#Me Notebook 14 Horizon Edition | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mia-cooper · 6 years ago

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Fanfiction Questions

from here

Fandom Questions

1. What was the first fandom you got involved in?

Involved as in ‘frantically read every book I could get my hands on, daydreamed about being part of that universe and wrote stories/made art inspired by the books, if not actual fanfiction’? Mm, probably The Chronicles of Narnia when I was six or seven. The next great obsession was The Silver Brumby when I went through my horse stage around age 12, and then Sweet Valley High when I was 15. Hahaha.

2. What is your latest fandom?

Marvel! I’m not into comics and I’m definitely not interested in consuming every last bit of canon material or memorising the variations of every universe, but I love (most of) the movies and Agents of SHIELD is pretty cool.

3. What is the best fandom you’ve ever been involved in?

Star Trek Voyager. No contest. I venture to suggest that the older fandoms, the ones that are all about defunct shows, are a hell of a lot more chilled. Maybe because we’ve come to terms with our shitty canon endings and learned that liking the ship you hate doesn’t make someone problematic, unlike some newer fandoms I could name (Yes I’m talking about you, Game of Thrones fans. What the fuck.)

4. Do you regret getting involved in any fandoms?

I’ve dipped a toe into one or two fandoms for shows or books I’ve really enjoyed and backed the fuck out when the vibe gets weird (oh hey, it’s GoT again), but nope. No regrets.

5. Which fandoms have you written fanfiction for?

All the Star Treks except TOS, and a Trek/MCU crossover. I’d like to write more for MCU someday. Plus I’ve written longhand entire notebooks full of teen romance shit that bore an uncanny similarity to SVH, and my first short story was a fantasy fic that featured a girl whose guardian was a wise talking lion who led her into mystical secret worlds, which is kind of familiar.

6. List your OTP from each fandom you’ve been involved in.

Wow. I’m going to define ‘involved in’ as ‘cared enough about to have an OTP’, but I’m guaranteed to forget a ton. In no particular order:

Voyager: Janeway x anyone who can get her off

Discovery: Lorca x Cornwell or Pike x Tyler x Burnham (or any combination of)

DS9: Kira x Jadzia Dax

TNG: Picard x Vash, I guess? I don’t really have any TNG ships

ENT: T’Pol x Trip x Hoshi (or any variation therein)

MCU: Cap x Widow

AoS: Coulson x Skye... no May... no Skye... I don’t know

CAOS: Madam Satan x Zelda

Timeless: Garcy

The Good Place: Eleanor x Tahani

The 100 (shut up): toss up between Clarke x Bellamy and Kane x Abby

Veronica Mars: Veronica x Leo (first run), Veronica x Logan (s4)

Orphan Black: Cosima x Delphine

BSG: Apollo x Starbuck

SG1: Sam x Jack

Arrow: Olicity (so over the show now though)

This Life: Milly x Egg

Yeah you know what... I’m drawing a blank. I can’t think of any other shows where I’ve been invested in The Romance that much.

7. List your NoTPs from each fandom you’ve been in.

I’m too tired to do every fandom, and besides, I can come around to almost any ship if the headcanons (or fics) are convincing enough. I do have a few hard no-gos, but they might be someone else’s OTP so I’ll shut up about them.

8. How did you get involved in your latest fandom?

Reluctantly. The MCU movies are not something I ever thought I’d enjoy beyond a dull evening’s entertainment. I never expected to get attached to the characters. And yet.

9. What are the best things about your current fandom?

Voyager is my forever fandom and the only one where I’ve really interacted with other fans. The best things about it? In general, everyone is just cool, accepting, open and basically awesome. And talented. I love my Party Bus people.

10. Is there a fandom you read fic from but don’t write in?

Sure. The 100, Veronica Mars and Agents of SHIELD are the ones I’d dip into more frequently. I really enjoy crossovers between Trek and BSG or the Stargate variants, too.

Ship Questions for your Current Fandom

11. Who is your current OTP?

Janeway x Chakotay.

12. Who is your current OT3?

Janeway x Chakotay x Paris.

13. Any NoTPs?

A few.

14. Go on, who are your BroTPs?

Janeway & Tuvok! Also Torres & Chakotay, and I’d have killed for more Janeway & Torres in canon. (If they kissed sometimes that would be okay too)

15. Is there an obscure ship which you love?

Yeah. Paris x Seven. There are like two fics in existence, and yet ... the potential! (Sorry, B’Elanna)

16. Are there any popular ships in your fandom which you dislike?

Nope.

17. Who was your first OTP and are they still your favourite?

Janeway x Paris. And they’re still way up there, but not quite at the top.

18. What ship have you written the most about?

84% of my fics feature Janeway x Chakotay as either the primary or secondary pairing... holy shit.

19. Is there a ship which you wished you could get behind, but you just don’t feel them?

Paris x Torres. I mean, I feel them. I just don’t generally feel the need to write about them.

20. Any ships which you surprised yourself by liking?

Chakotay x Seven. In another universe, it could’ve been beautiful.

Author Questions

21. What was the first fanfic you ever wrote?

Actual story that was clearly fanfic? A farcical drunken romp told in the 24th century equivalent of email format called PADDemonium (see what I did there?)

22. Is there anything you regret writing?

Lol, a few things that should probably have never seen the light of day for various reasons, some of them leola related. But I’ve only deleted two fics that I can recall.

23. Name a fic you’ve written that you’re especially fond of & explain why you like it.

Relieved. It’s a 30k AU Chakotay moral dilemma backstory that brings in DS9 characters, Section 31 and his longstanding history with AU Janeway. I did so much research for it (way back in the days before memory alpha and chakoteya.net) and I’m really proud of how I wound in canon stuff across series but changed a few key bits and pieces. Only problem is, it’s a sequel to ...

24. What fic do you desperately need to rewrite or edit?

... Pressure, which I can’t even read without cringing. My characterisation of Janeway, even Angry Maquis AU Janeway, is way over the top and there are moments that verge on Mills and Boon and give me first, second and third hand embarrassment. God, I’d love to rewrite it. Actually, that’s a lie. I want someone else to rewrite it so I can read it without covering my eyes and moaning.

25. What’s your most popular fanfic?

Desperate Measures, by about 70,000 light years, lol. Although Fragile Things beats it on bookmarks.

26. How do you come up with your fanfic titles?

You know what? A fair percentage of the time, I think of the title first and come up with a plot second. Aside from that, I prefer shorter, punchier titles that clearly tie into the story (Flight Risk, Speechless), though sometimes it’s song lyrics (Burn Our Horizons, your body like a searchlight) or a literary quote (Required to Bear, All the Devils are Here) or a turn of phrase from the story itself (The Prisons You Inhabit). Hey that was fun. Thanks for letting me pimp the shit out of my stories.

27. What do you hate more: Coming up with titles or writing summaries?

Ugh, it depends on the day. Summaries are harder, I think. I never want to give away too much of the plot, but there has to be enough there for people to know whether they’ll bother clicking. Funny story: I actually ran the stats on this a few months back. Here they are for your edification:

Fics with a one line plot summary = 54%

With two or three line plot summary = 18%

With a short snippet directly from the fic = 16%

With a snippet + a one line explanation = 3%

With a one line plot summary plus a line to date the fic (eg "set in season 3", “episode tag to Worst Case Scenario") or the fic prompt = 7%

And finally, a quote from something other than the fic = 2% (that's only 3 fics).

28. If someone were to draw a piece of fanart for your story, which story would it be and what would the picture be of?

Ooh. I’ll say the final scene in Explosive.

29. Do you have a beta reader? Why/Why not?

I used to regularly ask @jhelenoftrek and @littleobsessions90 to beta for me, and both of them are brilliant at it. Lately I’ve been posting without sending my stuff off for editing. This is partly because I’m impatient to get stuff out there, partly because I don’t have as much time to write/edit, and partly because I’m a little less focused on improving my writing and more on enjoying it for its own sake.

30. What inspires you to write?

Little bits of episode dialogue I haven’t noticed before, other people’s fanfiction, stray conversations, fic prompts, song lyrics, random headcanons, fever dreams, dares ...

31. What’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about your writing?

I’ve been really lucky with comments on my fic. The least helpful comment I’ve ever received was on one of my early 30k fics and all it said was “Did you have to take the name of the lord in vain?” Which is kind of funny. The nicest thing anyone’s ever said? I’m very partial to the feedback that starts “I don’t even like this pairing/genre/trope/show but you made me love it”, and particularly “I’ll read anything you write, I don’t care what it’s about.” But all comments are gold. The little heart button is cool too.

32. Do you listen to music when you write or does music inspire you? If so, which band or genre of music does it for you?

I’m not someone who can tune out music I love, or leave it in the background to inspire me. If it’s on, I’m fully invested in it. I’m that annoying person in the car who flips radio stations every three seconds until I find something I like and then it’s on 11 and I’m singing along to it. I’m also really picky but extremely eclectic, although there are genres I can’t stand (anything with autotune makes me stabby). That said, sometimes I find a song that I can’t stop listening to for weeks and often that perfect combination of music and lyrics will inspire me to write a fic. For example, I just plotted out an entire J/C story because of this song.

33. Do you write oneshots, multi-chapter fics or huuuuuge epics?

All of the above. Although I’m not sure if my longest epic is huuuuuge or just huuuge.

34. What’s the word count on your longest fic?

101,467.

35. Do you write drabbles? If so, what do you normally write them about?

I have two drabble collections. One is all J/C, full of responses to random prompts and I add to it sporadically. The other is episode additions set on Kathryn Janeway’s birthday (May 20) and added to annually.

36. What’s your favourite genre to write?

Angst, definitely. Sometimes it’s smutty angst or fluffy angst or hurt/comfort angst, but often it’s just fucking unrelenting angst. And I’m okay with that.

37. First person or third person - what do you write in and why?

I did the stats on this once, too, haha. Pretty sure I came out fairly even on first and third person with a smattering of second person in there. I’m probably even-ish on present vs past tense, too. I make it a point to mix it up to avoid my writing getting stale or same-y. And sometimes a fic doesn’t really click for me until I try it in a different POV or tense or from a different character’s perspective.

38. Do you use established canon characters or do you create OCs?

I mostly write for canon characters - the fun is in all the different ways you can interpret and imagine them - but I’ve been known to throw in the odd OC, or focus on a character who only got a brief cameo appearance, or write about someone who only appears in beta canon, or who only rates a mention on screen.

39. What is your greatest strength as a writer?

Oh, wow. I’m not sure. I guess the thing I value most about my own writing is my willingness to try different styles, characters, pairings and so on. The thing I strive for most is characterisation that feels true, and I really love it when I get comments on that. Exploring a character in a way that rings true with a reader is the best thing ever.

40. What do you struggle the most with in your writing?

Overly long sentences and adverb abuse, haha. No, truthfully, there comes a point in most of my fics, particularly the longer ones, when I really just want to scrap it because in my heart I know it’s dreadful. Usually that passes once I slog through the ‘I don’t wanna’ stage because I’m a bloody-minded bitch, but sometimes fics do get left in the dust half-written. Honestly, though, they’re the ones that probably should stay there.

Fanfiction Questions

41. List and link to 5 fanfics you are currently reading:

This is hilarious because I was just talking on discord about my problematic ‘to read’ pile. My unread AO3 subscription emails currently number 29 and my phone browser has 71 tabs open. So here are 5 random picks from that list of exactly 100 fics I should be reading:

Sex on the Beach (E, Janeway/Chakotay) by @traccigaryn

The Ruby Ring (T, Janeway/Chakotay, Janeway/Tighe) by @trinfinity2001

Earth is But an Idea (T, Janeway/Chakotay, Carter/O’Neill) by @caladeniablue

Home (E, Janeway/Chakotay) by Cassatt

Wise Up (E, Janeway/Chakotay) by KimJ

42. List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing:

Only five? Shit. Okay. In no particular order, these are five of the writers I keep coming back to:

quantumsilver (also here)

northernexposure

LittleObsessions

Helen8462

Cheshire

But there are so many others. My chosen fandom is chock full of amazing talent.

43. Is there anyone in your fandom who really inspires you?

All of the authors above for various reasons, but also august because her writing is so spare and delicate and devastating, and runawaymetaphor because she writes the most delicious Janeway/Paris, and @seperis because I read In the Space of Seven Days literally 20 years ago and I still haven’t recovered, and I could be here all night raving on this topic but there are still many questions to get through.

44. What ship do you feel needs more attention?

Janeway x Paris. I’m so happy there’s been a little bit of a resurgence in J/P fics lately. Thanks, @curator-on-ao3, you’re doing the lord’s work.

I’ll also take Janeway x Johnson content any day of the week.

45. What is your all time favourite fanfic?

What the hell? I can’t pick just one! Ugh!

... but okay, here’s the first one that came to mind when I tried to think about this: if you came this way by tree. I’m not sure I’d call it my favourite, but it’s one I revisit often. Ugh, there are so many other fics I’m thinking of now that I really want to list.

46. If someone was to read one of your fanfics, which fic would you recommend to them and why?

Oh, that’s hard. I should probably pick an angsty smutty J/C because that’s a fair proportion of what I write and it’s good to let a new reader know what they can expect. But honestly, I think the best fic I’ve written is The Uncharted Sea. (It’s safe for work. Maybe not for makeup.)

47. Archive Of Our Own, Fanfiction.net or Tumblr - where do you prefer to post and why?

The Archive, of course. Where else can I find ad-free hosting on a stunningly user-friendly interface with absolutely no moralising content restrictions and the world’s best tagging system? That Hugo award is well deserved.

Tumblr is good for headcanons and meta and gifsets and a few other formats that I’m less likely to post on AO3 because I’d feel like I was pissing off people who subscribe to me by giving them some random garbage.

I also have my own website, but I’m not really sure why. Sometimes I post fic there that doesn’t make it to tumblr or AO3.

48. Do you leave reviews when you read fanfiction? Why/Why not?

I try to. Honestly I do. I love it when I get reviews, so I figure paying it forward is the least I can do. I’m less scrupulous about leaving comments when I’m busy or reading on my phone.

49. Do you care if people comment/reblog your writing? Why/why not?

I mean, I love it when people reblog, but I certainly don’t expect it. @arcadia1995 is amazing for reblogging stuff *blows kisses*

Nobody owes fanfic writers shit, but I feel like there’s a tacit agreement that if you like what you just read for free and you’re on a platform that makes it easy to do so, you leave a review or at least a kudos, because I’m not gonna lie, posting a fic you’ve worked super hard on and seeing it get very few kudos or comments is a bit deflating. I’m sure a lot of us have been there.

50. How did you get into reading and/or writing fanfiction?

During Voyager’s original run I was trawling the internet for Endgame spoilers (I don’t know why; I usually love surprises) and I guess I googled (or whatever the 2001 equivalent of googling was) something like “how does voyager get home” and somehow I stumbled across Revisionist History. At first I had no idea what I was reading - was this a lost story pitch that somehow got leaked? A professional novella commissioned by the showrunners?

Then I started following links and discovered yahoo groups and webrings and Trekiverse and fanfiction.net and all sorts of incredible things I’d never guessed at, including the now defunct ‘archipelago of angst’, a collection of Voyager writers who focused mainly on a darker Janeway than most of the other fic writers I was encountering, and I was hooked. So I wrote a few of my own pieces, and then I lost interest for 15 years. I’m still not sure how I got dragged back in.

51. Rant or Gush about one thing you love or hate in the world of fanfiction! Go!

Honestly, in what other way can I indulge my obsessions, hone my skills and talk about it endlessly with like-minded people? Where else can I instantly find a plethora of fiction about the exact topic I feel like reading about on my mobile device and for free? Fanfiction is fucking amazing and I’m so glad it exists in my life.

#miamemes #fanfiction #fanfic asks

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sarah-bae-maas · 7 years ago

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A Court of Hearts and Darkness Chapter Thirty

It’s been over a century since the epic and bloody war against Hybern, but a new, unprecedented horror lies in wait to threaten everything the Inner Circle holds dear.

At a mere 17, it seems that the only one who can save them is the Heir to the Night Court, Feyre and Rhysand’s daughter Eleana, but as a creature so vile promises to kill everyone she loves, she must combat the urge to succumb to the darkness herself. The key to success lies hidden within her mate, the bastard born Kaden, who is as oblivious to the bond as her Court is oblivious to the war on the horizon.

With the help of her cousin and warrior Felix, the son of the famed Nesta and Cassian, they will try to save everything they hold dear, hopefully before the darkness takes them all.

(This fic was written pre-acowar, so please bear in mind there are some small differences but it can still hopefully be enjoyed!)

Link on Ao3 Masterlist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 29

***

-Chapter 30-

Rhys sat in the atrium turned war room, calmly waiting as the other High Lords and their entourages sat. Or more rather he looked calm. He felt sick to his stomach, clutching Feyre’s hand tightly.

They were all in a wide circle, the middle taken up by a round table with a map of Prythian covering it. Places where there were confirmed creature attacks were highlighted in red, suspected attacks blue, and potential attacks yellow. All the potential places had been compiled by Cassian and Azriel over the last twenty-four hours, and Rhys was sure more of the map would become the colour once the other courts had their input.

Rhys leant back to where Cassian was sitting behind him. “Where are Azriel and Kaden?” he hissed.

“They’re not coming, some issue arose. Az said they would try to make it.”

“Is he kidding? This is not the time for something else.”

Cassian shook his head. “I don’t know what to tell you other than I’m sure it’s important.”

Rhys sighed and tightened his grip on his wife.

“Thank you all for coming after the events of this morning,” Feyre opened after they’d all sat and settled.

The tension in the room was so thick it felt like you were inhaling it with every breath. Rhys stared at them all – the trauma their courts faced evident in everyone. To his left was Lucien, who had the least amount of deaths in his court but the most physical destruction. Next to him was Glaslane, his hair in disarray and his clothes still stained from the battle this morning. Rhys sympathised with the young fae; it was his first true battle, all the other High Lords seasoned warriors at this point. Thesan had not donned his usual ornamental gold and ruby clothing, he too still wearing his battle clothes. The Dawn court had the highest number of fatalities among the courts, including the youngest brother of Thesan’s mate – a gut-wrenching loss for the males. This was especially devastating, as the majority of his Peregryn forces were across the sea collecting information on a project Thesan didn’t disclose. Kallias, next in the circle with Viviane close at his side, was lucky in battle. They were, by random chance and the luck of the Cauldron, having their annual Winter Games. All his soldiers and most of his citizens were in the capital, meaning his army could more easily defend the Court. Helion had not been so lucky, the High Lord gravely injured himself, unable and not willing to find a healer until the creatures were gone. His right arm was in a sling, and it was unclear if he would ever have full use of it again. Lastly, on Rhysand’s right, was Tarquin. Without the Night Court forces Rhys had been able to provide, the damage would have been much, much worse, but it was still significant.

Rhys didn’t know what the others were thinking. He couldn’t imagine the thoughts running through their heads at such a sudden attack. There was a war on the way, and until today they didn’t even know about it.

“I appreciate the pleasantries, Feyre, but we did not come here for that.” Thesan’s voice sounded like gravel as a body was dragged along it. “I’m not going to sit here and pretend that it wasn’t your daughter who ravaged my court.”

“It wasn’t Eleana,” Feyre began.

“I saw her with my own eyes,” Viviane finished. “She was at our Court too.”

“And mine,” Glaslane said, though it clearly pained him. He and Eleana were friends, and it would hurt him to think she was capable of such things.

“We know, but please listen to us,” Rhys begged. “We know it was Eleana, but it wasn’t really her.” Rhys gave them an edited version of what had happened to his daughter, making no elusions to the possibility that she may have done this herself nor that Felix was dead.

“Rhys, you know I think highly of you, but I wouldn’t put it past you to lie if your daughter was in danger. How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Tarquin asked.

“I don’t need to tell you stories of her, you all know her well. Tarquin, she came to you months ago about attacks she feared were related to each other. Varian can attest to the grief we have felt losing her.”

“With all due respect, that means nothing Rhysand. With great power comes an easy demise at your own hands. As much as I hate to say it, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that she turned mad,” Thesan said.

“You’re wrong.” Everyone in the room snapped their gaze to Glaslane. “She told me her theory about the creatures at Starfall. It was I that urged her not to share with anyone else, lest she be ridiculed by such a preposterous idea. But I also said to find more proof and it seemed she did. And while she investigated this, so did I.” Glaslane reached down and pulled a stack of notebooks from a satchel, standing and passing them around. “Eleana was scared, but the girl’s smart; she knew exactly what was happening in my court. If you had seen her you would know there’s no way she orchestrated all this. I swear by it.”

The High Lords and Ladies started flipping through the books.

“My research led me to our once-sacred mountain. It was there I discovered where I believe the leader of the creatures first came to Prythian – through a magical portal of sorts. It was a room full of strange artefacts and symbols, ones that would glow at your touch.”

“Can you lead us there?” asked Helion.

“No, I destroyed it upon realising what it was. I couldn’t let anything else come through – though I do believe only this one woman did. But her magic is dark, something I fear we haven’t seen before. Her grasp over life and death is something reminiscent of the Cauldron.”

“This information is… staggering,” Viviane whispered, turning to her mate with fear in her eyes.

“But why Eleana?” Thesan prodded.

“Besides her obvious power, there’s something else.” Glaslane turned to stare at Rhys, his eyes ablaze. “Every track, every trail, every sign, leads back to the Night Court.”

____

Kaden was tempted to murder the thing behind the iron bars. His hands went to the blades at his sides, his feet shifted into a fighting stance, and he bared his teeth and snarled.

“Not the warm welcome I was expecting, but that’s okay; I still love you.”

Kaden launched himself, and Azriel caught him by the back of his shirt and yanked him back. “Calm down, son.”

“What the hell is that.”

“Well, it claims to be Felix. We know better, of course. Whatever magic it has can’t be used in its cell though, so just calm down.”

“Where did you find it?”

“It set off the wards at Cassian and Nesta’s. It was trying to enter the house.”

Kaden’s being buzzed in anger. Visibly shaking, he looked the horrid thing in the cell up and down. “You’ve chosen the wrong form to take.” Kaden spat in its direction, the thing behind the bars wiping the saliva off his crinkled face.

“At any other time that might have turned me on a little, but I hope you know how disgusting that was.”

Hearing words that once might have come out of Felix’s mouth, and in his voice, revolted every cell in Kaden’s body. It was lucky Azriel was here to hold him back, or Kaden would have had a field day ruining this thing. He would replicate everything his brothers did to him as a child, then make it worse.

“I will kill you, and I’ll enjoy every second of it.”

“And you thought I was the dramatic one. You put me to shame!”

It grinned so widely Kaden felt blinded by it. He turned his face away, looking to Azriel. The older male was observing the interactions thoughtfully and didn’t look as though he was going to add anything.

“Now,” the thing said. “Let’s stop dallying and get me out of here. I have little sisters and one very emotional cousin to attend to.”

Kaden and Azriel gave it dirty looks. It rolled its eyes in response and continued on.

“Speaking of my sisters, have you done what I asked Kaden?” For the first time, the thing faltered, his forehead creasing and doubt transforming his eyes. “I’m not sure how long I was gone for… The last thing I remember before awaking was telling you goodbye. How long has it been? Quathryn and Thea are still small, yeah? I hope they are.”

Kaden grabbed on to Azriel’s arm, pawing at him the way a hurt animal seeking comfort might.

“Don’t listen to it,” Azriel whispered. “I believe it has daemati abilities. It knows so much because you do.”

“But its magic isn’t supposed to work.”

“Potentially if it was strong enough, it might be able to read our thoughts from inside. Rhys can; I’m sure Eleana could, too.”

“Not daemati, but as good looking as one. How can I prove to you that it’s really me? I’ll tell you anything you need to hear to know for sure who I am.”

“Not an option,” Kaden snarled. “If you’re daemati you’d know everything we do, which I’m sure you’ve already guessed.”

“Kaden, please. It’s me, I swear on the Cauldron it’s me.”

Kaden turned his back to it, stepping in front of Azriel so their eyes were level and he could pretend that there was nothing behind him. “Why did you bring me here? Let’s just burn it and be done with this.”

Azriel put his hands on Kaden’s shoulders. “I needed you here because this thing set off the wards, but also got into the house. It never should have been able to cross the fences into the yard.”

“What does that mean?”

“That its powerful enough to get around something Rhys, Mor and Feyre all made together or…” Azriel trailed off, not needed to say the words aloud for Kaden to know what they are.

“Or it’s Felix, and we know what the other part of Eleana’s bargain was.”

“Indeed.”

Kaden turned back to the thing, who was leaning on the bars listening in on their conversation.

“Eleana made a deal? Do I even want to know what she’s gotten herself into now?”

The sound of Eleana’s name in his mouth felt like scissors being jammed into Kaden’s ears. It was an excruciating reminder that his best friend was dead, the love of his life may as goddamn well be, and there was shit all he could do about it.

Kaden couldn’t be held back this time as he snapped, pulling the thing to him by its hair and slamming his fist into its face, once, twice, again. He snapped his hand back to do it again but was bested by the thing who used Kaden’s hold of his hair to pull him forward and slam him into the bars.

“Stop,” his voice boomed through the halls. “You are better than this. You don’t needlessly attack people. You don’t fight people when it’s not fair.”

“You don’t know me.”

“I know you better than anyone.”

“No, Felix did. Eleana did. And then he left, and she did, and maybe my conscious and morality followed along after them.”

“You are no beast.”

“I wasn’t before, but you dare utter her name again and I’ll happily kill you, fair fight or not.”

_____

“What are you implying?” Feyre was scandalised, Glaslane wouldn’t seriously implicate them in this?

“It’s no secret that the Night Court lives and breeds power. By all accounts, Eleana’s magic shouldn’t even be able to exist at her age, let alone for someone who isn’t even a High Lady yet. And correct me if I’m wrong, but she hasn’t started displaying the signs of inheriting yours, hers just keeps growing and growing.”

“That’s correct.”

“Pair that with the most powerful High Lord to ever exist, the first High Lady to ever exist, as well as an Inner Circle who all in their own right have a peculiar amount of strength, and what do you get? A beacon to anyone who comes here and can sense magic. I’m not implying you had anything to do with this, I know for a fact you don’t, but it also doesn’t surprise me that this creature decided Eleana was the perfect vessel for her.”

“That makes sense,” Kallias affirmed. “Furthermore, it seems to align with what we think this so-called queen’s motivations are. It wants control more than anything else, what did you say it called her creatures? The most vicious yet subservient form of life?”

“Indeed, she did.” Feyre was near positive on it. Of course, it was Kaden that had heard those words, not her, and repeated them.

The fae in the room nodded in agreement, all still skimming through the notebooks Glaslane had given them. The moment of silence that had followed Glaslane’s revelation was a welcome one. It gave them all an opportunity to reflect on the information that had been given to them. What struck Feyre the most, and what often crossed her and her mate’s mind, was how many people Eleana had confided in about the creature attacks before them. It was somewhat comforting to think it was only the High Lord of the Spring Court’s words that led Eleana to her secrecy, but Feyre also knew the truth.

At one point, her daughter had stopped trusting her. And now that Feyre knew the whole truth, she couldn’t delude herself into thinking anything else. The moment that had led to this was another memory that was scarred in her mind. When Eleana had brought the fatal, bloodied Felix home, claiming that he had been attacked by an Impeath, Feyre hadn’t even tried to believe her story.

Next week would have been Felix’s twenty-fifth birthday, and only a few days after would have been Eleana’s eighteenth. When Eleana was born, a bloody affair itself, they joked that the real reason she came early was because her and Felix couldn’t wait to be best friends any longer.

“So, what next?” Kallias broke the silence.

Rhys looked at Kallias, then all others in the room.

“Next, we go to war.”

_____

Azriel used the hilt of his sword to beat the thing’s hands off of Kaden, pulling his son back. He opened his mouth, likely to tell him off, but Kaden had other ideas.

“I know how to prove it’s really you.”

“Do tell; as lovely as this cell is I’d rather my nice room at camp, thank you very much.” His tone was dripping with a sarcasm so familiar it made Kaden’s heart ache.

“Tell us something we don’t know. Something that only Felix knows that we can verify.”

Azriel looked impressed at the suggestion.

The thing claiming to be Felix looked hesitant, and it was just another nail in its coffin.

“See, you can’t!” Kaden drew a blade. “Can I kill it now?”

“Kaden,” it whispered. “If I know something none of you do it’s because it would hurt you, and I don’t want to do that.”

“What an incredibly predictable excuse.”

It sighed. “Your brother Leeam has a bastard child with a fae he assaulted. He doesn’t know about it, but I moved both her and the child to the Spring Court, where she now works as a maid for Glaslane in the mansion.”

Kaden shut his mouth.

There was silence after the statement, the thing looking at the floor regretfully. “I wanted to tell you, truly. But the mother is someone I know, and she swore me to secrecy. She’s happy now, and safe. Glaslane made sure to keep her and the baby well.”

Kaden didn’t respond, not sure what to do with the information. He glanced at Azriel, who’s jaw had set, and eyes had narrowed. “It will take me one, maybe two hours to confirm this. Kaden, you stay here and guard it. I’ll be back soon.”

“I should come with you-”

“Glaslane is currently at the meeting with Feyre and Rhys, and I’m sorry but right now you have no hold over your emotions. We need to be discreet about this. Cassian and Nesta can’t know anything until we’ve confirmed what exactly this is. Stay here, and make sure it doesn’t go anywhere.”

_____

They had to know what they were up against, and that included showing the fae in the room the specimen they had retrieved after the Bloodrite. When they first captured it, it was in the hopes that the other Courts won’t have seen it yet – that this was would an easy introduction into the horrors they were about to delve. They had no idea that by the time the meeting occurred all the other Courts would have had brutal strikes against them. They could still use this creature though, for tests on weaknesses and such.

The soldiers that had captured it were also keeping it, and now that group was standing at the doors to the room, a barred cage between them.

All looked on in a mixture of horror and fascination as the soldiers demonstrated things they had learnt about it. Usually, such an important task would be given to a member of the Inner Circle, but Mother knows none of them were capable of such a task considering the state they were in.

They showed oils that made the creature recoil, discussed how starvation and dehydration had affected it, and most interestingly, showed how opal, a seemingly harmless gem, was toxic to the skin.

The demonstration was met with plenty of questions, Cassian himself even asking a few – not as well informed as he would have hoped. He didn’t blame himself. This was not his job and being with his family was his top priority right now.

Cassian was about to voice another query when he saw familiar shadows slinking around the room unbeknownst to everyone there. He was curious as to what his brother was up to, but he wouldn’t interrupt him. Whatever it was, was so predominant that he didn’t announce himself even though he would be invaluable in this discussion.

He watched as Azriel appeared behind Glaslane, who was standing at the back with his entourage in front of him. Azriel stepped out of the darkness to tap Glaslane on the shoulder, silently gesturing him to follow him outside.

Whatever it was, Cassian was sure he’d found out soon.

Glaslane was gone for over a half-hour, but the creature held everyone’s attention so well that they didn’t notice. Cassian would have to have a word with the young fae about that – he needed a more diligent team with him.

When he did come back, it was not with Azriel at his side. He looked slightly troubled and very confused but didn’t speak to any of the fae he’d brought with him, making Cassian question what the issue between him and Az had been.

How very, very curious.

_____

“For the sake of play pretend let’s say you are Felix – oh, the upper right corner thanks.”

The man drew an X in the spot Kaden indicated. In return, he drew an O under it. “That seems easy enough.”

“X lower right. Anyway, so if you are Felix, then you are my best bet for advice.”

“Ha! I win.” The man looked triumphantly at his line of Os.

“You went first and got the middle spot, of course you were going to win.”

“You’re just a sore loser. Is the advice you want on naughts and crosses strategies?”

“Maybe, this is the first time I’ve played. But I digress. I have an issue with my better half’s aunt.”

The man scoffed. “By her aunt do you mean my mother? My father told me she can be pretty nasty if the circumstances are right, and she’s likely quite emotional over my death. Do you have cards?”

“No to both. Amren returned to Velaris and thinks I’m an impostor of sorts. She even implied I had something to do with Felix’s death. I have string, we could play Cat’s Cradle.”

“Maybe we should hold off on the games for a second and chat about this Amren problem.”

Kaden nodded, bored out of his mind.

At least he wasn’t angry anymore.

Or tired.

He sat against the wall with his legs straight in front of him, the man in the cell mirroring him, scribbles in the dust from the various games they had played to fill the time.

“She’s not wrong. All this trouble with the creatures started happening after Eleana and I met. Apparently, Eleana’s personality has completely changed since meeting me, which is just lovely to hear. It’s almost validating in a way; I always knew I would be her downfall.”

“What Amren is forgetting is that I knew you well before El- sorry, won’t say it, before she did. Not just that, but we found shit from years ago that looked like creature attacks. That was eons before you even thought about leaving your family. As for her personality, she is definitely a lot more on edge, but one would expect that after what she’s been through. Honestly though, I think she would have been a lot worse if not for you. You kept her grounded. You made her feel safe, feel loved. There’s not a single time in our lives that I can remember her being as happy as when she was with you. Don’t take what Amren said to heart – she’s wrong about you.”

“How do I change her mind?”

“Just keep doing you. She’ll see you the way we all do eventually, Amren is just very protective. We were the first children in her life, and it was like we were one of the many treasures she hoards. When we were with anyone else, they were happy to let people come greet us. If we were with Amren? She would literally snap at them – with her teeth.”

“That’s a sweet thought. Little baby Felix and Eleana with their protective aunt.”

“Baby? She did this well into our teens.”

Kaden laughed, a deep happy rumble that hadn’t come from him since the Bloodrite.

“Okay, fake Felix, tell me what Eleana was like as a child then.”

“If you’re wondering if she was always,” he waved his arms around, “so much, then yes. Everything she’s ever done as been over the top and in a manner to get the most attention possible. Like her first big show of magic was when she was one, two? Her and her bloody darkness filled up the whole damn forest. The animals didn’t come back for days! And she just sat there, all cuddled up in Rhys’ arms smiling away. She also loved having her hair done.”

“She still does. I’ve become somewhat of an expert braider because of it.”

“That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.”

“What else.”

“She was a baby born for the skies. There is no Lay- sorry.”

“You can say her name if you want. It’s a beautiful name.”

“It is. Feyre hated it before she was born.”

“How can that be?” Kaden snickered.

“Rhys just started calling the bump that. He was convinced it was a girl and told everyone her name was Eleana. Do you know how confusing that was for six-year-old me? Feyre would always bite his head off about it, but then Laya was born and it was perfect.”

Kaden smiled. “You’re a good liar, fake Felix.”

“Yes, but not right now.” He smiled wistfully, scuffing his foot in the loose stones and dirt. “Since I’ve been so gracious with my knowledge, can you answer a question for me?”

Kaden pursed his lips. “Why not? But I am just as good a liar as you.”

“Before, when you said you’d lost me and Eleana, what did you mean? Where is she?”

Any laughter Kaden had, any semblance of a good mood was gone at the mention of what happened to her.

“You’re a creature of some sort, I’m sure you already know,” Kaden whispered.

“Humour me then.”

“I’m not in a very humorous mood.”

The fake Felix grunted in return.

“I wish you were real,” his voice was scathing, angry at himself for the confession. “I want so badly to see Felix again.”

Fake Felix’s face fell, and he inched towards the bars, sliding his arm through the gap and tapping Kaden on his shoe. “It’ll be okay, buddy.”

“Felix saved me. Eleana healed me, but it was Felix who saved me.”

Fake Felix brought his arm back, wiping it across his face while sniffling. “Stop being so gushy, you’re going to make me cry.”

_____

It was quite the sight to behold – High Lords and Ladies scrambling around a table squabbling about what the best plan of attack was. Every time Cassian thought he might interject he changed his mind. Let the leaders of Prythian wear themselves out first, and then the generals can step in and take the shards of their ideas and turn it into an actual plan. When Cassian heard a suggestion that might be good, like smoking out the mountain, he looked to the other generals to see if they were on the same page. Thesan’s mate often looked to him for confirmation as well, the two clearly thinking the same things. There were also times when the High Leaders, as old and wise as they were, had truly stupid ideas that Cassian had to refrain from laughing at, like sending in specially trained squadrons to try and kill the creatures individually. Was it not clear by now that if they stepped foot in those mountains than they would die?

It was becoming tiresome – they just kept going in circles. No one could agree on what their first step should be, and Cassian found even he didn’t have an answer. They couldn’t find them in the mountains nor anywhere near civilian life – and evacuating everyone to a zone made them no better than sitting ducks. They had nothing that might entice this queen to come to them, and it was still very unclear as to exactly how many creatures she had.

Rhys was growing increasingly weary, and the other High Lords looked no better. Cassian didn’t want to suggest they end for now, but that started to look more and more like a good option.

Thesan noticed as well and asked for everyone in the room to quieten. When they didn’t immediately, he smacked his fist down on the table and growled.

“This is a strange predicament for all of us, but none of you are considering what must be addressed.” He turned to Rhys and Feyre, his expression grim and his voice grave. “The loss of your little girl must cause you immeasurable pain.”

“We’re hopeful she can be saved,” Rhys responded.

“Saved? Rhysand, you can’t be serious.”

All ears were on what Thesan would say next.

“Rhysand, your little girl will be a loss we all feel, but she has to die; you know that.”

“No. I can save her.”

“We have to consider everything here. Don’t speak to me and pretend that there’s someone here who is powerful enough to expel what is inside her. We must continue forward with the assumption that Eleana and this creature are one in the same.”

“Stop saying such things!” Feyre hissed. “Our daughter is seventeen, you can’t consider killing an innocent life-”

“I can if one life spares thousands. This queen has never shown any weaknesses, never lost in battle; she could obliterate us in a heartbeat if she wanted. We have to be tactical here-”

“You’d be killing my child! No, we just need more information. And now that we all know what’s going on we can prepare better. We’ll start mining the opal in the Night Court, manning our soldiers with concoctions made from the oils we now know hurts them. We have time to come up with a solution,” Feyre spat.

“Don’t you see, Feyre? She’s already dead. Her body may live on but there’s nothing left of your daughter inside that thing. If there was, Eleana would have control, she was strong enough to have gotten it back by now. We aren’t killing your child, we’re putting her to peace.”

“No, no, no no no no no no no no.” Feyre pushed away any fae in her way as she stormed to stand in front of Thesan. “You try to touch her and I’ll skin you alive.”

“Losing a child-”

“You know nothing of losing a child,” Cassian stopped him, his voice deep and thick.

“Neither do you,” Thesan scoffed.

“Speaking of children, where is Felix? He’s young but I think his perspective would be quite valuable here,” Helion asked.

Beside Cassian, Nesta stiffened, her hands gripping the back of his shirt at the words. Amren, who was behind him and observing the organised chaos with her seedy gaze, stepped down and in front of the pair of mates.

It was too late. Nesta already had tears welling in her eyes, and Cassian’s breathing had become ragged.

Helion’s eyes widened in shock, and Thesan put a hand over his mouth, realising how untrue his words were.

Before they could be questioned further, Nesta grabbed Cassian’s hand and dragged him away, whispering that they could no longer be there to Rhys. No one tried to stop them, and they had just made it out the door when Nesta stumbled. Cassian caught her, but she was already shaking from her sobs, her cries undoubtedly being heard from the others. Cassian embraced her tightly and she sobbed into his chest. He winnowed them away, just as he heard Rhys say that no one from the Night Court would be discussing that incident.

_____

Kaden hummed under his breath while he watched fake Felix – the male laying on his stomach with his eyes closed. They had stopped speaking at Kaden’s request; he still couldn’t bear to hear his friend’s voice out of a phony’s mouth.

He’d gotten too deep in the illusion for a second there, a mistake that wouldn’t be repeated.

Kaden was roused from his state at the sounds of pounding footsteps coming in his direction. He stood up quickly, knowing that it was likely Azriel coming with a guilty verdict. Kaden got a dagger ready; he would make this man’s death a quick one.

Azriel was frazzled when he appeared and completely ignored Kaden, nearly sliding into the bars in his rush to put the key in the cell’s lock.

Kaden wanted to ask what he was doing, but before he had a chance Azriel had slammed open the door and rushed to the side of the still lying man.

Fake Felix lifted his head, only to have his whole body yanked into a hug.

That’s not what Kaden was expecting.

Fake Felix engulfed Azriel back, both now standing together inside the cell.

“What’s going on?” Kaden asked quietly.

They didn’t answer him – their cries of joy too loud to hear Kaden’s words.

Kaden was confused, unsure of what this meant. Whatever Azriel thought he had confirmed was wrong – there was no way this was his brother. Azriel was just confused, he didn’t see Felix die like Kaden did, didn’t know there was truly no way to come back from that.

Kaden did the unthinkable – he turned and left, leaving Azriel alone with the creature. Wide eyed and stunned, he made his way up the stone stairs. It was only a few minutes before he was feeling the breeze on his body and stepping into the night. He had expected to be blinded by the dwindling son after being in the derelict prison, but he had been down there longer than he’d thought. It was as if he’d expected time to pause for him – to give him a moment of nothingness. But no, he wasn’t that lucky.

He breathed deeply, the smell of salt from the sea refreshing enough to snap him from his daze.

“Kaden.”

He ignored the voice.

“Kaden, stop. It’s me. I swear on the Mother that it’s me.”

He spread his wings, ready to fly away, but screamed when magic snapped them back to his body, chaining him where he was. He thrashed, but no matter what he did, what magic he used to try and counter it, he was still bound – unable to fly.

“Azriel can think what he wants, but I know what you are. Felix would never entrap me.”

“I need you to listen.”

Kaden turned to face him. The man was still in nothing but torn pants. His chest so marred that even Kaden, so accustomed to scars, flinched at the sight.

“I’m sorry I left,” Felix said, wringing his hands in front of him.

“You don’t have to apologize for dying.”

“I’m not sorry I died; dare I say I had no control over that one.” He sighed deeply, looking up to the stars. “I said I’m sorry I left. Everything just turned to shit, didn’t it? But I’m back now, and we can get this mess sorted the fuck out. Whatever’s happening to Laya, we’ll fix it; we always do.”

Kaden gave him the side-eye. He took one step toward the man, then stopped. He couldn’t let himself hope – not if it meant he would lose Felix again if this was a hoax.

But he wished, Cauldron be damned he wanted it to be Felix, but he just wasn’t sure.

“How about we go to the house and talk some more? Eleana fixed your room up nice and pretty while you were at the Bloodrite. And then maybe we can go say hello to my sisters, I’m sure Quathryn will be thrilled to see you.”

“My room?”

“At our house? How is it that I’m the one who died and yet my memory serves me better. You said you were moving in and I’m holding you to that.”

“We c-can’t.”

“Let me prove to you who I am. I’ll cook for you; I’ll make your favourite, better than anyone can.”

“No. The house is warded, only Felix and his family can enter.”

“Please,” the man begged, his eyes shining. “I’ll do anything you want. You can keep me chained in adamant, locked away, but it’s me. I promise on the lives of Quathryn and Thea that I am wholly Felix.”

The man swallowed, looking down.

“I remember every second after I died. I wanted to stay with you; I was so scared of the dark. I think I might always be scared of it now.” His breathing was shaky, so much so that his words were a weak vibrato. “It’s nightfall, and as the world succumbs to the night I fear that I’ll never leave it. You may be Eleana’s light, but you are also mine. Please, don’t leave me in the dark. Don’t leave me. Don’t – don’t leave me.”

Kaden looked at him, what was left of his heart breaking all over again.

“Felix? Is that truly you?”

He nodded his head.

Kaden rushed to him, engulfing him in a hug so tight Felix was lifted off the ground. He pounded his hand on his back, needing to reassure himself that it was actually Felix who was there. Felix held him back just as tightly, laughing in relief.

“You had me worried; I didn’t think you’d ever believe me.”

“Be quiet, you’re ruining the moment.”

_____

Kaden, Azriel and Felix winnowed to the meeting. They ran through the halls, coming to a skidding halt outside the doors. Azriel, ever the actual-adult, walked patiently behind them, secure in the knowledge they wouldn’t enter without him.

They expected there to be more noise from inside – maybe yelling, maybe smashing – but it was rather quiet.

“I don’t like the vibe I’m getting from that room,” Azriel said slowly. “Something has happened, but I don’t know what. You two go back to the House of Wind, take the children from Mor and ask her to come here.”

“I have to see my mother and father, they have to know I’m here,” Felix argued. “And I am as blind as to what happened recently as the High Lords are – I need to be in there doing my job.”

“No. Go home.”

“No. I’m staying.”

“That was an order, not a suggestion.”

“Well if we want to get technical theoretically we have the same rank, so you can’t order me around.”

“Rank is regardless because you are a child under my care, therefore I can order you to do what’s best.”

Felix raised his eyebrows. “I certainly hope children don’t behave the way I do.”

Azriel opened his mouth, then shut it. His frown was replaced with a small smile, his whole face brighter than it had been in days. “I’m so, so happy you’re home.”

“Me too, Az.” Felix hugged their uncle.

“If you insist on staying, please go wait in one of the rooms. I’ll send Nesta and Cassian to you.”

“Wait, no, I need you with me in case they think I’m some imposter. Send Kaden in, and then he can debrief us later.”

Azriel nodded. “Good idea. Kaden, get Cassian and Nesta will you? Tell them it’s urgent.”

“Of course.”

Felix and Azriel walked away briskly, Kaden hearing Felix asking if he had told Azriel was Felix said.

“Yes, but let’s not discuss such things now,” his fading voice replied.

Kaden looked after them longingly. His family was slowly coming back together again, and it ignited a hope in him that maybe everything truly would be okay. Felix being back was a gift from the Cauldron that Kaden would forever be indebted for, and now that his brother was here it also felt like the first step in the direction of saving Eleana.

He opened the door, not at all meaning to make it a dramatic entrance, but that didn’t stop every head in the room from turning to look at him.

Some of the faces were familiar, like Glaslane, but Kaden was acutely aware that he knew basically no one in this room full of very formidable fae.

“Who is he?” A voice broke the silence.

Kaden looked at the person who had spoken and raised an eyebrow at him. It was a dark-skinned fae with even darker hair. His arm was in a sling, and he was at the centre of a group, clearly a High Lord – which one, he didn’t know. But just looking at him made Kaden want to avert his gaze; it was like he was looking directly at the sun-personified.

“This is Kaden,” High Lord Rhysand answered.

“Where is he from?”

“He’s part of Felix’s Elite.”

“He’s no Illyrian.”

“He is standing right here and can answer for himself.” Kaden stared at the male. Usually he was cowed by such important figures, but right now he just didn’t give a fuck. He would deal with the repercussions of his rudeness later.

“Then who are you, Kaden?”

“It’s not of importance.”

Kaden turned his back on the High Lord, knowing before he did he elicited a smirk from the male.

He walked over to High Lord Rhysand and High Lady Feyre, leaning in so only they could hear his words. “Azriel needs Cassian and Nesta and time is of the essence. Where are they?”

“With Morrigan, I assume. What is the matter?” Feyre questioned.

Kaden hesitated. “This isn’t something you want to hear in a room full of others.”

The two mates shared a look, clearly having a silent conversation between them. Feyre leant forward and pressed a quick kiss to Rhysand’s mouth before standing and addressing the room. “Something needs my attention. I’ll return shortly.”

“He’s in the west wing.”

Feyre left the room, an awkward silence in her wake. Rhysand patted the seat beside him, an invitation for Kaden to sit. He did, wanting to give Felix his privacy when reuniting with his family.

The High Lord who’d spoken to him was still staring at him, his mouth a thin line. He turned to speak to one of his associates, his words too quiet to hear and his gaze never leaving Kaden’s face.

Kaden wondered what it meant but didn’t give it any real thought. He has known his whole life he was an unusual Illyrian, and it certainly wasn’t the first time he’d gotten bizarre looks from strangers.

“As we were discussing before we were interrupted,” Lucien said, “We can’t assume that the death of this queen will mean the end to the creatures. If we first discover how she is making them and halt her that way, we’d have a better chance of saving lives in the long run.”

“You aren’t wrong,” a white haired High Lord agreed. “But her death would also stop their creation and mean there is no one to lead the creatures into war.”

“But what is better?” another dark-skinned fae, this one without a sling, asked. “Creatures systematically attacking us at the command of their leader without being able to be reborn, or, these creatures spreading and unpredictably running amok through Prythian.”

“The end result isn’t what matters the most. The most imperative thing is to stop this queen from creating more creatures,” the one who had been intrigued with Kaden said. “And as much as it pains me to say it, we have to revisit what Thesan said earlier.”

Rhysand shook his head. “I already told you that’s not an option.”

Kaden was confused. It was unlike High Lord Rhysand to be so opposed to an idea if it was viable, and from the looks of the other High Lords, it seemed like earlier this male, Thesan, had suggested something valuable.

“Rhys, can you not see that we have no choice?” Thesan demanded.

“We do have a choice. Let us destroy the way the queen is making them-”

“We have no idea how she is creating them! She could kill thousands more before we even come close to discovering how to stop her process, and that’s even if we can. To me it seems like it comes from her own magic, not some spell or ritual. Rhysand, I’m sorry, but your daughter is already gone. We cannot save her, but we can save our people.”

A terrible feeling made its way into Kaden’s stomach, climbing up his spine and settling in his throat. He didn’t like the tone High Lord Thesan was using, nor what he was suggesting.

“Forgive me, High Lord Thesan, but am I correct in thinking you’re implying we kill Eleana?” Kaden asked.

“Yes.”

Rhysand was stone beside Kaden, not breathing, not blinking.

“You don’t have to be there,” Thesan said gently. “We would never make you witness the death of your daughter-”

“Shut up-”

“and we will make it as quick and painless and we can.”

“Shut your damn mouth, Thesan.” High Lord Rhysand stood, the usual glamour on his powers stripped. His magic flooded the room and the candles lighting the room flickered as Rhysand stormed over to Thesan, usually his magic to easily clear a path to him. All the soldiers in the room, no matter their allegiance, stood to guard, drawing swords in preparation for things to get violent.

“Calm down, Rhysand. You know what must be done,” Thesan growled.

Rhys grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him until he was being slammed into the wall. Thesan didn’t fight back, and Rhysand’s magic meant that no one could approach the two feuding High Lords.

“You will not touch my daughter,” he snarled.

“It has to be done,” Thesan spat back.

“I know!” Rhysand roared, the candles in the room extinguishing. The room was enveloped by darkness, and Kaden started to feel nervous sweat coating his back. The only sound was High Lord Rhysand’s heavy breathing and the shuffling of feet getting ready to attack and defend.

Thesan stayed silent, his arms up in surrender.

“When my daughter dies it will be at my hands, and my hands only.”

#acohad #a court of hearts and darkness #acomaf #acotar #acowar #fanfic #feysand #nessian #elucien #acofas

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