#Is that how you spell Keir?

[nocasdatsgay]

Fan fic: Bow

Pair: Rhys/Feyre

Rating: E 🌶️

Warnings: NSFW

Word Count: 949

Summary: Rhys gets Feyre to tell him to bow

Read it here on ao3

Excerpt:

He let his ward around him drop, and she inhaled sharply at the smell of him. That bemusement quickly changed, her pupils dilated instantly. 

“I’ve been thinking about how you commanded Keir to his knees,” he whispered. “All evening.”

She shifted on her own throne, uncrossing her legs. The slit of her dress fell just enough to show her entire left leg up to her hip. 

“How so?” 

“My beautiful High Lady, I think you know how.”

[acourtofclutter]

Nightlight (Part 1 of 4)

"All the sleepless nights... keeping on the night light." - Laufey.

Pairing: Rhysand / Night Court Emissary! Reader

Format(s) and Word Count: Headcanons and Drabbles (though it reads like a one-shot due to the drabbles length), 998 words.

Summary: You managed to stop Rhysand from going to Amarantha’s party by himself, having threatened to tell the rest of the Inner Circle if he didn’t at least take you, his emissary. But you hadn’t predicted the spells that Amarantha had up her sleeve, especially not the one that’d turn you into an old and forgotten lesser fae.

Tags: Hurt / Little To No Comfort, Brief Depictions of Violence and Torment, Set During Under The Mountain

Notes: My first ACOTAR post (not including the memes, though they may cheer you up if you need a laugh)!

Update: The second part can be read here, thank you for your support!

Rhysand was careful not to tell any of the Inner Circle about Amarantha’s party invitation, not even his brothers, but you noticed how he slowly became distant. He assigned everyone various tasks that he said were important, but they had been time-consuming and were also restricted to Velaris’ walls, not even Hewn’s.

Your tasks consisted of drafting negotiations, and gathering information from multiple libraries, but the Mother had been on your side then, because you managed to complete your tasks a day before Rhysand had planned to leave, his shoulders tense and his knuckles pale before you saw a glimpse of bloodlust in his eyes.

“...Rhys, what’s going on? Is everything okay?” He did not respond, and had turned his back on you before you spoke again. “Are you going somewhere? I don’t remember you telling me about any upcoming meetings with any of the High Lord-” He turned around at those words and reached into your head, your mental shields being torn apart when he tried to override your mind – but Amren had taught you how to protect yourself well, if not for a few moments against your High Lord. “You’re not supposed to be here,” He whispered harshly, gritting his teeth. “No one’s meant to be here, you should be doing those tasks I assigned-” “I’m your emissary, I’ve been doing similar tasks for centuries!” You closed your eyes and swore as you felt him, felt his claws tear down your last line of defence. Your heart was racing while you tried to think of something, anything, to make him loosen his grasp, at least for a moment. You’d never had to fight him like this, it usually involved future plans with the Illyrian camps or Keir, but nothing like this. “I don’t know what you plan on doing,” You fought to breathe, your eyes meeting his pained ones. “But I swear on the Mother, if you don’t at least take me with you-” You took another deep breath before you grabbed the front of his black tunic and pulled him closer. “-I will scream until you break my shield completely or until someone, most likely Azriel, will hear me.” A moment passed, then two, before his claws drew back.  “...Don’t make me regret this," were the last words he said before he gripped your wrist and winnowed you to Hewn City, where the Court of Nightmares waited for him to lead the way to Amarantha’s party.

Rhysand used his magic to make your hair and clothes match his attire before the entire court strode past Amarantha’s stone doors and into her chamber. His warriors were allowed to do as they pleased, but you didn’t leave his side when he stared at Amarantha with his eyes unblinking.

When Amarantha had made glasses of wine appear in everyone’s hands, you could not shake the feeling that something was wrong, especially when she revelled in the sight of the High Lords raising their wine glass and placing it to their lips. Rhysand had taken a full sip of his before you grabbed his arm.

“Stop drinking it,” You turned to Rhysand and smiled, speaking through your teeth as your grip tightened, but he was lost in his head and couldn’t see or hear you. “The wine, I think there’s something in the-” You felt the magic leave the room before you saw it, saw how the other High Lords seemed to look dull and tired while Amarantha became more lively. Rhysand’s eyes finally met yours, his eyes wide and caught off-guard when he realised what was happening before he entered your mind for a single second. “I’m sorry,” he said in your mind, then you felt it – felt your mind being overridden by his, all thoughts and memories of Velaris, of the Inner Circle, misting away until all that was left was nothing more than Rhysand, Hewn City, and the Court of Nightmares.  You could see that he was using the remains of his magic to cast a shield and send a message out to someone, but you weren’t sure who, not when half of the Court of Nightmares collapsed a moment later. Then you felt Amarantha’s eyes on you, her eyes narrowing when she looked at how you held onto Rhysand’s arm and how he had barely touched his glass of wine. She smiled, and you found yourself standing before her in the blink of an eye, your heart pounding in your ears when she raised her hand. “I’ve been meaning to try this spell out on someone – you’ll do perfectly.” One moment you were standing, the next you were convulsing on the floor, screaming from heartrending pain as your body started to shrink, your bones and organs compressing and curling inwards. Your wings were next, and you were certain you were crying out for Rhysand, for people you couldn’t name when they cracked and bent into new shapes. Your tears dripped onto the marble floor until the spell stopped, the transformation complete. You couldn’t move, but you could hear someone walk towards you and pick you up like you weighed no more than a feather, as your body laid on a soft piece of leather. When you had the strength to raise your head, your eyes managed to find Rhysand’s, who looked completely shattered. Why did he look so far away? “You look much better,” You heard a voice from above you, and you raised your head further to see Amarantha smiling down at you, her teeth resembling headstones made out of pearls.  “Why, I can’t remember the last time I’ve ever seen faeries like this, they’ve been wiped off the lands for centuries now.” You looked at your bare exposed body and turned around to look at your wings, now thin and delicate like tulle. You then looked down at where you laid, slowly realising that you were in the palms of Amarantha's hands. And when you cried, you could only hear the sound of a miniature bell leave your mouth as you clawed at your throat. “Yes, you look much better as a pixie.”

[dreamersinthedaylightinspo]

Lucien still knocked on the gates of Rosehall when he arrived, though they swung open with no effort the moment his fist connected.

"Tam? Are you at home?"

The empty foyer was cracked rather significantly from the last bursts of Tamlin's magic. Lucien had still never figured out what, exactly, Rhysand had said to him on that Solstice night - so recent and yet also so long ago. Whatever it was must have been awful indeed, because Tamlin had been utterly inconsolable - impossible to communicate with, his magic running rampant, lashing out in bursts of knife-like wind and cracks of thunder - and the next time Lucien had returned, Tamlin had shifted into his beast and was, as it stood, not capable of changing back.

He found that golden beast in what used to be the dining room - Tamlin no longer fit in his old bedroom and had made do with this. Sheets and cushions gathered from the house were clustered into a giant nest. Curtains had been dragged from the windows, dust motes sparkling in the pale morning sun. The bones of a deer, picked clean, were piled in a corner, waiting to be put out with the day's trash. Lucien sniffed.

"You ought to wash your sheets."

Tamlin grumbled, "You try doing the laundry with paws like these."

Lucien felt that Tamlin was still able to change back into his male body. Or, that he would change back, someday.

"How are you feeling?"

Tamlin's tail swished. "The same as ever. I haven't developed fleas yet so there is at least some good news. I have a busy day ahead. Does our glorious high king have a message for me?"

"When are you going to stop being bitter about that?" asked Lucien.

"When are you going to stop answering questions you don't want to answer with questions about me?"

Lucien grimaced. Most people took for granted how smart Tamlin was. Including himself, he was loathe to admit. "About that, actually. Do you remember my contact in the Hewn City?"

Tamlin's golden head tilted. "Vaguely. Was she not lost Under the Mountain?"

"Amazingly, no. She's maintained her cover all this time."

Tamlin rumbled. "Has she said something to you?"

"She managed to give me the message personally. The last time she did that -"

"I know," Tamlin barked. His lips pulled back from his teeth, hackles raised at the memory. "Lucien, please."

"I know. I'm sorry - but she says that Keir and Eris may be moving against Rhysand."

A snort of laughter. "Good. At long last."

"Tamlin."

Tamlin sighed heavily. "Oh alright, alright. But I'm allowed to gloat after we resolve this."

"You are not," said Lucien, firmly.

"The High Lord can do as he pleases," Tamlin replied. "And I would very much like to gloat about saving the life of that bastard twice over."

Rhysand would not enjoy that. There was likely no part of this that Rhysand would enjoy, Lucien thought grimly.

"Tell your contact that she should maintain her cover as long as possible," said Tamlin. "I'll send a bird to her. She should send copies of your reports to me directly as well. Whatever it is, we'll resolve it quickly enough."

Lucien nodded, and then said, "At least wash your paws before you enter. You're tracking in mud again."

"Yes, because as we all know, I have nothing better to do than brush my luxurious coat out for hours in front of a lake. Be serious, Lucien. A bit of dirt is a small price to pay."

"Just so long as you don't ask me to sweep again," said Lucien.

"Pity your mother never taught us any of her household spells," Tamlin sighed. "Send her my love, won't you?"

"Always, Tam."

Of course, he could not stay. He never could anymore. Lucien patted Tamlin's furred cheek before turning and striding back out of the manor.

There was work to do.

[vigilskeep]

Arthur is FASCINATING. Any other tidbits you'd like to share? Your OCs are all so great!

thank you!! ummm here are some arthur fun facts

not super outdoorsy and i have some really bad news for him abt how the next 50+ hours of gameplay is going to go

ultimate big brother. “now, harker,” i hear you say, “isn’t your hawke the ultimate big brother? why’s arthur stealing his thing?” keir bases half his identity on looking after his baby siblings, it’s true. but arthur is the all purpose big brother. missing his siblings in the circle meant playing the role for anyone who needed it, and in the circle there’s a lot of kids who need it. back before arthur was using his charm to con the world into believing he’s the maker’s personal gift to them, he was more in the habit of using it to cheer up little apprentices. and lie to templars. sometimes you can do both at once!

his characteristic element for casting is lightning ⚡️

his eyes were not nearly so green—much more of a hazel—until the anchor

when he was recovering from a pretty bad teenage spell of believing everything the chantry had told him about people like himself, he ended up veering a little far the other way and learning some blood magic. it was only ever theoretical, a tiny spell or two to see if it would work and if it was really as bad as they said. he never used it on anyone until necessity demanded it during the rebellion. he still wouldn’t call himself a blood mage—just someone who’s been there once or twice—but maybe that’s wishful thinking

he’s somewhat inspired, as a character, by this tumblr post specifically:

he sunburns very badly. josie when you take him home to antiva pls protect him

[folklorianhaze]

Got a lot of writing done today, so I thought I'd post a preview of a multi-chapter fic I've been working on! This one has been a HUGE undertaking; it's probably the biggest story I've worked on before, as well as my first attempt at a mystery. It's a steampunk-ish/noir Feysand AU where Feyre's family gets kidnapped by some shady faeries, and enlists the help of Rhysand (a detective who's been shirking his political duties back home) to help find them.

Look for chapter one of City of Strangers on AO3 very soon! (Not going to give an exact date because I don't want to put pressure on myself lmfaooo but I'm almost done editing!!)

Here's a little scene from chapter one that I had a lot of fun writing, between Rhys and Mor!

“Don’t you ever get tired of all that reading?”

Before Rhysand could respond, a golden hand — with fingernails that gleamed wine-red in the low light of his office — shot out and smacked the top of the precarious stack of books and papers atop his desk.

With the sort of world-weary sigh that could only hint at how many times such an exchange had passed between them, Rhys’ gaze traveled from the hand all the way up the length of arm attached to it, until at last his eyes met those of his cousin’s. And Morrigan, he noted with no small degree of exasperation, looked none too pleased with him this evening.

That is, she rarely looked pleased with him at all, but today the expression on her face happened to feel particularly threatening.

“Dearest Mor,” Rhys said, a smirk touching the corners of his mouth. “What, dare I ask, has put you in such a charming mood this evening — and to what do I owe the honor of being its recipient?”

“They’re asking about you again,” was her flat response. She crossed her arms. “Wondering when you’ll bring an end to these . . . charades of justice, I believe Keir called it.” Even she couldn’t help the soft snort of laughter that punctuated her sentence.

“Hm. I never took your father to be the poetic type.”

“It’s easy for you to be so flippant,” Mor said, lifting a hand to massage her temples. “It’s me they run to when you’ve done something to upset them like this. All of them squawking like hens about the ruination you’re bringing down upon the family and so on.” She sighed. Shook out her mane of blonde hair as if it could clear the unpleasant day from her memory. “You might at least consider giving them some idea of when you’ll be back.”

“I told them I’ll return as soon as I feel my work is done here,” said Rhys. “That’s not enough of an idea for them?”

“That was six months ago, Rhys.”

“So Keir has learned to count! How delightful. I suppose we’ll have to get him started on spelling soon enough.”

Mor rolled her eyes, but he caught the twinkle of amusement on her face. Something in his chest twisted guiltily at the sight of it; she did have a point, about it being far easier for him to treat matters involving their noble family with such lightness. She was the one who’d been enduring those insufferable people for the past six months while he’d been here, chasing this vision of his. This endeavor that so many had — perhaps rightfully, in some ways — called foolish. The least he could do would be to make these dealings with her father as painless for her as possible.

But when he thought of the path that had brought him here in the first place . . . when he thought of the future his family — his people — might not even be afforded if he should fail in this . . . he couldn’t simply turn his back on it. He’d never been a man who abandoned the things he started, and more often than not it seemed to work to his detriment. But this time . . . this time, he was determined for things to be different.

Perhaps it made him selfish. Perhaps it made him a monster. But he’d become whatever he needed to be in order to see this through to the end.

“I can’t give up,” he admitted at last, the words leaving him in barely a whisper. “You know I can’t, Mor. Not yet. Not when I’ve gotten so close.”

Her expression softened; turned into something that, for a moment, felt uncomfortably close to pity. Rhys wasn’t sure whether or not he hated that more than he would have if she’d simply gotten angry with him again. He’d rather have fury than be looked at like that. Like . . . like on some level, yet again, he’d failed his cousin. He’d failed to be what everyone needed him to be at all times.

“You could be wrong, you know,” she said at last — speaking softly, slowly, as if comforting an irrational child. “About all this. There’s a chance that you might never find what you’re looking for. What if it’s all for nothing?”

“It’s not,” was all he could say, even as he hated the lack of logic in it. “I know it’s not.”

[darklove9314-blog]

ACOTAR Series Spoilers/Theory

Okay so I have quite a few theories on where the series is going. And I really wanted to share them.

So I’m convinced the next book is going to be Elain’s book, there’s just a lot more set up for a book about her then a book about Azriel and honestly I’ve already shared how I don’t think her and Azriel are endgame. SJM has talked about both their books as separate books. She’s referred to her future books as an Azriel book and an Elain book, but two characters she’s never mentioned getting a book despite us knowing a LOT of things about them and having a lot of set up for stories that may involve them are Lucien and Gwyn.

Honestly, Lucien has way too much set up surrounding him not to be a love interest in one of the future books. He’s not only a secret love child to one of the High lords of Prythian, but he’s also that High Lords sole heir. He has spell cleaving magic just like Helion and he’s friends with the band of Exiles, one of which is Queen Vassa, who not only has a spell placed on her that needs breaking but also is one of the very few people who was with Papa Archeron for his very last days along with you guessed it Lucien.

Vassian is also a ship I don’t think will happen. Despite the fact that Lucien seems at ease with Vassa. I personally see how SJM is setting up Vassa and Jurian to be Queen and King of the Human Lands, they both have a fierce devotion to the humans and work together all the time, (Not to mention SJM hinting at the fact how they’re always at each others throats gives me SJM enemies to lovers vibes) and it’s obvious to me that Lucien, despite feeling like he’s a part of this group also feels like an outsider of it as well. Just like how Elain is part of the Night Court but they tend to exclude her in a lot of things until she demands to be a part of them.

But another theory I have when it comes to Elain’s story is Kosheci. I’ve seen a lot of people discuss a big betrayal coming in the next ACOTAR book and I’m guessing it’s coming in the way of Papa Archeron. Going back to ACOWAR, Papa Archeron had to make a bargain with Koschei in order to release Vassa from the lake long enough for them to win the war, but things like that have to come at a hefty price, and so think that price comes in the form of one of his daughters hands in marriage.

Now I don’t have a lot to support that theory, but it doesn’t mean that it still can’t be a possibility. (I also have quite a few theories that I put in my fanfic Symphonia and how I think that Mama Archeron is also linked to Koschei. And how Nesta may be his daughter but that theory doesn’t go hand in hand with this one. This theory is just in case Nesta turns out not to be Koschei’s daughter.but if she does that would also be a big betrayal)

Also some other betrayals I think could be in future ACOTAR books is this thing with Eris. Now I’m not saying that Eris would betray the Night Court and go back on his deal with them, but there is something suspicious going on between him and Keir. Not only did Rhys allow access to Velaris for Eris, but he also did it for Keir as well. Now we all know that Beron has been trying to stir up trouble. But what if Keir is working with him?

I think Keir is playing Eris, making Eris think he is on his side when he still supports his father and is feeding information back to Beron. I believe that they are both waiting until Eris challenged his father to acknowledge that Beeon had known about it for awhile and I do believe that Beron will not only declare war on the Night Court for Aligning with Eris and planning to over throw him, but I think his strategy for trying to defeat the Night Court will have to do with aligning himself with Keir and the Court of Nightmares but also Illyria as well. ( We already know there’s plenty of unrest in both areas and how they feel like they don’t get the treatment they deserve from their High Lord. And both areas don’t like him nor Feyre.)

But those are my theories. Do you guys think any of this will happen? And what are some of your theories for how the future ACOTAR books will go?

[ryan-shepard-writes]

Word Tag

Thanks to @late-to-the-fandom for the tag! My words were Crave, Shred, Treat, Mask &, Bare. Had a bit of trouble with one, so I substituted.

(for anyone who doesn't know, this is a game where you find a specific word in one of your books, and share an excerpt of what you find)

For my part, I'll tag @senyahwrites @athena-anna-rose @gingerly-writing @delusion-of-negation @klywrites @cwritesfiction @neil-gaiman and @tamorapierce as well as anyone else who wants to participate! (Some of you are wishful thinking, but wouldn't that be fun?)

Your words will be: Scratch, Truth, Run, Peace, and Starlight

Crave

It was so odd, the ways she felt things, including Auras. Whether through the spell or through other means, he could tell she felt him like… a sense of weight. Like he was bigger than he appeared. She felt his presence nearby, and was drawn to it like a fledgling Corvidan was drawn to the sky. The connection seemed frightening to her, but… still, she followed it. He wanted her to follow it. The bond drew her to him and made him seem enticing… and he wanted so badly for that to be true.

Wanted, for some reason, for her to find him worthy of her attention. He craved her very being, and even he couldn't figure out why.

Shred Rip

“Not a pawn at all…” he murmured, “The queen is on the board now. She’ll be able to manipulate Keir almost as easily as he does her through their new emotional link, and father will know full well that I can’t hurt Keir.”

It was a genius play. King Solaris had just created a new line of Fate, where Crowlyn would either have to bend the knee… or rip his beloved brother apart on multiple levels.

Treat

She frowned, tracing a pattern in the creases of his palm. "But… Keir, you aren't a bad brother. Not at all. Crow seems like the type of person who would have told you if you were, and… well, to me at least, it seems like he loves you quite a bit."

"...Do you really think so, miss Lilly?"

She met his eyes, smiling. "I really do. The way he teases you, and all the little things he does to take care of both of us… your brother loves you a lot. I doubt he'd treat me so nicely if you weren't involved."

Mask

Intrigued and awed, she searched his eyes. How did she know—feel—these things? Was it the same as how he felt her own thoughts? It must be!

But a careful and kind—and incredibly, visibly fake—smile covered his face like a cheap mask. As if a curtain of brick was suddenly drawn over the window that had revealed these things to her, she was cut off from him again with a scary sense of finality and loneliness.

Bare

The brunette glanced around, taking in the odd room. It was by no means small, but held enough inside to seem cozy. Warmly colored furniture with thick cushions, soft paintings, piles of books and loose papers. What she thought had been a window appeared to actually be a mirror, glowing just enough for her to make the conscious decision not to approach it. The strong, almost comfortable smell of old books and dusty paper seemed to permeate everything, and every step she took landed her bare feet in the ticklish piles that had accumulated on the floor. The contents of the room all seemed to have been untouched for… well, maybe even longer than she’d been alive. Dust was thickly layered over every surface... including, on the far wall, a family portrait.

[inks-books]

I want to talk about disabilities in characters. This isn't a how-to post, it's a keeping myself in check post.

My main cast of characters are disabled people of color, most of which are in the LGBTQPIA group. This isn't the main focus of their story, but I just want to make sure I'm portraying them in a good light. (Being disabled and LGBTQ+ myself I wanted to see myself in characters, but I also wanted them to have a life and story of their own.)

See below the cut for character break down.

These are my main characters of the Tale of Dai-Nē. They all have some form of physical or mental disability and I wanted to make sure I am portraying them in ways that is good and safe for other people who experience these disabilities or something similar. Can anyone comment and tell me if these are problematic or if I need to adjust what happens to them to make sure I stay inclusive?

Tursanay - black, bisexual, power of Light Magic

Disability: She only has 1 arm. She is able to teach herself how to create an arm made of light that she can use to punch through rocks and things. This is not phrased as a "fixing the issue" thing. She often forgets she can use it though she does enjoy cracking her knuckles from time to time. Note: She does have an ableist teacher that tried to only teach her 1 handed spells until she found out, then she shut that down by stealing magic books and teaching herself two handed spells, holding her own in a fight against 2 teachers when they found out. She does use the arm of light to fight in 2 different directions though.

Rodney - asian, heteroflexible, power of Alchemy

Disability: Hard Of Hearing, needs a hearing aid to understand people. When his hearing aid gets destroyed he and Tursanay have to communicate via sign language to tell him what's going on. He does get shiny new magical crystal earrings that allow him to hear more clearly than before, but they need upkeep (which I just realized I need to write about too) and he still uses sign when this happens.

Amara - muslim, asexual, Elemental powers

Disability: She can't walk. She's in a wheelchair. And later, (SPOILER AHEAD, SKIP AMARA IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ) she turns into a mermaid and uses moisture and flying spells to help her get around and stay healthy whilst above water. She was an excellent swimmer before she found out she wasn't human, but now she's like uber fast. Has to replenish the flying spell every so often or it fails.

Soren - half white/half Inuit, autistic, [sexuality unknown], power of Ether which is a lot like Spirit Energy or Chi/Qi (actually that's probably not the right term either, I'm still working on it.)

Disability: Dyslexia. He does mostly okay on reading things, but he can get certain letters mixed up as well as having zero directional skills. He knows one (1) route to and from his cousin's house to home and that is it.

Ilarys - Indian (like the country, not Native American, thanks), lesbian, power of Dark Magic

Disability: Chronic fatigue and pain. She is often taken care of by her wife, Aui'ani, a Polynesian animal shapeshifter (as opposed to inanimate object, people, etc. shapeshifting), and they are absolutely my favorite couple in the whole story.

Keir - Indian (twin to Ilarys), [sexuality unknown; potentially aro?], Powers of Sight

Disability: Constant paranoia and some anger issues due to his glitchy powers of hindsight. When he gets foresight some of this eases, but it's like a double edged sword. He needs to learn not to over analyze stuff in order to keep sane.

Attalira - Latine, lesbian, power of Shape-Shift

Disability: cPTSD from both being abandoned (read: sold) by her birth mother and trained from an early age to be a defender of a princess she accidentally falls in love with but has no idea. Elise, the woman who took over her training when she found out it was abusive, becomes her mother figure who treats her tenderly and prevents anything bad from happening to her for a long time. Attalira grows attached to these two women in her life, and though she doesn't know it yet, wants to run away with them and live in the woods, making a living by helping a local village.

[hoodwinkd1]

Your Eyes Whispered Ch 11-13

Ch 8 - 10 here. Ch 14 here.

Chapter 11: morning, her place

Eris jumped out of sleep the next morning, waking suddenly to the pressure of someone attempting to break down his wards. His body tensed immediately, an instinctual growl rising in his throat at the perceived threat. His mind reacted a moment later, recognizing the scent currently trying to break down the front door.

“RHIANNON HARMONY OPEN THE DAMN DOOR.” Interesting. Eris had made it this far without ever asking Rhia for her last name.

He waved a hand, removing the additional wards he had placed on the house last night. Grabbing his tunic from the chair and throwing it over his head, Eris strode downstairs just in time to watch Sofine burst into the front room.

She gave him such a ferocious glare that he froze in place without meaning to. “I suppose you’re the reason Rhia left town mysteriously for two days?”

“I, uh, yes.” Eris really wasn’t used to anyone scolding him. “Rhia helped me out with a...situation at the palace. Coffee?”

He vaguely remembered Rhia owed him a thought from last night. All this relaxation and peace had done some damage on his sharp, cunning mind.

Sofine’s eyes widened momentarily. Whether she was surprised at the gesture or suddenly remembering who she was scolding, her tone calmed considerably. “She keeps the beans above the stove, if you didn’t know.”

Eris nodded, accepting the small olive branch she offered. He lit the front burner with a flick of his pointer finger while filling the kettle under the tap with a flex of his other hand. The movements came quickly, naturally, and some of the tension left his body at the small expulsions of magic.

Quick footsteps skittered to a stop at the bottom of the stairs as the love of his life took in the scene in front of her. Shit. Eris’ thoughts had become pathetic and obsessive without his permission. He would have scowled if the sight of Rhia treading into the kitchen nervously hadn’t been so damn endearing.

“Shit, Sofi, I’m sorry.” Rhia embraced her friend tightly. “I didn’t mean to leave so abruptly; you must have been so worried.”

Sofine laughed softly, kissing the top of her head. “Oh I was very calm. Other than yelling at the High Lord first thing this morning.”

“I’m sure he deserved it,” Rhia hummed. She then made her way towards Eris, who finished steeping the beans at exactly the right second, handing her a steaming cup of coffee as she reached him. “What did you do?”

“Other than drag you into my mess?” Eris inquired, repressing the bolt of guilt that shot through him at the idea of Rhia in danger at the palace. “I placed additional wards up last night.” He looked over her head at Sofine. “I’ll make sure to include you in them next time.”

Rhia raised an eyebrow. “Who gave you permission to place them in the first place?”

Eris noted her light tone and twinkling eyes. “You tried to break into the most heavily guarded building in the Autumn Court yesterday and branded yourself as an enemy to the crown. What if someone tries to arrest you for that again?”

“Rhia,” Sofine gasped. “You tried to break into the palace?” Swiveling her glare to Eris, she demanded: “Why didn’t you let her in?”

At least she was scolding them both now. Eris held his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t know she was there!”

“And I didn’t try to break in, I actually did break in,” Rhia grumbled. “You should really upgrade the security on the eastern external wall.”

Sofine huffed. “Will you both disagree on every little detail? I want the full story.” She sat herself down at the kitchen table, making a big show of getting comfortably situated. “I have time.”

Eris sensed that now would be a lovely time to retreat and leave Rhia to her own devices. “I have to return to the palace and the horrors of bureaucracy.” He leaned forward, giving Rhia half a second to adjust to his closeness, before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. Her mouth upturned into a small smile, one he wished he could spend hours exploring. “I’ll come back when I can, good?”

“Very good,” she replied. “I expect a full report of our Court’s political situation when you return.”

Eris sighed dramatically. “If you insist.” He waved to Sofine. “I hope you won’t be too disappointed in my abilities after hearing the full story.”

“To be determined.” Her face flushed lightly, a female still unused to the High Lord’s presence, but he only felt gratitude at her attempts to treat him as normal as possible.

Eris blinked and appeared in his chambers, taking a minute to change his clothing and wash his face. He uttered some choice words at the pile of paperwork littering his desk, rifling through the to-do lists, save-the-dates, business contracts, and personal correspondences to see if any of it required his immediate attention.

One of his spies, Jyn, had sent him a list of potential candidates to fill the vacant adviser roles that Eris skimmed quickly. He had a half-baked plan forming in his mind to let people vote on the Fae listed on the sheet, maybe even ensuring that each region had specific representation. Gerwin had helped him draft a few new pieces of legislation that Eris would announce during the Autumnal Equinox ball, so one more shouldn’t cause any additional havoc.

“Fuck,” Eris swore again, remembering that his Court’s largest annual celebration was only a fortnight away and he had no idea what the hell was going on with the event.

He already wanted to check on his mother and Liang would know the most about the upcoming celebrations. Two birds, one awkward acknowledgement that they shared a bedroom.

Eris walked down the corridor, stopping to chat with one of the servants to make sure everyone on staff last night had received additional pay for working through an attempted coup. The slender male named Yuri had confirmed that the throne room was completely cleaned of any body parts and that to his knowledge, everyone had gotten the money before heading home.

The Lady of the Autumn Court lived in a different wing of the palace than her husband and sons had, a different wing than where Eris now lived basically alone. As he approached the white double doors, he ignored the urge to open the door automatically and knocked instead.

“Yes?” His mother’s tone was curious and wary, until she laid eyes on him. “Oh, darling! Come in, come in.”

Eris followed her inside, observing how much lighter and joyful she seemed in the glow of day. Her decorations had always used softer colors and more patterns than typical Autumn design; even the gold that adorned the soft blue curtains looked brighter than the gold that detailed his traditional red decor.

“How are you?” he inquired. “Did the healers take a look at you last night?”

She herded him over to the seating area. “Yes, and you have nothing to worry about. I wasn’t harmed by the Night Court.” Eris let out a deep exhale. He hadn’t known how to delicately ask what she’d experienced in captivity, and her warm gaze confirmed that she hadn’t been tortured. “I might not be feared or even respected by the other Courts, but Keir knows exactly who my allies are. And who my family is.”

“If Rhysand hadn’t finally taken care of the trash ruining his terrority, there would have been a list of us ready to kill Keir for him,” Liang grumbled, joining them from the bedroom. “Eris.”

He returned her nod. “Thank you for insisting on the healers.” Eris turned his body to face her more directly. “I actually had a question for you, as well. The Autumnal Ball is supposed to be in two weeks and I--”

“Hadn’t planned anything for it?” Liang teased. “Not to worry. The High Lord typically shows little to no interest in the event planning.” Her words had a bitter edge to them, and Eris knew he wasn’t the High Lord she spoke of. “I can send details to your rooms later today for your approval.”

Eris held his hands up. “I trust your judgement much more than my own. I would be interested in seeing the plans, though, just for my own knowledge.”

“Of course. I’ll at least want your opinion on the guest list, make sure I didn't’ miss anyone important.” Liang sat next to his mother, who raised an eyebrow.

“Is there anyone she wouldn’t have thought to invite, darling?” she asked innocently. “Do you have any new friends we don’t know about?”

Her words made him feel like an adolescent. “You know I don’t have friends. But I might send invitations to the other High Lords; see if they’d like to send a delegation.”

“Just let me or my assistant know if anyone needs to be seated separately to avoid a fight,” Liang offered. “We have over a thousand guests confirmed, so a few more won’t require much adjustment.”

Eris’ eyes bulged out of his head. “A thousand? Where did you find that many fucking people?”

“Language,” his mother admonished. “And we’ve always had a large attendance, though never quite this large.” She grinned at him. “I believe the host might be a bit more popular this year than in previous years.”

He fell into his thoughts as the two females ordered tea and went through some of the other details with him over the next hour. The annual ball was one of the only events that sent out a certain number of tickets to each regional capital, instead of inviting specific Fae individually. During Beron’s reign, only the required attendees who sat in governing roles showed up, but almost all of the optional invitations had been reserved this year with family members, friends, and colleagues. Eris hoped that meant his Court felt more comfortable with him than his father, and not that they all wanted a front-row seat to his inevitable failure or demise.

Liang sent him off with a few blank invitations, spelled to deliver themselves immediately after being addressed. He stopped by his rooms and scrawled out all the High Lords’ names, except for the Night Court’s which he addressed to Carina. She probably wouldn’t throw his letter directly in the fire. He also added a personal note, letting her know that he still owed her a very fancy dress for her help in finding his mother, offering to send his best tailor her measurements if she wanted to call in that deal.

Either through a simple mistake or a stroke of ingenuity, Liang had handed him 7 invitations, leaving Eris an extra blank one. Inspiration hit him like a brick. Rhia.

Would she want to come? See him in his role? Watch the entire fucking island scrutinize him? Normally, Eris would have let his thoughts swirl in a self-deprecating river until he’d talked himself out of the idea. He chose to stop himself this time, however, and practice healthy communication by just asking her.

Would they be able to hide their bond at such a large event? Any daemati would know, if they didn’t maintain their mental shields perfectly the entire time. The thought of hiding his feelings for Rhia, avoiding her gaze and looking at anyone else when perfection was right in front of him, drew a low growl from his lips. For her safety, though, he would do anything. Even if acting like he didn’t care felt so uniquely miserable.

Carina’s response drew him out of his thoughts. Cauldron, he was getting irrationally dismal in his old age. Maybe that was a side effect of patricide.

He snorted internally at the bleak joke.

Of course I’ll be there, idiot. Bryce is coming too. Something about how I never have any regard for my own safety blah blah blah. I’ve attached detailed instructions for your tailor, and I’ll be bringing a backup gown in case it’s not up to my standard. I have a reputation to uphold.

Eris let relief wash over him that he’d have at least one ally present. At the mention of Carina’s mate, he considered asking her for help with the whole mess of emotions that he went through daily. At the very least, she was one of the very few people in Prythian who understood the dangers of power, the sharpness of panic that came with putting loved ones in danger from enemies that normally wouldn’t spare them a second glance.

Hours of meetings and too many decisions stood between Eris and sitting in his favorite chair in a too-small kitchen. He gave himself one minute to hope that the violent chapters of his life had closed permanently, gave himself one minute to dream of what happiness and peace might actually look like, before re-entering his role as High Lord.

Chapter 12: spent their whole lives trying to put it into words

One small TW for abuse (past, nothing graphic). I've put the usually XXX before and after, but as always please let me know if I can make these warnings better and if you want a summary of that section.

“Hold that position. Yes! Exactly like that!” Rhia gasped. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement

Her student’s tiny arms began to tremble slightly at the exertion. Aliar’s face remained focused, however, as he used his leg muscles to push the wave of water higher and higher, until it touched the ceiling.

He dropped it suddenly. “Was that good?”

Rhia grinned. “That was wonderful . Did you see how much higher you raised it using your entire body instead of just your arms?”

He nodded quickly, a slow smile building on his face. Much quieter than the other two students he trained with, Aliar’s smile was equivalent to jumping with joy.

“Go grab some water, then you all can stretch and go home.” Rhia herded the trio of younglings toward the counter dividing the studio and her kitchen, where she always laid out a pitcher and cups. Raquel immediately stole Aliar’s attention, bestowing compliments and advice all in the same breath, at a speed too fast for anyone to follow along. They had a few more weeks before they would master water, all three of them did, but had made good progress nonetheless.

Rhia shuffled past Leyora carefully, from where the female had begun stretching in the most inconvenient spot, towards the dining room table. She eyed the blank parchment sitting there. The memory of the last time she had been waiting for a message from Eris while teaching this same trio hurt to recall, but she shook off any negative thoughts. Today had been good, her sleep undisturbed and her breathing easy.

It’s only been a day, she chided herself mentally. Give him time to respond, you needy wench.

“What is that?” Raquel demanded. Rhia barely stopped herself from jumping at their voice and shoved her hand away from the parchment. “Are you being sneaky with something?”

“What?” Rhia replied. “I’m an adult. I don’t have to sneak anything.”

Leyora raised her eyebrows. “Sounds like something a sneaky person would say.” Alair humphed in agreement.

“You’re all menaces. Raquel, finish your water.” Children could be eerily perceptive when they wanted to, usually when adults didn’t want them to.

As they grabbed their coats and ambled out, weather already turning gloomy before the Solstice, Rhia watched them go with a strange bittersweet feeling. Would she continue teaching if she became Lady--

Shit. That was not a road she had ever gone down and certainly didn’t need to go down. As if she would ever officially court Eris, nonetheless marry him when they hadn’t done anything more than kissing yet. When they still hadn’t talked through their pasts, their hopes, their darknesses.

Still, the thought lingered.

Rhia busied herself with making dinner as the sun set, drawing graceful golden designs on the walls. She sensed Sofine coming up to her door, grabbing two wine glasses as the Fae burst into the room.

“You read my mind,” she purred. Her gaze turned flirtatious as she noticed the wine Rhia had selected. “Feeling fancy tonight, are we? Expecting special guests?”

Rhia clicked her tongue. “You’re special enough for a nice bottle of wine. Sit, sit.”

Telling Sofi the full story, including how the mating bond had shared the agony of Eris’ stab wound, hadn’t been fun. Rhia had let her friend scold her, had let Sofi get out all of the frustration and worry she felt. Of course they both hoped that being Eris’ mate wouldn’t put Rhia in harm again, but the ordeal had created an entirely new set of anxieties.

So tonight, they stuck to pleasant topics. Rhia’s students, Sofine’s attempts to make a new kind of bread (Rhia secretly wondered how one could create a new kind of bread, but didn’t question it). The roasted vegetables turned out perfectly, a lucky feat when one’s best friend could cook better than anyone for miles.

And of course, the parchment glowed at exactly the wrong moment when Rhia had turned her back to bring the dishes to the sink. She heard Sofi’s gasp and whipped her head around, groaning when she saw her reading whatever message Eris had just sent.

“I’m a bit scandalized.” Sofi winked. “Is he always this dirty?”

Rhia gaped. “What the fuck? Give me that!” She moved at the speed of light, snatching the paper.

May I stop by tonight?

“Ugh, you’re such a bitch,” Rhia grumbled.

Sofine shrugged. “You should’ve seen your face. Maybe you wanted it to be a dirty message.”

That was the problem. Rhia would have loved a dirty message. Or she would have run screaming for the hills and never spoken to anyone ever again. It was a toss up.

“Do you mind if he crashes our plans?” she asked, stopping her perilous thoughts once more. Eris had never looked at her that way, at least not that she had noticed.

Sofi waved her glass of wine like a queen would her scepter. “Please. We hang out every other night. The male presence spices up the evening.”

If you don’t mind Sofi and I after two glasses of wine, Rhia wrote back.

Excellent. Shall I bring something from the royal cellar or do you have more than enough alcohol?

Oh definitely bring something. A fruity red, if you really want to win her over.

She couldn’t have counted to thirty in the time it took for Eris to appear in the kitchen.

“How did you possibly grab wine and winnow here that quickly?” Rhia demanded.

Eris shrugged. “I’m incredible like that.”

“Or he was sitting in the wine cellar, waiting to drown his sorrows if you said no,” Sofine piped up. Her cheeks flushed. “Sorry, I’m still not sure if I’m allowed to treat you normally and such.”

“Please,” Eris smiled. “Put me through all the shit you would normally put a male through.” With a mischievous look at Rhia, he added: “And feel free to tell me about those males while you’re at it.”

Rhia snatched the bottle from him. “Absolutely not.” She checked the label. “Cauldron damn me, this is 600 years old! Wait -- Eris, when exactly were you born?”

“I will not be age-shamed after procuring some of the finest wine in Autumn tonight,” he growled. “You know damn well how old I am.”

Sofine sighed. “I hope I’m not that grumpy in four hundred years.” She raised her now-empty glass up to Rhia, who gladly filled it.

---

Eris flicked his wrist and pulled out a glass for himself, then threw his body into the unoccupied chair. He let out a mock sigh at the females’ teasing, hiding his genuine joy at the playful conversation and quick remarks that flew across the room.

XXX

“I’m never throwing myself a birthday party again,” he insisted. “It’s just depressing at this point. I would’ve stopped throwing them years ago, if we hadn’t been...required to.” Eris trailed off. He’d almost shared the darling fact that Beron had forced all of his sons to host birthday galas, as an excuse to demand gifts and promises from various lords and nobility. Beron also loved nothing more than to use the annual occurrence as an excuse to run through the boys’ failures that year. The harsh words stung, but the sharp blows that followed drew a special kind of agony.

XXX

Rhia’s brow furrowed slightly at his sudden change in tone. “I throw too many birthdays for my students anyway.” He appreciated her attempt to lighten the mood, and appreciated the warmth of her hand on his that followed.

“That reminds me.” Eris squeezed her hand quickly, the other darting into his jacket pocket. “I have something for you. Both of you.” Inspiration struck as he handed the ball invitation to Rhia.

Her eyes danced across the sturdy parchment. “The Autumn Solstice Ball? In two weeks?”

Sofine jumped up. “What? Give me that!” She squealed as she read what Rhia had just spoken. “By the Mother, Eris!! Oh, you are such an improvement on anyone Rhia’s brought home.”

“Sofi’s always wanted to attend a ball,” Rhia shared. Eris tried to judge her expression, but he couldn’t figure out what she was thinking.

“And you? Would you be interested in attending?” he probed. “I, I know it might be complicated for you to attend with the whole...situation.” He gestured between the two of them. “We can do this any way you’d like.”

Rhia worked her bottom lip between her teeth. “I want to, I really do.” Eris had to restrain himself from running his thumb over her forehead until the skin relaxed. “I’m worried people will know, but I’m also exhausted already at the thought of hiding it all night, but I know it’d be strange for you to pop up with a mate randomly, and I--”

“I have an idea,” Sofine interrupted. Her eyes narrowed as her brain doubtlessly worked out some scheme that Eris would either detest or fancy. “It would save you both some trouble. You wouldn’t have to hide your feelings, but you wouldn’t have to come up with a backstory about how you met.”

Oh, Eris would definitely love or hate this.

Sofine took a sip of her wine. “Spit it out, you dramatic tart,” Rhia complained after a moment.

“Write your own fairytale.” Sofi let a smirk play on her lips. “Pretend like you’ve never met, as if Rhia and I just received the invitations through some mistake or some administrative process. And then at the ball, poof! The bond.”

Eris let her words run through his mind once, twice. “You think we should act like the bond clicked into place...at the ball?”

Shrugging, she defended her plan. “I can’t say whether or not you both want to bring your relationship into the public domain, but it would be wonderful, wouldn’t it?” Eris would have snorted at the dreamy look in her eyes if he hadn’t gotten the same look whenever he thought about a future with Rhia. “The new High Lord...hosting an extravagant ball...seeing the most beautiful woman grace his presence...falling love with her-”

“Cauldron, Sofi, are you a writer now?” Rhia stopped her friend from writing an entire novel aloud. Her gaze darted to Eris. “It feels a bit over-the-top, though.”

“I hate to even say this, because you know it isn’t a priority for me, but Gerwin would murder me if I didn’t consider how good of a public relations boost this could be.” Eris winced. It felt unbelievably shallow and inconsiderate to worry about his reputation while discussing his most intimate relationship.

Luckily, Rhia waved off his concerns with a hand on his arm. “Well maybe that’s something I care about.” She turned to her friend. “Do you mind giving us a moment?”

“I’ll give you all night,” Sofi smirked. “Take all the time you need to...talk. Bye!”

Her joke left them both groaning. However, Eris did take advantage of Sofi’s absence to pull Rhia away from the table and towards the much comfier couch across the room. She sat facing him, tucking her legs underneath her as she always did.

“Can I?” Eris stretched out his arm. Rhia gave him the softest smile and nodded, pulling herself closer until they were properly cuddled up next to each other.

“We obviously don’t have to this,” Eris began. “There’s ten other ways you could attend, not attend, whatever you want.”

She scrunched up her face. “Don’t ever repeat this, especially not to Sofi, but I’m completely in love with the idea,’ Rhia confessed. “It’s so silly, I know, but it feels nice to create some fake story. We could keep everything else private.”

Eris loved the idea for entirely different reasons, pretty much of all of them that he would get to dance with the most delightful Fae in this world in front of everyone without having to explain himself to anyone. However, he could work with this.

“So then? Should we do this?”

Rhia rolled her eyes. “Why does it feel like I’m signing my life away to some top-secret mission? Yes, let’s do it.”

He stayed over again that night, except this time they stayed awake talking until an obscene hour. Eris fell asleep with images of their future lulling him into peace.

Chapter 13: your eyes whispered (have we met) take 2

Eris threw himself on his bed, letting out a dramatic sigh that no one could hear. It had been a week and a half of pure stress that saw every kind of crisis, from interviewing potential advisers that ended up having criminal backgrounds to finding out the ballroom floor had somehow deteriorated and needed a fix immediately. Now, the day before the Solstice, Eris found himself wishing Auster had succeeded in his coup, if only for the fact that dealing with these logistics seemed a fitting punishment for treason.

His thoughts, as always, drifted to Rhia. They’d only had a couple nights together since, and Eris had to run back to the palace both times after a couple hours. The last interruption came at a particularly inopportune moment, right as he finished telling her the story of his darkest moment.

“Fuck,” Eris swore. Gerwin’s note made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that he had to come deal with a fight that broke out between some of his people. “I--”

“Go deal with it,” Rhia commanded, her voice unnaturally calm.

Eris let out a loose breath. He had literally just told her about Mor, about leaving a dying woman alone in the woods rather than offer her any aid because she had dared defy their fathers. “I don’t want to leave like this.”

Rhia hadn’t dropped her gaze at any point during the conversation and held his stare even now. “Are you worried that you’ve upset me beyond reproach? That this conversation is my breaking point?”

“Maybe.” He broke first, using the excuse of throwing on his coat to look away. “It’s what isolated the Autumn and Night Court permanently; why the precious Inner Circle will never tolerate me beyond my usefulness as an ally.”

Rhia snorted. “If we had more time, I’d spend all of it convincing you that this most certainly is not my breaking point. But we don’t.” She moved closer into his personal space. “So go deal with your drama and I’ll prove to you that the bridge between us is unbreakable another time.”

She always complained about his cheesy one-liners, but that sentence had carried him through the entire evening and subsequent morning. It wasn’t until that night, until he lay in his bed alone, that doubt began creeping in.

Eris’s mind raged a violent battle. The logical, rational part of him argued that Rhia had insisted they were fine, insisted she wasn’t upset at him. The dark, twisted part of him sneered at that optimism, insisted that she would never look at him again. Why would she, after hearing about his tragic engagement? After all, Rhia looked up to the Inner Circle as if they were deities, the same people who declared Eris a mortal enemy.

Sleep finally stole him from his painful journey through his memories, but his dreams offered little comfort. They swept him from memories of kisses and laughter to visions of tragedy and heartbreak at terrifying speeds.

---

Rhia finished her cup of tea. Sofi stood in front of her, buzzing with excitement, as they both eyed the sheer bags in front of them.

“I can’t stand it anymore,” Sofi declared, throwing her hands up in an overly dramatic gesture. “I’m opening them.”

She untied the lovely ribbon keeping their gowns wrapped in the protective shields before Rhia could protest. “Oh my goodness, Rhia, look .”

“Treya outdid herself,” Rhia agreed. One of her student’s guardians had offered to make them dresses for the Ball for a heavily discounted price, claiming that she had overstocked on specialty fabrics that weren’t selling.

She ran a hand softly over the gold silk. It felt luxurious, obscenely so, and Rhia found herself questioning if she deserved this. Not just the dress, but the entire situation. After so many years stuck in one place, doing one job, with basically one friend, the thought of changing her life overnight seemed beyond daunting. For Eris, though, she would try to step out of her comfort zone.

If only I could step far enough out of my comfort zone to jump his bones, Rhia thought to herself, half-humorously and half-miserable.

Sofi played with the straps of her sparkling red gown. “Where did you go just now?”

“Just wondering how the hell I got here,” Rhia answered. They played this game whenever either drifted too far into their own heads, a way to mindfully reenter the present. “It’s like a fantasy, isn’t it? Finding true love and prince overnight.”

Her tone must have struck bitter, because Sofi stopped admiring the fabric and looked her dead in the eye. “What are you worried about? That you don’t deserve this?”

“Yes, but it’s not...” Rhia fiddled with her gown once more. “We’ve talked a lot about what our life after tonight will look like, and it’s not like we’re about to get married or anything, but is it strange that I wish we were further along in our relationship? How can we just declare ourselves to the entire damn continent at this point?”

Sofi raised an eyebrow. “I would say this is a completely normal stage to tell your circle of people about a relationship. Eris’ circle just happens to include the general public.” She refilled her own mug, then froze. “When you say further along, you don’t mean sex, do you?”

“And what if I do?” Rhia challenged. Her cheeks flushed a bit. It’s not as if Sofi hadn’t seen her at her worst moments and through every failed relationship since, but this admission felt more embarrassing, for some reason. “I’m about to meet his mother and we’ve barely felt each other up.”

One beat of silence, then:

“I’m sorry,” Sofi cackled. “What is your logic here?” Her laughter grew as Rhia frowned, making her words difficult to decipher. “‘Hey Eris! I know everything’s just peachy emotionally, but I can’t go public with you until we’ve fucked!’ Rhia, you’re smarter than this.”

Rhia was smarter than this. “It sounds worse when you say it like that! I just...I’ve never waited this long before and it feels like I’m failing somehow.”

Sofi stopped giggling. “Hey,” she said softly. “You can’t compare relationships, or males, or even yourself in different situations. You’re happier than I’ve ever seen you, and that’s all that matters.”

“I am,” Rhia agreed. She took a deep breath, letting her thoughts settle. “I am, and you’re right.” Saying it out loud had helped calm the tornado of insecurities, helped her realize the fallacy of her worries. “Honestly, I think it’s a good sign we both overthink every tiny thing. As if we’re both terrified to damage what we have.”

Her friend clicked her tongue. “As long as that overthinking doesn’t create any damages itself.”

---

Eris was definitely overthinking their plan. Rhia had written him a short note about an hour ago, letting him know that her gown was perfect and she couldn’t wait. Somehow, her simple positivity had sent Eris into a swirl of anxiety that led him to interrogate Liang about every last logistical element.

“You’re hovering,” she snapped, as he followed her down the hallway. “Why are you asking me about the greeting line? You’ve done it a hundred times.”

Eris usually found her temper refreshing. Not today, though. “Yes, but we don’t normally greet everyone. How long will I be in line?”

Liang gave him a bemused look. “I don’t know, thirty minutes? How chatty do you plan to be? And it’s only for the appointed representatives from each village, like every single other time.” She turned sharply, narrowly avoiding a group of Fae carrying large trays of food to the main hall.

“Don’t follow me,” she called out, not bothering to turn her head to look back at her High Lord. Eris stopped walking, but still heard her mumble several profanities under her breath.

He ran a hand through his hair. Somehow, he had to conclude official introductions and make it into the main party before Rhia showed up, so their “first-glance” would seem authentic, without offending any local politicians by cutting their discussions short. If dinner began too soon, they’d have to wait for dancing, but would it even make sense to lock eyes after two hours at the Ball?

“Pull yourself together,” he mumbled to himself. Eris hated feeling out of control, but he simply couldn’t force a thousand people to move exactly how he wanted.

The plan stressed him out immensely, yet would provide political protection for their relationship. Technically, the law required Eris to disclose any “personal liaisons” to the palace staff and advisers, for security reasons and to allow advisers to approve any potential marriages. He obviously hadn’t done that under Beron to protect his lovers, and really didn’t want anyone saying a damn thing about his future spouse. Luckily, Prythian held mating bonds in the highest regard, and no one would dare say shit about him and Rhia, especially if the bond seemed to appear at an auspicious time of year.

“Talking to yourself now? I heard that’s a sign of mental exhaustion.” Eris turned to face his brother. “Why aren’t you up in your chambers getting pampered and prepared?” Lucien asked.

“I’m going there now,” Eris grumbled. “I was checking on any last minute issues.”

Lucien placed a hand on his shoulder. “How dedicated. Funny story, though, I had only just stepped into the entrance hall when Mother accosted me and demanded I send you back to your chambers.” He let out a small chuckle. “I believe the words ‘nuisance’ and ‘in the way’ were used.”

“It’s my party. I think I’m allowed to help out-”

“You don’t give a shit about event planning,” Lucien interrupted. “Go do your hair and make yourself pretty for your...special guest.”

Eris started. He hadn’t mentioned anything to his brother about Rhia. “What are you talking about?”

Lucien stepped back and put his hands in his pockets. The prick had spent way too much time in the Night Court. “Only that Carina seemed a little too excited for you. Anyways.”

Eris watched him walk away. Of course she had blabbed to his brother, probably immediately after Eris had confided in her last week. She was dogmatically good at keeping secrets when necessary, but notoriously good at gossiping about personal matters.

Still, he winnowed to his chambers and started a bath. His hair did look a bit a shabby, now that Lucien mentioned it.

----

The trees lining the cobblestone path twinkled with golden light, leading the way to the palace. Rhia and Sofi did their best not to gape at the scenery, at everything from the decorations to the masses of people. While they both had visited cities before Amarantha’s reign, the influx of sounds and sights overwhelmed their small-town sensibilities.

Rhia craned her neck to observe the massive double doors that were flung open to allow entrance. “Do they truly leave the doors open all night? Seems dangerous with all these crowds.”

“The only Fae who might break in has an invitation tonight,” Sofi snorted. She nodded at the thick parchment in Rhia’s hand. “Don’t even think about scaling the west wall.”

“East wall,” Rhia corrected automatically. Her heart had begun to race as they neared the doors, the entrance hall now visible over the other guests’ heads. The guards worked efficiently, splitting the crowd into three lines to check their invitations and scan for weapons.

The duo exchanged no further words until they reached the checkpoint. The guard let them through with no hassle, and Rhia let out a small breath. She didn’t expect to be denied entry or thrown in a prison cell, but her last encounter with palace guards had tainted her memory. Hopefully none of the members on staff tonight had arrested her previously.

“He certainly has taste, you think?” Sofi commented as they swept down the spacious hallway. Rhia nodded, enjoying the bright colors of the Autumn Court represented on ornate curtains, plush carpet, and detailed murals. On another occasion, she might have taken her time to admire the artwork like the other guests, but Rhia dragged Sofi quickly through them, with only one beautiful thing on her mind.

An extremely tall Fae stood at the end of the hall, in front of another set of large doors. Unfortunately, these were closed shut.

Rhia frowned at the sight. “Did we have the time wrong?”

“Oh, they just have to finish up the greeting line.” Rhia and Sofi jumped at the sudden comment. “They should open them shortly.”

Rhia grinned when she recognized the Fae next to her. “Gerwin! What are you doing out here with the rabble?” She placed a hand on Sofi’s wrist. “This is my dearest friend, Sofi. Sofi, this is Eris’ weapon master and all-around savior, Gerwin.”

He bowed slightly. “May I get that glowing compliment in writing? Pleased to meet you.”

Sofi laughed. “Likewise. I always think it’s good to know someone who knows where all the weapons are, in case of emergency.”

“The doors are now open,” droned the lanky Fae. Indeed, they swung open slowly behind him, revealing orchestral music and overlapping conversation. Gerwin shot them a quick wink and entered first, careful to act like a friendly stranger rather than an insider on the biggest secret of the year.

“Are you ready?” Sofi whispered under her breath. She slid her hand into Rhia’s, giving it a quick squeeze. “Last chance to run for the hills.”

Rhia scoffed. “Keep walking.” She forced her breath to come out evenly, slowly, hoping her body wouldn’t betray her by fainting before she even saw him.

The lights seemed even brighter, the music swelling to unprecedented volume, as she took those final steps into the ballroom, her eyes darting across all the irrelevant people and things. She only wanted to look at one person, only wanted to think of one thing tonight.

And then her eyes met his.

---

“Do you think you’ll make a trip to the Southern cities this winter? I spoke with the company maintaining your Milton estate, and it couldn’t be in better condition.” The dark-skinned representative beamed.

Eris attempted to return his enthusiasm. “Possibly. There’s still quite a bit of work to do around here. Thank you for coming.”

“Of course, my Lord. Have a wonderful evening.” As the Fae moved towards the dance floor, Eris dared to look back at the closed doors behind him. The official representatives had been let in forty minutes ago, and finally, he could see the end of the greeting line. If he could get through the next two conversations without screaming in frustration, he’d treat himself to the largest drink he could physically hold. Unless she arrived before he made it to the bar, then he’d settle on treating himself with a dance with the love of his life.

“The doors are now open.” The doormale’s voice sent a shot of adrenaline through Eris’ blood, grabbing his attention from the last group of dignitaries from the Dawn Court. His mother’s smile tightened, but her face remained diplomatic as she took over the greeting from her distracted son.

Eris strode away from the politicians and foreigners, away from his role as High Lord. As he walked, his prior thoughts and insecurities rose like a cloud of poison, choking him with doubt. This was the last time he could dream about what would happen when they saw each other’s faces again, the last time he could wonder if she’d come to brighten up his dull palatial life. The last time he could hate himself for offering her a choice to stand by him publicly, as if that wouldn’t put her in danger of scorn and harm.

Eris could barely breathe as he approached the edge of the dance floor. The string octet transitioned to louder music, meant to pull the crowds to their feet and into the arms of a partner. The first line of general guests darted in, chatting excitedly about the extravagance and the notable Fae already in the room.

He truly did stop breathing the moment he saw the tail of a silk golden gown. His eyes raked up the flowing skirt, small sections twisted into rose-like shapes until they reached the tight bodice. Then, his eyes devoured the low neckline and bare shoulders, stopping to note the one sleeve slipping down a smooth, brown arm, mocking the hand he wished to brush down that same arm.

Finally, after several seconds or an eternity, his eyes locked in on the most beautiful face he would ever see. Eris prayed to the Mother that he wouldn’t slip out of consciousness in that moment, when he looked his unbelievably perfect mate in the eye.

Rhia offered him the smallest smile, her hands rising to sit delicately at her stomach. She took a step towards him and--

Eris held back a snarl when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Gerwin mumbled an apology.

“You were standing so still that even I believe this was the moment the bond clicked in,” the weapons master remarked. “I think about half the room has noticed so far.”

“Good.” Eris turned back towards her, towards the angel he would never deserve. And yet, his doubts had completely vanished in her presence, leaving behind only the desire to hold her immediately. “I want them all to see this.”

With a final grin to his best friend, Eris walked across the floor. Fae jumped out of his way, and the gossip increased by a tenfold at his determined pace.

Sofi stood proudly next to her, failing to hold back her grin. She leaned over to whisper something in Rhia’s ear that Eris barely managed to catch. “I think you’ve caught someone’s attention.”

He was now close enough to inhale her scent. Cauldron, he must look like a besotted fool. Luckily, that was his role to play.

“My Lord.” Sofi bowed. Eris shot her a glance that might have appeared disdained to onlookers. She pursed her lips to hold back laughter.

“Have we met?” Eris asked. His tone came off light, casual, hiding the turmoil of love and desire flooding him. “You are absolutely enchanting.”

Rhia blushed and he almost gave in, almost kissed that blush right off her cheeks. “I haven’t had the honor, my Lord.”

“Eris,” he breathed. “To you, always Eris.”

“Rhiannon,” she countered. “Rhia, if you’d like.”

He held out a hand. “Will you do me the honor?”

She took it, and the warmth of her skin blazed across his body. Eris led them out to the dance floor, which had emptied in his journey across it.

The musicians changed their tune mid-note, slowing the tune down until a sweet, romantic song claimed the room. A few cautious couples stepped out from the edges of the crowd, but most of the room stood completely still and held their breaths, straining to figure out who had stolen their High Lord so abruptly.

Eris pulled Rhia close with one hand on her waist, keeping the touch gentle for her comfort. Their intertwined hands rose as their feet moved.

“Why aren’t they dancing?” she asked nervously.

“Don’t look at them. Look at me,” Eris urged. “It’s an old Court tradition, letting the highest ranking nobles have the first dance. They’ll join soon.”

“Why did you ask me to dance?”

He smiled at the question. She was still playing the game. “You must know that you’re the most flawless person in this room. I was wonderstruck.”

That beautiful blush appeared again. “I’ll guess you didn’t pass any mirrors on the way down here, then. I can’t take my eyes off of you.” The hand on his shoulder flexed as Rhia dared to let one finger brush his neck. He shivered.

“Please tell me you felt it too.” Eris’ instincts kept them from crashing into other dancers, since his eyes couldn’t be bothered to leave her face. “Tell me I’m not alone here.”

Passerbyers heard that one. His words spread across the crowd, the gossip faster than his flames ever could.

“Everything vanished when I saw your face,” Rhia replied. Her tone softened, her head tilted. “Yes, I felt it.” She leaned in, lips brushing his ear. “You’ll never be alone again, my love.” The words were murmured too softly for anyone else, an admission that was for him alone.

Gerwin would never let him forget it if he cried in front of everyone, so Eris swallowed back the rage of emotions in his throat. “Thank the Cauldron. Literally, since you’re my-”

A roar of thunder shattered the room, followed by a flash of darkness right in the center of the floor, several feet from where they stood. Some guests screamed, and the guards surged, but Eris merely sighed and held up a hand.

The night black vanished, leaving behind an unfairly attractive couple. The female waved to the crowd, flipping a lock of her raven hair over her shoulder. Her partner stood impassively next to her, his Illyrian wings marking him as obviously other.

Eris inclined his head. “Thank you for coming, Carina.”

[cielrouge]

2019 YA Reads by Authors of Color

96 Words for Love by Rachel Roy - While exploring her grandmother's past at an ashram in India with her cousin Anandi, Raya finds herself and, perhaps, true love in this modern retelling of the legend of Dushyanta and Shakuntala.

After the Fall by E.C. Myers - A year after the destruction of Beacon Academy, Team CFVY answers a distress call and are forced to relive their former battles, from both the fall of Beacon and from everything that came before.

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney - Allie Abraham has it all going for her—she's a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she's dating cute, popular, and sweet Wells Henderson. Only one problem: Wells's father is Jack Henderson, America's most famous conservative shock jock...and Allie hasn't told Wells that her family is Muslim. 

All the Things We Never Said by Yasmin Rahman - 16-year-old Mehreen Miah's anxiety and depression has taken over her life. So, she joins MementoMori, a website that matches people and allocates them a date and method of death. When Mehreen and her new friends change their minds, the website won't let them stop, and an increasingly sinister game begins. 

The Athene Protocol by Shamim Sarif - Jessie Archer is a member of the Athena Protocol, an elite organization of female spies who enact vigilante justice around the world. But after Jessie goes her rogue, her former teammates have been ordered to bring her down. Jessie must face danger from all sides if she’s to complete her mission—and survive.

Barely Missing Anything by Matt Mendez - Three Mexican-Americans--Juan, JD, and Fabi--each try to overcome their individual struggles as they all grapple with how to make a better life for themselves when it seems like brown lives don't matter. 

The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi - An epic YA fantasy about a girl with a special power to communicate with magical beasts and the warring kingdom only she can save.

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh - In 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight and a serial killer is on the loose, half-Asian Celine Rosseau, a dressmaker from Paris, becomes embroiled in a murder mystery, connected to the glamorous supernatural cohort, known as the Court of Lions, and catching the eye of their mysterious, charismatic leader, Sèbastien Saint Germain. 

The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena - Saudi-Canadian Susan is the new girl. Malcolm is the bad boy. Susan’s parents are on the verge of divorce. Malcolm’s dad is a known adulterer. Susan hasn’t told anyone, but she wants to be an artist. Malcolm doesn’t know what he wants—until he meets her. Love is messy and families are messier, but in spite of their burdens, Susan and Malcolm fall for each other.

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu - Remy Tsai was happy once. Remy had her boyfriend Jack, and Elise, her best friend—her soulmate. But now Jack is dead, and it was Elise who pulled the trigger. Was it self-defense? Or something deeper, darker than anything Remy could have imagined? 

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America edit. by Ibi Zoboi - A short story anthology about what it is like to be young and black, centering on the experiences of black teens and emphasizing that one person's experiences, reality, and personal identity are different than someone else.

The Boxer by Nikesh Shukla - When racial tensions are rising in the city, and when a Far Right march through Bristol turns violent, 17-year-old amateur boxer Sunny faces losing his new best friend Keir to radicalization.

Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak by Adi Alsaid - Teen relationship columnist Lu Charles navigates life in the wake of a devastating breakup, and her decision to chronicle the planned breakup of another couple, Cal and Iris, in the summer after they graduate from high school. 

The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad - Set in the city of Noor, along the Silk Road which has become a refuge for those of all faiths, Fatima becomes embroiled in a war between two clans of powerful djinn who threaten to destroy her peace in different ways, forcing her to make unlikely alliances to survive. 

Caster by Elsie Chapman - In this Chinese-inspired, magical Fight Club, Earth is already at the brink of environmental disaster due to the magic overuse. And 16-year-old spell caster Aza Wu must navigate through an illegal, underground battle magic tournament, while evading local gangs and police scouts to save her family from ruin. 

Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha #2) by Tomi Adeyemi - After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But with civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.

Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye - Love, spies, and adventure abound as apprentic warriors Sora and Daemon unravel a complex web of magic and secrets that might tear them—and the entire kingdom—apart forever. 

Color Me In by Natasha Diaz - In this coming-of-age novel, biracal Neveah learns about the meaning of friendship, the joyful beginnings of romance, and the racism and religious intolerance that can both strain a family to the breaking point and strengthen its bonds.

Color Outside the Lines edited by Sangu Madanna - A groundbreaking YA anthology explores the complexity and beauty of interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships where differences are front and center.

Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera - 16-year-old Nalah leads the fiercest all-girl crew in Mega City, but when she sets her sights on giving this life up for a prestigious home in Mega Towers, she must decide if she's willing to do the unspeakable to get what she wants.

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika & Maritza Moulite - Told in epistolary style through letters, articles, emails, and diary entries,  when a school presentation goes very wrong, Haitan-American Alaine Beauparlant finds herself suspended, shipped off to Haiti, and writing the report of a lifetime.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He - In this Chinese-inspired fantasy, Princess Hesina of Yan is thrust into power when her beloved father is murdered, and she's determined to find his killer--whatever the cost. 

Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno - Rosa Santos is cursed by the sea-at least, that's what they say. Dating her is bad news, especially if you're a boy with a boat. As her college decision looms, Rosa collides - literally - with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy with tattoos of the ocean whose family owns the marina. With her heart, her family, and her future on the line, can Rosa break a curse and find her place beyond the horizon. 

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee - In 1890, Atlanta, 17-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid, but by night, Jo moonlights as newspaper advice columnist "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her efforts put Jo in the crosshairs of Atlanta's most notorious criminal, she must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light

A Dream So Dark by L.L. McKinney - Still reeling from her recent battle (and grounded until she graduates) Alice must cross the Veil to rescue her friends and stop the Black Knight once and for all in Wonderland. 

Eclipse the Stars by Maura Milan - Criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot Ia Ccha and her allies make unpredictable choices as they fight to keep darkness from eclipsing the skies.

The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton -  Camille, Edel, and Remy, aided by The Iron Ladies and backed by alternative newspaper The Spider's Web, race to outwit Sophia, find Princess Charlotte, and return her to Orléans.

Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen - Neighbors Mia and Jake pretend to fake date to get their respective mothers off their back. All they have to do is pretend to date and then stage the worst breakup of all time. The only problem is, maybe Jake and Mia don’t hate each other as much as they once thought. 

Far From Agrabah by Aisha Saeed - On an adventure in a fantastical kingdom, Aladdin and Jasmine get caught up in the magic therein. But soon sinister outside forces come into play, threatening to strand them there forever. 

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe - When Norris, a Black French Canadian, starts his junior year at an Austin, Texas, high school, he views his fellow students as clichés from "a bad 90s teen movie."

Firestarter (Timekeeper #3) by Tara Sim - Colton, Daphne, and the others must choose between those striving to take down the world's clock towers so that time can run freely, and terrorists trying to bring back the lost god of time.

Five Dark Fates (Three Dark Crowns #4) by Kendare Blake - In this conclusion to the Three Dark Crowns series, three dark sisters will rise to fight as the secrets of Fennbirn’s history are laid bare. Allegiances will shift. Bonds will be tested, and some broken forever.

Five Midnights by Ann Davila Cardinal - If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. 

Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins - Told in separate voices, Kat and Robin leave Boston on a church mission to help combat human trafficking in India while Kat recovers from a sexual assault and Robin seeks his birth mother.

Frankly in Love by David Yoon - Korean-American Frank Li Frank falls for Brit Means, who is smart, beautiful–and white. Fellow Limbo Joy Song is in a similar predicament, and so they make a pact: they’ll pretend to date each other. Frank thinks it’s the perfect plan, but in the end, Frank and Joy’s fake-dating maneuver leaves him wondering if he ever really understood love–or himself–at all.

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett - HIV-positive teen Simone Garcia-Hampton must navigate fear, disclosure, and radical self-acceptance when she falls in love--and lust--for the first time. 

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi - Paris, 1889: Treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Séverin Montagnet-Alarie gets the chance of a lifetime when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help in exchange for a priceless treasure: his true inheritance. 

The Girl King by Mimi Yu - Sisters Lu and Min become unwitting rivals in a war to claim the title of Emperor. 

Girls of Storm and Shadow (Girls of Paper and Fire #2) by Natasha Ngan - After escaping the Hidden Palace, Lei and her warrior love Wren must travel the kingdom to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans.

The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante - To have her family’s asylum request accepted, 17-year-old Marisol participates in a risky experiment to become a grief keeper, taking another’s grief into her own body to save a life. 

His Hideous Heart edited by Dahlia Adler - 13 of YA’s most celebrated names reimagine Edgar Allan Poe’s most surprising, unsettling, and popular tales for a new generation.

A House of Rage and Sorrow (Celestial Trilogy #2) by Sangu Mandanna - As gods, beasts, and kingdoms choose sides, Alexi seeks out a weapon more devastating than even Titania. The House of Rey is at war. And the entire galaxy will bleed before the end.

How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters - When Remy is assigned to write an essay describing himself, he goes on a journey to reconcile the labels that people have attached to him, and get to know the real Remy Cameron.

Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales of Food & Love edited by Elsie Chapman & Caroline Tung Richmond - Interconnected short stories that explore the intersection of family, culture, and food in the lives of thirteen teens.

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi - When news stations start reporting that Earth has been contacted by a planet named Alma, the world is abuzz with rumors that the alien entity is giving mankind only few days to live. And with only seven days to face their truths and right their wrongs, Jesse, Cate, and Adeem’s paths collide even as their worlds are pulled apart.

I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn -  Japanese-American fashionista Kimi Nakamura who journeys to Japan on a quest of self-discovery after her college plans fall apart; along the way, she reconnects with her estranged grandparents and finds romance with a handsome med student Akira who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot. 

I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest - Chloe Pierce’s chasing her ballet dreams down the east coast— with two unwanted (but kinda cute) passengers in her car, butterflies in her stomach, and a really dope playlist. 

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver -  Non-binary teen Ben De Backer is kicked out by their parents after coming out, but learns that sometimes from disaster one can build a happier new life,

If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann - Winnie dreams of someday inheriting the family diner—but it'll go away if they can't make money, and fast. Winnie has a solution—win a televised cooking competition and make bank. 

In the Key of Nira Ghani by Natasha Deen - Guyanese-American Nira Ghani struggles with parental expectations and her love for jazz. 

Internment by Samira Ahmed - Set in a near future in the United States where Muslim Americans are forced into an internment camp, 17-year-old Layla Amin must fight against Islamophobia, oppression, and complicit silence. 

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden - In 1880s Savannah, Dorcas Vashton offers Essie an offer she can't refuse, she becomes Victoria. Transformed by a fine wardrobe, a classic education, and the rules of etiquette, Victoria is soon welcomed in the upper echelons of black society in Washington, D. C. But when the life she desires is finally within her grasp, Victoria must decide how much of herself she is truly willing to surrender.

It’s a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes & Other Jewish Stories edited by Katherine Locke & Laura Silverman - Get ready to fall in love, experience heartbreak, and discover the true meaning of identity in this poignant collection of short stories about Jewish teens. 

Kick the Moon by Muhammad Khan - 15-year-old Ilyas finds a kindred spirit in Kelly Matthews during detention. But when Kelly catches the eye of one of the local bad boys, Imran, he decides to seduce her for a bet. Standing up to Imran puts Ilyas’ family at risk, but it’s time for him to be the superhero he draws in his comic-books, and go kick the moon.

A Kingdom for the Stage (For A Muse of Fire #2) by Heidi Heilig - The rebels are eager to use Le Trépas’s and necromancer Jetta’s combined magic against the invading colonists. Soon Jetta will face the choice between saving all of Chakrana or becoming like her father, and she isn’t sure which she’ll choose.

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron - Set in a West African-inspired fantasy kingdom, Arrah comes from a long line of powerful witchdoctors, yet fails at magic. When Arrah trade years off her life for magic to stop the Demon King from destroying the world—that is if it doesn't kill her first. 

Kings, Queens, and Everything in Between by Tanya Boteju - 17-year-old, biracial, queer girl Nina Kumara-Clark is plunged into the delirious world of drag where she has the chance to explore questions of identity and love. 

The Last 8 by Laura Pohl - Young Latina pilot Clover Martinez finds herself grounded and alone after a devastating alien attack, but soon finds hope in an unlikely group of survivors who aren't what they seem. 

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki -  Teenager Frederica Riley undergoes what might possibly be the most epically complicated breakup in lesbian history -- or at least it feels that way

The Light At the Bottom of the World by London Shah - Set in a future where the Earth is underwater, Leyla McQueen must navigate the treacherous abyss to find her missing father, but discovers a world drowning in lies. 

Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian - It's 1989 in New York City, three teens, Reza, Judy, and Art cross paths. Judy has never imagined finding romance...until she falls for Reza and they start dating. But as Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won't break Judy's heart--and destroy the most meaningful friendship he's ever known.

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan -  After she’s caught kissing her girlfriend by her conservative Muslim parents, Rukhsana Ali whisked off from Seattle to Bangladesh, where she must find the courage to fight for her love, but can she do so without losing everyone and everything in her life?

Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali - 18-year-old Muslims Adam and Zayneb meet in Doha, Qatar, during spring break and fall in love as both struggle to find a way to live their own truths.

Love Me or Miss Me by Dream Jordan - Kate's fantasy life of having the perfect family comes to an abrupt end when she is suddenly forced to return to the group home. Alone and vulnerable, Kate falls for the ever so gorgeous Percy who treats her well at first, but soon a cycle of controlling and abusive behavior begins. Will she be able to escape Percy's clutches?

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas - As they cross the Great Wall to face the enemy beyond, Mulan and the princeling must find a way to unwind their past, unmask a traitor, and uncover the plans for the Rouran invasion . . . before it's too late.

A Match Made in Mehendi by Nandini Bajpai - 15-year-old Indian-American Simran “Simi” Sangha, who comes from a long line of matchmakers, decides to try to gain high school popularity using her family's matchmaking traditions to create a dating app. 

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco - In  a world ruled by goddesses that has been split in two—one half existing in perpetual scorching Day, the other in freezing Night—twins separated at birth Odessa and Haidee embark on a quest across the great divide and rule a reunited world.

No One Here is Lonely by Sarah Everett - After having her heart so broken, Eden resorts to having her memories erased instead. 

Nocturna by Maya Motayne -  In a Latinx-inspired kingdom of Castallan, face-changing thief Finn Voy and grief-stricken Prince Alfehr must race to vanquish a dark magic they have accidentally unleashed. 

Not Your Backup by C.B. Lee (Sidekick Squad #3) - As the Resistance moves to challenge the corrupt League of Heroes, Emma Robledo realizes where her place is in this fight: at the front.

Oh My Gods by Alexandra Sheppard - Half-mortal teenager Helen Thomas goes to live with her father—who is Zeus, masquerading as a university professor—and must do her best to keep the family secret intact. 

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas - When 16-year-old Bri, an aspiring rapper, pours her anger and frustration into her first song, she finds herself at the center of a controversy.

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy - In this Arthurian retelling set in space, King Arthur is reincarnated as 17-year-old Ari, a female king whose quest is to stop a tyrannical corporate government, aided by a teenaged Merlin. 

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds - After falling for Kate, her unexpected death sends Jack back in time to the moment they first met, but he soon learns that his actions have unintended consequences. 

Our Wayward Fate by Gloria Chao - 17-year-old teen outcast Ali Chu is simultaneously swept up in a whirlwind romance and down a rabbit hole of dark family secrets when another Taiwanese family moves to her small, predominantly white Midwestern town. 

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribar - When 17-year-old Jay Reguero learns his Filipino cousin and former best friend, Jun, was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, he flies to the Philippines to learn more.

Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi - Brooklyn bodega worker Pablo crosses paths & falls in love with multi-platinum recording artist Leanna Smart. 

Rated by Melissa Grey - For the students at the prestigious Maplethorpe Academy, every single thing they do is reflected in their Ratings System. But when an act of vandalism sullies the front doors of the school, it sets off a chain reaction that will shake the lives of six special students -- and the world beyond.

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia - When a tragic accident takes the life of the only family she's ever known, 16-year-old Raven is sent to New Orleans to start over. She soon discovers that she can hear the thoughts of others around her...and another, more disturbing, voice in her head. 

Rebel (Legend #4) by Marie Lu - Brothers Eden and Daniel Wing struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, but a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own. 

The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert - Dove “Birdie” Randolph maintains a close bond with her parents until first love and a family secret threatens to tear them apart. 

The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee - The never-before-told backstory of Avatar Kyoshi, from a girl of humble origins to the merciless pursuer of justice who is still feared and admired centuries after she became the Avatar.

A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy - A North African-inspired feminist fantasy in which two sisters, Eva and Isa must compete in a magical duel to the death for the right to inherit the queendom of Myre.  

Rogue Heart (Rebel Seoul #2) by Axie Oh - Two years after the Battle of Neo Seoul, 18-year-old telepath Ama must use her telepathic abilities to infiltrate the base of the Alliance’s new war commander, Alex Kim, her first love who betrayed her. Will she be able to carry out her task? Or will she give up everything for Alex again—only to be betrayed once more?

Ruse (Want #2) by Cindy Pon - In near-future Shanghai where society is divided between the fabulously wealthy business elite and the masses they exploit, Jason Zhou must play a dangerous cat and mouse game with the ruthless CEO of an all powerful corporation which has an ever-growing choke hold on the polluted metropolis. 

Soaring Earth by Margarita Engle - In this memoir, Young People’s Poet Laureate Margarita Engle recounts her teenage years during the turbulent 1960s between Cuba and America. 

Shadow Frost by Coco Ma - When Asterin Faelenhart, Princess of Axaria and heir to the throne, discovers that she may hold the key to defeating the demon terrorizing her kingdom, she vows not to rest until the beast is slain. 

Take the Mic: Fictional Stories About Everyday Resistance edited by Bethany C. Morrow - A YA anthology focused on a collection of fictional stories of everyday resistance.

The Shadow Glass (Bone Witch #3) by Rin Chupeco -  Bone witch Tea's dark magic eats away at her, but she must save the one she loves most, even while her life—and the kingdoms—are on the brink of destruction.

Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells - Maren, desperate to save her kidnapped girlfriend Kaia, plans to steal one of the emperor's dragons and storm the Aurati stronghold, but her success depends on becoming an apprentice to the mysterious dragon trainer, which proves to be a dangerous venture. 

SLAY by Brittney Morris - Black video game developer Kiera Johnson battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther-inspired video game she created, and the safe community it represents for black gamers. 

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo - In Hong Kong, k-pop star Lucky who'd like to be anyone else meets charming con-boy Jack, looking for a big break to impress his paparazzo father. When sparks ignite, the two must decide if they can risk it all for each other. 

Song of the Abyss (Towers of Wind #2) by Makiia Lucier - When menacing raiders attack her ship, navigator Reyna must use every resource at her disposal, including placing her trust in a handsome prince from a rival kingdom.

Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao - After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician's apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman's daughter, regrets her actions. After learning that Bao’s soul has been trapped inside a flute by a witch, Lan vows to make amends and help break the spell.

Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) by Julie Kagawa - As the paths of Yumeko and the possessed Tatsumi cross once again, the entire empire will be thrown into chaos. 

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim - 17-year-old Maia Tamarin poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor, and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars, with help from the mysterious court magician, Edan. 

Spin by Lamar Giles - When DJ ParSec, rising star of the local music scene, is found dead over her turntables, the two girls who found her, Kya and Fuse, are torn between grief for Paris and hatred for each other--but when the investigation stalls, they unite, determined to find out who murdered their friend.

The Stars the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petraus  - Audre from Trinidad and Mabel from Minneapolis, fall in love and create magic at the same time they learn one of them might not have long to live. 

Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan - In this steampunk fantasy set in Qing dynasty-inspired China, warrior girl Anlei teams up with a thief to save her village from shadow spirits, but after arriving at the Courts of Hell, a discovery challenges everything they know about who the real enemy is. 

Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sonia Charaipotra - The youngest doctor in America, Indian-American teen Saira makes her rounds―and falls head over heels in this romantic comedy. 

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi - Sana Khan and Rachel Recht, on opposite sides of the social scale must work together to make a movie and try very hard not to fall in love.

The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina - As Beth Teller and her father unravel a mystery, they find a shocking and heartbreaking story lurking beneath the surface of a small town, and a friendship that lasts beyond one life and into another...

There’s Something About Sweetie (When Dimple Met Rishi #3) by Sandhya Menon - Told in two voices, disappointed-in-love Ashish Patel and self-proclaimed fat athlete Sweetie Nair begin to find their true selves while dating under contract.

This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura - 17-year-old CJ Katsuyama’s mom decides to sell her family’s flower shop—to the family who swindled CJ’s grandparents during WWII Internment. Soon a rift threatens to splinter CJ’s family, friends, and their entire Northern California community; and for the first time, CJ has found something she wants to fight for.

A Thousand Fires by Shannon Price - In modern-day San Francisco where three gangs rule the city streets, half-Filipina teen Valerie Simons enters the Red Bridge Wars to seek vengeance for her younger brother's death, but soon finds herself torn between old love and new loyalty. 

The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala - In ancient India, soldier Kunal hunts the “Viper,” rebel girl Esha accused of killing his General, embarking on a dangerous cat and mouse game and where both must decide—loyalty to their old lives or to a love that's made them dream of new ones. 

Truly, Madly, Royally by Debbie Riguad - When Prince Owen invites Zora Emerson to be his date at his big brother's big royal wedding, Zora is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, along with her family and friends. 

The Universal Laws of Marco by Carmen Rodrigues - Told through the lens of a guy in love with the cosmos (and maybe two girls), this story explores the complicated histories that bring us together and tear us apart. 

Virtually Yours by Sarvenz Tash -  NYU freshman Mariam Vakilian tries out a virtual reality dating app, only to be matched up with the high school ex she's still not over. Mariam’s heart is telling her one thing, but the app is telling her another. So, which should she trust? Is all fair in modern love?

The Voice in My Head by Dana L. Davis - When a sequence of wrenching secrets detonates, Indigo must figure out how to come to terms with her twin sister Violet, her family…and the voice in her head.

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi - Set in a futuristic, Black Panther-inspired Nigeria, sisters Onyii and Ify, separated by a devastating civil war, must fight their way back to each other against all odds. 

Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson & Ellen Hagan - Jasmine and Chelsea start a Women's Rights Club and soon go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by online trolls. When things escalate, the principal shuts the club down. Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices—and those of other young women—to be heard.

What Makes You Beautiful by Bridget Liang - Encouraged and supported by his friends at school, Logan begins questioning his gender. Realizing they are not a gay boy, but a transgender girl, Logan asks for people to call them Veronica. As a girl, does Veronica stand a chance with straight boy Kyle?

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal - In a world inspired by ancient Arabia, 17-year-old huntress Zafira must disguise herself as a man to seek a lost artifact that could return magic to her cursed world.

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia - Set at the Medio School for Girls, where young women are trained to become one of two wives assigned to high society men; with revolution brewing in the streets, star student Daniela Vargas fights to protect a destructive secret, sending her into the arms of the most dangerous person possible—the second wife of her husband-to-be. 

The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf - A music-loving teen with OCD does everything she can to find her way back to her mother during the historic race riots in 1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

When the Stars Lead to You by Ronni Davis - 18-year-old Devon longs for two things.The stars. And the boy she fell in love with last summer. Senior year, Ashton shows up on the first day of school. Can she forgive him and open her heart again? Or are they doomed to repeat history?

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho - After 18-year-old Miyoung Gu, a nine-tailed fox surviving in modern-day Seoul by eating the souls of evil men, kills a murderous goblin to save Jihoon, she is forced to choose between her immortal life and his.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo - With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior and aspiring chef Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free. 

You Must Be Layla by Yasmin Abdel-Magied - Layla's mind goes a million miles a minute, so does her mouth. Despite the setback of a high school suspension, Layla's determined to show everyone that she does deserve her scholarship and sets her sights on winning a big invention competition. But where to begin? Looking outside and in, Layla will need to come to terms with who she is and who she wants to be if she has any chance of succeeding.

[d2kvirus]

Dickheads of the Month: September 2020

As it seems that there are people who say or do things that are remarkably dickheaded yet somehow people try to make excuses for them or pretend it never happened, here is a collection of some of the dickheaded actions we saw in the month of September 2020 to make sure that they are never forgotten.

Remember how proven liar Boris Johnson said he had a world-beating oven-ready Britait deal, which was also the basis of his election slogan campaign of “Get Britait done” and the lack of support for the deal is the reason he sacked 21 of his own MPs?  Just asking, because he tore the whole thing up and said it was unworkable - which also led to Brandon Lewis saying in Parliament, so it is now forever enshrined in the Hansard, that De Pfeffel merely broke international law “in a very specific and limited way” - you know, sort of like how the Manson Family broke the law in a very specific and limited way

The bold vision of a new BBC shared by Tim Davie was revealed when he threatened comedy shows with the axe if they kept making jokes about Britait, the Tory Party or Donald Trump on his first day on the job, because as we all know the best form of comedy comes from punching down rather than up, which is why Little Britain definitely hasn’t aged appallingly

Master of decorum Donald Trump couldn’t even wait a few short hours after Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death before he started rallying the foot soldiers about cramming somebody more fitting with what he wanted into the Supreme Court

Mayor of Amity Island governor of Florida Ron DeSantis continued his bid to be recognised for having the worst response to the Covid pandemic in the congress of having the worst possible response to the Covid pandemic by deciding that, actually, the state of Florida needs to lessen its Covid restrictions at a time when cases of Covid have begun to rise alarmingly in the state

It’s no surprise that proven liar Boris Johnson lied in Parliament by referring to Serco’s failing test & trace app as “NHS Test & Trace” - however the biggest issue is that the BBC had been using the exact same phrase for at least two weeks before that

Nobody was surprised to hear smirking cretin Priti Patel personally using the term “activist lawyers” that the Home Office (headed by P. Patel) had previously used to dehumanise and demean people upholding those pesky immigration laws that the Tory Party really don’t like getting in the way

Tax dodging orange goblin Donald Trump was asked a simple question: Do you think that white supremacists are a problem?  We are still waiting for an answer to that question...

Okay, so now the Conservative Party are cracking down on people breaking lockdown, with threats of a £10,000 fine - rather than circling the wagons around them and throwing out one cock and bull excuse after another like they did when Dominic Cummings broke lockdown to nip off to Durham after testing positive for Covid on what just so happened to be his wife’s birthday

You know that Matt Hancock is good at his job when, having been sent out in front of the cameras to defend The Tory Party appointing ex-Australian PM and all-around arsehole Tony Abbott as a trade advisor in spite his history of misogynistic, homophobic and “Let’s kill the elderly so we can survive Covid” comments the best he could do was say he was a good negotiator...which promptly led to all manner of comments about Harold Shipman being a good GP and Fred West laying one hell of a patio 

According to Jacob Rees Mogg the public having a legitimate complaint about it being damn near impossible to have a Covid test is nothing more than “endless carping” and not, say, legitimate criticism of a woefully underprepared government trying to coast by on the bare minimum who have the gall to try and blame the public for their long list of catestrophic fuckups

It was no surprise to hear proven liar Boris Johnson hand-wringing about “the freedom of the press” after Extinction Rebellion finally realised that being annoying idiots is far more likely to gain support if you’re being annoying idiots with a purpose - just as it was no surprise to hear that proven liar Boris Johnson had no opinion whatsoever of Tim Davie telling BBC newsreaders to fall in line with the corporation (read: Tory) line or they’d be sacked

Once again there was a chance for Keir Starmer to show that his talk of being “true Opposition” is more than a soundbite and, once again, he wimped out on it when ordering Labour MPs to abstain from voting on the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill for fear of being accused of being “anti-British” by voting for a bill created to stop prosecution of British troops for using torture instead of voting against it - and then sacking Nadia Whittome, Beth Winter, and Olivia Blake from their junior ministerial positions when they were three of the 18 Labour MPs who voted against it

It clearly never occurred to Marsha Blackburn when she was browbeating people about the Constitution of the US never being rewritten that the Constitution of the US has been rewritten several times already.  There’s a reason they’re called “Amendments” and not “Footnotes” you know...

Smirking cretin Priti Patel proudly stated that, if she saw her neighbours, she’d gladly call the police due to them breaking the law.  This was around 14 hours after she’d voted to break international law in the Commons, or a few short years after she broke ministerial code by nipping over to Israel to have undisclosed meetings with israeli officials, which begs the question about whether her neighbours are just as willing, doesn’t it?

Judging by Alan Sugar tweeting out conspiracy theories about Covid being created in a Wuhan lab, I think it's safe to say that no Apprentice game show host is capable of not acting like a complete arse on Twitter.  Luckily for the UK, Sugar isn’t Prime Minister - he’s merely a member of the House of Lords...

It’s been a while since WWE acted like totalitarian dicks to the wrestlers employed independently contracted to them but they managed to find one by telling every single one of their employees independent contractors that they could no longer use Twitch or Cameo as it was decided this was being “detrimental” to the company...you know, the bunch of carnies who sign billion dollar deals with our journalist-murdering, woman-oppressing, Yemeni-slaughtering, 9/11-planning “allies” Saudi Arabia, don’t have any for of healthcare for their employees independent contractors, continued a pay per view even though one of their employees independent contractors died due to a stunt going wrong that was linked to the company cheaping out on a safety harness, and apparently not knowing that the term “independent contractor” doesn’t mean the company can sign them to five year deals but sack them at any point - and then prevent them from working anywhere else for 90 days

We had confirmation of Alison Pearson possessing a terrifying combination of pig ignorance and outright sociopathy when she began a Telegraph article with the following: “My son has Covid-19.  Good.”

Sour grapes from Lisa Nandy over people forgetting she was in the Labour leadership race judging by how she apparently didn’t listen to a party pledge to tax corporations and instead spout off a bunch of nonsensical gibberish that sounded uncannily like Britain First rhetoric under the belief that sounding like Britain First is guaranteed to win back working class Northern voters

Litigious TERF JK Rowling revealed her latest book is about a man who murders people while dressed as a woman, which definitely hasn’t drawn any form of comment whatsoever...

You would like to believe that reports of Limestone Games not only effectively stealing the game Aeon Must Die! from the actual dev team who were forced out of the company by a culture of abuse and harassment by a shady cabal who took over the studio would have eld to the game’s release being postponed, especially after it emerged that assets used in the game’s trailer were infringing on various copyrights - but instead Focus Home Entertainment responded by twiddling their thumbs and doing nothing

I’m sure there’s no connection between Alan Sugar demanding people go back to work as if the number of Covid cases has been rising to an alarming degree and how Alan Sugar is bemoaning that his commercial property portfolio is not making him “enough” money due to people staying at home.  None whatsoever...

The fact that those moron parents in California started a wildfire after setting off fireworks for their baby’s gender reveal party that led to over 20,000 people having to evacuate their homes is dickheaded enough - but the fact that it’s not the first case of this happening, as a similar incident happened in Arizona back in 2018, makes them look even more dickheaded

If you want to say you put Britain before anything else, like Andrea Jenkyns did in her latest Twitter tsunami of childishness and spite, it doesn't look good when you say you're pro-Trump before pre-De Pfeffel as it defeats your own argument almost as fast as being Andrea Jenkyns - or, you know, failing to spell the word “British” correctly when accusing people of being anti-British

It would have been wise if West Ham announced that manager David Moyes and two players had tested positive for Covid before their match with Hull - not after the match had kicked off, leading to Moyes legging it out of the stadium

Whatever it is in the mind of DeAnna Lorraine that snapped and had her babbling insane nonsense that The Masked Singer is part of a covert plot to have people wearing masks probably can’t be repaired, and appears to have also caused her to accuse anyone who thinks she does sound insane of being acolytes of George Soros

Professional victim Laurence Fox somehow believed that posting a chat log of a conversation between himself and Rebecca Front and then howling about being “cancelled” - and then a few hours later had to very publicly backtrack, no doubt because his agent had several dozen words with him

I have no idea why David Cameron convinced himself that showing himself helping out in the Chipping Norton food bank was a good idea, considering he’s the reason why food banks exist in the first place

How nice of Manchester Metropolitan University to tell the students who were confined to accomodation so unable to go out and buy food, who were paying £9000 tuition fees for face-to-face tutoring that was done via Zoom that makes such good value of the hundreds of pounds of rent they have to pay per month when they could have had those same lectures from home, that they’re not allowed to protest about this situation and had to take any signs posted on their windows critical of the government down immediately

In normal circumstances Mason Greenwood and Phil Foden sneaking girls into the England team hotel would look pretty stupid, especially in Foden’s case considering the odds of his live-in girlfriend not finding out about this are practically nil, but during a global pandemic it looked so incredibly boneheaded it’s lucky they play for the Manchester clubs otherwise the front pages would be calling them ignorant traitors or some such bullshit

Nothing sums up Premier League referees quite like them clearly not understanding the current definition of the handball rule, but rather than actually look it up they make it up as they go alone leading to more penalties being awarded for handball in the first four rounds of Premier League fixtures than in entire seasons - not helped by Premier League referees also operating VAR, where they seem to have a policy of “If you ignore my cock up, I’ll ignore yours”

And finally, inventing yet another terror atrocity, is Donald Trump and his batshit insane proclamations about cans of soup being a much bigger threat to American lives than, say, and AR-15.  But then again, it’s not like his support base has a habit of throwing cans of soup at crowds of people

[draconida]

Shance Fic Recs (Part two)

And here more Shance's stories! 

41- Prettier than most by MissBluebelles [Explicit]

Shiro has fallen hard for the pretty blue paladin he woke up to in Keith's shack. There's no denying it. But while trying to keep those feelings in check, he notices how the beautiful young man slowly distances himself from the team.

When Lance overhears some of his team-mates talking about him behind his back, he finds himself crumbling under the pressure of the responsibilities he has as a paladin. Will he ever be enough? Will he ever be as good as his team?

42- The Alpha Prime of District Six by keir [Explicit and omegaverse]

Lance isn't getting any younger and he desperately wants a kit, but he's been jaded on love ever since his mate left him. It was just something silly at first when he went on a website meant for anonymous hookups; he didn't really think anything would come of it. But when someone catches his interest, he decides to take a risk and ends up with more than he had ever bargained for.

43- Lean On Me by KnightNuraStar

It was the first time Lance would meet any merfolk.

But, he thinks he'll get used to it.

Yup, he could definitely get used to it.

44- You and Her, Forever by starboyshiro

Lance spends Valentine’s Day absorbed in how much his life has changed in just a few short years. Especially about how much of an impact Takashi and Aria had on his life.

45- The Florist Next Door by starboyshiro

Hunk deflates a little, sinking back into the couch. "Just do something, please? I'm tired of seeing moping around because Shiro isn't your Valentine, yet."

"You seem really confident in Shiro's so-called feelings."

"It's easy to tell it's him dude. I know it, you know it. Hell, Blue probably even knows it! The whole damn world knows that Takashi Shirogane likes you!"

46- A Treat for the Eyes by PuppetMaster55 [Explicit]

Lance enjoys teasing his boyfriend with suggestive pics and videos.

Shiro decides to respond in kind.

47- All You Have To Do Is Ask by sitswithcats [Explicit]

Lance is desperate to get fucked, Shiro is happy to help out

Or

The fic where Lance rides Shiro while he flies the black lion that no one asked for but I wrote anyway.

48- The True Freshman by orphan_account

Shiro's sophomore year at Garrison Tech was already off to an unexpected start. Due to an injury, he was forced to take a medical redshirt year, making it his second year of ineligibility to play the sport he loved; his plans were ruined before the first day of classes even began.

His year gets even more interesting after his brother Keith ropes him into taking him to the first party of the year, where he meets another freshman named Lance.

49- Eye of the Storm by ThereWillBeCubes [Explicit, omegaverse and non-con]

Lance alone in the middle of a storm, and a stranger at his doorstep.

50- Ain't No God Where We're From, Darling by PastelClark [References To Rape/Torture]

“You want to release a group of the world’s worst criminals, complete with weapons, and try to get them to work for us.” Idly, Shiro wonders if he’d accidentally ingested a hallucinogen earlier in the day. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“No,” Allura’s voice is disturbingly calm. “I want to temporarily let out a group of incarcerated people I think could be useful for us, under heavy supervision.”

51- The Best Wingman Ever by magisterpavus

“I don’t understand,” Keith said flatly.

“IthinkIhaveabigfatstupidcrushonLance,” Shiro repeated.

Keith rubbed his eyes. “No, yeah, I got that; I just mean I don’t understand what you want me to do about it, Shiro.”

Shiro gawked at him. “Help me, Keith! That’s what best friends are supposed to do, you know, you’re supposed to be my, uh...wingman.” As soon as he said it, Shiro realized what an awful idea it was.

52- The Tailor by DuskBeforeDawn

Now, Lance knows a thing or two about kids, after all he had like a million cousins so he figured he may as well give a helping hand. Not like it was totally for the insanely hot officer, nope, not at all.

53- Nearly Witches (Read: Actually Witches) by TheLanceShow

Shiro, one day, decides to go to a shoppe to stop his nightmares. In the process, he becomes infatuated with a certain witch.

Or;

Lance is a witch and Shiro is under his spell.

54- Super Nanny by mettaverse [Trans Lance, in process]

Shiro has come back from war crippled- his arm is gone, PTSD rules his life, and he barely remembers how to smile. His wife, unable to handle the state Shiro came home in, has left him with their son Keith.

Thus enters Lance, the new nanny. His job, technically, is to take care of Keith at all times. But seeing Shiro, how sad he is, how broken, prompts Lance to personally take over Shiro's life, trying hard to help him pick up the pieces of his life.

55- Get Me Home by singtolife [omegaverse]

“Do you really think all omegas want to be fucked by you? Sorry to break it to you, but you can fuck off “

When Lance's car breaks down before he can even begin the journey home from college, Keith sends his brother Shiro over to help him out. As Lance waits, he's hit on by some asshole alpha who can't take no for an answer.

56- Brace for Impact by shyfoxes

"Not to be rude, my guy,” Lance said, “but you’re wrong. You are worth it. I’m going to prove it to you.”

“By doing what exactly?” Shiro asked, exasperated. “Standing outside Galra Tech with a sign? Spray-painting Zarkon’s car? There’s nothing you can do, Lance.”

Lance held his chin up. “What if I fight you?”

Shiro blinked, jaw dropping. “What?”

“What if I fight you? What if I fight everyone on that list to get to you?” Lance exclaimed. “If I win, you come with me. If I lose - I’ll leave you alone, forever.”

Or, underground fighter Shiro finally learns how to hope again from a persistent guy named Lance.

57- The Call of the Sea by Red_Ce

Lance watched the surface grow farther and farther away, bubbles rising all round, spiraling toward the sky. The waves pulled at his hair to surround his face, strands tickling his lips and freckles. His heartbeat pounded loud in his ears. His heart pulled him down. His fingertips pulled him down. His inadequacy pulled him down. He was drowning in it all.

Then- a flash to his right. Something grey and sleek. Lance righted himself, terror taking hold of his body for two infinite seconds. Prey, his subconscious whispered to him. To whatever this creature is, you are prey.

Lance is insecure and loves the water. Shiro is a carnivorous merman who probably wants to eat him. They meet, and bond.

58- Fluffy Bites by KnightNuraStar

Lance was trying to find a home to settle in.

Though, he's surprised when his home finds him.

Or well.. bites him.

59- Home by starboyshiro

Shiro knows a little bit more about flowers than Lance had anticipated.

60- vivir sin ellos, ya no podría by slimeys

Shiro tries to occupy himself in his surroundings, taking in the cloudy sky, the clanking of the train, the cute guy sitting across from him wearing the exact same outfit.

He's, like, really cute. Shiro doesn’t think he’s seen him before, because if he did, he’d definitely remember that bronze skin and those long legs. His cap is backwards, pulling dark waves off his forehead and revealing the cutest widow’s peak on this side of Snowqualmie. This is too much. Even as he looks down at his phone with a light smile—is he looking at a meme? Does he like memes? Shiro really hopes so—he exudes charisma and charm. Shiro is starting to think that it isn’t the matching clothes that drew his attention.

61- do you got plans tonight? by kalakauuas

Lance doesn’t know this guy, but he knows that being stood up is no fun, so. He takes matters into his own hands.

(and maybe holds Shiro’s while he’s at it.)

62- Shiro, You Horndog You! (Oneshot) by orphan_account [Explicit]

So basically, Shiro gets horny when him and Lance hand wrestle. Because who doesn't get horny af after a good hand wrestle amirite?. Lance says that the loser has to do anything the winner says. You know where that goes. Shiro takes full advantage of this and smut happens, as well as fluff, cuzz who doesn't love a good fluff.

63- Strobes and Stilettos by SpicyRedPaladin [Explicit]

Keith drags Shiro to a rave and promptly disappears. But Shiro finds company in a gorgeous Latino instead.

64- Platform 5 by after_midnightmunchies

To the gorgeous man with the ocean blue eyes whose phone I saved from plummeting off of Platform 5 last Tuesday: I forgot to put my number in it. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since then. If you feel the same, please meet me there again on Friday, February 14th at 5 pm.

“Who even reads the newspaper anymore?” Hunk snorted.

Lance never expected to be swept off of his feet by a classified ad in the newspaper, but there truly is a first time for everything.

65- Keeping Up Appearances by starboyshiro

“We have a date for you.”

“What!?” Shiro nearly chokes on his own spit.

“She’s a lovely girl. We think you would really like her.”

This time Shiro does choke on his own spit. Coughing wildly for a moment while his mother yells over the phone, asking if he’s okay. Her, oh my god. Quick Shiro think of something!

“I— uh, I have a date already!” Shit, Shiro, not that.

“Oh really? Who is she?”

“He is a very lovely man.” Whoever he is. Shiro’s really digging his own grave at this point.

66- To Dream Of Water by HedonistInk [Explicit, Shape of Water inspired]

For as long as he could remember, Lance had dreamed of water. His dreams felt more real than his waking life, a world swathed in shades of blue and green. Twisting, twirling in the water, it was the one place he felt complete, the only place he felt whole and unbroken and entirely himself. It was the only place he felt free.

And that was when he'd met him, the man from the sea who would change his life forever.

67- Of love and the art of ice cream future telling by taovol

The tale of how Lance solved the riddle that is Mystery Whitepatch Man and gained his phone number in the process.

OR

Lance has the hots for a mysterious costumer.

68- Seashells and Magic by KnightNuraStar

Lance was a water mage who moved into a tiny cottage by the sea.

During one of his disastrous flight lessons he gets to meet not only his neighbor...

But, also his admirer.

69- Magic Cats and Hot Wizards?! by AbandonedLibrary

Lance moves into a new town and finds it very strange. He goes into a store that has a strange cat and GASP! IS HARRY POTTER REAL?!

70- Unicorn Printed Toothbrush by AshesTheTerrible [Explicit, omegaverse and mpreg]

Lance and Shiro have their hands full with a two, four and six year old. Parenting is a challenge, finding alone time even more so. Their date nights once consisted of lavish restaurants and black tie affairs...now they are more along the lines of spending a night in, adorned in sweatpants.

71- An Old Tattoo by AshesTheTerrible [Explicit and omegaverse]

The tattoo is aged now, ink faded, colors years old. It's a time stamp from another phase of Lance's life, a postcard from his past. He was a different Omega then, lust drunk and wild...until he'd met Shiro.

Shiro changed everything.

72- Want You by starboyshiro

Despite Keith often complaining about Lance, he insists Shiro should go on a date with him. For once, Keith had a good idea.

73- My Friend's Hot Roommate by Aesthetic_Demon [Trans Lance]

After Shiro finished college alongside his best friend Keith they settled back in their home town. A few months later Keith announces that a very close friend of theirs will be staying over for a week- and although he's changed quite a bit, Shiro's big ass crush on him hasn't.

74- All For The Best by CrypticGabriel [Explicit, Trans Lance and pregnancy]

It was just one night. Prom night. After being together for a couple years, Lance and his boyfriend Shiro had their first time after a wonderful night of dancing and stargazing. Nothing was supposed to really… come from it.

Much to his dismay, the results he found were not the ones he’d intended to have.

In which Lance gets pregnant and feels it's best to handle it all on his own. But after five years of trying to hide it from Shiro, he had to go back on his word.

75- Unforgettable by HedonistInk

Like a song of love that clings to me | How the thought of you does things to me | Never before | Has someone been more...

Unforgettable.

When Shiro showed up on Lance's ward, Lance didn't expect him to be anything other than just another patient. He never dreamed he would miss him so much when he left.

76- Lost and Found by mysticmajestic

Shiro loses his daughter in the mall. Lance finds her.

77- Something Just Like This by Sarolonde

[19:09] Lance glad my photos were accidentally sent 2 a nice guy like u <3 thank u for not being a creep [19:22] Shiro Uh, you’re welcome. I guess? I don’t know what else I would have even done with the situation. [22:11] Lance u innocent sweet angel unicorn ^_^ g’night kind sir *tips hat* [22:13] Shiro Goodnight, Interesting Stranger.

The wonderful, unexpected consequences of Lance sending partially-nude pictures of himself to a stranger.

78- The Doctor Is In by HedonistInk, ZeroCrowe [Explicit and Trans Lance]

Lance had always hated going to the doctors for anything to do with his reproductive biology. But transitioning and other medical issues meant that Lance had spent more than his fair share of hours around doctors. It wasn’t until he was nineteen and having serious pain issues that his local GP finally referred him to the Gynaecology department at the hospital in the next town over. Fortunately for Lance, it wasn't that far of a drive. Unfortunately for Lance, his doctor turned out to be young and hot. Fortunately for Lance, that doctor thinks Lance is temptingly hot as well.

79- The Engine's Growl by AshesTheTerrible [Explicit and Trans Lance]

Lance had no idea that motorcyles vibrated so much.

The sleek, black, Harley was like a purring beast between his legs. He hadn't been keen on the idea of riding on one. But Shiro had convinced him and now he was having a strikingly fast change of heart towards the entire situation.

80- Rekindling by CrypticGabriel [Explicit, Trans Lance and kids]

Lance was happily married to a Marine Drill Instructor. At least, he thought he was. They'd been married for twelve years and had four kids together, and now he was worried the love was dying.

81- The Other by SuccubustyKisses [Explicit and Non-con]

When another Shiro comes from another dimension, asking Lance to run away with him, and threatening the life of his friends if he doesn’t. Who is Lance to say no?

Preview: “Oh! Right!” Other Pidge sat up straight again, pushing small half moon glasses back up on her nose. “My name is Kate Holt, though I’m sure you all know that. I’m chief communications officer of the Guns of Gamora. We had a recent… betrayal… that we believe will lead to issues for you guys and Sven asked me to contact you and well… give you, Lance, a warning.”

“Wait, me specifically?” Lance pointed up to himself confusion covering his face.

Kate nods. “You see one of our old members, Sven’s twin brother actually… he betrayed us, stole the Altean technology Hunk was using to try to find a cure for the whole mind control thing, used it on our own Lance turning him against us, and with the technology we were developing together to do dimensional jumps… well… he’s in your dimension now.” She shrugs. Guilt written across her face. “We’re not actually sure if he’s after anything, but the fact that he took our own Lance makes us think that he could also go after you.”

“But, why?” Lance looked down at his hands. “I’m nothing special.”

Parts 1 / 2 / 3

[nisaeiam]

TIMELESS - an ACOTAR fanfiction

After spending her entire life in Cretea, Zivia finds herself in the company of the Night Court, sent as an emissary to help after the war. As she navigates her way outside her once secluded life, she develops unlikely bonds with the people around her - especially with the one wreathed in shadows.

PROLOGUE, CHAPTER 1, CHAPTER 2, CHAPTER 3, CHAPTER 4, CHAPTER 5

Also posted here on fanfiction.net

CHAPTER 6

The city of Velaris glowed under the afternoon sun as Zivia leaned over the balcony at the House of Wind. The others have left after their discussion earlier, except for Mor.

"Isn't it pretty?" she said as she stepped beside her on the railing.

The wind blew and Zivia closed her eyes, feeling the sweet caress on her face. "It is."

"Sorry about earlier."

She opened her eyes and turned toward Mor who appeared to be looking far into the city, but not really. Her gaze felt lost farther away.

"Do I really look that weak?" She meant it as a joke.

"No! Of course not, no." Mor snapped her attention to her and shook her head vigorously. "I don't doubt your abilities for a second. I know how you're completely capable of handling yourself on your own." She let out a soft chuckle. "The moment I saw how you effortlessly got under Rhys's skin I knew that then."

Zivia lifted her brows as a smile tugged at her lips. It was never her intention to annoy the High Lord, contrary to what her parents probably would have wanted her to do, but she didn't think that it would be so easy. Sure, she was told that the strongest Lord in Prythian's history isn't at all that bad and terrorizing as people perceives him to be but to actually see that soft albeit sensitive side of his, she couldn't help but tease him for it and that it wouldn't take that much effort on her part.

Mor looked back over the balcony. Her golden locks catching the afternoon chill.

"It was a piss-poor attempt to get Azriel to volunteer accompanying you."

"Why?"

"Because I – " She took a deep breath as if trying to snatch her lost words from the air. "You see, my father will be coming here in a week."

The bite in her voice at the word 'father' told her something about their relationship. Her suspicions were confirmed when Mor told her the story of her past with her family and the events that led to him going to the city.

"Az and Cassian would be looking out for him the entire visit. By the cauldron, they've actually been planning security protocols for months now!"

"But you're still skeptical."

"Yes." Mor sighed. "I just have this feeling that it won't go well. I know Keir. He'll think my absence as a sign of weakness and he wouldn't pass an opportunity to mock me in their presence. Azriel, he'd – " She cut herself off and started shaking her head. "It won't end well."

"You care for him."

It was more of a question than a declaration. Zivia noticed the tension between the two every time they get into close proximity with each other. If not for the fact that either of them would intentionally avoid or ignore each other at some times, she'd actually think that they're together.

"It's not like that." Mor said. "I mean I do care for him, but not in that way. It's really complicated."

"Ah. But he cares for you in that way."

Mor paused, puckering her lips as she threw a side glance at her.

"He's really not that good in hiding that, is he? Not as much as he thinks he does, at least."

She shrugged her shoulders and gave her a tight-lipped smile in reply. Anyone would've discerned those occasional glances that the Illyrian sends her way, the way his shadows would disappear in her presence or how his aura changes at the sight of her. How his unreadable face becomes readable; muscles in his jaw relaxing, gaze softening ever so slightly, lips trembling a bit – "

She shook her head at the thought. She's paying too much attention.

"Well good thing you got him to go." She muttered as she scratched her nose, ignoring the heat that crept up her body.

"Good thing that Rhys allowed him to go. He probably knew what I was trying to do. He knew that that visit won't go as smoothly as he wants it to be if Azriel were to be included in the equation, given what happened the last time he and Eris met."

"No worries. I'll keep him occupied."

As soon as the words left her lips, she regretted saying them. The look on Mor's face told her enough how it all sounded so wrong. She should've used a different term. But before she could explain herself, Mor gave her a mischievous smile and said, "I know you would."

Then she left her at the balcony cursing at herself for being flustered.

===================

Stardusts

That's what Zivia thought as she looked at all the lights dancing off the waves of the river. It looked like an extension of the night sky above them – full of stars that are so close to the touch. They just finished eating dinner at a restaurant where the group clearly frequented as the owner blurted "Oh, a newcomer!" as soon as she saw her.

The food they had wasn't anything like she tasted before and as much as she'd like to gorge herself on it, she couldn't help feeling all nervous and awkward infront a large group of people. It was one thing to dine with the High Lord and his entourage at the House of Wind. Eating out with them at a public place like this was definitely out of her comfort zone. Not to mention the addition of two more people – one whose presence reminded her of Jude, her father's general and also the one who trained her. Despite the female's small stature, she looked threatening enough that she felt like standing in attention and ready to obey her every command. The other one made her lament her absolute lack of effort in making herself presentable. Not that it would make her any prettier than the lady who so effortlessly looked like a goddess. She later learned that she's actually the High Lady's older sister.

The Cauldron definitely didn't hold back when it created these beings.

She was deep in thought when Mor slung an arm over her shoulder and giggled in her ear.

"Want to come with us?"

Her cheeks were flushed with alcohol but she doesn't seem too drunk, yet.

"Where? We just ate."

"We're going to Rita's," said Cassian, appearing at their side. "Mor here likes to dance. Join us and we'll show you how great parties are here at the Night Court."

"I have no intention of making a spectacle of myself, thank you very much."

Cassian let out a snort but she ignored it. The thought of going for a dance at this hour wasn't exactly how she envisioned spending the rest of her night. Besides, she already reached the limit of her allotted social interactions for the day. She needed – wanted – to be alone for now.

And she couldn't dance.

"Come on. It'll be fun!" pleaded Mor. "Azriel's coming too."

Her head snapped to the shadowsinger who was lounging by the diner's entrance. He was having a conversation with the petite female while Rhysand was busy paying their tab, Feyre and her sister were saying their thanks to the shopowner.

He obviously didn't strike her as the reveller sort but perhaps broody guys also needed to let themselves loose once in a while. Squinting her eyes, she tried to imagine how is he actually going to do that. It seems odd – if not entirely weird and unlikely. He turned and met her eyes, eyebrows shooting up in question. She quickly averted and focused back on Mor.

"Uhh. No. I'm sorry but I'm feeling a bit tired already so I'll have to pass."

She flashed an awkward smile and hoped that they wouldn't press any further because she couldn't think of any more lousy excuses to give.

Thank the Mother they didn't.

They all exchanged farewells as they parted ways. Mor gave her a small wave as she walked up the street to where Cassian was already waiting. Azriel followed behind. The High Lady and her sister headed straight for the river-estate while the other female – Amren – went off on her own. She doesn't seem to be staying with them as she did not see her either at the house the time she went there.

"Don't tell me you're going dancing too?" she said when they were all out of sight and Rhysand remained standing across her at the riverside.

"I might," he chuckled. "But no, I need to retrieve something from the town house."

She considered for a moment before offering to walk with him there, saying something about helping in digestion. Rhys just cocked his head and started walking.

"How are Miraym and Drakon doing?" he asked as they strode over the bridge. Some of the people would pause to greet their lord whenever they passed by them. It still quite unnerves her whenever their attention would fall on her so she threw an illusion to hide her attention-seeking wings.

"They're doing fine now. They've been quite busy since after returning from the war creating various wards and spells to ensure that the Cauldron remains hidden – untouched and safe deep within the island."

"Sorry for putting that burden to your parents."

"I'm sure they don't mind. It wasn't much of an inconvenience for them as you might think. They don't seem to be bothered by anything, really."

"So you think they don't mind sending you here when they know how unstable the situation is and that you could be targeted for knowing where that thing is hidden?"

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm not a youngling anymore uncle."

Rhysand winced at the title and she stifled a laugh at his reaction. It wasn't really his fault for not expecting her to be the one sent as Cretea's emissary.

"Besides," she continued. "I think they're more than willing to have me out of the palace for once. Honestly, it is a mystery how I haven't had any other sibling yet."

The High Lord burst out into laughter and she had to physically stop him to avoid more attention from around them.

"You know," he said in between breaths "I'd actually think that they had put that spell around the island for that sole purpose."

They passed along the street where the sweet shop she bought chocolates from before stood and was tempted to run straight to it. She already feels the weight of the meal she had settle down her stomach.

There's always room for a desert.

Later, she thought. She'd come back later.

She was busy contemplating what to buy that she forgot about what Rhys said.

"Oh that. That may have been because of me actually."

"What do you mean?"

"Three centuries ago, I wandered off the border and got caught in an accident that almost killed me."

All the amusement vanished from the high lord's face instantly. He turned towards her expecting more from her story.

"They had to set up the shield after that." She gave him a wide-toothed smile. "They had no idea that it would be so effective to even deter good-willing people; gave you a hard time calling out for us."

It was an effort to shrug it off like it didn't matter a bit – like it still doesn't affect her to this day. Rhysand, sensing her unease about the topic, was quiet for a moment. He just nodded in understanding and continued walking in silence until they reached the front porch of the town house.

"Don't go telling me now that I don't have to go," she demanded as he turned to face her. "I know the risks. You saved my mother back then, let me return the favour."

"That debt has already been paid. I don't want to endanger the daughter that my friends have done so much to keep safe."

She can see it in his eyes, the desire to protect people. She heard the story of what he did to spare his family from the clutches of Amarantha and of how he died to let them live. He's the kind of person who would rather lay down his life than let those close to him get hurt. It warmed her heart that that devotion extended to her even if they haven't been that close.

"You'd make a really good father."

That took him by surprise. His serious demeanor was gone in an instant and she coughed to cover the laugh rising up her throat. It was a priceless reaction he'd made but she was not going to tease him for that.

"I'll be fine," she insisted as Rhys blinked away any lingering surprise on his face. "I've got one of your famed Illyrian warriors on my side. We're going to be a force to reckon with."

She wiggled her eyebrows at him and a warm hearted smile was the only indication that she was able to sway him.

[vigilskeep]

how do you come up with your oc's names? theyre all sooo good (keir and morghaine are some of my favs ) :)

thank you !! :)

uhh mostly it’s a mixture of a lifelong love of names and a LOT of googling... and long lists of options in my notes document. fereldans are easy because they’re scottish. like, look at any list of scottish names, notice that 50% of them are fereldan npcs already, and then pick the ones that aren’t taken. that’s all keir is. meanwhile morghaine is a recipient of my time-honoured fantasy character name strategy, which is just “take a name from arthurian legend with a bunch of variant spellings and butcher them together until it fits”. its meaning also happens to relate to the sea, which suits the character; i don’t care a lot about meanings, sound is far more important, but it’s always nice to have a connection

i also really like picking out names from in-world history bc i love having that kind of connection, but this is a bit of a hit-and-miss strategy. because when names are from hastily done worldbuilding they aren’t always. uh. good. lmao

[luxmaeastra]

@an-endless-saga continued from here.

Unah looked to Nesta.

"Ideas? Because I'm not done. Write them down."

"Don't encourage -"

"Rhysand she - you're acting like him."

She wouldn't betray Feyre's confidence. She wouldn't air out what he said. Rhysand still hadn't moved from the bar, he'd gone rigid. His eyes narrowing as the air became heavy.

"Take that back. That's crossing a line and you —"

"No more lines. I'm tired of it, I'm tired of all the fucking rules."

Rhysand had gone very still and paled. He looked between them and finally tilted his head.

"I'm not following your logic. What —"

Unah looked to Feyre touching her hand and looked back to Morrigan meeting her eyes before finally looking to Rhysand.

"She knows Rhysand, beyond the fact that a part of me will always love you. She knows how the story ends. She - She knows what Tarvo did to me. I - she's my friend and I shouldn't have to be the one to say this. But treat her with some fucking dignity. Because this isn't the male I let court me. This is a shell and it's exhausting. Get over yourself. Your destroying her and for what? Pride? Embarrassment? Fucking Keir's opinions? Since when did any of that matter?"

She looked back to Feyre.

"You sure you'll be okay here? Trapping him against that table will have more of an effect up close."

Rhysand scoffed, finally setting his glass down. He rubbed at his wrist.

"Your tactic looses a bit of an edge when you spell it —"

Unah moved to stand before him, an inch before him. He glared at her.

"What exactly are you trying to prove that a part of me will always love you? That what the rules aren't needed? Because I will never hurt her like that Unah. I —"

"For an Daementi you really don't listen. I don't want to hurt her either. I want to move forward. If we stopped denying and let the emotion be acknowledged perhaps true friendship could bloom. We're poisoning ourselves by fighting against it. I will never do what your suggesting either but we have to allow to be acknowledged don't we?"

Rhysand let out a slow breath and blinked at her he did feel lighter acknowledging it out loud. He looked to Feyre tears in his eyes. Not for this, for hoe he acted. For the way - he'd prowled like him hadn't he? He'd bitten her head off not out of anger but pain. Of wanting to hurt her for the sake of hurting.

"I'm sorry. Gods I'm so sorry. I didn't - "

Unah moved back to Feyre's side. This time she spoke to her.

"For a while when we were first courting the Maesters and others in The Kingdoms said he wasn't worthy. That his half-illyarian would soil my blood and disqualify him from being a suitor. I tried to hide it from me. He walked away for a few days furious that I thought he was so soft that he couldn't handle that. That I worried he'd care about what some people thousands of miles away said."

Rhysand burst out laughing sliding to the ground.

"Oh my gods, you - fuck you weren't lying. You told her everything - every terrified thing I didn't want her to know didn't you?"

Unah looked back at him, her face blank but her eyes were shining with mischievous and her lips twitched. Suddenly everything felt funny, suddenly the world felt brighter.

"And she's here weather she stays is dependent on hpw good you are at groveling Rhysand."

She finally looked back at Morrigan and beamed. A real smile, she felt lighter than she had in ages.

"Did we break him? Because I didn't come prepared for that."

Maybe it was her imagination but she felt lighter, the atmosphere felt lighter. Yes she loved him but now the love had permission to grow, to evolve into something else. Something beautiful and familial.

On an impulse she hugged Feyre quickly kissing her cheek.

"Thank you for coming into our lives Feyre. Thank you."

Her voice was gone, as strong as she felt with Unah was there, the very words she would say, and think were gone. How easily it all seemed to slip away as she stood there, the sounds of Unah and Rhysand’s voices and they words were so distance she even wondered if she was fully there. Any strength and confidence she normally portrayed was gone in that middle, the normal mask she wore had faded as she found herself only protecting herself mentally – it was all she could do, all the strength she had left to do. Keep him out her mind, keep herself protected. Her body would heal, bones and skin would mend.

Her whole body flinched as she heard the comparison shared, the truth of the matter aired for all to see and hear. The truth of how really broken she was that she compared the only person who had done nothing but try and build her up again to the monster who destroyed her, the one who broken her walls and ignored the pain and suffering she went through. The familiar sense of sickness was within her stomach, her gaze moving to Unah as she felt her hand upon her own. Grounding, a tether to the real world and not the trauma center of her mind. It was the one thing that came her from sinking down into the depths of those memories, standing in a storm of wood and anger.

Yes, she knew, she knew the truth that Unah had shared with her. The truth that didn’t matter, despite what others might have said. She could handle his world from before her, she was not foolish enough to think there was no one else but the sexual abuse at the hands of that woman and herself. She would be a hypocrite is she judged either of them for their past relationship, had she not had her own? Those times she had spent with Isaac, the sexual tryst she had because why not – her family was ruined anyway, she gave everything else to them why couldn’t have something for herself.

Still, even with this truth, it didn’t excuse the actions taken. Didn’t excuse that while he was within the spiral of his own that he could treat as her did, that he could shut her out and bite at her. She could handle anyone else biting at her, but she had let him in. She had let her guard down, she had allowed herself to love again. She gave herself fully, as she did once before and she had been ruined, she couldn’t handle it again. She wouldn’t be able to survive it again. She would never trust herself again, she would never be able to trust anyone that close to her heart again. Feyre didn’t want to assume that he would do anything like that, but the chance…

Even as he looked at her, she couldn’t look at him. All she could do was look at Unah, she kept that grounding tether the one thing that kept her there. Even as he spoke, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything, to do anything. It wasn’t until Unah was back at her side that she even really moved, that a small amount of light returned to her eyes. She listened to her words, a faint trace of a smile appeared as she listened. She couldn’t help but flinch a little as he began laughing, her gaze little between them again. The sudden lightening of the atmosphere was nice, seeing the pair of them smile at each other and interact was nice.

Feyre melted into the hug that she felt from Unah, wrapping her arms around her as she was thankful at least maybe one wall was broken down. One wall, one step forward. She was right though, there was still some ways to go, but there was a chance. She smiled slightly, nodding. “Thank you for being a good friend Unah.”

[sexydeathparty]

Nadine Dorries Says She Would Only Stop Supporting Boris Johnson If He 'Kicked A Dog'

Nadine Dorries has spelled out how far her loyalty to Boris Johnson goes as she defended the prime minister over leaked photos of a Christmas party during lockdown.

The culture secretary has developed a reputation for robustly supporting the under-fire PM against any critics since she became a cabinet minister in September.

Last week, a still from PMQs of Dorries staring at Johnson – smiling – quickly became a meme. 

Now, in an interview with US broadcaster CNN, Dorries made clear there would be little Johnson could do to shake her off.

When asked if there was any situation which would cause her to withdraw her support of him, Dorries replied: “Well, of course there are. If he went up and, you know, kicked a dog, I’d probably withdraw my support for him, but no, based on his professional delivery for the UK, no, absolutely not.”

Of the leaked photos of him taking part in a quiz with champagne and tinsel during lockdown, she added: “What I would say on the food, it was an open packet of crisps, it was Christmas, it was a Zoom quiz with the wider staff. So, I mean, basically that’s all I’ve got to say on it. I’m not sure who didn’t do a Zoom quiz during lockdown with an open pocket of crisps.”

“If he went up and kicked a dog, I would probably withdraw my support for him.” UK Culture Secretary @NadineDorries responds to the latest leaked image of Boris Johnson in the ongoing ‘partygate’ scandal pic.twitter.com/t1c4c53byt

— Connect the World (@CNNConnect) February 10, 2022

It’s the latest bizarre contortion from a Tory MP in an effort to defend their leader.

Junior minister Conor Burns claimed Johnson was effectively “ambushed by cake”, and therefore his alleged rule-breaking birthday party was not his fault.

And backbencher Adam Rosindell compared partygate to robbing a bank in an odd exchange on Sky News.

Rosindell described so-called “cakegate” as a “frenzy”, and said: “He’s made a mistake, no question about that, we all do.”

He continued: “I think we’ve all done it, let’s not be so judgemental that the prime minister of the United Kingdom has not committed some horrendous, terrible crime the deserves the entire government to be derailed.”

Sky News’ Kay Burley replied: “And you’re confident that it’s OK for the prime minister who makes the rules to break the rules and thus break the law – that’s OK?”

“No it’s not – you know I’m sure there are ministers who get parking tickets and speeding fines too,” Rosindell said.

“Anyway, lots of people break the law in small ways, sometimes unintentionally.

“He’s not robbed a bank.”

The Metropolitan Police is currently investigating 12 alleged parties, and may launch a formal probe into another after the new image emerged of Johnson taking part in a Christmas quiz on December 15, 2020.

On Wednesday, the Met also revealed that it would begin contacting more than 50 people who are thought to have attended the alleged gatherings.

Related...

Nadine Dorries Insists Boris Johnson Tells The Truth In Hideously Awkward Interview

Nadine Dorries Was Caught Gazing At Boris Johnson And A New Meme Was Born

Nadine Dorries Defending Boris Johnson's 'Fake News' Attack On Keir Starmer Is Extraordinary TV

Tory MP Has A New Defence For Johnson: 'It’s Not Like He Robbed A Bank'

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