#feyre is dumb as rocks

[bisexual-in-denial]

Absolutely no hate or condescension to anyone who enjoys the ACOTAR series, and to be clear I have only read the first book, but I'm going to be so fr rn

Why does Every. Single. Character. In the book have an IQ of room temperature? Nobody thinks about the long game (Rhysand is sort of an exception), nobody knows how to put two and two together, and nobody knows how to be subtle--especially when subtlety would solve a whole host of problems.

tbh though, this book wasn't really plot-based; it was more centered around character relationships, especially romantic ones. And, as I have a greater affinity toward books and book series that place greater emphasis on plot, world-building, and impactful conflict + resolution, it's just not my cup of tea, and that's ok.

[multiversalfandomwriter222]

Hii can you write az saying something he doesn't mean and making reader cry and then comforting her? Or the classic flinching during argument? I just really love hurt/comfort loll

Thank you and I hope you have a good day!! <33

OH I LOVE THESE TROPES! Your wish is my command!

Warnings: Cussing, Yelling, somebody almost getting stabbed.

Reckless

"You can't keep doing that shit y/n!" Azriel yells. "Well, what the fuck was I supposed to do Azriel? Just let them corner my older sisters?" You yell. You were supposed to only stay with Nest and Feyre while they were in the library, but you had risked your life, distracting them so Nesta and Feyre could go get help while you led the Hybern Intel down, down, down into the library, and that's when you had met your new best friend, Bryaxis(which is beside the point). Azriel was horrified to find out that you were down there, by yourself, with no one to protect you. But you were always like that. Doing reckless things with your new immortality.

"You were supposed to find a way out, y/n. You put yourself in these situations and it pisses me off!" He steps close to you wings flaring; eyes filled with icy rage. "You cannot keep being so fucking dumb and reckless!" He shouts.

You flinch at the insult, tears filling your eyes. "You whimper and a sob spills from your lips "I-I'm so sorry Azriel." Azriel's eyes widen. "No, no I'm sorry. I'm so sorry angel, I didn't-" He tries to pull you against his chest, but you shove him away. Azriel's heart breaks as he sees you sob, mentally kicking himself for hurting you.

"I was scared. So, so scared to lose you." He whispers. You look at him. "I didn't mean to say that you're dumb, y/n. You are so smart, the most beautiful fae I have ever seen. And the fact that I insulted you just now kills me. I am so sorry." He says. "It's fine." You whisper. "Now please come and hug me. I don't want to be apart anymore." Azriel nods and starts to walk over, but you rush over, impatient to be in his arms. He kisses the top of your head as he rocks you back and forth, sort of like a slow dance moment. "I love you Azriel." You say and look up at him, adoration filling your eyes. Azriel leans down to give you a sweet kiss. "I love you so much angel, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for you." He says. "Well, it's a good thing I came along!" You say cheerfully and kiss his cheek.

A/N: Okay! Three in one day! Y'all keep coming with the request, it's helping me be motivated and keep me out of the funk in my head. Keep requesting from the list, but also give me some other characters so I don't get bored and back into my procrastination mood. Love y'all, be safe!

[nestaians]

anyone who thinks ic meant well when they choose to lock nesta up in HoW to help her are dumb as rocks

rhysand was locked up for 50yrs and it still haunts him

the rest of ic was locked up in CoD for 50yrs and had no idea what was going on

azriel as a child was locked up in the dark for years

amren was locked up and a prisoner for years

mor was locked up in CoD, had no autonomy over her own body

feyre was locked up UtM forced to be rhysand pet and after UtM when tamlin locked her up, she had a panic attack

you think these people didnt know the what locking someone up against their will will do to that person?

inner circle didnt have their best interests for nesta -they admit it again and again, they wanted to control her

[tadpolesonalgae]

Blurbs

Below, you will find:

Revelling + Amren Swimming + Koschei Overstimulation + Azriel* Bad Memories + Feyre

Revelling w/ Amren

I’m not sorry by DEAN

Her blood red lips split in a feline grin, “are you sure about that, lamb?”

A shiver of excitement thrills down your spine at the name—her preferred blood type. “I wouldn’t have said it were I not entirely sure, Amren.” You know your eyes are sparkling with playful challenge, but she makes no move to haul you from the ballroom. Instead, she leans back against the wall, watching you with those sharp silver eyes of hers.

“I think the wine is making you dumb,” she croons, making you frown. “I’m perfectly aware. Besides, you’ve had more than me,” you counter, flicking your eyes pointedly to the glass in her elegantly pointed hand, the red liquid reminding you of the blood she so used to adore.

Her smile is coy, and she raised the glass to her lips, taking a slow sip while you watch intently. “I don’t think I should need to remind you, but I am much older than you. I know how to handle my alcohol.” She gives you a look that says unlike you.

Your features twist into a frown and you make to push off the wall, “fine.”

Silver eyes flick to you over the rim of her wine. Your own lips fashion into a playful smile, “I’ll find me fun elsewhere, then.”

Swimming in Koschei’s lake

Leni by GoodBooks

Talons made of death wrap around your torso, and you freeze. He’s caught you.

Limbs tremble, muscles spasming as your very world is ripped out from beneath your feet.

“What are you?”

The voice is unlike anything you’ve ever heard: a deep, animalistic rasp, sounding like rock against rock and you can picture how sparks would fly.

“You’re not one of the fae. What’s a creature like you doing in my lake?”

Your breathing catches, words a distant thought as your vision blurs. “I’m sorry,” you raps, whimpering. “I’ll never come here again. Please just— let me go.”

He hums, and it sounds like he’s smiling. The claws tighten, dragging you deeper into the lake, your gills flapping as you fight to keep your breathing regular, even as you squirm in his grip. “Please. I had no idea this was your lake. I was trying to escape the hunters. Please, I’m sorry.”

He’s quiet for a little and you brace for the crushing impact of his grip but it never comes. Instead, “show me.”

You stiffen in his grip, warily opening your large, dark eyes—eyes made for darkness, yet that are unable to breech his. “Show you?” You ask softly, trying not to stammer or stumble.

A noise like leather stretching sounds, and you have the every feeling he’s smiling. “Show me your hunters.”

Overstimulation w/ Azriel

Damaged by Blood On The Dance Floor

Pleasure rolls across your skin, waves of heated sunlight cresting over you again and again.

Your toes curl as he doesn’t let up, head tipping back into the pillows as his cock touches that spot deep inside of you. His shadows build over your clit and your vision turns blinding white, colour fading as the darkness flicks and nips at the sensitive bud.

Words are stolen from your lips, dragged into his own mouth as he swallows your sounds greedily. In the back of your mind, you’re aware of his quiet whispers, saying you’re being so good, that you just need to give him a few more, that if you can manage to get up onto your hands and knees maybe he’ll go a little easier.

Of course they’re all sweet lies. He’ll be working on you until the sun is rising over the city, spilling into your room like how he’s spilled deep inside your heat again and again. So much that it’s dripping down your thighs, staining the sheets as he pumps you full.

But sunrise is still hours away, and you haven’t even reached double digits yet. He’s going to work you to your breaking point, and only then will he allow you a moment to rest. A few minutes if you’re really lucky.

Aching arousal warms your belly at the thought—knowing you’re free to yield to him entirely, and he’ll take care of you.

Memories of the Hewn City w/ Feyre

Rise by Skillet

Flame singes the hairs of your arms, and you bolt upright, breath curling in the cold Night air.

Vision goes blurry as the memories crush down on you.

The door flies open, and instantly she’s at your side, comforting you, holding you tight, hugging you against her. “Hey, it’s okay sweetness. You’re not there anymore. You’re with me.” She cups your cheeks, “look at me. Look at me, sweet thing.”

Your lower lip wobbles but you manage to look at her through teary eyes, skin still stinging with the phantom pain of a leather whip.

She smiles gently, stroking your skin with such aching reverence. “You’re out. You got out, remember. You’re with our court now,” she smiles, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “My Court.”

You cry more, but for a different set of reasons. Sobs wrack your body, ravaging your lungs as you remember the burning flame, the crack of a whip, the stink of blood and the acrid tang of urine in air. “It was so real…” you stammer quietly, sobbing into her arms as the nightmare lingers, skin aching with memories.

She can do nothing but hold you, keeping you wrapped in her warmth. You’ve made it clear you don’t want her to remove those memories, but it’s so difficult to watch you wake like this night after night.

Still, she won’t go against your wishes.

She’ll keep you close, and hold you until the sun comes up.

General Taglist: @myheartfollower @tcris2020 @mali22 @amygdtjhddzvb @sfhsgrad-blog @needylilgal022 @hannzoaks

Az Taglist: @azrielshadows1nger @jurdanpotter @positivewitch @nightcourt-daydreaming

[hrizantemy]

And to this day I‘m still searching for the point to make Helion and Mor have sex. Wth was that about? I don’t see how that was necessary at all. Was it just to show Azriel’s jealousy or something? And the fact that Feyre was thinking of a threesome with Helion and Rhys? Like ew.

Why, for the love of god, is everyone in that series so obsessed with sex that they‘d f*ck anyone that enters the chat? I get that sex is nice, but the fairy dick cannot be THAT good.

And while I agree that Azriel should leave Mor alone and move on, I don’t see how fucking everyone but him would solve the problem here? Mor said that she loves him like family, how come she isn’t comfortable enough to straight up reject Azriel but very comfortable to use other men to make Azriel stay away? I don’t understand the logic behind it? Wth is her mission??

I’m pretty sure Morrigan hooked up with Helion to keep the fact that she likes girls under wraps, but honestly, who cares? No one thought otherwise. It’s like she’s only feeding into the narrative that she sleeps around, even though she doesn’t need to. And before anyone accuses me of slut-shaming, I’m not. Morrigan literally admits to sleeping with people to keep Azriel in his place. She’s the one choosing to reinforce that image, not me. So yeah, the whole situation just feels unnecessary and confusing, especially when she doesn’t seem comfortable just rejecting Azriel outright. It’s like a weird mix of using other men to keep him at a distance while still not addressing the core issue.

I have my own set of issues with Azriel being as dumb as a rock while still being presented as this genius spymaster. Like, we’re supposed to believe this man is the master of shadows, able to unravel the most complex plots and uncover the deepest secrets, yet he can’t figure out that Mor isn’t into him? For five hundred years? He’s apparently this expert in reading people and situations, but when it comes to his personal relationships, he’s completely clueless. It’s not just the Mor situation either—he’s supposed to be this brilliant strategist, but half the time, he comes across as overly broody and impulsive. Like, where is the tactical genius when he’s laughing at Nesta falling down stairs or throwing a tantrum over Elain?

I’m just saying, if this is the standard for a spymaster, the Night Court must not have that many secrets worth protecting.

So yeah, I hate Morrigan. The Night Court is stupid, and everyone in it is also stupid. How is this the “most powerful court” when it’s basically just a bunch of horny, emotionally stunted immortals running around like unsupervised teenagers? They spend more time gossiping, hooking up, and having petty drama than they do ruling anything. Rhys is out here writing his sad little autobiography while Feyre uses their life-or-death missions as inspiration for erotic painting ideas. Cassian is playing wingman to everyone’s bad decisions, Azriel is brooding in the corner wondering why Mor won’t love him while also somehow making Elain uncomfortable, and Amren’s just hoarding trinkets and insulting everyone’s intelligence.

And Morrigan. Miss “I’m so free and feminist” but can’t tell her so-called family she’s into women after five centuries of awkward vibes. No, let’s just keep hooking up with Helion and random dudes so we can keep Azriel in check, because clearly that’s a mature solution. Honestly, the only people with half a brain in that Court are the shopkeepers who charge them triple for overpriced wine and sexy clothes because they know this group is too distracted by their own melodrama to notice they’re getting ripped off.

[bookstoreaders]

Another list of things I want to say in the SJM community but can't because it would be "Rude" - character specific-

again this is unfiltered, might be "rude" and a bit crude ^_^ and lots of cursing because I can and this is my Tumblr so read on if you dare. Also these are my Opinions so sorry not sorry if they bother you.

Aedion has every fucking right to be mad. they were going to fucking breed him, like what the fuck! you all want me to be mad at him because he threw Lysandra out into the snow? like fuck that. Him and his army were having their asses handed to them and Lysandra wanted to "play" at being Aelin. fuck that.

I don't give two flying fucks what rhysand sacrificed. he is a terrible ruler and needs to be kicked out. (But but but .... shut up... don't care)

I love Feyre, but she is not without falt. she is rude, she is judgmental, she is a lot of things. I am however holding out on the hope that i have for her.

rhysand is the root of all evil (the devil is pretty)

when someone makes a favorite character list, and you all go "where is ****? where is ***? you have *** instead of *** I could nevvvaaa" shut the fuck up you sound so dumb right now.

Hunt Athalar is superior to BOTH Rhysand and Rowan but especially Rhysand

if you call Tamlin "tampon" i think you have the intelligence of a rock

Nesta was never and has never been a villain or even an antagonist. like i see these things some of you say and I want to throw myself into oncoming traffic. like please actually use that squishy thing inside of you head for something and google

If you refuse to read a book in a series just because you don't like the character, then i don't give two flying fucks what you have to say. I don't. At that point your "opinion" is invalid.

if you hate elain just for the soul reason that she is "soft" and likes to cook and do domestic stuff.... go shove your pretend rhysand-esque bullshit feminism up your ass.

[venoumousbunni]

Spoilers for A Court of Wings and Ruin ~

I genuinely cackled when Feyre made Ianthe crush her hand with a rock

That’s called Karma you dumb, touch starved pick me little bitch

[kindasleepywriter]

Bird of Prey - Chapter 7: A New Resolution

Bird of Prey masterlist. Azriel x Reader.

Chapter summary: You lash out at an old friend and find comfort in a new one.

Warnings: None.

Word count: 1.9k

Prev | Next

You’d known the House of Wind was an exceptionally tall building long before you’d stepped foot in it. Up on the balconies, however, you could feel the height of the house down to your bones. Settled cross-legged on a low iron railing, your mind melded with the power of the wind, it’s song calling to you, the closest thing to what you could call home. You felt the tremors in the rock, the barely audible snap of a falcon’s wings, the whistling of the trees.

Peregryns and Illyrian need to fly like a fish needs water, and staying on solid ground for so long had you in a fidgety state no matter what you did. Up here, you could feel the slightest relief.

“Mind if I join you?”

You startled at the sound, almost slipping off the railing. You looked over your shoulder and met Lucien’s eyes, the man approaching carefully as if you were a deer that might spook at any sudden movement. You didn’t have it in you to be annoyed at his behavior.

You shrugged in greeting, and he settled at your side, his feet staying on firm ground and leaning sideways against the metal barrier. He knew better than to jump into asking questions when you were like this. You both gazed at the horizon for a few moments in silence, the soft wind caressing both of your faces. He’d stay here until you spoke, no matter how long it could take.

“I assume Feyre shared what happened with everyone during the meeting she called for this morning.” you grumbled.

“It would’ve been difficult to explain the splintered floors and destroyed furniture, Rhys and Feyre don’t hold back in their lovemaking but even they wouldn’t go that far.”

“I mean what she saw, don’t play dumb with me Lucien.”, you snapped. He frowned at the use of his full name. He could probably count on his fingers the number of times that had happened since he met you. He sighed.

“She was hesitant to do so, but Rhys… He said it was important that everyone knew… that they knew you were hiding things from them.”

You scoffed. You hadn’t expected any different. You never were a person in their eyes, only ever a danger to be tolerated at best.

“If it means anything, the idea wasn’t supported by all parties present.” he continued.

“Who.”

“What do you mean, who?” Lucien asked.

 “The names,” you gritted out, “of those who didn’t support him.” Your friend normally helped you in situations like these but at that specific moment he was inadvertently pushing every button that made your head feel like it was going to explode. You simmered with anger as is and he was stoking the flames despite his good intentions.

“Of the people there, there was me, Morrigan and Nesta that tried to convince him it wasn’t everyone’s business.” he said.

You nodded. You’d keep that information tucked away for later.

“And of course, Azriel.” he continued with a snicker.

You shot him a questioning look.

“You should’ve heard the argument he had with Rhys. I don’t know what you’ve got going on with Az, but I’ve never seen him act so aggressively towards a member of the inner circle before.”

“We don’t ‘have’ anything.” There couldn’t be. Not anymore.

“Try telling that to the guy. He looked like a kicked puppy when you kicked him out of your room this morning. He doesn’t quite seem to agree.” he laughed. “Anyways, it almost came to blows. Cassian had to physically remove him from the room.”

You blinked. He really went against his brother, and all of it for you? It was basic decency to defend someone’s privacy, you reasoned, but to the point of a physical confrontation with his High Lord… A flicker of warmth spread through your chest. For someone to take your side that assuredly despite the possible consequences was perhaps a too new experience for you.

You did not comment. Your suspicions had been right, in the end. You couldn’t trust those here. Well, most of them, you corrected yourself. As if reading your thoughts, Lucien spoke up again.

“I know this wasn’t exactly the best move on their part, and I’m sorry-”

“Sorry for what, Lucien,” you snapped, “For telling me they wouldn’t hurt me? That their reputation was all an act? Rumors must’ve start somewhere.”

“It was an accident, Feathers-”

“I’m thinking it’s really convenient that you lowered my guard right before they set a time to violate my mind.” you said. Hurt flashed across his face and your nails dug into your palms so hard they drew blood. “I’m thinking,” you continued, “that you should’ve been the most outspoken opponent in that room, that you are the one who knew best what this might do to me.”

You sniffled and drew a breath, warm tears slowly trickling down your cheeks. Lucien turned on you, he was with them now. They were his family, and you’d been left behind, again. The hurt ran so deep, you felt it in your very soul. He was all you had left, and you hadn’t been enough. You never were.

“You’re just like them all,” you spat, “I got inconvenient, so I wasn’t worth the effort to you anymore. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Vanserra.”

Silence. You saw the pain in his eyes. You’d cut where you knew it would hurt the most, in a way that there would be no coming back. A wound too deep to describe.

“You know,” he said coldly, “We always said one thing. ‘From the ashes and smoke rises the fiercest fire’, right? Right now, the only thing you’re doing with that fire is burning yourself. When you end up gasping for breath, you’ll have no one to blame but your own decisions.”

You turned back to look up at the sky once again, without commenting. He could go to hell, him and all the others. You’d make it on your own, you had for the last 300 years. It didn’t matter what he thought. He hadn’t even chosen to be here, the Mother had made that decision for him and most of the people in this cursed house, pushing them into mating bonds. You couldn’t bear the thought of being linked like your parents had been, losing your sense of self to another against your will.

Still, you felt empty. You were alone, once again. You hadn’t let yourself admit it, but you’d unwillingly felt a flicker of hope these past few days. Here, with Lucien, you were safe, you’d thought. You cleared your mind of the thought. If the only thing you had left was your freedom, then that’s all you would need.

You barely noticed when Lucien stepped into the house.

If you looked up for long enough, one could almost make out the curve along which the stars travelled across the midnight black sky. So many of them, light years apart from each other, all hurtling away and towards each other. Even the stars were destined for a lonely life until they met their peers, only to inevitably combust into unsignificant dust at their crossing. You didn’t let yourself reflect on it either. You’d be gone by dawn, you concluded.

While you stared unmoving, the inky black shrouding the city gave way to indigo, gradually obscuring the bright paths you had been studying for hours now. The early morning air had a bite that had been absent the previous day, but you did not move an inch. You had lost feeling in your limbs long ago, and only the iron grip of your thighs on the railing kept you still upright.

Despite the sun’s prelude nearing its end, strokes of darkness danced in your peripheral vision. For a second you believed you might be losing consciousness, tensing at the idea, until you glanced to the side and were met with the shadows you’d grown accustomed to during your stay here. They looked almost hesitant. You swung your legs back over the rails, sitting upright with your back to the city.

Azriel was leaning slightly against the frame of the balcony doors, watching you carefully with his hands in his pockets. His face was pinched, and you couldn’t determine if it was the result of controlling his shadows or remaining irritation at being shoved out of bed at morning light. You stared at each other, both at a loss at what to say. God, those eyes. Even in the low morning light, you could make out the golden flecks that spread from his pupillae. Azriel was beautiful in a different way than the Illyrians you’d seen before. He didn’t exude brute and unrefined force, though he still looked like he could snap your spine with barely a touch. He had the kind of beauty you’d only seen in the marble statues that adorned Dawn’s royal grounds, idealistic depictions of heroes from long ago, with near perfect symmetry and angular features. It was a beauty you couldn’t look away from.

It was he who spoke up first.

“Are you interested in astronomy?”

You tilted your head. Not exactly the question you expected, but a welcome change of pace from the heavy vice choking your heart.

“It doesn’t matter how I feel about the subject. Without magic, it’s the only guide for travel. When I left Dawn, I didn’t have a choice but to learn.”

Azriel nodded, deep in thought.

“I can answer some questions, if I have to.” you added. “I know my past is a complicated mess, and I can barely make sense of it myself.” He shook his head in response.

“You don’t have to do anything. Rhys- He means well, but it wasn’t his place to share that. He’s wary even at the best of times. Your past remains your own from this moment forward.”

You looked down, slipping from his gaze. You weren’t going to waste your breath on Rhysand’s politics. You had no fight left in you, but you were so overwhelmed that you feared what would happen if you didn’t make sense of the turmoil in your heart. You feared leaving, you feared staying, but most of all you feared yourself. The destruction you’d caused, based only in your emotions and pain. Would you lose control again? What would be the cost then?

Azriel remained the one person who might be in your corner. You had no idea why, you’d given him no reason to like you, but it was like you were magnets that couldn’t help but drift towards each other.

Lucien’s words rang in your mind, doubt echoing through you. Were you causing your own pain, was it all your fault, after all? Insecurity had always been an enemy of yours, but you’d thought you mastered wielding it as a shield, not a weapon.

You weren’t one for experiments, but you were losing yourself in your efforts at self-preservation and you needed to figure out some part of you that wasn’t ravaged by your trauma, if it still existed.

Azriel. You’d trusted him the night before and he had played his hand well today. Maybe… Maybe he could manage it again? A trial run, so to speak. One last ditch effort at proving Lucien wrong, to show you could open up.

You tried to rummage through your thoughts, trying to put into words even just one concise emotion. Vulnerability wasn’t your forte, evidently, and every scene you played out in your head ended with your soul in pieces. You knew you were risking it all. Could you live with another heartbreak, another betrayal?

If there was one thing that you’d never thought you’d share to anyone, it was your childhood. Only Lucien had been granted that knowledge and even then, you’d been light on the details like you always were. Now that its hardest part had been laid out in the open, perhaps it would be easier to recount the rest.

You glanced up at hazel eyes. “I think,” you voiced hesitantly, “that I want to tell you about my parents.”

Our girl couldn't name a single emotion to save her life. Relatable.

Couldn't help but find a title that themed with the New Year! I wish you all a great 2024!

(P.S.: Next chapter is going to be fun >:) )

Banner created by the amazing @saradika!

Taglist: @sapphenaa @minnieoo

[the-savage-garden]

Nitpicking ACOWAR Ch 19

Hey, long time no see. I'm back to doing this again, I actually kinda forgot I was doing this, also lost motivation to read this book too. In this chapter Feyre and Cassian have a confusing conversation, then Feyre for some reason needs Azriel to help train her to fly. I probably could've cut down the notes more here, it's a little long, but I have 2 things I'm doing, critiquing and summarizing. With how many chapters I have to go through I definitely need to narrow things down but it's gonna take me a bit to adjust, sorry.

Chapter 19

-Next morning Feyre gets up and helps ‘wake’ up Rhys. He then drops her off at the sparring ring in the House of Wind. The top of the ring is open and the walls are made of red rock.

-[...] Cassian only said, “I hope you didn’t exert yourself too much already, because this is really going to hurt.”] I really hate that Cassian just talks about sex all the time, it makes him a really boring character.

-Feyre pointlessly has a flashback of what she did with Rhys. Look, I get that a sexually active relationship is going to find this stuff important to them but that doesn’t mean reminding readers of it constantly. I got it the first few times already, can we move on?

-[...] his eyes got that glazed, purely male gleam in them.] What does a “male gleam” even mean?

-[...] his mockingly chaste kiss on my cheek had sent a red-hot line through me. Later. I’d torture him later.] I know Feyre means more ‘spicy torture’ but that doesn’t mean I’m not a little confused how one thought leads to the other. I know, nitpicky.

-Feyre focuses back to Cassian and says this; “Two Illyrian males making me sweat in one morning. What’s a female to do?” It annoys me how often sex is brought up in conversations in this book series, like I get sometimes doing it but there’s not many normal conversations that happen. Still hate how insistent the “male” and “female” terminology is used, never letting that go.

-[He jerked his chin toward the ring etched in white chalk behind us. “It’s been a while since we trained. We’re spending today going over the basics.”] I don’t know a lot about training but this is a little confusing to me.

-Feyre notices weird behavior from Cassian and asks if it’s Nesta. Cassian says no, then Feyre asks if it’s about the Court of Nightmares. Feyre admires Cassian when he takes his shirt off, then takes note of how his tattoos are Illyrian markings for luck and glory. Feyre realizes he’s angry.

-[“You and Rhys hid the truth from us. And we went into Hybern blind about it.” “About what?” “That you’re High Lady.”] I still don’t get why this matters.

-[“What difference would it have made?” “It would have changed everything. None of it would have gone down like that.”] It literally wouldn’t have changed anything that happened, the end of ACOMAF was so dumb.

-Feyre questions Cassian on why it matters if she’s High Lady or not.

-[“Because … because as his mate, you were still … his to protect. Oh, don’t get that look. He’s yours to protect, too. I would have laid my life down for you as his mate—and as your friend. But you were still … his.” “And as High Lady?” [...] “As High Lady, you are mine. And Azriel’s, and Mor’s and Amren’s. You belong to all of us, and we belong to you. We would not have … put you in so much danger.”] The whole High Lady thing is so confusing, in the end it doesn’t even matter to the overall story so I don’t see why I should care at all for it.

-[“Maybe that’s why Rhys wanted to keep it a secret. It would have changed your focus.” “This is between you and me. And trust me, Rhys and I had … words about this.”] If only the High Lady stuff actually made sense, this could’ve worked as tension between friends.

-Feyre says he’s mad at her, Cassian tells her that she’s essential, not sure why but whatever. Feyre tells him that she isn’t and yeah, she’s not tied to the NC like the others so it makes sense for her to think of herself like that. I know this is more insight into Feyre’s character but this whole conversation is confusing and pointless.

-“You all have a … duty—you’re all vital. Yes, I have my own abilities, but … You and Azriel were hurt, my sisters were … you know what happened to them. I did what I could to get us out. I’d rather it was me than any of you. I couldn’t have lived with the alternative.” Half of this is confusing because of the dialogue, this should’ve been reworded, like maybe have Feyre instead feel that she’s not a part of the NC still or something and is more willing to put herself in danger, and that could be explored more but whatever.

-Cassian thinks that something could’ve happened to Feyre in the Spring Court. Feyre gets annoyed with the overprotectiveness from him. Cassian tells her that everyone was worried about her. Something about Rhys and how Cassian wanted to kick his ass but couldn’t because he was healing.

-[“Of course you did. We knew you would. But …” Cassian crossed his arms. “Rhys pulled the same shit fifty years ago. When he went to that damned party Amarantha threw.”] Ah, we’re bringing back the confusing plot from ACOMAF.

-[“I’ll never forget it, you know,” he said, blowing out a breath. “The moment when he spoke to us all, mind to mind. When I realized what was happening, and that … he’d saved us. Trapped us here and tied our hands, but …”] I find it funny that Cassian praises Rhys for saving them but says he “trapped us” and that part is exactly what Tamlin did, he locked Feyre up to “save her” from going to Hybern but he’s treated as a bad guy for doing it while Rhys gets a pass for locking his friends up.

-“It went quiet—in my head. In a way it hadn’t been before. Not since …” Huh? Is Rhys always in his friends’ minds? Because that’s kinda… invasive of him to do that.

-Cassian says after Hybern he woke up 2 weeks later and Mor told him what happened to Feyre and that his mind was quiet. Really long explanation for Cassian telling Feyre how upset Rhys was but ok.

-[“You can rely on us, you know. Both of you. He’s inclined to do everything himself—to give everything of himself. He can’t stand to let anyone else offer up anything.” That smile faded. “Neither can you.”] I really hate this new characteristic of Rhys, even though I complain about him being an asshole it is what I expect from him. I miss when he was just a dramatic, selfish asshole.

-[“It’s not easy, but yes. I’m general of his armies. [...] Wait, how is Cassian the general of multiple armies? As far as I know there’s only the Nightmare army, the rest of the court does only voluntary enlistment, I don’t know if the Illyrians have their own army, so what exactly is he the general of?

-[And the thought of Rhys, in this war, trying to take on all that faced us … Nausea churned in my gut.] Feyre always goes on about Rhys being the most powerful High Lord to ever live so why exactly does it matter that he does a lot?

-Feyre and Cassian still talk about Rhys because I guess he’s more important to talk about than anything else.

-[Rhys would survive—he wouldn’t dare sacrifice everything to make sure we— ] Welp, I know where this is leading to already.

-[Rhys would. He had with Amarantha, and he’d do it again without hesitation.] But he hadn’t sacrificed anything with Amarantha, this doesn’t make sense.

-[Something drew Cassian’s attention behind me. And even as his body remained casual, a predatory gleam flickered in his eyes.] Oh no, not this predatory shit again.

-[“Care to join?” Cassian purred. Nesta said, “It doesn’t look like you’re exercising anything other than your mouths.”] Alright, I enjoy what Nesta said.

-[My sister was in a dress of pale blue that turned her skin golden, her hair swept up, her back a stiff column.] Still noting the outfits along with mentions of skin too.

-[I scrambled to say something, to apologize, but … not in front of him. She wouldn’t want this conversation in front of Cassian.] Huh? This is confusing me, oh, does it have to do with the last chapter? Should've been written clearer.

-[“Scared?” [...] “Why should I be scared of an oversized bat who likes to throw temper tantrums?”] Something I actually like, how rare.

-[I choked, and Cassian shot me a warning glare, daring me to laugh. But I felt for that bond in my mind, lowering my mental shields enough to say to Rhysand, wherever he was in the city, Please come spare me from Cassian and Nesta’s bickering.] Feyre tends to be nosy (at least that’s my impression) so I’m a little confused why she wants to leave but whatever.

-[A heartbeat later, Rhys crooned, Regretting becoming High Lady? I savored that voice—that humor. But I shoved that simmering panic down again as I countered, Is this part of my duties? A sensual, dark laugh. Why do you think I was so desperate for a partner? I’ve had almost five centuries to deal with this alone. It’s only fair you have to endure it now.] What does being High Lady have to do with anything? Huh? And why is Feyre panicking because of Cassian and Nesta?

-Cassian flirts with Nesta, I guess that’s why Feyre doesn’t want to be there. She continues to mind-speak with Rhys

-[I’m in a meeting with the governors of the Palaces. They might be a little pissy if I vanish.] But aren’t the Palaces just the merchants of Velaris? Why exactly would they need governors and why would a High Lord need to be in a meeting with them?

-Apparently Nesta is going to train with Amren then Azriel interrupts them.

-[I tried not to blush at the image Rhys sent into my head detailing precisely how I’d repay him, and slammed down my mental shields. On the other side of them, I could have sworn talon-tipped fingers trailed down the black adamant in a sensual, silent promise. I swallowed hard.] I hate all of this so much, ugh.

-Azriel takes Feyre to a lake because I guess it’s somehow better to fall into when learning to fly.

-[My stomach clenched. But I let Azriel scoop me up, his scent of night-chilled mist and cedar wrapping around me as he flapped his wings once, stirring the dirt of the courtyard.] Apparently everyone gets their own scent, not sure why but whatever.

-[Neither of us missed Cassian’s barked, filthy curse, though we didn’t deign to comment. Cassian was a general—the general of the Night Court. Surely Nesta wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.] Not sure why the book is making such a big deal out of Nesta here.

-[“I dropped Amren off at the House on my way in,” Azriel told me as we landed at the shore of a turquoise mountain lake flanked by pines and granite.] I could swear that Amren had floated in the air during the battle of Velaris in ACOMAF but maybe I’m misremembering that.

-[I snorted and stretched my arms. “Poor Cassian.” Azriel gave a huff of amusement. “Indeed.”] Is this supposed to make sense?

-[“I appreciate you making the effort to pretend that it wasn’t because I was desperate to avoid Cassian and Nesta’s early-morning bickering.” “I’d never let my High Lady suffer through that.” He said it completely stone-faced.] Why are they making such a big deal out of bickering of all things?

-Feyre asks Azriel if he’s ready to meet with Lucien later in the afternoon. Azriel is confused by the question. She changes the question to when he’s going to leave to gather information about the High Lords instead. Azriel realizes that she’s stalling and is amused.

-Feyre gets hung up on using Tamlin’s powers (that’s how she’s able to form wings).

-[Even as something sharp and vicious in my gut preened at what I’d taken. All that I’d taken.] This is referring to how she has all the High Lord powers but I’m confused, she hadn’t taken them so I don’t know why she’s proud of it.

-[“The frame needs to be a bit thicker,” Azriel offered as a weight began to drag at my back. “Strengthen the muscles leading to it.” I obeyed, my magic listening in turn. He provided more feedback, where to add and where to ease up, where to smooth and where to toughen. ] I’m really confused why shapeshifting is described this way.

-[“I know you’re not Illyrian, but … amongst their kind, it is considered … inappropriate to touch someone’s wings without permission. Especially females.”] Wait, the same Illyrians that mutilate their women’s wings so they can’t fly? That’s confusing.

-Something about wings and muscles that still confuses me. Azriel checks over her wings. [I gritted my teeth, the sensation like … like having the arch of my foot tickled and poked.] Something about Feyre being an artist about details with her wings, not sure what shape-shifting has to do with that but whatever.

-[“First lesson: don’t let them drag on the ground.” [...] “Why?” “Illyrians think it’s lazy—a sign of weakness. And from a practical standpoint, the ground is full of things that could hurt your wings. Splinters, shards of rock … They can not only get stuck and lead to infection, but also impact the way the wing catches the wind. So keep them off the ground.”] Keeping note of this.

-[Knife-sharp pain rippled down my back as I tried to lift them. I managed getting the left upright. The right just drooped like a loose sail.] I know Feyre is getting used to forming wings but how exactly would it give her pain?

-[“Why do you think Illyrians are so fit?” “Why did no one warn me about this cocky side of yours?”] Oh no, not another cocky character, there’s already so many as is.

-Feyre tries to spread her wings and tuck them in and feels pain along every muscle of her back. Azriel gets her to do exercises with her wings. Feyre wonders if flying lessons are a waste of time.

[olenvasynyt]

Literally this! I can easily debunk everything Lucien haters say.

"Lucien was mean to Feyre in ACOTAR, he hates humans."

Feyre literally murdered and skinned his best friend. I would also fucking hate her even if what she did was meant to be. His comments on humans being dumb and petty felt like it was more directed at his anger with Feyre. He also said he would have fought on the side of the human-fae alliance if he was alive during the War.

Chapter 3 of ACOWAR: “‘If you’d been alive for the War, would you have fought on their side?  Or fought for the humans?’ ‘I would have been a part of the human-Fae alliance.’ ‘Even if your father wasn’t?’ ‘Especially if my father wasn’t.’”

"Lucien sent Feyre to the Suriel to have her killed."

Feyre literally asked him and would have probably gone to look for the Suriel anyways. And also Lucien felt regret and Feyre said she was mad but also understood because again, she killed his friend and now she's living in his house. And after this situation their friendship started to truly develop.

Chapter 18 of ACOTAR: “‘You can’t possibly forgive me that easily for sending you into danger.’ ‘No.  And part of me would like nothing more than to wallop you for your lack of warning about the Suriel.  But I understand: I am a human who killed your friend, who now lives in your house, and you have to deal with me.  I understand.’ ‘Tam told me that your first shot was to save the Suriel’s life.  Not your own.’ ‘It seemed like the right thing to do.’ The look he gave me was more contemplative than any he’d give me before.  ‘I know far too many High Fae and lesser faeries who wouldn’t have seen it that way—or bothered.’”

"Lucien only helped Feyre Under the Mountain because of Tamlin."

He literally said that Tamlin had nothing to do with it:

Chapter 39 of ACOTAR: "I risked my neck for you during your task. Was that not enough? His metal eye whirred softly. "You still offered up your name. Didn't you realize I would help you after that? Oath [to Tamlin] or no oath?"

But okay, he just gets whipped, tortured, chained up and almost murdered, and his brain almost fried because he's emissary to Tamlin and not because of any friendship we' saw before've seen between them??? Sure.

"Lucien didn't do enough to help Feyre with Tamlin, he let her get abused."

I think this criticism doesn’t take into account how complicated, painful, and dangerous this situation was for Lucien.  It is forgetting or ignoring many factors that came into play that made it very difficult.

1, I don’t think we should blame a person for not doing enough to help someone who is being abused when they are also being abused by the same abuser. People often forget that Lucien was being shut down and dismissed.  And Tamlin has also hurt Lucien with his powers.  When Lucien says that he believes that Feyre should be trained regarding her powers, Tamlin lashes out and physically attacks him.

Chapter 13 of ACOMAF: Then a vicious snarl, and a shutter of magic rocked the house. Tamlin’s voice had been low, deadly.  Do not push me on this. I didn’t want to know what was happening in that room, what he’d done to Lucien…

And Lucien is very used to abuse in general with Beron and his mother and his brothers.

and 2, Tamlin and him were friends, so Lucien believed that an option to help Feyre is to reason with Tamlin, to try to calm him down, talk some sense into him.  That was all he could do.  Which as we all know, can be quite dangerous to do, not just because Tamlin is a powerful High Lord but also because Tamlin has anger issues and he doesn’t want to admit fault, he doesn’t want to talk about emotions.  And he doesn’t enforce rank but Tamlin just wasn’t putting their friendship first.  We can see this in in ACOWAR with Tamlin’s reaction to him wearing Illyrian leathers and in ACOFAS.  Tamlin seems to put loyalty first, and Lucien is loyal to a fault.

And I think Lucien definitely held onto the fact that Tamlin is his friend, not only high Lord.  But he was really trapped.  He was stuck in the middle of this situation and had no idea what to do.

and 3, what else could he have done? Even if he got Feyre out of the house went to a neutral court, or he had allies with someone powerful, Rhys says that there are laws surrounding taking property from Tamlin and that Tamlin had every right to go after whoever stole Feyre from him.  When Rhys sends Mor to rescue Feyre, they do it very carefully so that they don’t break any laws.

Chapter 13 of ACOMAF “By law and protocol, things would have become very complicated and very messy if I had been the one to walk into that house and take you…or else Tamlin would have free rein to march his forces into my lands to reclaim you.”

Even Cressida reiterates this later in Summer:

Chapter 32 of ACOMAF: “Think that all you want, lady, but the law in the law.  You are��were his bride.  So it is a very good thing that he respects your decisions.  Otherwise, all it would take would be one letter from him to Tarquin, requesting your return, and we would have to obey.  Or risk war ourselves.”

If two High Lords have to follow the laws to avoid war with Tamlin for stealing his bride, then what could Lucien have done??

"Lucien tried to kidnap Feyre and take her back to her abuser."

Chapter 47 of ACOMAF: Lucien lunged, hand out.  One touch, that was all it’d take… Lucien’s finger grazed the sleeve of my leather jacket.  And I became smoke and ash and night. I stopped, and time resumed its natural flow.  Lucien staggered, catching himself before he went over the cliff—and whirled, eye wide to discover me now standing behind his sentinels. Born and Hart flinched and backed away.  From me. And from Rhysand at my side.

It think calling it a "kidnapping" is a little ironic when Rhys is standing next to her, but okay, I understand the question, “Why would Lucien bring Feyre back to the male who abused her?"

But I will answer it: in Lucien’s eyes, Tamlin is a much better option than Rhys, who he and Tamlin believe is evil and is torturing and manipulating Feyre.

Chapter 47 of ACOMAF: “What did he do to you?  Did he take your mind and—“ “Enough,” Rhys said, angling his head with that casual grace.  “Feyre and I are busy.  Go back to your lands before I send your heads as a reminder to my old friend about what happens when Spring Court flunkies set foot in my territory.”

And he also asks Feyre if the Night Court is any better to Spring. And Feyre wants to keep up Night's evil mask, so her response is absolutely terrifying in Lucien's POV.

“I begged you…And you left me alone, or shoved me into a room with Ianthe, or told me to stick it out.” Lucien said too quietly, “And I suppose the Night Court is so much better?” I remembered—remembered what I was supposed to know, to have experienced.  What Lucien and the others could never know, not even if it meant forfeiting my own life. I said to Lucien, low and quiet and as vicious as the talons that formed at the tips of my fingers, as vicious as the wondrous weight between my shoulder blades, “When you spend so long trapped in the darkness, Lucien, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.” Lucien backed up a step.  “What did you do to yourself?” “The human girl you know died UTM.  I have no interest in spending immortality as a High Lord’s pet.” Lucien started shaking his head. “Feyre—“ “Tell Tamlin if he sends anyone else into this lands, I will hunt each and every one of you down.  And I will demonstrate exactly what the darkness taught me.”

It kind of looks like Rhys made Feyre his dog. Hunting dog, lap dog...even though Feyre says she’s not a high lord’s pet, it kind of looks like Rhys turned her into one.  It looks like Feyre went to Rhys to spite Tamlin and Rhys turned her against Spring.  She is doing what Rhys would do and would hunt down anyone who steps on these lands.

I understand Feyre’s anger with him.  And I also really like the idea that she was hurt so much by someone she was abused by that she turned against him and wanted revenge.  But why are we blaming Lucien for his limited view on this?  And Feyre is also forgetting and ignoring important aspects of this situation.  And readers are forgetting to look at this situation from Lucien’s point of view.

The last thing he says before he leaves is him telling this to Rhys.  He believes that the Night Court has tortured and manipulated Feyre.

Lucien lingered for a moment.  He said softly to Rhysand, “You’re dead.  You, and your entire cursed court.”

"Lucien and Tamlin were the reasons why her sisters were Made. They allied with Hybern."

When they were at the Cauldron in Hybern, it was so obvious that Tamlin and Lucien did not know the sisters would be a part. If anyone remembers, Lucien and Tamlin fought to free the sisters after Hybern put a spell on them to halt them.

Chapter 65 of ACOMAF: The king nodded. "Why do you think I asked my dear friend Ianthe to see why Feyre Archeron would appreciare having with her for eternity?...consider it my wedding prsent to you both," he added to Tamlin. But Tamlin's face tightened. What?" I was going to vomit. Tamlin, to his credit, looked like he might, too. Lucien's face had slackened. "She sold out--she sold out Feyre's family. To you."

And then a majority of their time in the Spring Court, Lucien talks about how much his mistrusted Hybern and hated their alliance.

Chapter 1 of ACOWAR: “What I saw in Hybern,” Lucien said, gripping the arms of his chair hard enough the carved wood groaned.  “Any promises he made of peace and immunity…” He halted, as if remembering that Ianthe might very well feed this back to the king.  “We have to be careful.”

"Lucien feels entitled to Elain."

Where was this implied in the books? Please fuckng tell me, because when I read the books (and I have read them multiple times over the span of years) Lucien has been nothing but respectful; when he and Feyre arrive in the Night Court, he is not demanding to see Elain. Feyre sets up rules that he's not allowed to see Elain and he obeys those rules. Their one-on-one meet up was an accident.

Chapter 24 of ACOWAR: He hadn’t expected her to be here.  The other sister—the viper—was a possibility, but one he was willing to risk…he’s been cooped up in this wind-blasted House for two days. He just wanted a walk—and a few books.  It had been an age since he’d ever had free time to read, let alone do so for pleasure. But there she was. His mate.

And this quote when he and Feyre are walking in the Autumn Court:

Chapter 12 of ACOWAR: “I want to see her.  Just once.  Just—to know.” “To know what?” He hitched my damp cloak higher around us.  “If she is worth fighting for.”

This doesn't sound very entitled to me. And after almost two years of knowing that Elain is his mate and seeing that she is uncomfortable, he is still respectful, he still gives her gifts on holidays and stuff. There isn't a hint of possession.

Idk what other criticisms anti-Luciens have besides like...he is snappy to the IC? And even then 1, I would be too, and 2, after Rhys and Feyre explain to him everything--that Rhys and the NC is actually good and that he loves Feyre---Lucien believes them and doesn't hold Rhys against it.

Anyways, Lucien deserves better and I'm excited to get his POV because it's the one reason why I'm still reading this series if I'm going to be full honest.

If yall wanna a good laugh, just ask Lucien’s haters why they hate him and they will list some of the dumbest things you guys will ever hear 😭😭😭😭

[gwynrielendgame]

Gwyncien headcanon

Okay so my headcanon is that Lucien would try to be understanding about Elain and Azriel being together. The mating bond would be the only thing that would make him want to enact the blood duel but he would fight it cause he knows he isn’t owed Elain. Anyways this was the outcome of that.

Gwyn did not know why she was here. She told herself it was for Nesta, but she knew her friend would be occupied with her mate for most of the night. It was true torture to endure this night at the court of nightmares. She insisted that if she couldn't handle the court of nightmares there was no way she could handle the rest of the world. It was a test for herself. She couldn't tell if she were passing or failing though.

"Could definitely be worse." Gwyn whispered back. She tried not to stare. It only made her pathetic she told herself. Luckily though, no one was watching her too closely. No one knew that Azriel and Gwyn were mates which meant they weren't over analyzing the situation right along with Gwyn. When she had dreamt of finding a mate, she never imagined this. The way the bond could actually hurt Gwyn was almost too much to bear. No wonder mates never rejected each other. Gwyn had been so lost in her head, she hadn't noticed Lucien approaching her.

"You look beautiful tonight, Gwyn." The male gave her a shy smile before bowing. Gwyn frowned while looking down at herself. She was wearing her priestess robe with the hood pulled down to cover most of her face for once. She wasn't sure what he was playing at, but decided to play along. Anything to distract her from that wretched couple. Only then did it hit her that perhaps he was doing the same.

"Thank you. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Gwyn lifted her hood off her head and smiled at the red head. Similar in color to her own hair.

"I was hoping for a dance." He held out his hand. His smile turned more confident. He truly was handsome even with that terrible scar running down half his face.

"I don't know how to dance." Gwyn didn't want to make a fool of herself, especially when Azriel and Elain looked so graceful together.

"I'll lead. Don't worry. I won't do anything crazy." He sent her a smirk that told her he would, in fact, do something crazy.

"Okay." She found herself agreeing. Emerie sent her a wide look while nudging her. Gwyn sent a casual smile back. Lucien would never hurt Gwyn. She had over heard the story from Feyre herself. Lucien was one of few males who understood her pain.

He led her off to the floor and swept her into the ongoing waltz. He was close, closer than she had let any male before. Yet there was still a respectable distance between them for a dance. He kept his hand high on her back and she knew it would never veer from that spot. Her heart picked up out of conditioned fear. She took a deep breath to calm herself. He would not hurt her. They were slow and clumsy, but they were dancing which was surprising enough for Gwyn. She figured she would have stepped on his toes by now.

+

Azriel tried to ignore the mate bond as it tugged sharply. It didn't help that his shadows were angry about the situation as well. He kept making brief glances as his mate ineloquently danced along with the autumn lord. He knew Lucien was doing this on purpose. Azriel was unaware how the other male learned of his ties to Gwyn, but this was Lucien's payback for Elain and damn did it make Azriel feel guilty.

"What's wrong?" Elain spoke quietly. She glanced up at him through her lashes before focusing back on the dancing. She looked beautiful tonight, opting for red instead of black which he had to admit suited her much better. He hadn't told Elain that the mating bond snapped into place for Gwyn and him a little over two months ago. He didn't know how to tell her, although if anyone could understand, it was Elain.

"Just keeping surveillance." Azriel wished he had his shadows right now, so that they could keep track of Gwyn. Unfortunately, they still disappeared around Elain. He thought that had been a good thing. Now he wasn't so sure. "What is it like to watch Lucien dance with someone else?" He couldn't help but wonder if it felt the same for her as it did for him. He felt miserable yet had no right to be. Gwyn gave him an option. He just hadn't realized how insistent this bond would be.

"Uncomfortable." Elain decided after a long pause. "I don't really know him, so I should feel indifferent. But I can feel the bond tugging as though it's mad at me." He hadn't expected her to be so honest. He appreciated it anyways. Azriel did know Gwyn though. She was his friend which could be the reason the bond is much more painful than a mere uncomfort. He twirled Elain once more before she announced she was tired of dancing. They both retreated back to the dais where their friends were joking.

"It's not funny." Nesta groaned with a scowl gracing her face. Feyre, Rhys, and Mor were all laughing.

"What's not funny" Elain asked looking towards her oldest sister. Mor decided to answer when Nesta refused.

"It appears that the first man to pique the priestess's interest also happens to be the man that annoys the shit out of Nesta." Amren drawled after taking a seat. A bloom of anger rocked the bond so hard that Azriel's shadows came to life for a brief second before hiding again. The tight squeeze of Elain's hand into Azriel's let the Shadowsinger know that she felt the same way he did. It angered him to think that the first male to catch Gwyn's eye would be Lucien rather than him.

"It's not like that." Elain squashed any relationship theories right then. "Lucien wouldn't parade another female in front of me like that." While Elain's proclamation was true, it still made him frown. Perhaps Elain felt a little more than just uncomfortable seeing the pair dance. The rest of the group eyed Elain, but it was Feyre who came to Lucien’s defense.

"You refuse to talk to Lucien and are in a public relationship with our spymaster, Elain," Feyre was frowning as she spoke. "I think he can ask Gwyn, of all people, to dance with him." She finished by rolling her eyes at Elain. Azriel didn't like the insinuation Feyre made but kept it to himself all the same. The conversation quickly cut off as the group watched the pair end the dance with a bow.

+

"It sucks, doesn't it? Watching them be happy together?" Gwyn eyed Lucien. He couldn't know. Gwyn refused to tell anyone, mainly out of embarrassment. She supposed that didn't mean Azriel kept quiet though.

"I'm unsure I understand." She would play dumb for all it was worth. It made Lucien chuckle. He twirled her before pulling her back and continuing the conversation.

"I guessed you two were mates awhile ago. But you confirmed it for me tonight. You watch him like I watch Elain." He gave a sad smile before twirling her again. "I'm surprised he rejected you though. Azriel has been waiting more than 500 years for a mate."

"Not for A mate." Gwyn snapped. She couldn't control her rising anger. Not when it came to the mate bond. "He waited 500 years for the mate bond to snap in place with Mor and then Elain." She used her mind-stilling to calm herself. Lucien watched her intently with his one russet eye.

"He didn't technically reject me." Gwyn started the story she hadn't uttered to anyone before. "I knew he was still hung up on Elain though when the mate bond snapped into place. I told him I didn't want him to feel forced into this. So if he wanted to be with Elain, I wouldn't hold any resentment." Gwyn chuckled along with Lucien at that. The mate bond was not as forgiving. Gwyn hadn't realized how painful it would be to watch him with Elain when she uttered those words to him.

"The bond can be a fickle thing can't it?"

"Why didn't you challenge him to the blood fight? You had every reason to?" Gwyn couldn't stop herself from asking. She was glad he hadn't. It still didn't make sense to her though.

"Besides the fact that he would kill me and Elain would feel that pain? Would finally understand the true torture of the mating bond? Same reason you told him he could be with Elain. I don't want someone to be with me out of obligation." He twirled her once more and she was suddenly overcome with such sadness for the autumn lord. He deserved a mate that chose him. His eyes softened as they made eye contact again. Neither said a word for a solid minute.

“You are quick to underestimate yourself. Is that on purpose or do you truly believe you would lose?” Gwyn believed that at the very least, Lucien would put up one hell of a fight. He was raised by high lord Beron of all people, who was known for his cruelty. A sly smile quirked Lucien’s mouth.

“You’re the first to call me out on that.” It wasn’t technically an answer, but it told Gwyn all she needed to know. He allowed everyone to underestimate him. To believe he is only proficient in fighting. It should have made her nervous, but for some reason it had her laughing.

“I would love to see you kick Azriel’s ass.” It would be the kick to his ego that he needed quite honestly. Lucien laughed before a round of silence fell over them. Lucien was the first to break it.

"You could come with me. We call ourselves the band of exiles. It's just Jurian, Vassa, and I, but it would be better than watching their love story unfold." She was shocked by the invitation. She knew her face showed it as well. She knew she couldn't accept. At least not right now. She didn't want to leave Nesta and Emerie. She didn't want to stop her Valkarie training. The song was coming to an end and Gwyn knew that as soon as it did that this conversation would have to end with it.

"I have something I want to do." Lucien's brows furrowed in confusion, so she elaborated further. "I want revenge. But I'm not ready yet. Would this invitation still extend when I am ready?" Her voice was unsteady due to nerves. She hadn't mentioned her revenge plan to anyone before. A gleam entered Lucien's eye. He knew what she wanted and he would support her through it. The song ended causing Lucien to step away from Gwyn and bow once more.

"I'll be waiting." And then he was walking away. Gwyn floated back to the dais, to her spot by Emerie. She was so lost in her new plans, new plans that Lucien helped establish that she hadn't realized the entire inner circle staring at her. Including Elain and Azriel. Both had unreadable expression but both made her skin crawl uncomfortably. One of Azriel's shadows whipped out at her, barely grazing her wrist. It barely stung, but enough for Gwyn to know the shadows were upset with her. She frowned at them.

"What?" Redness rushed to her cheeks at the attention. She knew it wasn't good attention either.

"What was that about?" Nesta inclined her head to the dance floor. Gwyn didn't want to talk about it especially in front of the inner circle.

"He asked me to dance so I said yes." Gwyn shrugged as though it meant nothing. Truly the conversation had meant a lot to Gwyn. Finally being able to talk about it to someone lifted a weight that she hadn't known was there from her shoulders.

"Is that why you were making goo goo eyes at him?" Emerie teased while nudging her. Gwyn didn't see why this was being openly joked about. Azriel and Elain only went public with their relationship a month ago. Before then the entire inner circle was sure that this would cause war. Gwyn chanced a glance at Azriel, but his face gave nothing away. She looked to his shadows because she knew that those were much harder to control around her. Unfortunately the shadows had disappeared.

"Lucien is my friend." The words were colder than Gwyn had meant, but it turned the teasing air into awkward silence. Nesta and Emerie were searching Gwyn's face for any tells. They came up empty though. It was Rhysand to respond next.

"Sorry Gwyn. We weren't trying to imply anything." His words were kind but it only made Gwyn's face flame brighter. Of course they wouldn't imply anything like that with her. It reminded her of how they all see her. Trauma first. Person second.

She wondered if any of them, besides her two sisters, would ever look at her and see anything other than that day in Sangravah. She peeked a glance back at Lucien and saw him for what he could be. A fresh start. He knew about her experiences, but he wasn't there that day. He didn't see with his own eye what they had done to her. Perhaps Azriel's rejection was a blessing in disguise. Azriel himself had saved her that day. Maybe one look at her face and he found himself back in Sangravah, lifting her weak body into his arms. Before she could sink too far into the memories, she felt the mate bond being tugged at. Her eyes snapped to Azriel's where he was already staring softly back. It only fueled her anger though. She knew he had done it to pull her away from those memories but he had no right. He didn't get to use the mate bond unless he wanted to be with her.

"Stop looking at me like that." It was meant for Azriel, but applied to most of the group as well. Gwyn pulled her hood up and turned back to the dance floor. Her silent way of telling them to fuck off. She felt Emerie link their arms together. Nesta found herself on Gwyn's other side, grabbing her hand.

"I swear if you like Lucien I'll rip all my hair out." Nesta muttered in her ear. It had Gwyn laughing out loud. She gripped her friend's hand harder.

"I'd expect nothing less."

[vidalinav]

One of the main selling points for nessian was that cassian saw nesta so when sjm made him so obtuse to her suffering,really weakens his character imo.

Yeah... I mean. I think so too. Because there’s definitely a difference between ACOMAF/ACOWAR Cassian to ACOFAS/ACOSF Cassian. It’s very odd to me.

I know someone commented on one of my posts that they didn’t think Cassian lacks emotional intelligence like I claimed and I wrote a giant analysis so to speak, about emotional intelligence and Pre-ACOFAS Cassian and Post-ACOFAS Cassian, but I never posted it because at that point I was like ehh... wtf cares. I’ve ranted enough. It doesn’t matter in the slightest. It was way too long. 

But there was a time I remember before ACOFAS, where a lot of the fandom was like the IC treat Cassian like he’s dumb. Like he’s just the comedic relief, or he’s just the person who sleeps around, who would sleep with Feyre yadda yadda, who don’t really validate his own feelings either, because with Feyre he was this lovable person who was very charismatic and I dare say emotionally intelligent. But with the IC, he was set in a role. There was a good amount of dialogue in ACOMAF about how they perceived Cassian, and it could of been friends speaking to friends, but it definitely didn’t seem like it. 

But in ACOFAS and beyond, it really felt like the ignorance set in. Like he was made to be the dumb character. I don’t know if that was because conflict needed to be made, because the whole of the IC was  unempathetic and that was a theme. I don’t know what it was. But there are many instances that I feel ACOWAR Cassian wouldn’t have been like that. There are so many times where Nesta is so obviously hurting that I don’t see how you wouldn’t connect dots and then change your own behavior accordingly, if nothing but being more sympathetic or even pitying or considering that Nesta is a victim of circumstance. But the theme as I’ve said many times in nicer ways of ACOSF, was “we’re not going to change, you’re going to change.” 

Prime examples of Cassian’s lack of emotional intelligence was “Starving won’t bring your father back to life” HHAAHA I have to laugh, and then being given the evidence in three books that Nesta is a prideful, private person and then knowing she is suffering, knowing that she has suffered some sort of assault, which he himself has acknowledged and then bringing her to train in front of a bunch of men who are misogynistic and who’s own women won’t train either, and then being like WHY NESTA? WHY AREN’T YOU TRAINING? Why sit on that rock? and then not even asking her. LOL. Stupid. 

And then... the fire. He literally notes in his own POV at least twice that she stays away from it, or she asks to move away and he doesn’t connect that she has some problem with it... until she explicitly tells him. MmmK. 

And then with the marriage vs. mating bond, he notes that she is uncomfortable, he says “what spooked you?” or whatever so he knows that she’s obviously troubled in some way and she’s literally trying to tell him, and he’s like.... nah, I’m going to keep pushing and then he’s like “shackled.” Oy. 

And in ACOFAS, the whole scene with the present for solstice and her “bullshit behavior” when they literally didn’t talk to her the entire time. They didn’t even try, and he’s over here like “I hope you try next year” or whatever. HAHAH. Cue maniacal laughter. 

Like I understand you certainly wouldn’t know what goes on in Nesta’s head, but... is he that stupid to not connect dots from what he already knows? Especially from the male who visited the families of soldiers who died, who mourned them, who felt guilty, who understood Mor’s discomfort in the triangle to be the buffer, because he explicitly says that he played the buffer in ACOSF, so he was aware of the situation, who was actually a lot nicer and sweeter and patient with Feyre, offering in turn to train with him, because he understood the poverty, what she did, the killing of the fae, how that might have affected her, who literally kept going back to Nesta even after she was like get away from me in ACOWAR, because he understood that she had been violated, and no one else validated that except him. Where was the validation in this book? 

Where was that Cassian?

He was kind I admit after moments of stupidity in ACOSF, but that doesn’t make him emotionally intelligent. Caring is not the same thing as empathy. But yeah... I really don’t understand why that was his MO in ACOSF, obliviousness... I would have appreciated it more if it was Cassian showing explicitly that he cared about Nesta and understood her pain, even if he didn’t understand why she was pushing him away, if it was less of Amren telling him to keep reaching out his hand, and him just being like No I need to reach out my hand, because she’s been through a war and I have known war all of my life. I’ve been through that aftermath many times. I’ve seen what it does as any kind and charismatic general would. But unfortunately no critical thought went into this book and the Cassian in ACOWAR is no longer.

[propshophannah]

Am I the only one who thought the book had a lot of sexist undertones? Like preemptively modifying your body to MAYBE one day give birth to your man's (male's) babies? I feel like the IC never tried to let Nesta heal in her own way, they just forced her to do things they thought would be good for her, while demeaning her along the way. And the shield thing around Feyre is very reminiscent of how Tamlin treated her in ACOTAR... I don't know, a lot of the book just made me uncomfortable :/

Hi Nonnie!

First, I want to say that I’m sorry parts of this book made you uncomfortable. That’s never fun. Second…

I think we can reasonably say that no matter what we’re looking at, we can find sexism if we want to. Now that doesn’t mean that some things are not just blatantly sexist. I think with this book there is a conversation to be had about what some of us read as sexist and what some of us read as not sexist or even pro different-forms-of-feminism.

It’s sort of in the eye of the beholder.

It’s also a fantasy world that has developed under a patriarchy. So some things are just as sexist as they “should be” because that’s the world building, right? 

So, like, territorial Fae males is fully explained in the world building and is therefore fully acceptable for the books, and is also, frankly, a kink. SJM caters to that kink. So we know we’re going to get that in these books. Most if their shit is NOT okay for planet Earth. (That’s why some of us actively seek it and enjoy reading it in books.)

So let’s get in it!

Nesta modifying her body

Now as far as Nesta modifying her own body to have children one day, I don’t see that as sexist at all. Because the alternative to her altering her own anatomy is her pausing for a moment and asking Cassian if she can strip him of his faerie race and make him something else that doesn’t have wings. If that happened, we’d be getting into race and identity and all kinds of other shit that is hella problematic. 

So, no. Nesta wanting to one day birth her own children is not sexist. Nesta deciding to alter her own anatomy so that she can safely birth her own children with Cassian, is not sexist. (Now if Cassian did it without permission, then we’d have a problem!)

The IC making Nesta heal their way

Now THIS is a conversation on choice. Not sexism. Rhys has long touted that his court is a court of choices and all that. So forcing Nesta to either go to the human lands (where she’ll very likely die) or go to the House of Wind (where she can’t readily leave) and train and work everyday, is a problem. If you want to make an argument that this is the equivalent of Tamlin locking Feyre in the house, I won’t stop you. I would only ask that you consider the nuance. 

And the nuance here takes us back to world building. They don’t have psychiatric wards or mental health services or rehab centers like we do on planet Earth. Nesta needed help. AND LET ME BE REAL CLEAR: I’m not here to debate what kind of help she needed. (We could run in circles all day long debating that.) What I am saying is that they recognized that: 

Nesta’s behavior was not good, 

that THEY WERE ENABLING HER, 

that they actually had the power to do something about her situation

They do not live in a democracy. They live in a monarchy. They have and hold absolute power and rule. And while that whole intervention—or whatever the fuck that was—was absolutely TERRRRIBLE, they had every right to do what they did. Why? Because it fit the world building.

They acted like rich parents fed up with a wild teenager so they cut her off and gave her a choice between getting kicked out of the house or going to work on grandpa’s farm in the middle of BFE. Essentially that’s what they did.

Do I agree with it? Eh... they didn’t have a lot of options and SOMETHING needed to happen (I’d have been VERY ANGRY had they left her to die like that). Do I like it? FUCK NO. They went about it all wrong and it was shitty.

Abandoning her in the human lands would have been fucking murder. But do you HONESTLY, HONESTLY think Feyre would have done that??? ALSO, LET’S BE REAL: Nesta would not have stayed there long because EVERY HIGH LORD knows about her power and would want her in their court. That whole shit about the human lands likely was NOT real and was a scare tactic. It was a shitty scare tactic. But again, it fit the world building. AND Nesta’s character (cuz it worked, she didn’t ask to go to the human lands). 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

This isn’t directed at you Nonnie, but what did people think would happen? There would suddenly be psych wards and rehab centers and Feyre and Rhys would start acting with compassion and kindness and like they themselves had gone to therapy for decades and suddenly be able to convince Nesta to sign herself into one of those facilities? 

I get it’s annoying. And it’s infuriating. And some of their bullshit talking out their ass moments made me want to throw the book across the damn room. Because that’s not how you act to people in the middle of a downward spiral/crisis like Nesta was. 

But here’s the thing: they have no basis for knowing better. They don’t have mental health services. Gwyn mentioned a priestess who counsels them, but that’s NOT the same thing as a therapist or psychologist or psychiatric NP or psychiatrist.

So what did people expect?

Also. Do you think for one second, Nesta would have responded well to compassionate attempts to get her help? She hadn’t hit rock bottom yet (where compassion would have worked wonderfully *depending* on the type of rock bottom she hit). She would have seen any attempt like that as pity and she would have rebelled.

Here’s how I get over being annoyed with Feysand and Amren for that dumb af “intervention” moment: I remind myself that

They recognized she couldn’t keep going down the path she was going.

They recognized that they loved her too much to let that happen (Feyre at least). 

They recognized that they held ABSOLUTE POWER over her in their realm

They recognized that they needed to put her in a place where she had a purpose, a routine, where she couldn’t fall back on old habits, and where she had the option to talk to other trauma survivors (if she chose to) 

That’s what they knew. Putting her in the House was their only choice. So they did. And guess what? It worked. 

Now, the forcing her to train thing was BULLSHIT. You can’t force other people to change, they have to want that for themselves. But guess what? Turns out Nesta wanted to change. Because she wasn’t against training. She was only against doing it in a place where she could be judged. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

Also, exercising is FUCKING FANTASTIC for mental health. (Maas knows that.)

Now did they demean her along the way? Yes. 

Was it shitty? HELL, YES! 

Did Rhys finally learn his lesson that night with the nightmare? He sure af did! 

Did some people in the fandom expect too much from Amren? Yep. Lady was never going to show affection or be nice to Nesta. Amren shows respect. When you respect Amren, she respects you. That’s her ENTIRE character. We’re three books in with Amren. Idk why people are still butthurt about her personality. Like. You can’t get mad at Amren for not being a table when she’s always been a chair. (Doesn’t mean we have to like her behavior or anyone else’s. But it does mean that we only have ourselves to blame when she acts the way she always has.) This same logic applied to Mor and Feyre and Elain etc.

Also. Did them acting like assholes drive the plot forward? IT SURE AF DID! If they had acted differently the book wouldn’t be as good as it is.

The shield around Feyre

If you want to make the argument about how this is a Tamlin thing to do, I won’t stop you. But again, I’ll ask you to consider the nuance and the world building. 

In a world where anyone can scent a pregnancy, would you not try to hide your ruler’s pregnant scent and body from enemies and potential attacks? I would! 

Is it a little territorial? Yes. 

Does that make sense for the world building and what we know about Fae males? Yep! 

Could Feyre have told Rhys to cut the shit? Yes. 

Is it possible Feyre *maybe* use the lie of Rhys and Helion(?) having fun with shield as an excuse to have it around herself? Yeah. I’d probably do it. 

Look, if Feyre hadn’t wanted the shield, it would have been gone. They said it was a compromise, but you can’t tell me Rhys would force a shield around her against her own will (or that she, The Cursebreaker, wouldn’t bust through it in a heartbeat).

Sorry if this comes off as salty, Nonnie! I don’t mean to be. I just don’t really understand why people get mad at stuff in books *that’s perfectly reasonable* for the world building when the alternative that they would prefer would be out of character, out the world building, or create plot holes etc. 

Hope this helps!

[parcai]

thinking abt how feyre was chill in rhys' pov and rhys was snazzy in feyre's pov but they're both dumb as rocks in their own

[abraxos-is-toothless]

Batboys shenanigans

You want shenanigans, I give you shenanigans:) Side Note it became AU I’m sorry.

-------

“No, we’re not doing it.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“I’ll tell Feyre about that time I caught you in her underwear.”

Rhys hesitated and then, “Fine, okay.”

Cassian let out a loud ‘whoo!’ and ran off to to grab the stupid shopping trolley. Azriel just stared at him with a disapproving look. They were all at Azriel’s cabin that his mother owned for summer break and the girls were all inside for ‘girl time’, shoving them outside. They’d been out here for a a week now and the other night, the boys had gotten drunk before they all went shopping for food, somehow bringing the damn trolley home.

It was a private Cabin with a long drive leading up to it, and further down the hill on the other side, at the bottom of a ridiculously steep path, was a smaller little summer house and a hottub. Cassian had the stupid idea of sitting in the trolley and asking if he and Az would push him down. It was going to end badly, he knew, but Feyre could not know about the underwear incident.

“He’s going to crash, go flying out of the fucking thing, and the girls are going to kill us. The last time he did dumb shit like this, Elain cut me off for a week because I didn’t stop him. Rhys, a whole week.” Azriel complained, moving to Rhys’ left side as they watched Cassian bring the trolley towards them, face full of glee.

“Cut you off from what?”

“Sex. No sex Rhys. I had to sit there one day as she walked around in some very revealing night gowns, teasing me as she-”

“Okay! I get it. I do not want that image, thank you very much.” Azriel was the only one that didn’t live at the college dorms, being able to afford his own apartment. Rhys did not want to know what they got up to, for the fear of seeing it when ever he went over there.

Cass was finally back in front of them, climbing in his new death contraption, before eagerly looking towards them both. “C’mon lets go!” Rhys walked behin him slowly, grasping it with his hands, swallowing hard as he turned his head back to Azriel. The other man was shaking his head almost begging him not to do it. Gods help him.

“Ready Cass?”

“Yes!”

“Three, two!” He didn’t give Cassian the chance to prepare for it, just pushed before he could expect it.

“Fuck, shit!” Cassian shouted the whole way down, acting as if he was on a damn rollercoaster. Azriel was muttering under his breath, complaing about blue balls and skimpy blue night gowns. There must have been a rock on the path, as they both watched, holding theirs breaths as their friend screamed and was flung from the trolley, disappearing between some trees. The trolley crashed into the small fence at the bottom quite loudly. The shouts of “what in the flying fuck?” that were getting closer alerted him that the girls had heard.

Not good.

“So help me god, Azriel, if that’s Cassian screaming then you are so dead.” Azriel let out a little whimper, burying his face in his hands and Rhys winced, meeting the gaze of his own girlfriend. Hell, she was pissed. Nesta was worse, already storming down the path, straight for Cassian who’d come out of the treeline grinning and was covered in cuts.

Elain had just clapped Az over the back of the head, about to drag him back inside when his brother stopped and looked between Feyre and Rhys a few times before he smirked.

Oh no, no, no, no.

“Feyre, dearest, how would you like to hear about Rhys in your underwear?” Feyre cackled beside him, and he wanted so desperately for the ground to swallow him whole.

That was the last time he listend to Cassian.

-------

Heheh, silly boys;)

[wingsofanillyrian]

Jealous?

Anonymous asked: “ Prompt Request! Cassian and Rhysand coincidentally ending up in the same bar as Nesta and Feyre during their GNO and end up seeing all the guys that hit on their ladies. lmfao jealous af “

Enjoy two of our favorite bat bros being jealous Illyrians! There’s more Nessian than Feysand sorry not sorry

Send me a prompt to help celebrate reaching 800 followers!

Masterlist

Nesta

“So I told him exactly what he could do with that jellyfish.”  I put my hand over my mouth as a giggle bubbled from my lips, which quickly turned into a hearty laugh. Feyre followed suit, doubling over and clutching her stomach.

“Oh by the Mother, Nes, I can’t believe you actually said that to an emissary!” She swiped at a tear that had resulted from her breathless laughter. Gods, it felt good to laugh. Life as emissary to the human lands wasn’t exactly a fun job; most humans now cowered at the sight of me. It was a steep, rocky slope to earn their trust, and I usually returned home from visits completely drained and in need of some fun.

Hence, girls night was born. Feyre and I would go out to the various bars in the Rainbow while Elain stayed home, saying she didn’t want to drink. Feyre and I would talk and laugh, and enjoy being two regular females for a night, leaving our titles of High Lady and emissary at home.

As our giggles died down, I spotted the two dark skinned Fae over her shoulder. One was tall and slim, but clearly still had the lithe muscles that were typical of Illyrian warriors. His attention was fixed on me, while his stocky friend threw glances at my sister. The stranger grinned at me, and I felt heat rise to my cheeks. He was actually quite striking- if you appreciated twig thin males. He nudged his friend, and they rose from their seats.

“Looks like we have visitors,” I stage whispered to my sister, turning back to the bar. She raised her slim brows, taking a swig of her drink.

The males swaggered over, positioning himself at my right. Leaning casually on the bar, he held up 2 fingers to the barkeep.

“And what are you two beautiful ladies doing in a place like this?” His dark eyes sparkled as he regarded us both. Normally, I would scoff and wave him off, but after all the liquor that Feyre and I had already consumed that night, I decided to play along.

“Oh, nothing, just having a little girls night,” I said, twining a lock of golden hair around my finger. Feyre threw a questioning look over the male’s shoulder, and I winked at her. She nodded, a barely perceptible movement that told me she understood my plan.

The male nodded appreciatively. “Mind if I sit?” He gestured to the empty stool to my right. “I’m Jax, by the way.”

“Nesta,” I said, a tiny smile on my lips.

***************

Cassian

Rhys and I stumbled into the tavern, our last stop on our night of bar hopping. By that point, Rhys was grinning and swaying on his feet, and I was feeling mildly buzzed. By some miracle, we managed to find our way to an unoccupied table in the corner without falling. Rhys yelled for a round, which was brought over by the barkeep immediately, free of charge.

“’S good to be High Lord,” he remarked, leaning back and propping his feet up on the sticky table. I grinned, raising my ale mug in mock salute before chugging half. Rhys rocked forward, squinting in the direction of the bar.

“Feyre?”

I quirked an eyebrow, turning to follow his gaze. “Sure shit,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “Feyre and Nessie. Aren’t they supposed to be having a ‘girl’s night?’” I made quotes with my fingers, taking note of the males on either side of them. The one on Feyre’s right said something, and she threw her head back and laughed.

“They’re flirting with our ladies,” Rhys noted and frowned. He made a move to stand, but my Commander instincts kicked in and I pushed him back into his seat.

“Neither of us are in any condition to go over there,” I said, even though I wanted to send that soldier scurrying back to camp with his tail between his legs. “Let’s just see what happens.”

***************

Nesta

I tipped my head back and laughed, much to Jax’s delight. As soon as he’d ordered me that drink, I’d informed Jax that I was in a relationship, and he’d respected that. He didn’t push or get pissed and walk away, but shrugged and sat next to me anyway. It was refreshing to talk to someone new and not have them hit on me.

We’d been talking for a while before I felt the lingering presence of a pissed off male. I brushed off the feeling, chalking it up to another liquored-up Illyrian looking for a bar fight. Warm arms snaked around my waist, and I yelped, cutting Jax off midsentence. I growled, readying to claw out the eyes of the male that thought he-

“Cass?” I asked, catching a whiff of his distinct cinnamon and leather scent. A nose nuzzled my neck and dark curls tickled my shoulder.

Cass growled at Jax, who had paled considerably at the sight of the Commander. Great. I’d finally made a friend, and now he would be too terrified to ever talk to me again. I irritably tried and failed to shove Cass off, a fact he completely ignored as he stared Jax down.

“Hello, baby,” he said, his wings flaring ever so slightly.

“Hi Cass. This is my new friend Jax- Oh, would you quit being jealous? He knows I’m not interested.” I shoved lightly at his shoulder.

Gathering his wits, Jax straightened in his seat. “It’s an honor to meet you, Commander.” Cass looked the warrior over with an expert eye, probably taking note of his stance and any possible weaknesses. I elbowed him in the stomach, shooting him a look that told him to play nice.

He grumbled under his breath, the only form of acceptance he’d show at the moment. I sighed, knowing that Cass wouldn’t even remember this in the morning. I gave Jax an apologetic look and untangled my mate’s arms from around me.

“It was nice meeting you, Jax. Let’s talk again soon?” I stood, grabbing Cassian by the arm before he could do something really dumb, like pick a fight.

“Sure thing.”

I turned to drag my idiot home, but not before I noticed Rhys standing menacingly in front of Feyre, who shot me a desperate look that said Save me!

“You’re on your own, sis,” I said, smirking. “I have to make sure this one gets home safely.” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder at a very confused looking Cassian. Feyre huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Illyrians,” she grumbled, shooting the High Lord a glare as he sized up Jax’s friend.

“Tell me about it.”