and come with you to a foreign world. To Prythian. So don't even think of that. And think of it this way, if you never tell her and she never finds out, then you will go back knowing that you left your mate, your other half in a completely different world. Is that what you want? You like her Lu, and I am not saying you should start mating immediately, no. You could begin to know one another and see where it leads. But please, Lucien, do not run away from what's meant for you."

Lucien was staring at her with wide eyes as he coughed out, "Oh, wow. Did not think I would ever get lectured by you, but here we are. I will take your advice, but....I don't know y/n, what about my family and friends? How will I see them?"

Y/n gave him a small, unsure smile, "We will find a way, Lu. We will find a way."

Mate.

Y/n was his mate.

Fenrys didn't know what to think or feel anymore. He was so lost. For so long, he has been waiting for the moment where he would find his mate. The one meant for him. That he would get to spend the rest of his remaining years with the love of his life by his side. But, it's as if the Gods were laughing at him, mocking him. Well, there were no Gods anymore but still.

At first, Fenrys was beyond happy. Beyond shocked and beyond excited. Y/n, the one who has had his attention for a while now, turned out to be his mate. She wasn't just his witchling now, she was also his mate.

He should have known, he should have known from the first time he felt anything towards her that this wasn't a mere crush or attraction. No, Fenrys was on his way towards reaching absolute obsession, love, adoration, protection. Oh Gods, he really liked her.

But then, the truth hit him. She was leaving. How cruel could fate be to mate him to someone who wasn't even from his world? To mate him to someone who is destined to leave and forget him? It is these thoughts that made him reject the idea of telling her the truth. Of letting her know that they were mates. Of chaining her to him.

That's why it was best if he put distance between them and Fenrys knew that he had said this a thousand times before but this time, he meant it. He would stay away from her until she left. It was for the best. For both of them. No matter how much this decision pains him, Fenrys knew that he had to take this step.

And now, as he entered the sitting room, he realized that he would have to put his plan into action faster then he thought because in the room, there was Dorian sitting with none other than.....y/n. They were having drinks and laughing about something until he entered which caused his witchlings smile to immediately drop.

Dorian, however, seemed oblivious to it all as he gestured with his hand to the sofa for Fenrys to sit "Fen! How glad am I to see you. It feels as if I last saw you centuries ago because that is how rarely I see your face now."

Fenrys didn't smile. Didn't take his intense gaze away from his little fireball as he said, "Well, I am leaving."

Dorian immediately got up at that, as he said in a serious tone, "Nonsense, Fenrys. Ever since I have arrived here I have spent more time with everyone except you! We must talk and now is better than any other moment."

Fenrys didn't want to do this but he also didn't want to disappoint his friend, whom he rarely saw, even further which is why he sighed but walked towards the sofas, sitting next to the king. Y/n got up to leave but Dorian stopped her too, saying, "Y/n dearest, please do sit. We were having a lovely chat and I believe talking with you both will be even more fun."

Y/n shook her head, not looking at him and that made Fenrys more pissed than ever as she said, "Oh, um- I have something to do, you two must have personal matter to talk about-"

"No, I insist. Please, y/n."

It seems like the young king truly had a way with words because y/n just sighed but also came back to take her place opposite of Fenrys. He tried his hardest not to acknowledge her and from the looks of it, y/n was doing the same. Well, how fantastic.

Dorian cleared his throat before asking, "So, Fen, y/n here, was just telling me of her adventures in Prythian and Gods, did you know of what she did in the Summer court? Tell him, y/n!"

Y/n just kept looking at Dorian, seemingly uncomfortable as she said, "I am.....I think there is no need for him to know of it."

Fenrys felt horrible. He was the reason she was acting like this. He was the reason that she felt uncomfortable and that was the last thing he ever wanted to make her feel. And the fact that she no longer wishes to share her past with him makes Fenrys want to punch a wall.

Dorian still seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room, just shrugged before saying, "Oh, well. Anyways, y/n, what is the first thing you will do when you are back home?"

Now this was an interesting question that also got Fenrys' curiosity to spike up as he waited to hear her answer. After a while, she said, "Well, I did end my relationship with my lover so all that is left to do is say my words to the rest of my so called friends and then leave."

Dorians eyes widened "You broke things off with your lover? What for?"

He felt her cast a quick glance at him before shrugging "Well, it is a long story. Maybe next time I will tell you."

Dorian, however, didn't seem like he wanted to let the matter go because he then asked, "Oh, well, I am sure, whatever it is, you had your reasons. But if it wasn't something that serious maybe you could get back together? Or if not, I am also sure that there would be plenty of males and females who would love to be with you."

Now that just caused Fenrys to clutch his glass cup so hard that it shattered. Both y/n and Dorian turned to look at him with wide eyes as Fenrys said in a tone dripping with possessiveness, "No."

Y/n raised her eyebrow at him, "No?"

He let his dark gaze lock with her annoyed one, saying once more, "No."

The thought of even letting anyone else especially that fucker Azriel come anywhere near her made his blood boil. Fenrys knew how hypocritical he was being. Not telling her that they are mates and yet also refusing to share. But for some reason, that was just the truth. He felt too protective over her.

Y/n scoffed, "And who exactly do you think you are? I can do whatever I want. If I wish to fuck around, then that is what I shall do. If I wish to be in another relationship, then that is what I shall do. If I wish to forgive Azriel, then that is what I shall do."

That was it.

The dam broke.

Fenrys got to his feet rounding the sofa and coming to stand next to her, cupping her jaw, making her look at him as he said in the firmest voice, "Over my dead body will I let any of that happen."

Y/n's anger seemed to rise even further as she pushed out of his grasp and also got up while looking straight at him, "What gives you the right?! How can you make such decisions while you won't even look at me!"

Fenrys was barely holding himself back now. He quickly went towards the door and out the empty hall to put distance between them but it seems like y/n was just as determined to get answers out of him because she quickly followed after him, shouting, "Why, Fenrys? Why are you so cruel?! You do not get to ignore me and then act all possessive! You have no right!"

Fenrys turned abruptly, causing her to barely avoid crashing in to him as he said, "I have every right."

That seemed to only piss her off even further because the next thing Fenrys knew, she was hitting his chest. Yes, her fists did nothing to him, he didn't even feel her futile attempts at hurting him but the fact was, she was hitting him.

She kept on hitting him while her eyes began turning glossy with tears.

"WHY! Give me a reason why!"

"You! You gave up on this!"

"How can you be so cruel?!"

"If you aren't going to stay with me, then do not get in the way of my happiness!"

Fenrys had enough. She was talking too much, nonstop. Not even pausing to breath. She hated him. She was disappointed in him and even though Fenrys had made many others disappointed before, y/n being mad and disappointed at him was the only one that he couldn't handle. He felt like dirt on the ground for making her go through this.

Just walk away Fenrys, keep your mouth shut and frustration reigned in. Leave now before it's too late.

Fenrys did just that. He took both of her wrists in one hand and let go of them, turning his back to her and walking away-

"You are a coward after all, Fenrys. You run away from your truth. You refuse to even own up to your actions! Refuse to even look me in the eye!"

"You wouldn't understand y/n."

"Yes. Yes I would! If you only told me!"

"Y/n-"

"Fenrys tell me! WHY!"

"I have my reason-"

"WHAT REASON! Why? Fenrys, Please!"

"I- we can't y/n-"

"WHY!"

Fenrys suddenly turned around and shouted back at her, frustration and disbelief eviden in his voice "BECAUSE YOU ARE MY MATE!"

That's when he saw it. How she went from a fireball to a frozen statue. How her expression went from anger and annoyance to shock and disbelief.

"W-what-"

She gasped suddenly, staggering backwards and holding her chest, eyes wide. Fenrys knew then that the glorious bond also snapped for her. He immediately moved to help her but y/n put up a hand, halting him in his steps.

After what felt like an eternity of silence and heavy breathing, she looked back at him, her expression molded back into anger but her voice dripped with cool indifference as she said, "So this is what happened to you yesterday. The bond snapped for you first."

"Ye-"

"And yet you kept this from me. You hid this information from me!"

"Y/n-"

"Here I was wondering what happened for you to suddenly change your mind, to suddenly start acting like the brute you were when I first came here. And all this time....all this time you knew we were mates."

"Y/n, please-"

"Do I disgust you, Fenrys? Were you so disappointed when you found out that you decided to keep it hidden? Is that it?"

"No! Y/n-"

"Forget it, Fenrys. I have had enough of your games. I do not wish to see your face for the time being. Don't you dare follow me."

Before he even could say something else, y/n quickly went past him and headed towards the staircase.

Well done, Fenrys. Well fucking done. Idiot.

Mate! He was her fucking mate! How hilarious, how ironic!

She thought she would never find her mate and yet, here he was, right in front of her. For so long, y/n thought that her mate was a specific winged Illyrian. Turns out, it was a specific blond warrior and shifter. She would laugh if she wasn't busy being in shock and denial.

The bond.....the bond snapped for her right after Fenrys told--or rather, shouted--the words. How funny that at some point, while she was begging and praying for this very bond to snap, it wouldn't. And now that she had sworn to never fall in love, the bond suddenly snaps.

Now all that attraction towards him made sense. Now all that need and care for him made sense. Oh, Cauldron boil her, what will she do?! She was just giving Lucien advice on this matter two hours ago and now here she is, suffering from the same revelation, not having anyone to take advice fro-

"Sooo, I believe congratulations are in due for you both?"

Y/n turned around to see Dorian walking towards her in the garden, a large and mischevious smirk plastered all over his face.

She sighed and closed her eyes, "Please tell me you didn't hear anything and it's just a lucky guess."

She felt him sit beside her on the gazebo and then say, "You know I am not a liar, y/n dearest. I heard you two shouting at each other because, mind you, you two werent that far away from the room that we were chatting in. Just be glad the halls were empty."

She turned her head sideways and gave the king a threatening look, "No one knows of this so don't even think of opening your mouth to anyone."

Dorian just gave her a wink before sighing, "Well, I can't promise not to tell Manon. You must understand that we keep no secrets from one another and that she is an exception in everything that I do. But other than her, I promise to keep my lips sealed. You don't have to worry about Manon either, she doesn't go around gossiping."

"But she gossips with you?"

"But she gossips with me."

Y/n rolled her eyes at him before bending forward and putting her arms on her knees, "I don't know what to do, Dorian. I never- I never expected this."

The young king just put his hand on her shoulder as he said, "I know that you may have not expected it but please do not immediately reject it. Fenrys is one of the best males I have met. He would never break your heart y/n-"

"I know that. What I don't know is what am I supposed to do now that we are mates? I am supposed to leave, remember? Besides, my past....my past experiences in this whole love area weren't the best so I don't think this will work. I don't think I will love him-"

"Who says you have to love him right from this moment? You two just found out that you are mates, mates! It takes time to process."

She just sighed and rubbed her temples as she said, "Yes, it will take time."

Dinner was....difficult, to say the least. While everyone kept talking and engaging in conversations, y/n and Fenrys both were on a keen mission to ignore one another. She barely ate anything, her mind barely grasped anything anyone said because she was busy thinking over what happened with Fenrys.

And from the quick glances that she cast his way, y/n could tell that he was also not in the moment due to his stiff posture and small, fake, barely there smile.

The second everyone started to finish up, she quickly said her goodnight's and headed straight for her room, intending to get away from all the tension that is everpresent between them. Once she entered it, y/n leaned against the door and sighed, giving herself a small moment to gather her thoughts and breathe properly.

When she felt like she could move again, y/n went towards her mirror and began unzipping her dress, just wanting to quickly get to bed and sleep the shocking events away-

A knock came from the other side of the door. Oh, yes. Eva had said during dinner that she would give y/n the book she finally finished to read.

"Eva, could you please come in later? I am changing."

No answer came from Eva.

"Eva?"

Still no answer.

Y/n thought that the girl was gone so she went back to changing when the door opened. Y/n raised her head back to look at Eva through the mirror "Eva-"

Her words were stuck in her throat when she saw who entered the room instead. It wasn't Eva......it was Fenrys. His expression was full of concern and regret.

"Y/n, I-"

But then, he stopped mid-sentence when his gaze drifted to her exposed back, his expression turning into one of fury and shock. That's when she realized that her dress had slid over her back, leaving her scars exposed. She quickly tried to pull her dress up, when she heard his harsh voice, "Don't."

For some reason, the command made her pause. He started to slowly take slow steps towards her, his intense gaze never leaving her back. She couldn't turn back around, instead staying frozen in her place, looking at him through the mirror.

He stopped right behind her, his eyes still trained on her back as he whispered, "Who did this to you?"

She couldn't look at him anymore, y/n tilted her head down as she said, "No one, Fenrys."

"Who. Did. This. To. You."

"Fenrys, just leave-"

"Was it Azriel? Is he the one that did this to you?"

She looked back at him to see his eyes trained on her now, expecting an answer.

"No, Fenrys. It wasn't Azriel."

She saw him relax slightly before saying, "Then who did this?"

She scoffed and turned to look back at him, "Why do you care Fenrys? You saw how ugly my body is now so you can be assured that we do not need to be mates. You can reject this whole thing and I will not be mad. It's what I expected anyway-"

"You are so blind."

"Excuse me?! What's that supposed to mean?"

Fenrys came even closer, their chests touching now as he looked down on her, "You are so blind that you do not see the way I look at you, the way I yearn for you. You are so blind that you do not realize my affection for you."

Her eyes widened, processing his words, "Fenrys, you don't have to lie-"

"Am I lying, y/n? Do I look like I am lying? I have grown to like you....very much. Your body is the farthest thing from being ugly. I am growing obsessed with you, don't you see? I have done things with you and for you that I have never done for anyone else. Never."

Then, he gently took ahold of the dress' neckline and pulled it down slowly until it stopped on her hips. Her arms and upper body were now completely exposed to him. Her scars, traumas, wounds, nightmares, all out on display for him to see.

She could only muster to mutter a few words. "Please, don't pity me."

He looked back at her, his eyes holding nothing but adorationa and care within them. And then, he smiled. He smiled a soft, genuine smile that had her heart melting. His knuckles came up to gently caress her cheek as he said, "I do not pity you. I am proud of you. Proud for overcoming whatever challenges that were thrown at you. Proud for coming out alive from whatever nightmares you have faced."

She couldn't help herself then. She couldn't stop the tears that escaped her eyes and soon turned into a waterfall as she fell down on her knees and started to cry. Fenrys also went down with her and gently, as to not scare her, wrapped his arms around her and brought her into his chest, keeping her safe and tucked in the crook of his neck as he whispered "Let it all out, princess. Let it all out. I am here."

She cried for her past. For the girl she once was. For the innocence she had lost. For the childhood she had lost. For the parents she had lost. She cried for it all.

After a while, she calmed down and just pressed her cheek to his chest as he gently caressed her back. "Do you want me to take you to bed? You are tired."

"No...I- I want to stay like this just a little more. Talk with you."

He smiled down at her, pecking her head before resting his chin on her head and whispering back, "Talk all you want, princess. I will be here to listen."

She smiled slightly, "You have that much time?"

She felt his grip tighten on her as he pressed her even more to his body, shielding her from the rest of the world as he said, "For you, I have all the time in the universe."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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[leiawritesstories]

hey this is for Frederick haha: can you do "Goodbye" for the fic title game?

why yes my friend, of course I can 😈😈

"Goodbye" (a summary?)

Hand pressed flat against the smooth, polished wood, the queen felt her heart crack. The iron control she'd maintained over her emotions faltered, letting a surge of rather unqueenly emotion spill through. Aelin choked out a soft sob, closing her eyes, and pressed her other hand flat against the dark mahogany of Gav's coffin, tears dripping silently onto the wood.

Another set of hands joined hers, these ones pocked with bruises and tiny cuts, calluses lining the palms. Another set of Ashryver eyes dropped tears onto the Lion's coffin, the son Gav had barely met paying his final respects to his father.

"H--he loved you, Aeds," Aelin rasped, dragging her gaze up to her cousin's.

Aedion swallowed thickly, uncharacteristic grief cleaving his features. "I know."

Aedion's arm came to rest around Aelin's shoulders and hers around his waist as Gav's coffin was lowered into the ground. She gripped his free hand, feeling his warrior's body shake with the effort of holding back his sobs.

"Goodbye, Gavriel," she whispered, somehow surprised to find herself grieving so deeply for a male she hardly knew. "Rest well."

Beside her, Aedion released a deep exhale. "Goodbye," he echoed, "my...father."

"Goodbye."

[acourtofquestions]

Part 2. — Throne of Glass:

Nehemia & “Elentiya” / Celaena; one of the most gut-wrenching & arc-setting parts of the story. … As I said I’m a big fan of platonic soulmates, found family “sisters”, the powerful different kind of love within female friendship. It is a once-in-a-lifetime magic to find someone & find a half of yourself too; whether it be reignited embers, or a piece you have not yet met yet always known, it becomes something you cannot fathom being without… For you are changed by it; for it is something more… In Celaena’s case, that completely terrifying, yet still, she wishes to be seen; it is why she continues to tell her the truth & knows even when she does not, Nehemia sees far more & understands too well. Nehemia is the other side of the coin & the stoker of the flames. — She begins in simple ease because Celaena can shoot the breeze & be whoever she wishes, speaking freely without fears constraints, thinking Nehemia cannot share secrets she does not know how to speak. — Then allowing a routine of “normalcy” even if make-believe; she can be anyone; so, Lillian can eat candy, walk Fleetfoot, & giggle about boys, it is breath among the chaos. — All the while pushing Celaena slowly not to become stagnant or complacent; turning her into another walking rebellion; reawakening the embers; to be more. — And then giving new purpose & honor within being Elentiya of all things good; Elentiya who is not alone… One thing none of her names has ever been… She almost had it, so many times: Ansel was almost her friend instead she is a domino effect of distrust, Sam was always far closer to lover then friend & a dream stolen right at the finish line. But now she has a friend; who saved her life, who knows & loves, who carries trust beyond what she can give the guard & the prince. This ties in to why the loss is so big; why Celaena is broken & changed, and nothing nothing can be the same nor fixed again; it was the camels back & it was true love lost without needing the world to care. …Though, Their friendship meant far more… it always does, as long before as long after.

Chaol & Dorian; a new addition because the *spoiler HoF ending* I LOVE YOU of THAT book was them. First off another round of applause for male friendship; for expressing it well & not only allowing but embracing expression. Also, *tips cap* to Chaol for being honest (even when it’s hard & wrong or makes him look bad; he was VERY honest in this series but at least THIS one was good). *round of applause* to Dorian for the man he is, the love he deserves, & gives (thank the Wyrd he finally got a shred of the communication & affection he deserves). Even at its worst; you feel their friendship; the only steady piece & meant to be (also a powerfully chosen “chosen to be”); & how despite everything, they do love each other. Their friendship is powerful; it is sanity, it is holding a kingdom together; it goes beyond loyalty to a country or a duty. It is friendship.

Aedion & Aelin; one that might be to soon as I only JUST now finished HoF however I already am so passionate for it: their relationship is healing. It is unconditional, outlasting life or death. The way they speak of each other with such reverence; the love in calling him “her Aedion” or others saying “Your Aedion” (I know it’s a classic SJM writing-mannerism but it’s also a powerful one; a little weird at first to me with the mates, but understood overtime with soulmates; & 100% in this specific case esp. as someone w littles) the love they have is one I think most of us can relate to within; what we would do for those we love & how much we do love them. How 10 years would not matter, nor 5 in age difference, nor anything; nothing could matter more. Because when Aedion says “cousin” had been his favorite title broke me in its truth of love beyond death, time, or fiction. Perhaps I’m projecting my own love, grief & trauma; or perhaps this is the point of fiction. Regardless, this kind of familial soulmate has been beautifully done & powerfully said. I look forward to more & appreciate it.

For being a “romance” writer I actually think the best love stories shown in the Maasverse are not romantic:

The platonic & found family” storylines; Primarily the SISTERHOOD is what I think lands next level.

*stay with me here*

The Archeron Sisters: dysfunctional — YES — but aren't siblings always?🤣 They however, not only carry the plot; (example) THEY kill Hybern. But, they ALSO carry the greatest character development; (ex.) NESTA! And in that propel the two; (ex-LITERALLY the BEGINNING of the ENTIRE series) why does Feyre go with Tamlin to Prythian in the first place? — to protect/save her sisters. The 3 of them serve as a key to the heart of the story. Their dysfunction as children (reminder: they were children) revolved both around carrying the weight of their parents mistakes, a village that abandoned & scorned, and their failures to themselves & each other; but in the end, they are redeemed. At the end of the day, they ARE sisters, & they love each other; they will go to the grave for that, they will come home to that, and they will keep trying & surviving, fighting with & for that… Without them there is no story… it ends long before it begins; the high lady dies with her child, the man of shadow never laughs, the son of autumn stays in suffocating spring, the blood letter bleeds to death, no ships appear in the war, the mortal world is forgotten falling to ruin unseen & unspoken, the world crumbles under the mountain as violet eyes go out, no paint coats the cabin, the eldest daughter freezes in her barren bitter cold, the flower child wilts in the bereavement of once being beloved, the girl stays alone never knowing more never feeling love never having a thing to fight for; she never kills the wolf. The story is untold without the Archeron Sisters.

The Valkyrie: beyond the Archeron sisters we have a sisterhood that was built out of shared trauma & shared strength beyond blood-bound; a storyline that I found quite literally healing to read (especially for women who have lived through trauma and abuse; a group that’s voice is not often heard enough) & hitting home dearly for any woman who has experienced found sisterhood; you know, it is a different kind of love; one that would go to war for each other, a love that knows more, adores wholly (seeing & knowing better, more, deeper, further; unconditional). Their friendship is very VERY powerful; from the quite literal physical sense, and the greater sense of empowerment (both to the characters, storyline/plot & the readers); plus extra props to being able to change Nesta’s mind (that alone is a feat worthy of godesshood😂). And the heroine’s of the storyline; one that exceeds a singular book & enters the real world; almost becoming an entire series of a new world (even without the tale to read; though I hope for more someday).

I can’t speak of Valkyries & Archeron Sisters without speaking to our other ancient brethren of heroes; THE BAT BOYS: I feel like another group in contrast that is not always given a voice that allows emotion is friendships among men (they are either acceptable by “bro” codes with a double-back-pat ONLY, or demeaned as for showing normal human emotion) so, I appreciate that here we have powerful & strong heroes (that are portrayed as such) while having platonically loving friendships/found family (that does not revolve around demeaning women). And what a powerful/beautiful century spanning tear-jerking true-love showing story it is; one that is a key to the heart & psyche of these characters; & that I think the story would not exist without. They have loved each other through everything; from start to end, they have fought side by side, they were the heart before there was a story. They were what they were fighting for… you could say the true treasure was the friends they made along the way… like 500 years ago… & I mean doesn’t that say enough? — Who would you spend 500 years with? — Well, whatever the answer is: THAT is true love.

[riorsonxaden]

Rhys: This is our plan. We're doing this

Aelin: It's not going to work Batty

Rhys: It will. and don't call me Batty.

Aelin *smiling*: Fine. And when it fails...

Rhys: It won't.

Rowan *leaning into Aelin*: Are you going to follow his plan?

Aelin: I'm embarrassed you're even asking. It's like we haven't been married for centuries. Do better Buzzard.

Rowan: That's my fireheart.

[rainingriversofyou]

Aelin, Rowan, Manon, Dorian, Lysandra, Aedion, Elide & Lorcan

Throne Of Glass / Artist: @madschofield

[queenofshadowsss]

⚠️⚠️THRONE OF GLASS SPOILERS⚠️⚠️

Dorian didn’t even remember his own name but he was still flirting with Manon. Like he had a whole ass Valg Prince in his body and he was like let me rizz up this beautiful woman. I’m so onboard for this ship.

“I’ll bleed whatever colour you tell me to”

He’s so back baby

He flirts so hard he actually remembers his name.

“Do you want me to kill you, Dorian?”

“I want you to do a lot of things to me”

PLEASE