#he so proud of herrrrrr!!!!

[ofanswereddreams]

Rhys just sticks his tongue out at her and holds her gaze in challenge, but Amaya needs no encouragement. In a flash, she dives down, down towards the surface of the Sidra. So close that he's beginning to wonder if she remembered the second part of his instruction... and how he'll explain things to their parents if he has to fly her home, unconscious, bruised and soaking wet. But then Amaya flares her wings and soars back up into the sky towards him, crowing with joy. A grin lights his face, stars sparkling in his eyes, and he darts towards her. "That was perfect. Now- together?" Taking her hand, he tucks his wings and dives down again, pulling her with him so that they plummet towards the river again, hand in hand.

__________✨    SHE       FEELS       HER       STOMACH       DROP       JUST       WATCHING       HER       BROTHER       DIVE       TOWARDS       THE       EARTH.     down,       down,       down       he    goes    until    she's    sure    he'll    flatten    himself.       he   swings   back   up   to   where   she's   kept   level    &&    she   shakes   her   head   slightly,       a   teasing   smile   pulling   at   her   lips.     ❛    show    off.  ❜     can't   be   that   hard   right    ??       she   quells   the   stone   sinking   to   her   stomach   as   she   tucks   her   wings   close   to   her   body.     down,       down,       down    –    she    sees    her    eyes    in    the    water    yet    down,    down,    down    –       her   wings   flare   at   the   last   possible   second     (    far   closer   to   the   surface   that   her   brother   had   been   for   better   or   worse     )       her   hoot   of   accomplishment   slices   through   the   air.     ❛    did   you   see   that,       rhys    ??  ❜

[nerdanel01]

No. 9 - Dilemma

But Johanna was not waiting for him in the public parlors. Curiously, she had posted herself up in the corridor leading in their direction. The past months had worn on her, aged her. Now, however—even from a distance—Emmrich could see that she was literally bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement, her hand clasped briskly behind her back. The Mourn Watch insignia gleaming white upon her breastplate matched the glint of her teeth, revealed by the too-pleased grin on her face. 

Approaching her, he asked, “I thought you were going to meet me in the parlors?”

“Couldn’t resist.” Johanna’s grin widened. “You are not going to believe it. I didn’t believe it myself, when the docents came to tell me.”

“To tell you…?”

“Who was waiting for me,” Johanna replied, sweetly, “on the Necropolis steps.” 

Johanna gestured for Emmrich to follow her, turning and leading him down the corridors, to the public parlors the Mourn Watch staged to receive visitors. “You recall, of course, how the lower levels of the Necropolis have devolved into a quite literal den of horrors after the sky opened up and started spitting out demons a few months ago?”

“It is impossible to forget,” Emmrich answered, cagily. What did that have to do with the visitor they were on their way to greet? And why was Johanna in such high spirits about it? Johanna was his friend, and it was good to see her happy, but he did not like the smug look of satisfaction on her face one bit—

“Guess who just showed up offering to help us with that particular problem.”

Emmrich’s mouth and throat went dry. “Who?”

“Oh, I don’t know…” Johanna teased, giving an exaggerated, theatrical shrug. “Could it be, perhaps, one of the best Watchers I have ever had the pleasure of serving alongside? Perhaps even someone I proudly recruited myself?” Emmrich’s heart dropped into his stomach. ‘She cannot be saying—’ “Perhaps, someone you chased out of my guard over two years ago? But that would be crazy! What are the odds?”

The door to the public parlor was just coming into view around the curve of the hallway. From within, Emmrich could clearly hear a set of voices, raised in argument.

“Oooh,” Johanna said, furtively, “it sounds like the girls are fighting.”

“Johanna,” Emmrich said, fighting to keep his voice even, commanding. “Who is in there?”

Johanna only lifted an eyebrow at him, too self-satisfied, it seemed, to give him a straight answer. As they neared the entrance, the voices within the parlor became more distinct:

“…able to face the Elvhen God of Rebellion, but not your old boss?” 

“…sounds like an appropriate division of labor! I brought you here, Lace. Now I’ll handle Fen’Harel, and you can deal with the Mourn Watch—” 

Hot and cold all at once, mind blank and fuzzy, paralyzed with hope. Emmrich nearly tripped over his feet, forgetting how to walk, how to breathe as he reached for the doorknob. He knew that voice, he was sure of it—!

And if he had not been—if there was even the tiniest part of Emmrich that was not wholly confident of what he was about to find—it was not left to wonder long. Because as soon as she had thrown those words in response to whomever it was she was arguing with inside the parlor, Agnes had flung open the door.

[read full fic]

--- I’m really proud of all the writing I did this year! So for the last ten days of 2024 I’m going to be reblogging my 10 favorite pieces that I wrote.

This is probably my favorite bit of Johanna I've written all year. It's still a little OOC, since it was written pre-Veilguard, but I do think it's the closest I came to her actual in-game energy... primarily because she is so smug and a little (a lot?) sadistic here.

I have such horrid things in store for my beloved lich wife in 2025, I can't wait til I get to the part of my long fic where I get to write herrrrrr

[writingsofwesteros]

That night at the Met Gala poor Daeron is so nervous, and Nora holds his hand, and whispers, "Relax, sweet boy. You look so hot, I could ride you right now, baby. Remember, you're a Targaryen. Doesn't matter what you do honey, they'll eat it up." She placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, she knows that's all she can do right now. Also when the noise is too much for Helly, Aemond just takes her hand and takes her straight inside, he don't careeee he doesn't play when it comes to his sisters, they're his girls. The 5 Targtowers are very well behaved at the Met Alicent is so proud. The afterparty.....well, can't really say the same. Bestie actually shows up to this one because it feels less intimidating than the Met. Nora shows up on Aemond's arm here, because she sensed that Daeron needed Helly's gentle, soothing touch, so the limo had to make a few rounds before they got out...hehe- let's hope Hel fixed her lipstick before she got out, or it would be rather scandalous-

Aemond and Nora kinda taunt the press, Aemond's hand is a bit low in some pictures, and the way they look at each other- well, the insta comments are telling:

user1: omfgggggg mother is mothering, Daenora is the hottest Targaryen can't change my minddddd

user2: Aemond literally looks like he wants to go home hahaha love him

hater1: um, aren't they siblings?

user3: no @ hater1, they're Targayren siblings, big difference

hater2: not ya'll shipping siblings

user4: the way he looks at herrrrrr omg like she's a goddess

AegonTargaryen: yes she is a goddess

user5: isn't she just, though?

hater3: shipping incest is wild....it's an open secret that she's slept with everyoneeee

user6: not the slutshaming...girl bye

AegonTargaryen: Don't hate just because she's hot

Looks like Aegon got into the comments againnnnnn

Also after being good for Alicent at the Met, absolute debauchery goes down with the Targ5 at the afterparty and the rest of the night

ALL OF THIS!! Oh Nora is such a sweet girl, being so nice to her brothers. Poor Daeron would be blushing, eyes glazed over as they gracefully stepped from the car.

The snaps and flashes of the cameras followed them.

Also when the noise is too much for Helly, Aemond just takes her hand and takes her straight inside, he don't careeee he doesn't play when it comes to his sisters, they're his girls. WE LOVE HIM YOUR HONOUR

[lurkingteapot]

Won't get through to you 君には届かない。 Ep 8 (Finale)

Liveblogged this to @sandorara in dms, copypasting here, minus 6-10 keysmashes and various romaji bs. Don't expect coherence, do expect squee.

AAAAAAAH!!!!

my BOY Yamato

FUJINO you HORNDOG

oh dear oh dear

KAKERU well DONE!!!

Hosaka ijiwaru~ he just loves to tease Yamato, and tbf, RELATABLE

94 points!

aafdaafds KAKERU HAS "DATE" on his CALENDAR I love him

MIKOTO!!!

Yamato has made so much progress?? I'm so proud. both Yamato and Kakeru, really, but for Yamato to open up like that???

I love these siblings

oh NO the girl tagged ALONG?!

I hate herrrrrr! I mean no but. Yamato. My boy. please. couldn't you have extended your assertiveness to "sorry, you can't come with me, my date is waiting for me"?!

ooof

oh Kakeru, oh nooooo

oh that's what the preview was for

oof

ooof

oh noooooooo

!!!!!!!!!!

HE CONFESSED!!!!!

the sneeze!

taking a BATH at your BOYFRIEND'S PLACE wow these kids move fast 😂

oh god Yamato's gonna be insufferable now, huh. both of them, really

oh I like this mirror shot

oh god that lean-back-eyes-up is LETHAL, wow, Kakeru

REPRAISAL OF THE "Someone's gonna walk by/in" I am!!!!

like that curtain thing is ANY LESS CONSPICUOUS

adsfsadfasdf Kakeru

if this isn't dating, what is?

noooooo not another injury

but man real talk I twisted my ankle SO BAD with those stupid school slippers at one point

afdadsfas these two

kids you're at SCHOOL --

KAKERU HOLY SHIT

THE REGISTER SHIFT HALP

god they're so bashful, it's so cute

I love the back and forth with the echoes this episode

(cheesy? YES. do I care? not at this moment)

I wanted a Kakeru initiated kiss gdi

Murasennnnnnn

Also GO US (@sandorara, @twig-tea, Lee) for going "this title has gotta be short for 俺の気持ちは君には届かない"

I'm docking (very few) mental points for the ending because that felt weirdly rushed, but other than that? love it. I could've done without Yamato going back and forth on the boundary-respecting – I just don't like the "no no no yes" stereotype, and they had Kakeru play to that one too many times imo. but. I wish we could get rid of that trope, and I REALLY wanted Kakeru to initiate at least ONE kiss (or at least for us to get one that wasn't dead-fish-y on his part, I guess), but that's about it for complaints (and I know jdorama aren't big on kisses most of the time anyway).

I'm going to miss this little show!

[pepprs]

JUST GOT OUT OFMY FIRST SESSION WITH MY NEW COUNSELOR AND I ALREADY LOVE HER MOODBOARD

[charismakat]

ROTTMNT SPOILERS AHEAD!!

important things i've noticed during the movie:

-the amount of times i've squealed with excitement is immaculate

-especially during the scenes with april in college I'M SO PROUD OF HERRRRRR

-APRIL STILL HAS HER CRANE LISCENSE LMAO

-MY GIRL CASSANDRA IS A FUTURE MOTHER ❤❤❤😭 UGH SO PROUD OF HER 🥰/pos

-april is such a girlboss i've missed her so much ❤❤❤

-i'm making this at 5 in the morning and i'm tired so i can't really think of anything else 😘✌

-donnie still being a nerd with great eyebrows as always

-one of them said "barbs" lmaooo stan twitter is coming for you

-donnie is so funny and omg he's becoming my favorite turtle again

-where the fuck is draxum

-warren and hypno, best couple. the boyfriends ever

-did i mention how much I fucking love april

-sdfggdhsjkj

-future mikey looks like yoda lmfao

-they did not deserve to get hurt like this my poor boys

-oh and btw, APRIL. 🥰💖

ohkay uh so,,. how do I put this? I have a new hyperfixation, it's official.

[witchbugs]

WHAT THE HECK WAS ALL IN. LITERALLY WHAT EVEN WAS THAT

• i’m trying to list my thoughts in the order that the events happened but i’m sure i’ll miss some things because of how MUCH this episode was. i’m rewatching as i type this

• the kpop dance party 😭 not Marcy just yeeting a dog

• of course it’s the same birds lol

• are you telling me Mr. X is married??

• BOONCHUYS BABEY! their new outfits are cool

• SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE 😭

• MARCY CAN FIT IN ANDRIAS’S POCKET SHE’S SO CUTE

• JAN AND TERRIIIIII

• Matt, your directed-the-GF-episode-with-Mabel’s-bubble is showing

• kinda digging the fantasy outfits, and Marcy’s hair was really cute

• “i think we may have a tiny bit of TRAUMA LEFT OVER” i’m sorry but i wheezed

• i legit got emotional about the Plantars saving the Boonchuys from the herons… they consider them family and Hop Pop wants to protect Anne’s parents the way he couldn’t protect Sprig and Polly’s…

• “i’m glad you’re with me, general” “likewise, milady” 💅🏳️‍🌈

• “lEt’S rUmBlE, gIrLfRiEnD” 💅🏳️‍🌈💅🏳️‍🌈💅🏳️‍🌈

• “i think its because… i didn’t love myself. not really. but meeting you three has changed all of that. and these months we’ve spent together have shown me the person i really wanna be.” I’M SO PROUD OF HERRRRRR (…finally me and it’s no big deal)

• “speak for yourself. you went from Santa Claus to supervillian pretty quick there.” dang the delivery on that line

• MY GIRL ANNE GOT THROWN THROUGH SEVERAL BUILDINGS IS SHE OKAY

• well. we were right about someone losing an arm

• Sasha went apeshit and i love that for her

• ANNE IS HEART. HER POWER IS HEART AND SEEING THE PEOPLE SHE LOVES THE MOST LITERALLY GIVES HER STRENGTH

• that fight may be the most epic thing i’ve seen. THE TRANSITION FROM ANNE TO SASHA WAS 👌

• MARCY GIRL WHY IS YOUR BLOOD GREEN

• HOW IS SASHA EVEN ABLE TO STAND? SHE HAS A GIANT GASH IN HER BACK

• MATT. YOUR DIRECTED-ESCAPE-FROM-REALITY IS REALLY SHOWING

• BLAST THAT NEWT WITH THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP

• “my dearest Andrias” “for even though you, Barrel, and I are no longer together, the two of you never really left my side” “my only remaining wish is that somehow, someday, my love reaches you” “with love always, your Leif” come on they were dating

• “my dearest friend, don’t close yourself off,” *picture of Marcy* “open your heart.” I’M FINE.

• i love that even though there was a dramatic Anne vs Andrias fight, that’s not what defeated Andrias, not really. he only began to show weakness at the letter. Leif’s love is what stopped him.

• Andrias is. a cyborg?

• “we love you. and we forgive you. come back to us” 😭🥹

• this. just this

• SOBBINF

• i really might have thought that this was the last episode if it weren’t for THAT ENDING

ok now for the bingo finally. sorry about if i missed any and sorry about the one with the question mark but it is a BLUR

[indrawzcord]

warrior cat designs/remakes (pt2)

u can use any of them with credit

Designs here are: Sol | Leafstar | Goldenflower | Briarlight | Brightheart | Graystripe | Sandstorm | Ferncloud | Lionblaze | Leafpool (10 designs in this post! 30 so far)

love him. want more of him. I was kinda brainstorming for this one on paper and really liked the first design I made so... he looks like this

short, fluffy woman, love her

I can’t draw flowers and it looks a bit wonky but at least I made a design.

her wound is just an ‘x��. that’s all i gotta say

I always thought that Ivypool got her fur pattern from Brightheart so I made their patterns similar. For before her injury, just draw everything without the scars, the design is symmetrical. 

I just kept adding stuff to his design to where I’m really proud of the outcome. the original idea was to make him fluffier and bigger, but i like this more

Sandstorm is not fluffy, CANCELED /j It was so hard to not add fluff, but it had to be done

herrrrrr. I kinda used Ash as a model since I didn’t know what to do. I like it.

It looks less bland then his old designs

Simple but good

[mohgwynn]

smouldring​:

She found no reason not to be kind to him. After all, he hadn’t defaulted to violence when they’d first met; he’d actually spoken with her – and not just talked at her, either, but listened, and responded to what she said and what she did without making the worst of assumptions. In the Lands Between, such a person still capable of reason was invaluable, and while she’d realized very quickly that her new friend wasn’t perfect, well, neither was she, nor anybody else. If she stood around waiting for perfection, she would never get anywhere. Such was her philosophy in questing and friend-making.

       Staring at the blade, she could just barely recall where she’d found it. It had been at the head of the Agheel Lake, back when she’d been wandering about with nowhere in particular to go, simply soaking in the ambience of the region. The invader had come out of nowhere, and it was only with help from Yura that she’d survived. Yura… she wondered where he was now. She hadn’t even picked up the knife then; she had stepped on it on her way out of the cave, half-sunk into the mud at the bottom of the river, and had picked it up absently. That man, that Nerijus – had he once stood here with Lord Mohg, the same as she? Well. He’d chosen his opponents poorly.

       Her eyes widened a bit as he cut into his finger, smearing the steel with blood. “Hey–,” she began, only to abort the warning. He knew what he was doing; she just couldn’t help it but worry. Then again, it was nothing she hadn’t done before. The art of bloodletting was relatively new to her, but she found it extremely effective in battle. She’d been plucking blood roses and mixing them with resin to coat her blade long before she’d met Mohg. Now she watched, curious, as the great lord swung the Reduvia in a wide arc, unleashing blood and flame upon the garden. She felt compelled to clap, and then thought better of it. It was probably improper. Instead, she made a soft sound of appreciation.

       “–wait, me?” She hadn’t expected that. Fire and blood were her modus operandi, but, faced with Mohg’s assessing gaze, she found herself growing nervous. Why? She’d used a knife plenty of times, and she certainly knew how to do this. “Alright!” Moving with a confidence she didn’t really feel, she cut the air a few times with the knife, then tried a stab. Nothing happened. Pursing her lips, she swung again; again, nothing. What was she doing wrong? Magic was a slippery thing. When it came to incantations and sorceries, she was a poor learner. Only the art of dragonfire made any sense to her, and then, only very little. Overall, her casting left much to be desired. Was she missing something to make this work? Or was she simply too weak.

       The thought didn’t sit right with her. No, she was better than this. She wasn’t going to give up after the first try. Besides, she was a warrior, and she wanted to prove to this lord that she could stand as his equal. If she couldn’t eke blood from the blade, she had a good supply of it, herself. Spinning the dagger around, she took a breath, then plunged it into her own chest, hitting center and bumping up against the sternum. It hurt, but she didn’t falter, and as she drew the blade free, the wound closed. Crimson gathered on the cutting edge and flew out in an arc; her eyes burned gold; the fire that came of it was not of the Formless Mother, and smelled strongly of dragon ash, but it was fire nevertheless, and the scent of burning roses filled the garden.

As always, Merri’s confident optimism, whether forced or not, is infectious, and Mohg finds himself smiling down at her with a sense of almost paternal pride that he has yet to notice he really only feels with her. Ah, a realisation for another day. Still, he has great faith in her abilities, and is eager to see her cast the blade’s peculiar spell.

When her first attempt fails, he frowns. When her second and third ones do too, he finds himself looking down upon her with something more akin to worry than anything else. Surely she, with all her flint and kindler, would be able to call forth the blade’s bloody enchantment, would she not? For the sake of doubt, many a Bloody Finger before her has held this blade, and only a sour few have ever been able to cast the spell, but… this is Merri we’re talking about. Surely she has it in her…?

In a way, it turns out… yes, actually. It seems she does.

The Omen’s brow raises in surprise when Merri turns the blade upon herself, familiar enough with spells of all matters from his countless fights with sorcerers and numerous studies on the matter that he worries not for her safety, but is still surprised that her stubborn will was creative enough to find a means around the end. Ah, suppose he was foolish to think Merri wouldn’t be capable of coming up with something clever to bypass her own magical impasse. She always has been the creative sort, and deathly curious to witness. His smile returns as the roses burst into flame, flickering with dragonfire and smoke.

Though the flame be not the Mother’s, he is proud nonetheless; and while Merri may have foregone applause for the sake of his display, he, on the other hand, thinks she rightly deserves it. Monstrous, clawed hands would soon clap together in gentle congratulations — a bit softer than he would like, given the scissors he still holds, but honest nonetheless — as one would clap for a singer upon a stage. Is this display not musical in its own right, after all? It certainly sings a beautiful song.

“Thou never cease to impress me, my smouldering lamb,” Mohg says, lacing one hand behind his back, his other coming to rest gently upon Merri’s shoulder. “Rare is it that I am fortunate enough to see thee in action, as the saying goes. Ah, forgive me for oft forgetting the magnitude of thy strength. Thou’rt such a kind lamb, and carry thyself with equal grace, that it is easy to underestimate thee.” His smile turns mischievous. He pats her shoulder gently. “Perhaps I should be worried, in truth, that thou will one day overtake Miquella’s due throne, and become Elden Lord thyself.”

A genuine statement. His brow remains quirked as he says this, as if to ask, Is that your plan?

[nonchalanttoh]

She Raeactions season 5 episode 5: Ho. Ly. Shit.

That wasnt a typo I just think I'm funny.

• I'm not too keen on the description for this episode, but going back to save Catra even though she sacrificed herself to ensure that Adora WOULD DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE and stay the fuck away is really cute I'm not annoyed at all

• WE'RE GONNA WIN IN THE END*****

• I swear to the all loving jesus christ if entrapta DOESNT FIND Hordak and save him I will SCREAM and if Entrapta does run into Hordak I will still Scream!

• Everything about Prime is just ew.

• OH MY GOD

• ENTRAPDAK WILL RISE AGAIN

• LABPARTNERS PLEASE

• DONT FIGHT EACH OTHER

• HE'S CRYINGG

• Is that really Hordak?

• Entrapta's like I broke him so he's mine now LIKE I GUESS HE'S my responsibility now like I can't just leave my mistakes behind oh well

• Oh shit

• THAT HELLO ADORA

• The angst is hot off the presses

• Ngl that haircut isnt working for her

• Adora's crying and therefore I have decided that you all can suck my ass and catch these hands

• Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew

• Literally

• This is not a kids show

• What the fuuuuckkkkk

• So idk if they have the hordak I want them to, but he sure is protective of Entrapta and I and quakinggggg

• Bitch this is episode 5 of 13 if all of this shit is happening now, how much worse is it going to get?

• THE ANGST

• This hurtsssss owwwwwwwww what the fuckkkkkkkk

• OH MY GOD WHAT

• WAIT

• PONYTAIL

• I CANT BREATHE

• WAIT A FUCKJNG MINUTE

• SHAKDKAKAJSHANAKDK WHATTTT

• SHE'S GORGEOUS WTH

• SHE RA GOT AN UPGRADE AND SHE IS STUNNNNINNNGGGGGGGG

• BITCH I AM CRYING I LOVE ADORA. SO. MUCH. I AM SO PROUD OF HERRRRRR

• I CANT GET OVER HER HAIR IT'S STUNNING

• I CANT WATCH THIS FOR FIVE SECONDS WITHOUT PAUSING BECAUSE IM SHAKING AND DYING AND HAPPY AND EMOTIONAL AND

• But take a moment of appreciation for the absolute powerhouse that is entrapta's hair. To be able to hold hordak so effortlessly like he's baby is such a feat ong I love themmmmmm

• She Ra's new sword is also stunning and much moee aesthetically pleasing than the one she broke.

• The BADASSERY of She Ra talking to Darla like man I dont usually legitimately crush of fictional characters but she's making it REALLY DIFFICULT NOT TO

• Adora and Catra both needed a hug. Thats what the doctor ordered.

• NO

• DONT

• DONT TELL ME

• DONT TELL ME THEY TOOK THE WRONG CLONE

• FUCK OFFFFFF

• WHY IS IT SO HARD JUST TO HAVE LAB PARTNERS BE LAB PARTNERS GEEZ

• I KNEW THAT WAS TOO EASY GODDAMMIT

• Dang well Catra and Glimmer have been rescued, She Ra is back question mark and there's still 8 episodes left. All there's left to do is wipe out a massive imperial force thats been plaguing the universe for literal millenniums.

• I'm digging the lesbian vibes but going back to my rant from ep 4, I really dont want Catras actions to be completely disregarded. Even if theres just one moment, one line where she admits that she was wrong to do all those terrible things to Adora, Entrapta, Scorpia, Hordak and literally Etheria itself, and have everyone support her to becoming better, I think that would be incredibly powerful. Just Adora caring about her doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

[ejmcmoon]

Black Lightning 1x02

So I decided to react to the Black Lightning Series because it’s so damn good. I definitely recommend watching it. You can find it on the CW’s website if you didn’t catch it. It’s got representation, the writing is great, and the fight scenes are awesome! Please don’t sleep on this show!

Warning: Spoilers below the cut.

 Oh no is all this talk of prostitute stuff foreshadowing something happening to the girls?

Wtf is happening to Jefferson?

Yayyyy Lynn x Jefferson moment

But if he only saves the girls and then stops, people can tell it’s him, right?

SEE!! THEY CAN TELL!!

YOU GO, LAWANDA!

WOw this guy is RACIST

I still can’t believe this guy has a name like Latavius and chose LALA

Shit I thought she knew who he is

“Everybody say they praying for me, but aint nobody willing to fight for me” Damn that’s deep. I love LaWanda

SHIT YOU SLIPPED UP JEFF

WAIT WILL’S STILL ALIVE! I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD

Aww she’s still outta school...poor girl Ok I kinda ship Jen with this guy, he’s cute. Better than the douche last episode

GODDAMN HE’S A LITTLE BOY WHAT DID THEY DO TO HIM

Did she not realize she’s bulletproof?

Shit’s about to go down!!!! You messed with the wrong father Oh it was just a water gun lol

“Don’t mistake my patience for weakness, boy” YESSSS YOU TELL EM JEFFERSON YOU TELL EM

Oooh the theme song yass

LESBIAANNNSS Kisses make everything better

I like this BROTP between Jeff and Henderson. They’re fun…. Oh gosh Lawanda, Lawanda,,,,,,

You know I like that they made Latavius (I refuse to call him Lala) a well-rounded character. He’s just sitting there jamming to some music in his car like any other person. It  really makes him relatable and I actually like him as a villain

Will is screwed…

So, lemme get this straight he got zapped by lightning and thrown into his car and he survived, but Latavius shot in the head and he’s dead???? What?????

Also, damn Latavius. Killing your own family. Relatable, but still a psycho. I like it

This guy’s a badass. I bet he left that music on in his car so he can feel like a badass in some mystery murder movie with his own soundtrack relatable relatable

It’s official. Latavius is my favorite villain ever besides the fact that his alias is stupid.

“None of that’s gonna matter if your daughter comes back home and your daughter’s dead” Dang LaWanda and Jeff have awesome scenes together

YOU BETTER NOT LET HER DOWN JEFF

YOU LOVE HERRRRRR THAT’S WHAT YOU REALIZED You poor awkward baby HE’S SO CUTE AND THIS IS SO REALISTIC AND UHHHH I LOVE THEM THE SHIPS IN THIS SHOW ARE SAILING FULL STEAM AHEAD I LOVE IT SO MUCH

Honestly this is so relatable my dad never remembers my friends’ names

They’re so cuteee and smooth  

“As a neuroscientist, I know everything there is know about the brain, but not so much about the heart” DAMN GIRLLL DAMNNN

YOU RIGHT JEFF YOU RIGHT YOU GOT A SMOOTH WOMAN RIGHT THERE AHHHH THESE WRITERS ARE SOOO GOOD

Oh no this woman better not get hurt I love her so much don’t hurt her

No don’t do it Lawanda don’t do it

Girlll what you doing walking up to a fucking drug lord. You strong, but you stupid

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOOOO COMMERCIAL BREAK WHYYYYYYYY

Yup this is the part where he cracks isn’t it? Yup he is Why aren’t the lamps flickering?? Awww she was his student. I knew that before, but now the feels are hitting me man. He’s like the black version of mcgonagall and it’s like her having to see James and Lily dead. The feels man the feels LynN shut uuuuupppppp

Oh damn he took her hands off his face savage

BLACK LIGHTNING IS BACKKKKKKK

Ok a black panther ad just came on and I think that’s so fitting BLACK REPRESENTATION FOR THE WINNNNNNN

Gambi’s smart

Man she’s smoking and drinking and probably skipping class. Jen needs to get her life togetheerrrr

You tell her Khalil. I’m glad her man’s talking some sense into her Aww they’re cute

Lynn needs to stop treating this like an addiction “And then he stopped because he was addicted to you” Oh dammmn he came for her life

Yay they gonna get Lala (ugh I hate calling him that)

“Oh he is fine” Just imagine all the black lightning fangirls lmao I love how he’s just casually walking in there and the music is great Okay, the staircase line was great and all, but the elevator’s fast and isn’t latavius gonna catch on that Jeff’s after him?

Oh yay they caught him Damn two dead people busted him gotta clean after yourself better LALA

Why you going out in the dark in a dangerous city? Damn both of these girls are idiots. First Jen and the 100 club and now Anissa does this?

Oh damn another panic attack poor girl YES YOU FUCK HIM UP

YESSSS YOU GET UP WITH A SMILE GIRL I LOVE HERRRRRRRRR THIS FAMILY IS SO BADASS

Oh no is he WATCHING PORN AND DRINKING THIS FAMILY IS BADASS BUT THEY GOT ISSUESSSSSSSSS

Never mind it’s just lynn false alarm false alarm lmao

I love LaLa but tobias seems so one dimensional

Nooo don’t kill himmm i liiiked him

Ugh they’re not afraid to just kill people off

Okay so overall this episode was AWESOME! They had some great quotes and scenes and I loved LaWanda. I hate that they did Latavius bad like that he was so great. You don’t get villains with that much complexity these days and I’m hoping that he just pulls a leaf out of Will’s book and somehow survives. It was illogical with will, but you know I might just let it slide if they do it with Latavius.

Also, to elaborate with the ending scene with Jeff, it’s good that it wasn’t porn and it was just Lynn bc at least he’s loyal you know. But at the same time the way he was watching it is kinda like an addiction to Lynn. It’s like porn but only with Lynn. So I think Gambi’s right. She’s calling his powers an addiction, but she’s the addiction.

And you can see even though they’re “separated” they’re still showing each other affection and it’s kinda like she’s teasing him. (not sleeping in the same bed, saying she’s gotta take it slow). And he goes along with it bc he wants more. So yeah it is an addiction and like any addiction it’s stopping him from doing what’s right. LaWanda was his student and like a daughter to him and Lynn was still tryna stop him

So yeah, they have cute scenes, but Lynn is kinda unhealthy for him at the same time and she’s holding him back. You know, people always tell women to not let men hold them back, but men, don’t let your women hold you back either. And same goes for mlm and wlw. And people who don’t give a fuck about gender. DON’T LET PEOPLE STOP YOU FROM ACHIEVING YOUR DREAMS AND DOING THE RIGHT THING

Which, going back to the wonderful wlw in this episode, Anissa and her girlfriend are clearly a foil to Jeff and Lynn bc when Anissa said that she was busy chasing all her dreams, the girlfriend said that she wasn’t tryna hold her back, which is exactly the opposite of what Lynn is doing to Jeff.

But also, I like that it’s not like they’re having a lgbt+ couple be the good one and a het relationship be the unhealthy one as if het relationships are inherently unhealthy and lgbt+ ones are inherently healthy bc anissa and her gf have their issues just like jeff and lynn have their good moments.

And it’s really nice that the girlfriend wants more than just sex bc I feel like a lot of wlw couples focus on the sexual stuff. Like, why can’t we have sitcom lesbians and lesbians fighting crime and stuff without it being sexual?

But also they balance out the relationships by having this REALLY CUTE thing with Jen and her guy. He’s so cute and supportive and I really liked their get together scene on the roof. It wasn’t some overdone dramatic first kiss scene. It was just two awkward teens getting together and the kiss wasn’t anything big. Also, when he brought out the necklace and she smiled, IT WAS SO CUTE

And he’s just so supportive and he’s just tryna get her on the right track. And he’s got a tough family situation, but he’s still tryna keep his life together. Get you a partner like that.

Also, I love how the girls are going through the trauma in their own ways. Anissa has panic attacks and Jen drinks. You know, in a lot of superhero shows, people go through traumatic shit and brush it off, but these writers are showing the aftermath and it’s great. Also, the girls experience it differently. Jen is outwardly cheerFUL and stuff in an effort to distract herself. And Anissa’s a little more shaken. It just shows that PTSD symptoms always vary depending on the person

But I did like that scene where she threw that guy across the store and got up and smiled like she was proud of herself. That was badass.

Anyway, this review was a mess, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy the show. Writers, if you see this, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND I HOPE IT GETS RENEWED FOR A SEASON 2!!!

[onenextdoor]

The One Next Door pt 2

‘He’s also a painter, a writer, a musician, he sculpts stone, wood, and clay, he’s a student, he’s a very well rounded person that takes on many tasks. He is foul mouthed but gentle hearted. He will complain but still take on tasks that others ask of him…’ Dreamer added on. These two were very proud of their master.

‘He doesn’t sleep much so he tends to get a lot of work done when he can’t sleep so it will be very noisy at times. We hope it doesn’t bother you too much.’ Corporal purred nuzzling Eren’s ear and under his chin.

Eren giggled, “I wouldn’t worry too much once I’m sleep I’m literally out cold and I get the feeling this sounded more like you too are trying to set him up as a marriage partner but, that could be delusion on my part.” Eren blushed pinked “Well….not like I’d know any better I can’t honestly say I’m into men. Well,...no I don’t think I’m into men…?” He can’t really say for sure, “Since he’s so busy is he eating well? I made plenty of food and if he likes we can hang out watch movies and you know stuff. It must be boring to work all the time and since you say he’s not a serial killer I’d love a friend. I moved here away from germany so I’m alone. But, a few of them said they’re moving over here.”

‘Boss has lived here his whole life but has had to learn multiple languages.’ Corporal said because he had heard him speak to several ambassadors from several different countries at once during one of the events his mother had insisted he attend.

‘Master isn’t really a social person but we’ll talk to him about you. He might make an acception.’ Dreamer murmured.

‘It’s mostly because Boss is a workaholic and has a hard time interacting with other people. Most can’t get past the foul mouth.’ Corporal snickered thinking back to the last event Levi had attended because his friends dragged him out of his apartment. He had followed to keep an eye on him and watched him make three people cry and another one slapped him.

“As long as he doesn’t h-hit me...I….I think we would get along pretty well I mean Jean has a pretty foul mouth so...if he’s like him we’d get along pretty well. And he doesn’t sound like a bad person and maybe he’d like me too you know enough he can befriend me.” Eren’s smile was a happy one.

‘Master doesn’t hit people for no reason. He only ever hits bad people who deserve it. You don’t beat up defenseless people or animals do you?’ Dreamer asked with wide questioning eyes.

Eren smiles sadden “I couldn’t hurt a mosquito so no…” Which was why he could never protect himself from his own father…. “So, does he need food the soup should be ready?”

‘Nah, Boss is too focused to eat right now. He’s still shaping the Forest God.’ Corporal said cocking his head to the side and listening to Levi still working the wood.

“May I...come over? And feed him he can eat over too if he wants. Should I try knocking on the door again?”

Eren is just a busybody who likes to feed people….got it from his mother and it’s a habit that’s hard to kill.

‘Master won’t be able to answer the door right now. He won’t hear anything over his drive to finish what he started. He’s a perfectionist and doesn’t let outside sources interfere with getting his work finished. Maybe in a couple days when he’s not so busy. Yoosung will be over in a couple of days to get his latest manuscript.’ Dreamer purred rolling on her back offering to let him scratch her belly.

Eren hums calling Erena up to his room “Ohh, baby girl~ could come up here for a minute~”

A few minutes later Erena was wobbling her fat self up the stairs she literally rolled a couple of times into the room.

“Hey sexy lady mind doing me a favor~”

Erena moved to sit in front of him her eyes sparkled with self interest,

“Remember the time you embarrassed me at college with a pair of my own panties in front of my face and disrupting the lecture and the people asked me if I got a woman.”

Erena snickers, “Yesss~”

Eren: “Gonna need you to do that stunt again grab a good one and go on next door give him a wake up call yeah?”

Erena dived right into his dirty clothes hamper digging around for the thickest scent which so happen to be a red lacy pair that was real sexy and really really revealing so when she came back holding the pair he almost came on turned his ears red along with his face. “Erena!!! Not that one not that one!!” Rena busted out of the room and had to use a different air duct to go next door. “Rena I was lying oh my god not that pair!!” Eren looked through the hole she was already gone…”Baby not that paiiiir….”

‘Bet you ten to one Boss smells that and uses it as inspiration for one of his novels.’ Corporal snickered to his sister.

‘Yeah that was strong. Master may not have Mike’s nose but that scent would be enough to get his notice.’ She replied as if it were an everyday occurrence.

Eren grabbed Corporal and toss him in, “Go get herrrrrr and my panties. Go go go.”

He slid him further in…

Eren frantically paced around “Why can’t she just pick a clean one for christ sake. I should have picked.” Eren covered his face….

Corporal didn’t rush after her at all and just took his time heading to Levi’s sculpting room. It was evident by the time he had gotten there that Erena had accomplished her mission of distracting Levi from his work. This was going to be fun. Once in the room Corporal leapt up on Levi’s shoulders as he stroked the cat but left the panties in her mouth.

Corporal nuzzled into Levi’s undercut feeling underneath the hairline and felt what he was feeling for. Slick black scales were hidden by his hair proving he wasn’t unaffected by the scent now mingling with the scent of sawdust.

Erena slipped Mama panties in his shirt she had to lay over his face to stuff it in his shirt it was an odd shape ball on his chest similar like a one sided boobies. She made herself home in his shirt so when she got situated she bumped faces with him mewling pitifully.

‘Home’

She pawed his eyes and meow like a desperate child...

“Is something wrong with your owner?” Levi murmured scratching the cat who had just crawled inside his shirt with a pair of obviously worn underwear. He seriously needed a shower now. He didn’t even know who those underwear belonged to but the scent was affecting him in strange ways. It was a familiar scent. Well the type not the personal scent. It smelled feline in nature and it seemed to have his dragon purring which was odd in itself.

‘Might as well take her home Boss. It is the neighborly thing to do… Maybe she got lost in the ducts and can’t find her way back…’ Corporal offered easily otherwise Levi might be tempted to just let her go back home on her own and get back to work. Hopefully she would understand his meaning and play along.

Erena mew pitifully pawing at his eyes desperately, “Lost. Very.” Her accent was strong obviously she came from Germany.

She rubbed under her chin her claws digging into his shoulder to lock on. She didn’t want to walk back.

“Mach dir keine Sorgen. Wir bringen dich sicher nach Hause…” Levi murmured to her in German. With a soft sigh Levi headed out of his sculpting room and headed to his front door throwing on a pair of heels that were sitting next to the front door instead of walking over barefoot. If his neighbor didn’t like a man wearing heels well he didn’t much care anyways.

Levi stood before his neighbor’s door for a long moment before he finally rang the doorbell and stood there rather awkwardly waiting for them to answer the door. He was feeling even more awkward standing there with a cat and worn underwear shoved down his shirt. Like he didn’t have enough weird rumors going around about him.

Eren heard a solid knock on the door follow by a door bell ring Eren wanted to stay there dying on the floor. Slowly he got up and straighten up his dress although it’s still short it only just covered his ass. He really wished he kept his panties on but, he can’t run upstairs to grab one making sure his wrist is covered he went to the door his bright mixed eyes opened the door at first he saw something above eye level he had to look up to see his face. Eren noticed he was at least a few inches above his head, when he glanced further down he was wearing black pandora heels. Eren instantly crouches “Is that the new Pandora Black? Oh my god it has charms it’s so cute. I’m lovin your style.”

Whatever nervousness he has was gone when he looked at those magnificent beautiful desirable heels. “So perfect...It’s so expensive though...but, it looks like it is so worth every single penny.” Eren looked up smiling his gold and teal eyes smiling, “Erena.”

Levi blushed down at the beauty admiring his heels. He hadn’t even realized which ones he had put on because he was so flustered at having those panties shoved down his shirt. “Um…. Yeah they are… Thank you… I believe she belongs to you… Dreamer?” He said taking the cat out of his shirt before noticing his own female cat dangling from his neighbor’s shoulder. His gaze shifted to Corporal who was also on his shoulder and eyed him suspiciously.

‘I think you’re forgetting something Boss.’ Corporal nudged changing the subject easily.

“Ah… Yes… I-I believe these are also yours...:” Levi murmured extracting the underwear from his shirt and holding them out to him blushing deeply. He made sure that he didn’t grab the panties from the crotch because that would have been mortifying.

Eren braced himself for Erena pounced as she loved up all over him but when he looked at his panties he was mortified for the both of them. All over again he turned redder than a lobster being steam cooked. He wouldn’t be surprised his ears were the same as his face as he reached up to grab his trashy panties.

“Uh ah...umm...nnn t-t-thank y-y-you…” Eren stands up pretty much towering over him…

“M-my name’s Eren I’m your new neighbor...um...L-Levi.” Eren was so nervous Erena pawed his eyes and Eren tried to fend her off. “C-can’t see, Erena. Hey, I can’t see.” Erena meows pitifully she climbed up and let her stomach cover Ma’s face facing the kitchen and hitting his head with her paws.

“Okay okay okay, L-Levi if you like...w-would you like to eat dinner with me….A….as an apology about...my cat….and...m-m-my p-p-panties… and I think as neighbors we should try to be friends...yeah?”

Erena thinks Ma was abusing Levi with a smile and cuteness and she thinks it is totally working. She was beating his head to turn up the cuteness. However she was being removed from Ma’s head to be in his arms so now she was facing Levi. Eren thinks Levi looks good in heels and it’s not because Levi was towering over him...which is sexy but, no gay...so...he just thinks Levi rocks out the pandora black line.

Levi was a bit blindsided by Eren’s brilliant smile. He couldn’t help staring at someone so beautiful. Eren was like a golden angel come to life. The only thing he was missing were the wings. His mouth hung open for a moment before Corporal pawed his chin up to shut his mouth. Swallowing he cleared his throat trying to dispel the dryness in his mouth before answering him.

‘Might as well stay and eat Boss. You haven’t eaten for about a day and a half. You could use the break to recoup before going back to work. Besides… When was the last time you had such a gorgeous dining companion?’ Corporal suggested in his ear while Dreamer nodded at him from Eren’s shoulder.

[ladynestaarcheron]

It spread its frosted, fissured fingers out into the room and Cassian’s hand folded tighter around her shoulder at the sound.

this is such a beautiful image❤️❤️

The thought struck Nesta every time Cassian pressed his lips to her bare ring finger, as if instilling his love into it might create a starred band of its own.

I love how Nesta’s so smart but she can be so oblivious. Ooh does he like me, does he want to marry me? Like girl what do you THINK

It hung pregnant and swollen in her stomach.

👀👀

It hurt but Nesta could get past it.

“It was you, Nesta.”

OOOOHHHHHHH I CALLED IT

Confusion swaddled Nesta like a babe in a blanket, pinning her arms and legs.

👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

Quietly—so quietly that Nesta’s ears almost strained to hear him—Cassian asked, “Is that an order, High Lady?”

But before she could open her mouth to respond, Cassian was already snapping a reply. “You do not understand what you’re asking,” he raged. “It is insane to think that I’d allow any of you to step into that water, but my mate—”

It was so unlike Cassian to fly off the handle. So unlike him to speak in place of her. He’d always been so restrained when it came to her. Allowing herself to handle situations, stepping back so she could make the decisions her sexist upbringing had not granted her.

For some reason, his outburst only steadied her further—despite the panic lodged in her throat.

“Cassian,” Nesta interrupted softly. She rested her palm over one of his fists, but for once Cassian did not still at her touch. Didn’t even look down at her. He just continued to glare at his brother. “It’s fine.”

“It is not fine. How dare you ask this of Nesta—”

YESSSSSSS CASSIAN STAND UP FOR YOUR GIRL YESSSSSSSSSSS WE LOVE TO SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

in conclusion:

-too many baby references for me to stay calm

-cassian's literally hotter than nesta in this

-she's a literal queen who's overcome so much fear and pain i'm so proud of herrrrrr

Embers and Light (Chapter 49)

Notes: Hi everyone, me again, posting the 49th chapter of this fic--I can't believe it! Will I ever stop writing it? Haha.

No, in all seriousness, things are all speeding up towards the end now. But don't get complacent... things will be happening. So buckle in! As always, let me know what you think. And huge thanks to the readers who have stuck with me despite my less regular updates--your comments and feedback mean everything. Thank you <3

Chapter 49 Nesta

“What happened?” Nesta demanded.

The command came out like chips of ice—colder than she had intended in her impatience. It spread its frosted, fissured fingers out into the room and Cassian’s hand folded tighter around her shoulder at the sound. Not because of the order in her voice, Nesta knew, but as a gesture of comfort.

Had Cassian felt Frawley’s anguish, too, Nesta wondered? Nesta had no idea whether her empath gifts could be shared with him, filtered down that plaited rope that bonded them together. It wasn’t the time to ask, and Nesta supposed it could be just as likely that Cassian had just used his razor sharp warrior’s gaze to clock that the witch seemed upset.

In all the time Nesta had known Frawley, the witch had always seemed so… together. It wasn’t that Frawley was cold or unfeeling—she toyed and taunted with Cassian like he was bait—but there was always something collected to the witch, unruffled. But now… Frawley seemed rattled, and Nesta couldn’t stand seeing her friend that way, feeling the witch’s grief in her abdomen, as heavy as lead.

Rhys opened his mouth, but Feyre cut in before he could speak.

“A few things have occurred over the past few days,” Feyre told them. There was a gentle slant to her words, as if Feyre had carefully presented her words with the intention of cushioning a blow. “There have been further kerit attacks on some of the Illyrian camps. The casualties have been great.”

Nesta sucked in a sharp, pained breath as grief wound through her like tattered ribbons. How many females had been torn apart by the snarling, chittering beasts this time? The attack on Windhaven was still as clear as day in Nesta’s mind. She didn’t have to close her eyes to remember the slick, wet red of Mas’ blood on her hands or the sound of the orphans crying above the slaughter. Nor did she have to remembered how insignificant her fight with Feyre had seemed when Illyrians were dying before her.

Feyre was studying Nesta intently, waiting for their eyes to connect, as if she needed to share this moment with her sister. When Nesta obeyed, their expressions were both sombre.

I’m sorry, Feyre said inside of Nesta’s head, and the words felt like an embrace, an experience shared. Because they knew first-hand what it had been like to try and fend off the kerits. They’d witnessed the females and children cowering defenceless against canvas tents, had seen entrails and torn limbs. Had heard the screams of the dying.

Cassian’s hand traversed up Nesta’s shoulder until it was clasped tenderly around the back of her neck. Just once, his thumb brushed over her nape, over the wisps of hair that had escaped her braid on the flight. It was enough to tell Nesta that he was here, but not enough to pull her attention from her sister.

When he spoke, his voice was as hard and unyielding as granite. “Given that most of the clans accepted your offer of protective shields, I’m guessing that the kerit attacks were at the war camps where the Princes refused your help.”

Tearing her gaze up and beyond her sister, Nesta looked to Rhys.

Rhysand waved a hand. The gesture appeared non-plussed but Nesta had learnt to read the High Lord. There was a tension to him, and a weariness. Suddenly, Nesta felt something for him and for Feyre. It took her a moment to realise it was pity: he and Feyre had done the impossible, only to be dragged away from peace and their time together to face yet another looming problem. Was this what it would be like for her and Cassian? A lifetime together marred by external conflict?

“You’ve guessed correctly,” Rhys admitted.

A sudden urgency pressed at Nesta as a thought caught her. She sat up straighter. “Ironcrest?”

“Yes,” Feyre admitted, clasping her hands tighter in her lap. The movement highlighted the mating tattoo that whorled over the back of her sister’s palm. It travelled all the way up to her fingers, where Feyre wore a single silver ring kissed with a star-sapphire at its heart. Nesta didn’t know if she’d need to get a tattoo and a ring, too. Didn’t even know what happened when it came to a mating ceremony.

There were so many things she and Cassian hadn’t even gotten around to discussing in their four days together. They’d always become distracted by… other things. But they needed to. The thought struck Nesta every time Cassian pressed his lips to her bare ring finger, as if instilling his love into it might create a starred band of its own.

“The attack happened last night under the cover of the new moon,” Feyre continued. “The kerits had already started tearing through the camps by the time an alarm was sounded.”

Nesta’s stomach roiled. She'd seen the females of Ironcrest with their mangled and clipped wings. There was no way they would have been able to escape, let alone defend themselves.

From the way Frawley’s jaw was clenched tight, Nesta knew that her friend was thinking the same thing. A blue eye found her, then the brown swivelled to meet it, intensifying the witch’s gaze. Anger burned in the depths of Frawley’s mismatching eyes, both scorching hot and raging cold.

“Kallon charged into the thick of the fighting and fended off the kerits himself. He’s made himself the hero,” Frawley told Nesta and Cassian, the disgust stark in her voice.

“No sword though,” Lorrian interjected, as if he knew that was the next question on the tip of Cassian’s tongue. “Well, not Enalius’ anyway. Just an ordinary Ironcrest longsword with a hawk engraved on the pommel—his favoured in the sparring ring and a gift from his late father.”

Rhys nodded in confirmation. “None of Azriel’s spies reported Kallon using Enalius’ sword. But he fended off the beasts with the rest of his warriors. He threw himself into the thick of it.”

“The Prince of Ironcrest—a saviour to his people,” Cassian announced bitterly. “That’s only going to work in his favour when it comes to the Rebellion.”

“And I suppose it was the widows and children who suffered,” Nesta surmised, trying her best to keep her voice steady. She thought of the poor female orphans who had already been stuffed in cages and abused for the sake of their Ironcrest Prince. If she and Frawley hadn’t saved them, they’d be dead, their blood congealing in a pit.

The Night Court believed that pit of blood had been an attempt by Kallon to bond himself Enalius’ blade.

“Given their location on the outskirts, both the widows and the bastard camps bore the brunt of the attacks,” Lorrian replied grimly. “The bastards didn’t fare much better than the widows given that they do not own their own weapons and will never be gifted siphons.”

Behind her, Cassian stiffened as Lorrian’s words banked on his shoulders.

In the whole history of Illyria, Cassian and Azriel were the first and only bastards to be awarded siphons. Despite their non-existent bloodlines, the two of them had been vibrating with too much unexplained power, too much potential on the battlefield for the Illyrians to refuse them. And after the Rite—after the three brothers had fought to the top of Ramiel and touched the onyx monolith at its crown—they had begrudgingly been accepted not just as bastards, but as Carynthian.

The Rite should have taken place two days time. But not this year. Not after Kallon had persuaded everyone on the Rite Counsel to preserve Illyrian lives and forgo the annual tradition that allowed male Illyrians to earn siphons in the most barbaric and bloodthirsty way. It had been a clever move from Kallon. Not only had he garnered support from lordlings across all of the Illyrian war camps to sway his vote, but the cancellation of the Rite had gained favour amongst the Illyrian public who were still reeling after the casualties at Hybern.

The deep pitch to Cassian’s voice sounded like the first rumble of thunder in a bruised and battered sky. “You were at Ironcrest when the attack happened.”

It was more of a statement than an observation, but Lorrian nodded in confirmation. Folded his arm over his chest in a stance that meant business. “I was there to oversee the aerial fleet at dawn the next morning. I fought beside the other warriors, fighting off the beasts. But afterwards, Kallon accused me of being a traitor and publicly ordered me off Ironcrest land. The asshole said that I had betrayed my Illyrian blood by allying myself with a Court who did not care enough about their subjects to provide them with basic protection.”

“But the Night Court did offer protection after the attack on Windhaven,” Nesta protested in outrage. “Ironcrest said no.”

In that moment, Nesta detested the fine balance of politics. She hated that they’d allowed the Princes to choose whether magical protections were constructed around their territories. She hated that some of them were so stubbornly proud that they couldn’t accept help to save their people. Instead, they saw Rhys and Feyre’s offer of magical shields as an offence: that they, as a race of warriors, were unable to do the duty they were born for.

But Nesta supposed their offer of assistance didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Kallon would always spin lies and bend truths to fit his own agenda, and there was very little they could do to stop him besides from putting his body in the ground.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t a choice. Not without exposing Kallon first. Otherwise, Kallon’s death could only serve spark outrage and ignite the Rebellion that they were working so hard to prevent.

“I doubt that Kallon has informed his clan that we offered to help protect their borders,” Rhys informed Nesta. “If anything, I’d say he’s deliberately kept that information to himself.”

Lorrian’s immediate bob of the chin was grave. “If we were concerned about Kallon garnering support for the Rebellion beforehand, it’s nothing on what we should be feeling now. I saw the faces of those listening—they drank in his words like they were whisky. I had no choice but to leave. If I’d have stayed a minute longer I’d have been fighting my way out.”

“They were in the thick of death. It was the perfect time for Kallon to pinpoint the blame on the Night Court rather than his inability to protect his own people,” Cassian said, anger darkening his every word.

“You still think he’s responsible for the attacks?” Nesta asked, twisting her head to survey her mate’s thunderous expression.

“If Kallon is somehow baiting the kerits to certain territories, it’s only to serve his agenda,” Feyre declared in the way she often did: quietly but authoritatively. “Cassian and Lorrian are right when they say that Kallon is directing all the grief and anger that comes with the attacks in the direction of the Night Court. But whether he’s orchestrating the entire thing or seizing a moment…” She shrugged. “That’s what we need to find out.”

Every word out of Cassian’s mouth was as lethal and as promising as a honed blade. “We need to expose the asshole for who he is or we’ll be facing war.”

Cassian’s hazel eyes, a muddy brown fainted with jade, were sombre as he snared his brother’s gaze. And in that moment, as Nesta studied her mate, Nesta found that there was something beneath his expression that made her muscles contract, her stomach flip. Because for all of the tense control in his expression, beneath him there was a wildness that was as untamed as his hair.

Her blood started to hum—to sing.

Cassian must have heard it because his attention was pulled to her. She felt the ruby of his light wind down their bond, his magic magnetised to hers—like always.

For a split second, they seemed to converse without speaking. And Nesta knew what Cassian thought. Knew what she thought, too.

They’d been waiting for Kallon to make a move for long enough. It was time to finally move. To do something.

“It’s time for us to act.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Rhys said, but there was nothing patronising in the way he spoke, “because we think so, too.”

“So far we have theories of what Kallon is trying to do, but no concrete evidence,” Feyre continued. “Azriel’s spies and Maya have only been able to tell us so much. We need to find a new way to learn more about his plans.”

Sala lifted her head at the same time Nesta leaned forward, the manticores tawny ears pricking forward as she transitioned from sleepy to alert. Sometimes, Nesta felt as if she and the manticore were mirrors of one another—perfectly complimentary. “How do we do that?”

Rhys lifted his hand from Feyre’s shoulder and steepled his fingers. He surveyed Nesta and Cassian, his violet eyes searing into them in a way that told Nesta that the kerit attacks weren’t why they were here. “What do you remember of the prophecy made to Maya and her twin Lyanne?”

“They were taken to a Seer upon their birth,” Cassian replied with a frown. “The prophecy predicted that whichever twin fell pregnant first would be gifted with a youngling who was star-born—made from the Old Gods. ”

“Correct,” Rhys responded with a nod “But Maya’s parents didn’t take their daughters to a Seer. They were visited by the Seer of the Sage.”

Nesta watched Cassian blink. It exposed his surprise. “I’ve never heard of The Seer of the Sage leaving her territory to read prophecies. Not even for Illyrian Princes and Princelings.”

“And why should she?” Frawley countered in a way that was unexpectedly cold. It exposed the nerve that ran beneath the witch’s collected expression. “When your prophecies are that powerful, people travel to you.”

“According to Maya, the visit happened under the cover of night,” Rhys continued swiftly, as if he also sensed that Frawley was on a short fuse. “She didn’t know much else, only what she and her sister discovered through the rumour mill once they were living under Marsh’s roof. Later, Maya and her sister found out that Marsh’s father tried to buy the twins from her parents, but they refused and tried to run. Marsh had his personal guard torture her parents until they parted with the information about the prophecy, then they killed them on the spot.”

A stunned silence whipped itself around the room as surely as a fierce wind bowing nature to its will.

“And what has this got to do with the Rebellion?” Nesta asked, when the silence hung too suspended, too taut. Already she had a looming sense of doom. It hung pregnant and swollen in her stomach.”What has that got to do with Kallon?”

“Last night, my sister, Andraste, heard that a lone male flew over the Western Steppes. He ventured into the inbetween, accessing the path that ran between Andraste’s and Kedra’s territory.”

A storm of questions spooled in Nesta’s mind, but the first that came out of her mouth was the one that confused her the most. “Heard?”

“The trees whisper to Andraste,” Frawley announced brusquely, as if there was nothing unusual to that revelation. “Besides my sisters and I, who are protected by the shields encompassing our territories, only beasts dare to venture The Steppes at night. They prowl the inbetween, hunting unsuspecting victims.”

Nesta would have held back a shudder if it weren’t for the confusion that continued to deepen her frown. “What’s the inbetween?”

“It’s a figure of speech more than an actual road,” Frawley explained, her features tight. “An intersectional band of land runs through heart of the forest, dividing up the territories in the shape of a cross. I have the Eastern section, Kedra lords over the North, Andraste the West and Narihara the South. But the land that runs inbetween is ruled entirely by the forest. That is where Rauna’s cottage—the Seer of the Sage home—was situated.”

Cassian’s thumb tracked a gentle, absent-minded path over Nesta’s neck.

“We landed in the inbetween today,” he told Nesta. His voice had dropped an octave, as it tended to do when he spoke just for her. “It’s where we were first attacked by kerits. The only way to enter The Steppes is via the inbetween. It’s impossible to step into each of the witches’ territory without being invited.”

“And that isn’t dangerous?” Nesta asked. “For the Seer of the Sage to live outside of the protective magic?”

“I have raised the issue over the years,” Frawley replied tightly. “Including a few months back, when the kerits first attacked you and Cassian in the forest. She brushed off my concerns as she always did, but I wish she hadn’t.”

Again, that wash of anguish plummeted into Nesta’s stomach with the accompanying scent of rain mingled with fire smoke.

That was enough to tell Nesta what she needed to know, but she still dared to ask, “Why?”

“Because she’s been killed,” Lorrian said, his mouth a grim line. “Frawley found her remains last night. The Seer of the Sage was ripped apart by kerits.”

Nesta examined everyone’s stony expressions. Mental wheels turned in her mind as she filtered through the information she’d been given. In the end, there was only one conclusion. “You think the lone male was Kallon.”

“We do,” Feyre said simply. “But there’s more, Nesta. Elain had a vision.”

***

The subsequent thud signalled the final beat of Nesta’s heart before it froze in shock. The sound booed in her ears before it made way for a deafening silence that rang, somehow, like the tinny clang of a bell.

And then the memories barrelled into her like the pummel of fists: Elain, wan and wraith-like as she did not sleep, did not eat, did not stop crying.

In the aftermath of being forced into the Cauldron, Nesta had watched the lucidity bleed out of her sister until Nesta barely recognised her at all. Elain had been no more than a shell, plagued by haunting visions that had hurt so much to hear that they’d all failed to notice that Elain was trying to communicate with them in the only way she could—to warn them not only of what was coming, but of what had happened in the past.

He snapped your wings, broke your bones.

Behind her, the air shifted as Cassian’s wings rustled. Was he also remembering what Elain had said? Was he recalling how her sister had foreshadowed what would happen to him again during the final battle at Hybern?

This time, when Cassian’s wings curved a little around the armchair, Nesta didn’t bark at him to stop.

“It appears that just as your power remains, so does your sister’s,” Rhys told Nesta. There was something knowing in his expression and his voice that made the underlying panic in Nesta’s chest crest a little higher. It was less polished, softer, as if he understood that the rampant, protective instinct to protect Elain would forever exist inside of Nesta.

Even now, instinct had Nesta blaming herself for Elain being Made. But Nesta caught the train of her thoughts before they could run away with themselves. Tried to tell herself that the abuse she and Elain had suffered was the fault of nobody but the King of Hybern.

“It would make sense that Elain still has the Sight,” Cassian told Nesta quietly. He’d bowed his head to hers, his hair tickling her cheek, and Nesta wondered if he was battling the temptation to kiss the crown of her head in support. She felt as if that’s what he wanted to do.

Rhys nodded in agreement. “The Cauldron’s power might have been nullified but you were still Made by it. The magic you were gifted still exists inside your veins. It appears that the same has happened for Elain.”

A dangerous snort was loosed from Nesta before she could tamp it down. Gifted. Nesta hadn’t been gifted anything and neither had Elain. They had been abused, changed against their will, and Nesta had fought every inch of the way. She had tore at the inky blackness with her talons, so sharp, she had clawed out a piece of ancient power for herself.

Cassian’s growl was so menacing Nesta could have sworn the room shook.

“That was an unfortunate choice of word,” Rhys apologised immediately. And when the sparks of Nesta’s anger died down to embers, she could see that there was true regret in his expression. Rhys tucked his hands into the pockets of his perfectly tailored black trousers. “But the fact of it still stands.”

Mentally, Nesta sent an assuring pearl of light down the bond to quieten the scarlet of Cassian’s bristling fury. In her old life, Nesta would have marked yet another grudge against Rhys—anything to feed that relentless anger that burned inside of her. But rather than feeling as if a gaping wound had been ripped open inside of her, there was only a bruise.

It hurt but Nesta could get past it.

So, she admitted, “After I expended all of my power in the final battle at Hybern, my magic felt changed. It was similar in so many ways, but…” Nesta paused as she searched for the right word. “It was…mine. It felt right. As if it had truly become a part of who I was rather than existing separately inside of me.”

Frawley leant forward, her eyes shimmering with… pride. That was pride in her friend’s expression. Something inside of Nesta squeezed. “And as you accepted that your power was a part of you, you mastered control of it.”

Nesta thought of her magic. Of how it was now a welcome part of her. Something that made her stronger. Yes, the way she’d been forced into the Cauldron had been one of the worst forms of abuse. But Nesta wouldn’t change it. Wouldn’t look back, wouldn’t even dream of going back to her human life which had been full of nothing but rage and spite.

Perhaps Elain was the same.

“When did Elain have the vision?” Nesta asked Feyre.

“Four days ago,” Feyre admitted, and from the haunted look in her sister’s eyes, Nesta knew she, too, blamed herself for the fact that Elain had been Made. “We didn’t know what it meant at the time, but now we have an idea. We think it might be an instruction from the Old Gods.”

Four days ago. When Nesta and Cassian had just sealed the bond. And whilst Nesta wished she could have been there for her sister, she was also thankful that everyone had given her and Cassian that sacred time.

So, she only wielded her expression into one of steely determination, and asked, “When will Elain be here?”

***

Half an hour passed before Azriel winnowed Elain into the eastern section of The Steppes.

Nesta sensed it the second that Azriel and Elain stepped out of the windswept strands of shadow. Frawley’s magical boundaries bent and parted, like a bubble that did not pop but allowed the external pressure to sink into it, closing its entryway as soon as it had parted.

Besides Frawley, nobody else seemed to feel it.

Sala stood up and whined the moment that footsteps sounded on soil. Caer bounded to the front door with the enthusiasm of a youngling, his bristled tail clattering against the tea set which lay atop the low lying table opposite the couch.

Frawley hissed in annoyance, but she didn’t halt the manticore with her magic. She only looked pointedly at her husband. Lorrian let out a long suffering sigh that seemed to match his wife’s expression, but he got up from the couch and followed the manticore to the stable door. Knowing Caer, he'd jump up onto his hind legs in his excitement and knock Elain to the ground.

Elain was as radiant as ever, so much so that Nesta could have sworn that her sister brought the spring sunshine into the living room with her. She was dressed in a simple daytime gown that suited her far more than the expensive dresses she used to wear in the Human Realm. The front of her honey brown hair was pinned back by two silver pins engraved with a row of three delicate flowers which sat atop them, but the rest of it hung carefree down her back. There was a new rustic beauty to Elain that Nesta had not seen before: no longer a manicured rose garden but the wild flowers you found in meadows.

It was a change that seemed like the most natural thing in the world—a sign of growth as Elain slowly found her feet in a world where the possibilities were bright and endless, rather than dull and strict.

Velaris, Nesta realised, had given Elain the freedom to do that—just as Illyria’s wild, untamed beauty had done the same for her.

“Congratulations,” Elain told Nesta and Cassian as soon as she entered the room. Save for the faint blush to her cheeks, her smile was genuine, the honey brown to her eyes warm—kind, as always. “I’m so happy for you both.”

“How are you?” Nesta asked her sister, studying her closely as she sat down in the seat Lorrian showed her to. Nesta had expected a paleness to her sister’s complexion, a shadow to her expression, a brittle timidness. That haunted tell that always seemed to surface in the both of them when they were forced to relive the trauma of the Cauldron.

But Elain merely smoothed down her skirts and met Nesta’s gaze head on. In the depths of her sister’s eyes, Nesta found a surety that she’d never seen before. And when she cast out her net and landed on her sister’s jasmine and honey scent, whilst there was a slight unease that must have come with whatever she'd seen, there was also something exceptionally level and smooth beneath that. Something accepted.

There was a pause as Elain considered Nesta’s question. Her expression turned pensive.

“If you’re enquiring about the vision, then I’m fine,” Elain replied eventually, her cadence slow and thoughtful. “I’ve been waiting for it to happen again. It’s not quite so bad when you know that it’s a part of you.”

“It is disconcerting,” Elain added after another moment’s silence. “But now I know what’s happening it’s not quite so bad. I think the visions could do good—be helpful, I mean. Even if—”

Elain broke off suddenly, as if she didn’t want to continue.

If Nesta had been sitting beside her sister she would have squeezed her hand in understanding, because she’d been there. Nesta had faced those terrifying monsters head on and come out of the other side.

You can do this, Nesta wanted to say to Elain, but didn’t. Not with an audience, but she would. She would.

“I—” Elain started, but she halted again. The strength that Nesta had just witnesses in her sister bled out a little and from that, Nesta understood that whilst Elain was no longer scared of her Seer-abilities, that didn’t mean she couldn’t be fearful of what she saw.

“Where do I start?” she asked, cutting her beautiful doe eyes uncertainly towards Feyre and Rhys.

But it was Azriel who spoke next, his voice as cool as midnight—a welcome chill in a feverish dream. “Why don’t you start by telling us about what you’ve Seen.”

Elain took a deep breath, readying herself. Then another.

“I need to close my eyes,” she admitted eventually. “If you want me to revisit it properly.”

“All good Seers do,” Frawley assured Elain, her tone a dash less brusque than usual.

“Many Fae access their magic by looking inwards,” Azriel informed Elain. “That’s normal.”

Elain seemed to grow a few inches taller at that. Nesta watched her sister’s eyelids flutter shut, her eyelashes the finest feathers against her porcelain complexion.

Time seemed to stretch out, elastic and malleable as they all watched Elain. In the subsequent silence, Nesta’s fae hearing took precedence. She heard Sala stretch out by the fire, heard the sofa cushions rustle as Lorrian shifted his weight. Heard Cassian’s heartbeat as it thumped steadily along with hers. Embracing her. Supporting her. Loving her.

When Elain’s eyes finally opened again, they were unnaturally still. Not unseeing per se, but merely as if the direction of Elain’s vision had tunnelled inwards rather than outwards.

And when she spoke, it was both dream-like and chillingly empty, reaching and eerily knowing in a way that only inflicted a sense of doom to the listener.

It was utterly chilling, right down to the bone.

“I saw beasts that prowled in the shadows. A forest of pine trees. A moss-thatched roof. Then somewhere else. A silver lake encompassed by mountains. Translucent shapes of light below a surface of glass. Death but not death—not yet.”

A shiver crawled its needled legs down Nesta’s spine, not only at Elain’s words but at the vacancy in her sister’s expression.

There was no doubt that Elain was not entirely present—torn between two places. It was terrifying to witness her sister slide back into that place and despite the fact that Elain had told them that she felt more in control of her power, it seemed to Nesta that the vision possessed Elain rather than the other way around.

In a desperate attempt to stamp down the desire to scream for it all stop, Nesta blindly scrabbled for Cassian’s hand. It was already halfway to her lap and Nesta clutched at her mate’s fingers so tightly that Nesta knew that if she looked down, the tendons at her knuckles would be strained ridges.

Cassian inched a little closer, the wing closest to the fire curling so protectively that the room immediately fell darker.

Whilst they had waited for Elain and Azriel to arrive, Cassian had seated himself on the arm of her chair, his impossibly long legs stretching out to make way for his large leather boots. His stance had been casual, but Nesta had known that he had placed himself deliberately.

At the time, Nesta had been torn between snarling at him and tugging him closer. His proximity made concentrating difficult. But now, she was thankful that he'd remained close by.

Leaning a little closer to him, Nesta soaked up his warmth. It felt like sunshine melting a landscape blanketed in snow.

Frawley shifted in her seat on the other side of the couch. Her head was cocked in keen interest, her ice blue eye piercing as she tracked Elain’s face with new-found intensity. Clearly Lorrian and Frawley hadn’t yet heard the prophecy. “What else do you see?”

A small frown flickered over Elain’s face. It happened a few times before Nesta understood that her sister was channelling deeper into the vision.

“A woman,” Elain said eventually, her voice still petrifying and weightlessly other-worldly. “A female fae. She walks into depthless water the colour of silver, until she is no longer in the living but somewhere else.”

Elain did not blink, but something shuttered then opened in her eyes, until Elain was seeing again. The warmth seeped back into her eyes, her irises again a rich honey brown.

They swum with concern and confusion as her gaze slid over to where Nesta sat. And as her sister’s eyes settled on her, Nesta felt as if something had arrived. “It was you, Nesta.”

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Confusion swaddled Nesta like a babe in a blanket, pinning her arms and legs. Trapping her.

Low-set panic started to flutter in Nesta’s throat, but she managed to master her emotions before her nerves hit her expression.

She didn’t ask why it was her. Didn’t ask anything like that. Perhaps because she wasn’t ready to hear it. “Where was the lake?”

Elain frowned again, as if she was trying to snatch at her vision. This time, when Elain fell into her Sight, it was like a stone dropping through water.

“There were pine trees and mountains,” Elain began again, “gorges and waterfalls. The trees whispered and sighed, but you knew the way to go. Death called to you and you answered.”

Another shiver crawled across Nesta’s skin. It travelled from the top of her head to the tips of her toes—consuming her. It felt as if the room had dropped in temperature, submerging itself into the sharp, cruel depths of winter.

Nesta felt her heartbeat in her mouth, pounding against her tongue until she felt sick with it. And she hated herself in that moment, because she couldn’t focus on any part of the vision apart from the one thing that had plagued her since she’d heard Elain’s ethereal voice talking about a female walking into a lake.

Water, water, water—

“Was there anyone else there?” Cassian’s rough voice rasped over Nesta’s skin, the sensation abrasive. Startling enough that it momentarily cut through her panic as her mind remembered how the Cauldron’s icy waters had bit at her ankles and clamped down.

Nesta knew what Cassian wanted to hear, but Elain only fastened her clasped hands tighter together. Turned her head to Frawley. Blinked once, twice, as she reasserted herself back in the present. “You were there, too.”

“Anybody else?” Cassian pressed, and Nesta felt the clambering hooves of his worry against her insides—so intense that it had surged over the shield of her emotional wall.

“Nobody else,” Elain said softly. Then, when Cassian’s worry surmounted to something tangible in the air around them, she added, “I’m sorry, Cassian.”

Rhys turned to Cassian at the same time Nesta did. His expression was tight, as if he knew how this was going to play out. He opened his mouth but Cassian got there first.

“No.”

The word was a vicious, indisputable snarl. It whipped around the room like the bite of a gail-force wind.

“Cassian,” Feyre said softly. “The prowling beasts. The forest and the moss-covered roof? You know that could be the kerits at the Seer of the Sage’s cottage.”

But Cassian wasn’t having any of it. He dropped Nesta’s hands only to ball them into fists that we so tight, Nesta thought his bones might crack. “Visions don’t equal truth. The future isn't set in stone.”

“Stop acting as if I’m not here,” Nesta snapped, unable to stop the clip of her words—the irritation at not being privy to information that concerned her most of all. “Explain. Right now.”

“We believe what Elain is seeing is the Lake of Souls,” Rhys said plainly as Elain, suddenly exhausted, slumped back into the pillows of the couch.

Rhys cut a glance at Cassian and Nesta realised that the High Lord of the Night Court truly believed that his brother was about to launch himself across the living room and beat the living shit out of him. “Do you know of Kharon?”

Nesta wanted to snort. Of course she knew of Kharon. Together, she and Cassian had observed the festival for the dead at Empyr—a palace of waterfalls which fed the River Styx.

Kharon was the final stage at which Illyrians said goodbye to their dead so they could find peace in the afterlife. Upon death, Illyrian culture dictated that a body must be burnt at the pyre for their soul to be released into the atmosphere. Kharon was the annual date on which these wandering souls could be sent to eternal rest. Illyrians caught the fireflies and put them into jars, before they were sent to sail over the edge of the largest waterfall in Empyr,

“Yes,” Nesta retorted drily, as she tried not to remember the explosive argument she and Cassian had endured that day, or the way in which she had finally said goodbye to her Father. “I live in Illyria. I’m aware of the customs.”

“Of course,” Rhys replied, smoothly attempting to iron over Nesta’s irritation—forever a High Lord managing his subjects. “Then as you will know, Illyrians believe that when someone dies, their soul travels to the Lake of Souls. They wait there until Kharon, where they hope that they might finally be put to rest by those who remember them.”

Nesta hadn’t known about the Lake of Souls, but she’d be damned if she’d admit it. Her chin rose, the gesture stubborn.

Rhys continued, “Some souls aren’t lucky enough to set sail down the River Styx. If they aren’t chosen, they remain in limbo until the next year alongside those incomplete souls whose bodies were not burnt upon death. But every year on Kharon the souls that exist under the lake take the form of a firefly so they can journey to Empyr.”

“According to Amren, the Lake of Souls has existed in Illyrian mythology and folklore since the beginning of time,” Feyre cut in. “It’s visible from the air, but when people have tried to access on the ground, it seems to evade those who try to seek it.” Feyre turned to Frawley. “Is that right?”

The witch jerked her chin in agreement. “Myth states that no living person can access the lake, but…” Frawley’s gaze cut to Nesta’s and the witch’s eyes burned with intensity, the sensation burrowing into Nesta, like tiny claws scrabbling at her skin.

Suddenly, Nesta knew what Frawley was going to say before she said it. But she allowed the witch to drawl in a way that sounded almost like a purr, “Like calls to like, Nesta Archeron.”

There was something terrifying in hearing a revelation when it referred directly to you. It felt like an avalanche was battering down on Nesta’s shoulders, and Nesta was so busy trying to weather it that her thoughts collided through her, unable to settle.

The water. The water. The water.

Cassian snarled again—louder this time—but Frawley continued before he could so much as speak. Despite the threat in her mate’s snarl, the ruby ribbons cradling Nesta’s heart wrapped a little tighter, clutching her close. Comforting her.

“Like prophecies, visions aren’t future truths. They are possibilities sent from the Old Gods,” Frawley explained to Nesta. “But many believe that Seers are guides, steering us towards or away from potential events. Unfortunately, it’s up to the one hearing the vision or prophecy to determine its meaning.”

One brown eye swivelled to Rhys and Feyre, whilst the other remained fixated on Nesta—examining, analysing. “I imagine in this case that you believe we are presented with an opportunity.”

“Yes,” Feyre admitted, and she had the decency to look uncomfortable.

Concern was etched upon her sister’s features and Nesta wished Feyre wouldn’t. Wished everyone would stop staring at her given that she was moments away from unravelling. And if that happened… then her fear would be stark upon her face for everyone to see. Nesta couldn’t allow that to happen, not when she had been caught so off guard.

Feyre turned over her raised hands so her palms face up. “Kallon was raised believing that the prophecy was about him. We also know that he tried to learn more about the prophecy from his Maya.”

That much Nesta knew to be true. Maya had informed them of that as they sat in this very room, her hands wringing as she detailed how Kallon had come to visit her in Ironcrest. The Ironcrest Prince had pressed his mother for more information about the prophecy, but had resorted to threatening her when Maya had explained that the prophecy was only a prediction.

Two weeks later Maya’s girls—Kallon’s sisters—had been taken, stuffed into cages as they were lined up for the sacrifice of Kallon’s cause.

“My spies informed me that Kallon left Ironcrest last night,” Azriel added. Tendrils of ethereal shadow wound around Azriel;s body as he surveyed his brother. The shadowsinger stood strategically by the door, smart enough to have anticipated a newly mated male’s hostility and positioned himself accordingly for a quick exit. “Kallon would not let anyone travel with him and nobody dared to track him.”

“We think Kallon might have visited the Seer of the Sage on the night of her death,” Feyre told Nesta. “And even if he didn’t,” she added when she saw Nesta open her mouth to highlight the obvious, “we think it’s logical that he might have visited her at some point to try and understand more about the prophecy.”

That made sense. It all made sense.

Nesta’s gut twisted.

“Let me get this straight,” Cassian started. And Nesta had never heard his voice like it was now: so dark and menacing that Nesta could practically hear the promise of death in his voice. His wings bristled in agitation. “You are asking Nesta to risk entering the Lake of Souls so she can speak with a Seer who Kallon may or may not have spoken to.”

Nobody moved. Nobody so much as dared to breathe. Even Rhys remained as still as a statue, waiting for Cassian to continue. Because it was as clear as day that Cassian wasn’t finished. “And all of this is based on a hunch that Nesta’s power will allow her to enter a place designed for the dead. With no knowledge as to whether she or Frawley might survive it, or even how they summon the Seer of the Sage in the first place.”

“We are aware of the risk,” Feyre agreed, but she was looking solely at Nesta rather than Cassian. “We could learn a great deal by speaking to the Seer of the Sage, Nesta. You might be the only living fae in the whole of Prythian with access to the Lake of Souls.”

Quietly—so quietly that Nesta’s ears almost strained to hear him—Cassian asked, “Is that an order, High Lady?”

“It is not an order,” Rhys cut in and the sudden bite of authority in his voice made it obvious that he did not appreciate how his brother had spoken to his mate. “This is simply a discussion about how we tackle this Rebellion head on. There is always a choice in this Court, Nesta. You have every right to decide that you do not want to explore this option. We understand that we are asking a lot of you.”

It was a lot to ask, but Nesta doubted anyone besides Cassian understood why Nesta was so terrified of Elain’s vision.

Yet… Nesta already knew that she couldn’t say no. Not because she didn’t feel like she could—but because this Rebellion… it was all so much bigger than her. Innocent Illyrians were dying because of an entitled Prince who hungered after status and power.

But before she could open her mouth to respond, Cassian was already snapping a reply. “You do not understand what you’re asking,” he raged. “It is insane to think that I’d allow any of you to step into that water, but my mate—”

It was so unlike Cassian to fly off the handle. So unlike him to speak in place of her. He’d always been so restrained when it came to her. Allowing herself to handle situations, stepping back so she could make the decisions her sexist upbringing had not granted her.

For some reason, his outburst only steadied her further—despite the panic lodged in her throat.

“Cassian,” Nesta interrupted softly. She rested her palm over one of his fists, but for once Cassian did not still at her touch. Didn’t even look down at her. He just continued to glare at his brother. “It’s fine.”

“It is not fine. How dare you ask this of Nesta—”

“It is fine, Cassian,” Nesta repeated. She turned in her seat. Raised a hand to settle across his stubbled cheek in a silent command to look at her.

When Cassian finally dared to meet her eyes, there was such torment in their depths that Nesta wanted to cry for him—for them. Because their happiness together had been so wonderful but so short-lived.

“It is fine,” Nesta told him softly, her hushed voice barely above a whisper. “Feyre and Rhys are right: there’s still so much we don’t know. We have been waiting for Kallon to make his move and in doing so we’ve given him all of the control. We need to act. We need to stop him before it’s too late. If that means I need to go into the lake to try and get more information…”

Nesta trailed off, her throat clamping up at the thought of the lake—of the water. But she turned to Frawley, searching for the strength and courage she knew she’d find in her friend. “I’ll go. Will you come?”

Frawley’s expression hardened but she only nodded. “We’ll take the manticores.”

Beside her, Lorrian paled. His hand tightened around his chroi’s but he didn’t try to stop Frawley from going. Didn’t say a word.

“The Seer of the Sage knows me,” Frawley said simply, as if she knew Lorrian needed to hear it. Needed to be convinced that she was integral to this plan. “It might help us call upon her soul.”

“There will be no back up,” Lorrian told his wife. “If you manage to enter the vicinity of the lake then there will be no way that we can get you out.”

“Then it’s a good job that Nesta and I are very powerful, then,” Frawley told her husband. Her shoulder length hair dipped to one side as she cocked her head at him in challenge.“And that we have manticores at our disposal. Even if they can’t fly us out of there, they are lethal enough on foot.”

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[alyssalauren]

Ahhhhh this was so AMAZINGGGGGG

They are dancing together and 😍😍😍😍

He’s honest with her and she says he’s full of shit 🤣🤣🤣 I love her

Prince of Condomania 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ugh Riley is PERFECT for Liam. She wants to take him to the Statue of Liberty and drunk Lyssa is her last hope 🤣

“Riley,” Alyssa laughed. “You’re still on the phone? No way! Hey, guys! Riley’s still on the phone. Say ‘hey’ to her!”

Hahahahahaha

Who does that kind of thing, having sex where anyone could just see? And in the Statue of Liberty, of all places?

Maybe you if you play your cards right, Riley! And his reaction!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Riley only hoped she played off her disgust well enough that he didn’t realize she was a sick freak too.

Liam looked away, hoping the same.

They are so meant to beeeeee 😍 lol

“I have so many things to tell you in the morning, Lyss. You’d be so proud of me.”

🥺🥺🥺

She made it two blocks before collapsing on a bench, gasping for air, and flipping off a kid on a bike who was laughing and taunting her.

Omg I love herrrrrr. And she slashed his tires 🤣🤣🤣

OMG ALYSSA IS GOING TO BE SPONSORED BY RASHAD WHAAAAAAATTTT?!

“And this is Lord Rashad of Doberman Pinscher,” she stated in a posh accent.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 holy shit. Dying

“Oh good. Doesn’t he sound like a little ray of sunshine?” Alyssa scoffed, causing Riley to snicker and drawing half a smirk from Rashad.

Oh boy I CANNOT WAIT FOR THEM TO MEET

This was SO SO SO SO SO GOOOOOOOOD, awesome job 💚

Fearless

Chapter 2: Grab My Hand And Drag Me Headfirst

Book: The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir

Pairing: Prince/King Liam x MC (Riley Brooks), Drake Walker x OC (Alyssa Devereaux)

Series Premise: Riley Brooks and Alyssa Devereaux became best friends as freshmen at Syracuse University, a borderline-sisterhood that lasts forever after. When Riley meets a handsome prince and is asked to compete for his hand in a mysterious faraway kingdom, she invites Alyssa along for moral support.

What the girls think will be a crazy temporary adventure becomes two sets of happily ever afters … with twice the shenanigans to show for it.

A/N: This series is written in loving collaboration between @bbrandy2002 and @burnsoslow​.

Series Warnings: Smut 🍋🍋, language, canon violence (gun violence, bombing, terrorism), drug use, probably more stuff as we think of it. By reading this series, you agree that you are at least 18 years old and are prepared to deal with adult themes.

Thank you @burnsoslow​ for the beta and putting some of your magical finishing touches where needed.

Chapter 3 will be written by @burnsoslow​ ,  I’m so excited for that!!

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