Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Vassa soared over the human lands below. It was golden hour and the sun was going down. The sunset before her was beautiful, pink and orange filled the sky. But it was also worrying. Vassa had a limited time before the sun would set, and it didn’t matter where she was when it happened. She would instantly turn human again and she didn’t want to be so far from home before turning.

It happened a couple of times since Koschei granted her leave from the lake. Both times she ended up in the middle of the woods, cold, hungry, and bare without shoes and clothes. Both times Lucien was able to find her and winnow her home where she could be bathed, clothed, and fed a warm meal at the dining table with her favorite two people (but don’t tell Jurian that). However, nowadays Lucien no longer lived in the human lands and she didn’t know she’d be found if she didn’t make it home. Jurian certainly wouldn’t be able to find her without Fae senses. She would have to wait it out and turn into the firebird again before she could get back.

Vassa cursed herself as she flapped her wings faster, leaving a trail of flames in her wake. She shouldn’t have strayed so far from home but she got distracted by a monarch butterfly and followed it over the stream of a river and just kept going well after the butterfly gave up and found a place to rest. She had an urge to see where the river ended up and soon realized how far she was from home.

It was a constant struggle when in this form to stay conscious and not let her bird instincts take over. But the bird was taking over more regularly and that was troubling to her. She didn’t know if that meant that Koschei was ready to call her back to the lake. Perhaps these routes that she felt compelled to fly would take her back to the dreaded lake.

The sun started to dip below the horizon but thankfully she could see the manor below her, just a little further. She moved her wings as fast as she could before landing, just as the sun went down and her body started to change back.

The worst part about being the firebird wasn’t the fact that she was a bird during daylight, eating insects, finding things to do throughout the day in that form, or fighting instincts to fly far away. No, it was the transformation from human to bird and back again 12 hours later. She dreaded it every time, it was excruciatingly painful as her bones broke, molded, and reformed every transformation. It only took a minute but every second felt like an hour because of the unimaginable pain.

She screamed as she was transformed back, the bird screech turned into her human voice crying out in pain. And then it was over, Vassa was human again and felt the cold air turn her skin into goose pimples, her feet firmly planted on the soft soil before her knees gave out and started to buckle. She was collapsing, but she never hit the ground.

Jurian caught her, wrapping her in a warm blanket that he must have kept by the fireplace before coming out to meet her. He placed one arm around her back, the other below her knees, as he scooped her up into his strong arms and cradled her to his chest. She almost didn’t make it here.

Vassa let out a sob, Jurian kissed her at the top of her head.

“I have you, my Queen. I have you,” Jurian murmured against her messy hair.

Vassa’s tears continued to fall as she buried her head against his broad chest, likely soaking his shirt. Jurian rubbed his hand against her back in soothing circles, still carrying her and walking into the house.

“Colette, get the bath ready!” He shouted to Vassa’s maid.

Vassa shut her eyes, she could feel Jurian carrying her up the steps to her room, walking through the room and into the bathroom. She turned and saw Colette standing near the bath, water running into the big soaking tub.

“It should be ready soon,” Colette said as she exited the bathroom to give them privacy.

Jurian set Vassa down on a chair, and looked at the filling water of the bath. Homes in the human lands normally didn’t have running water, but Lucien was able to get it through some Fae magic. She didn’t know how he did it, but it was one of the first things he did. He stated that he would not be able to live without it, the dramatic Fae male.

Jurian turned off the facet, “The bath is ready.”

He walked over to Vassa and extended his arm for her to grab on for balance to help her stand up. The constant transformations were taking a toll on her human body. Her legs were often stiff, making it painful to get up and move. Some nights she could barely walk and had started to use a cane to assist her.

Vassa took off the blanket, draping it over the chair. She was completely bare before Jurian, but she didn’t care. There wasn’t a piece of her that he hadn’t seen, touched, or kissed. He helped her into the tub and then sat down on the chair. The water was warm, easing the tension in her bones and joints.

Jurian had helped her every night for the last year after her transformations, stayed up with her throughout the night, and saw her off in the morning. Lucien used to help too, until he was stationed indefinitely in the Spring Court six months ago. He’d still visit every once and while, but mostly it was just Jurian and her in the big manor.

When Lucien first left, Jurian and Vassa fought often and daily. He drove her crazy with his poor manners and arrogant attitude. He would frequently say things to get under her skin. One night the fighting got particularly bad, they were shouting in each other’s faces, until Jurian slammed his lips into hers. The kiss was electrifying, like something she’d never felt before with men she courted in Scythia. She took him into her bed that night and he never left.

They still bickered but the bickering always led to passion in the bedroom. But Jurian was not just her lover, he was her best friend and closest ally. They’d talk up until dawn about everything, Jurian’s time during the first war or Vassa’s memories of a home she could not return to. One topic that was never talked about was their future as a couple. They hadn’t put words to what their relationship was and Vassa didn’t want to. Not when she could be called back to the lake at any moment.

“Lean you head back, Vassa, so I can wash your hair,” Jurian softly instructed.

Vassa did as she was told and could feel the warm water on her hair and scalp, tears pricking her eyes at the sweet, loving gesture. No matter how many times he did it before, Vassa still got emotional that this man, who fought in both wars against Hybern, was so gentle and tender with her. Jurian took a bit of shampoo, massaging it into her hair and then rubbing her scalp with her fingers, causing Vassa to moan at the sensation. He rinsed off her hair and then picked up a sponge to clean the rest of her body, gently scrubbing off dirt accumulated from her day.

Once he was done, he asked, “Are you ready to get out?”

Vassa nodded and he grabbed a towel and put it on the chair. He then grabbed onto her with both strong arms, helping her lift herself out of the water and out of the tub. He draped the towel over her shoulders.

“Did you want to have dinner downstairs in the dining room or in your room tonight?” Jurian gently asked.

“In my room,” Vassa answered.

“I’ll go tell them, I’ll be right back,” Jurian kissed her forehead and exited the bathroom.

Her nights weren’t always like this. Some nights, Vassa had enough energy to walk by home without assistance, bathe herself, and get dressed to come downstairs and eat dinner. But some nights, she had no energy at all. Nights like tonight were beginning to increase as her time away from Koschei grew short.

Vassa dried herself off and put on a silky robe that Collette laid out for her. Then she combed out her hair, putting a small drop of oil on her hands, warming it up between her hands, and applying it throughout her hair. She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. She looked exactly how she felt, worn and exhausted. Dark circles sat beneath her eyes, her eyes lacked any sparkle of life and her skin was paler from feeling unwell. Vassa sighed deeply, grabbed her cane that rested against the vanity, and slowly made her way into the bedroom and sat on one of the big plush chairs by the fireplace.

Jurian walked in with several members of the staff, with trays of food that they set down on the table in front of her. Vassa thanked them as they left the room. Her parents would have scolded her if they were still alive, but the people employed at the manor had become her friends too.

Jurian sat down on the other chair and started eating his food. A nice hearty bean soup was on the menu tonight, with a side of freshly made bread. Vassa scooped up a spoonful and ate it, feeling the soup warm her from the inside and slowly bring her back to life.

“I have some news,” Jurian announced after a couple minutes.

Vassa looked up from her soup, “What is it?”

“Lucien’s coming back to live with us,” Jurian said with a grin.

Vassa furrowed her brows, “Really? I thought Rhysand needed him in the Spring Court to baby sit Tamlin.”

“He’s been put on a more important assignment,” Jurian answered. “Babysitting Elain Archeron.”

This made Vassa frown. She didn’t really know Elain, she heard stories about her from her father, Edmond. But she didn’t think she cared for the middle Archeron sister. The last time she saw Elain, she was a scared, delicate little thing who barely spoke or acknowledged anyone. But Vassa especially disliked how she treated Lucien. Every time Lucien came back from Velaris, he seemed dejected and would mope around for days. She couldn’t understand why anyone wouldn’t give Lucien the time of day, he was incredibly charming, witty, and handsome. But Elain would avoid him at all costs and barely acknowledge his presence. If she didn’t want him, why wouldn’t she just set him free from the bond?

“She’s coming with him?” Vassa bemoaned.

“Do try to hide your disgust, my dear,” Jurian said, huffing a laugh. “Yes, she’s coming here to live here in the manor with us. It seems that the timid, shy middle Archeron has gotten herself banished from the Night Court and Prythian.”

Vassa’s jaw dropped. She loved when Jurian provided good gossip and this the juiciest thing she’d heard in a while. Maybe Elain wasn’t as boring as she thought.

“Do we know what she did?” Vassa asked, scoping up another spoonful of soup and eagerly waiting Jurian’s answer.

“Not a clue,” Jurian answered with a twinkle in his eyes, amused that Vassa was so enthralled by this news. “Lucien didn’t say in his letter, but I’m sure we’ll find out when they arrive tomorrow.”

Vassa nodded. She was excited for Lucien to come back home, even if he was with Elain. She missed her friend, his snarky quips but unwavering loyalty and love for his friends.

They finished up their dinner and Jurian came around to her chair and picked her up, carrying her to the bed. Vassa was grateful that Jurian had noticed that she needed help before she even had to say anything. Jurian undressed, slipping on a loose navy blue cotton shirt and bottoms from the bottom drawer. He started keeping things in her room, an unspoken agreement between them both.

He laid down on the bed, facing her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“What happened today?” Jurian gently pried.

Vassa shuttered a deep breath before answering, “I flew too far away from home. I don’t know why, but I was pulled to follow a river, to see where it ended. I almost didn’t make it back here in time.”

She closed her eyes as several tears rolled down her cheeks.

Jurian paused for a couple seconds and then asked, “Why do you think you were pulled so far away.”

They both knew the answer. Koschei. Vassa let out a sob and Jurian pulled her close, wrapping both arms around her.

“I can’t go back, Jurian. I can’t,” Vassa was shaking as she sobbed.

“I know, my queen. I know,” Jurian whispered into her hair. “I won’t let him have you. We’ll find a way to stop it.”

Chapter Text

Vassa sat in the bathtub, staring at her toes. She wiggled them slightly, her toe getting pruned and wrinkled from being in the bath too long. The bath water had gone tepid but Vassa hadn’t gotten out yet. Jurian was downstairs, greeting Lucien and Elain.

Today was a better day. She spent most of the day in a nearby tree, nibbling on insects that live there and resting. Trees could be tough because of her flames but she chose a higher bottom branch without leaves so she wouldn’t set the whole tree on fire. She fought off any urges to fly far away, despite how difficult it was. She wanted to save her energy for Lucien’s return and be able to spend as much time with him as she could. But now, sitting in the cooling bath water, she’d lost motivation to go downstairs and be social.

“Vassa, you haven’t gotten out of the tub yet?” Jurian pointed out as he walked into the bathroom. He looked every bit a gentleman with his navy blue pants and suit coat.

“No,” Vassa answered, looking at her wrinkled finger tips.

Jurian knelt down by the tub to be eye level with her. His brown eyes were peering into hers, a side smirk in his gorgeous, tanned face. Gods, he was so handsome.

“It’s almost dinner time,” Jurian said, picking up one of her pruned hands from the water and gently rubbing circles on her palm. “Don’t you want to see Lucien?”

“Yes. It’s Elain I don’t really care to see,” Vassa grumbled.

Jurian nodded “I understand that. I do. She makes me uncomfortable too. She has unsettling energy”

Vassa looked into his brown eyes, “Tell me about it.”

“I’ve also been around to observe some of her worst moments, like when she was kidnapped and thrown into the Cauldron or when Grayson cruelly rejected her,” Jurian explained, letting go of her hand. “I don’t know if you’ll ever be able to call her a friend, but I think you may find that you have more in common with her than you think. So be nice.” He booped her nose with his finger.

“I’m always nice! And did you just boop my nose?” Vassa exclaimed with a scowl. Jurien extended an arm to her and she took it, conceding, “Fine, I’ll come out.”

Jurian helped her stand and get out of the tub. Colette came in to take over to do Vassa’s hair and get her dressed. A half an hour later, Vassa was dressed like a queen. Her hair was perfectly curled with a simple gold and sapphire tiara on her head that matched her eyes. She was dressed in a vibrant red gown with an off the shoulder neckline, tight bodice, and a skirt that billowed and flowed to the floor.

Not that it mattered much what she looked like, she was technically no longer a queen. If by some chance someone was able to break the curse (a big if since Feyre the Cursebreaker and Helion Spell-Clever couldn’t break it), she’d still have to reclaim her kingdom from the other queens. The challenges to her ruling her own kingdom again seemed insurmountable. She was more likely to end up at the lake until the day her human body gave up.

Jurian came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her cheek, “You look incredible.”

Vassa gave a slight smile and rolled her eyes, “Let’s go.”

Vassa took his arm and they walked slowly down the stairs, Jurian was steady and baring most of her weight. They made their way into the dining room, Lucien and Elain were already seated but rose when Vassa came in. Elain gave a curtsy and Lucien gave a bow and a sly smile at Vassa before they both were seated again.

“Vassa! You are a sight. The dress is stunning on you,” Lucien proclaimed, Elain looked at him when he said it, slightly frowned, and then quickly schooled her expression and looked down at her plate. Interesting, was she jealous? Vassa knew she avoided Lucien but maybe there was more to the story.

“Oh, stop, Luc. You’ve seen this dress before,” Vassa replied with a wave of her hand.

Jurian helped Vassa in her chair. Her joints were stiff and it was hard to sit, Jurian steadied her with both of his arms. Lucien noticed and furrowed his brows, but said nothing. She wasn’t in this condition the last time he saw her, but she didn’t want to explain what was happening to her.

Jurian scooted her chair in and took a seat to her right. Vassa gave a good look at Lucien and Elain, seated to her left. Lucien looked dapper as always. He had on well-tailored sage green pants that showed off his powerful, muscular thighs, a cream colored shirt tucked into the pants, and a matching green vest. His red hair was pulled back, tiny braids were adorned with gold cuffs.

Elain sat on the other side of Lucien, furthest from Vassa. Elain had changed a lot over the years since the war. She was no longer frail and thin. Her body filled out and softened, like she’d been eating well during her time in Velaris. Vassa admired how incredibly lovely and healthy she looked, especially in that light pink gown. However, something was amiss. To any outsider, Elain Archeron looked like she could be happy and well adjusted to her new life. But her wide brown eyes told a different story, they lacked any luster and life, appearing quite sad. They were the same eyes that looked at Vassa in the mirror. Maybe Jurian was right (but don’t tell him that).

“Lucien, welcome home,” Vassa greeted, with a side smile. “It was too quiet around here without you.”

The staff began to serve the food, bringing out each plate.

“Thanks, Vassa. It’s good to be back,” Lucien replied.

“And welcome to our manor Elain,” Vassa said, turning her attention to her.

“Thank you for letting me live here, your highness,” Elain replied. Vassa had to hand it to her, she had impeccable manners.

“You must call me Vassa,” she declared. “There’s no need for formalities in our home.”

Elain nodded and smiled slightly, but it didn’t reach her eyes, “Thank you, Vassa.”

Vassa nodded and smiled back, “If you want, I can give you a tour of the manor after dinner.”

“Why would she need that?” Jurian interrupted. She hated when he did that.

“So she’s familiar with the home she lives in,” Vassa replied in frustration.

“No, I don’t mean that. I mean why would she need a tour of a home that was supposed to be hers?” Jurian asked as he stuffed more food in his face.

Everyone but Jurian went still. Vassa glanced at Elain, who was looking down, her pale face flushed, her bottom lip wobbled and her eyes began to get glassy with tears.

Lucien clenched his jaw and spoke slowly in a cold tone, “What do you mean?”

“This home was to be Grayson and my home after we got married,” Elain said in a small voice. “I decorated everything in this home.”

“Everything?” Vassa asked, horrified that not only did Jurian keep this information to himself and that Elain had to be subjected to the painful memories this place held. But that she had purposely decorated the house, including a specific room in the home that seemed intentional and purposeful.

Elain looked her in the eyes, her own vacant, “Everything. If you will excuse me, I am no longer hungry.”

Elain placed her napkin on the table, exited the dining room, and the back door slammed as she went outside.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lucien growled, his gold eye clicking as he glared at Jurian. “I would have taken her somewhere else if I had known.”

Jurian raised his hands up, “Sorry, I thought you knew.”

Lucien sighed, “Shit, this was a terrible idea.”

Lucien got up from the table, presumably to go check on Elain.

“Wait,” Vassa stopped him. “I’ll go check on her.”

Lucien looked like he was going to protest but then he nodded, conceding. Jurian scooted her chair out, helped her up, and handed her cane.

Vassa made her way to the hallway, when she heard Lucien ask, “How long has she been like that?”

Vassa cringed. They were talking about her and her deteriorating condition from the curse. She felt embarrassed but she was glad that Jurian was able to talk about it honestly with his friend. She knew that it upset him that Vassa was quickly fading but he acted strong in her presence for her sake. He needed friends to rely on, especially once she was called back to the lake.

Vassa walked out onto the back porch, shutting the door behind her. Elain was sitting on a bench in the middle of what was once her garden, the ground now decimated and barren.

Vassa sat down slowly beside Elain. She was wiping her tears off her face, her beautiful face was blotchy from crying.

“I’m sorry for being so rude. You’ve offered your home for me to stay in and I just left dinner like that…” Elain trailed off.

“No, don’t be sorry,” Vassa assured. “I’m sorry that this home holds so many memories for you.”

Elain sniffed, “Thank you.”

Vassa looked out into the night. It was a clear night, the rural land that the manor stood on made the stars shine brighter. Frogs were chirping in the distance.

“We didn’t touch that one room. It looked important, so we’ve left it alone,” Vassa said gently, knowing she was treading on a deeply personal topic.

Elain nodded and said, “Thank you. There was a stuffed fox and a blanket that I quilted in the room. The fox was a replica of one I owned as a girl. Do you mind if I can keep them?”

“Not at all, they are yours. Take what you like,” Vassa said and then paused before approaching the subject. “Elain, were you..”

“Oh, no!” Elain exclaimed, waving her hands in protest. “I wasn’t, but we were planning to try immediately after we were married. I just got so excited with decorating and the possibility of a family that I did a nursery too.”

Vassa was relieved. Elain didn’t need the additional trauma of losing a child on top of everything she’s been through.

Elain got a wry smile on her face, “Grayson did try to bed me once but he was done before he could get in.”

Vassa burst out laughing and Elain joined in with her, covering her mouth with her hand, trying to be ladylike despite what she just said.

“Oh, Elain,” Vassa exclaimed, catching her breath. “I think you’re going to fit right in with us.”

Elain beamed at her.

“Let’s get you inside,” Vassa said. “We’ll finish dinner and then it’s tradition for us to go to the sitting room to drink whiskey and play card games in the evenings. You’re welcome to join us.”

“I could use a good glass of whiskey right now,” Elain said standing up.

“Me too,” Vassa agreed. “Do you mind helping me?”

“Of course!” Elain said without a second thought, lending Vassa her arm. Elain was surprisingly strong, must have been from all the gardening she did.

Vassa held her cane in one hand and looped her other arm with Elain’s. Together they walked into the house, chatting the whole way there.

————————————

The next morning before dawn, Vassa and Jurian crept out of their bedroom, careful not to wake their housemates. They were all up late drinking and playing games. It was a great time but Jurian kept pestering Elain for details on why she was banished from the Night Court the more he had to drink. She refused to provide any answer, the only detail she would share was that she was given the option between the human lands or being locked up in Hewn City. Vassa was shocked to hear that her own sister would imprison the seemingly harmless female. She wanted more details as to why they’d give her such a harsh punishment, but decided not to pry. She’d ask again later when they all had less to drink.

They walked by Elain’s door, slightly ajar. Vassa noticed the blanket neatly placed over the comforter on top of Elain and she was cuddling with the fox. It was an adorable, sweet sight.

As they walked into the dining room for breakfast, Vassa noticed a glass jar with a light blue cream substance sitting on the table next to a note.

Vassa,

This salve may help with the pain.

Yours,

Elain

Chapter Text

Vassa pressed her cheek against Jurian’s warm chest, breathing in his smokey vanilla scent. Today was another bad day.

It started off as a normal day, Vassa flew near the manor, catching insects and basking in the slight warmth of the sun on the crisp early autumn day. The leaves on the trees started to turn into vibrant yellow, orange and red colors that she could see from above. It was beautiful, she was drawn to seeing more. And then she came across the river again and started to follow it out of pure instinct. She didn’t go as far as she did last week, but she still went far enough where she had to hurry home in a panic, worried she wouldn’t make it.

Elain and Lucien had been back in the human lands for over a week. In that amount of time, Vassa saw her at dinner and after dinner drinks every night and she started to learn more about the female that she initially thought she’d dislike. As she suspected on the first night, Elain was hilarious in a cutting, dry kind of way. She’d come up with remarks that took the rest of the group by surprise, they’d all pause for a second before dissolving into laughter. Vassa had tears in eyes from laughing so hard some nights.

Elain loved to bake delicious treats and share them with others. She particularly enjoyed trying different Scythia recipes to impress Vassa, like kolaches or flakey fruit strudels. Vassa laughed and told her that she didn’t need to be won over with desserts but she would gladly take them. The gesture was incredibly sweet, Vassa missed her home dearly and it was comforting to have familiar food.

Elain took whiskey down like a professional and loved smoking mirthroot from a pipe before bed. That surprised Vassa most of all, she couldn’t imagine Elain’s sisters knew of that habit, even though Elain stated that she grew and sold it from her garden on her sister’s vast estate. And while it came as a shock to the Band of Exiles, it’s not like they didn’t frequently partake in the activity. It was just more evidence that she was meant to be with them as their extra member.

The one thing that Vassa still hadn’t learned about Elain is why she was banished. Whenever the topic of her sisters or the Night Court came up, Elain got quiet and would keep her answers short. She could tell that whatever happened with her family hurt her deeply. Vassa could relate, it was the same thing she felt when she was betrayed by her fellow queens when they sold her to Koschei and took control of Scythia.

Vassa had a rough landing. She started her transformation back into her human form while trying to land and she slammed into the ground from fall when she lost her wings. The sensation of falling and crashing made her nauseous, she threw up several times immediately after landing.

Jurian waited patiently as she expelled everything she ate during the day from her. He then wrapped her up in a warm blanket, gently picked her up, and carried her from the torn apart yard into the manor.

“I’ve got you, my queen,” he gently reassured.

Vassa cuddled closer to him. She loved this man more than she had words for, but hadn’t expressed it to him yet. It wasn’t fair, she had nothing to give in return for his care and would soon be called back to the lake. Jurian had to have known, but still helped every sunrise and sunset. He was a famed general, a hero, there was much more that he could be doing than taking care of her.

Jurian opened the front door to the manor, yelling at Colette to get a bath running as he got in. Vassa heard footsteps and she turned her head and saw Lucien walk briskly towards them.

“Fuck, what happened to her?” he asked with concern and growing panic.

“She transformed back into her human form before fully landing and fell to the ground,” Jurian answered gruffly. “I’m going to get her in the bath, I may need help with some scrapes and bruises she got from her fall.”

“Anything I can do to help. I’ll be downstairs, when you’re ready,” Lucien glanced upstairs, uneasy. “Elain is in her room with Azriel.”

“What’s he doing here?” Jurian asked.

“Dropping off the rest of Elain’s things,” Lucien answered, looking unhappy about it.

Vassa felt bad for her friend and reached over to squeeze his hand in support. Last Solstice, Lucien came back to the manor, forlorn and gloomy, and explained that Elain had feelings for Azriel and he felt it down the mating bond by accident. He ended up leaving that night, not wanting to interfere or get in the way of her choice. While he was still stationed at Spring, he needed the comfort of the manor and his friends to deal with his disappointment and heartbreak.

Lucien smiled gently at her, squeezing her hand back, “I’m ok, Firebird. You just take care of yourself.”

“I will, Emissary,” Vassa said softly, her voice scratchy from getting sick earlier.

At that, Jurian brought her upstairs to put her in the bath. As they walked by Elain’s shut door, she could hear hushed voices talking back and forth. The bath was ready by the time they made it to the bathroom. Jurian steadied Vassa with one arm as he removed the blanket with the over.

“Where does it hurt?” He asked.

“My knees and my right wrist,” Vassa answered glumly.

Jurian nodded as he carefully lifted her arm and inspected the wrist, “It looks broken. We’ll get Lucien to fix it.”

Vassa nodded.

“Do you want to take your dinner in your room or downstairs tonight?” Jurian asked, looking into her eyes.

Vassa sighed, “Downstairs, we have a guest tonight.”

Jurian looked like he wanted to protest but he didn’t. He just nodded. They both knew how diplomacy was still important to maintain with their allies, and that included the Night Court.

He then lowered her into the water and made quick work to wash the dirt out of her hair and body. He rolled up his sleeves and gently lifted her out of the water, wrapping her in a towel.

Colette was ready with an emerald dress, helping her into it and starting work on her shoulder length reddish-gold hair while Jurian ran downstairs to grab Lucien. Lucien strolled in as Colette was still curling her hair with an iron.

“Let me see what you got,” He said softly, kneeling on the floor.

Lucien was an attractive man, anyone could see it. He was tall, muscular, lovely golden brown skin, and a handsome face with a strong jaw, high cheekbones, and full lips. But the affection she felt for him was like a brother she never had. He lifted up her skirts to inspect her knees, gently placing his hands over each wound so he could send his warm power through to heal the skin. His hands would emit a bright light that reminded her of the sun. Once he was done, he picked up her wrist to inspect it.

“It’s definitely broken,” he said. “I’m sorry but I have to set it before healing the bone.”

Vassa nodded, she understood bones breaking and setting, she experienced it twice a day. Of course that didn’t make it any easier to experience. Jurian grabbed her hand on her other hand.

“Ok, here we go,” Lucien warned as he applied pressure to put the bone back into place.

The pain was of course excruciating and she gritted her teeth and squeezed Jurian’s hand so hard she thought he might need Lucien’s healing powers too.

“Ok, the bone is set. You’re doing so good, I’m going to heal it now,” Lucien said encouragingly, applying his healing magic through her skin to heal the bones

A couple seconds later, it was all done and Vassa leaned back in her chair in relief.

Jurian frowned, looking at her, “Are you sure you still want to…”

“Yes,” Vassa interrupted in a tone harsher than she meant. Jurian didn’t seem bothered but still looked at her with concern. “I have to still go on like things are normal, Jurian. I just have to.”

Lucien turned away from her for a second, presumably to get control of his emotions.

Jurian nodded and grabbed her cane, “Let’s not keep them waiting.”

Vassa stood with Lucien’s assistance and grabbed her cane.

Together they walked out of the bathroom, through her room, and out into the hallway. Once they entered the hallway, Elain’s voice could be heard. She was shouting at Azriel. The three of them looked at each other in shock, it was hard to imagine sweet Elain angry enough to yell.

“I didn’t tell him about Velaris, you did! And then I got banished for your mistake. I took the fall for you and you did nothing to help me,” She yelled.

Jurian and Vassa looked at each other in confusion.

Vassa mouthed “What’s Velaris?”

Jurian shrugged his shoulders. Vassa felt like she’d heard that word somewhere but she couldn’t quite remember.

“That wasn’t the only reason you were exiled,” Azriel explained, his normally low, quiet voice slightly raised. “It was also the training.”

The door opened and Elain shoved Azriel out of her room. Once again, Vassa was impressed by Elain’s physical strength, that she could push a bulky Illyrian so hard like that. Azriel landed against the wall, he looked stunned as well.

“Fuck you, Azriel!” Elain’s voice cracked as she yelled. Her normally pale face was flushed red and big, fat tears were running down her face. Her curly hair was wild, her chest heaved in her pretty lavender linen dress. “Fuck you. You have ruined my life and I never want to see you again.”

Azriel stood up from getting thrown at the wall and was about to say something back, when Lucien stood in between him and Elain. His face had a look of quiet, lethal rage that made Vassa gulp. She’d read about it before, how the Fae can get feral when someone hurts their mate. Lucien looked like he was about fight Azriel and he didn’t even know what happened between the two. But Elain was crying and upset, and that was enough.

“Can we bring this outside?” Vassa suggested. She didn’t need the two males tearing up her home in a brawl.

Colette ran upstairs, looking scared and nervous.

“Queen Vassa, Lord Eris is here. He’s waiting downstairs.”

Vassa sighed and rolled her eyes. As if they needed anymore chaos. She looked over at Elain, who looked like she’d seen a ghost. Oddly enough, so did Azriel.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Jurien said as he motioned for the group to walk downstairs. Once everyone else descended, he held out his elbow for Vassa and she took it.

They walked down the stairs into the dining room and Jurien stood by her as she attempted to slowly sit on her own. Thankfully, no one stared at her, not even the guests. Once she was seated, and Jurian scooted her chair in, she looked around the table. Jurian was taking his seat on her right, Eris next to him. Eris bowed his head. His bright red hair was slightly shorter than the last time she’d seen him. He was wearing a well-fitted burgundy suit, gold jewelry adorned his ears and his fingers.

“Hello Queen Vassa. Lovely to see you as always” Eris smoothly greeted.

“Hello, Lord Eris,” Vassa replied, just as smoothly. “To what do we owe this pleasure? Luckily we had extra food for unexpected guests.”

Vassa shot a knowing look at Azriel who also bowed his head. He was wearing Illyrian leathers, shadows were swirling around him. The staff started to bring in plates of dinner, setting it down before each person and scurrying away as fast as possible. They were scared and Vassa felt badly about it. Some of them had never seen so many Fae in one room, let alone one with wings and sentient shadows.

“I had heard that my brother and his little mate had returned to the human lands and I wanted to see how they were fairing. Rumor has it that my little sister was banished from the Night Court and Prythian,” Eris said as he took a drink of his glass of wine, his rings clinking on the glass.

Vassa looked around the table at the reactions, Azriel put his hand on his forehead, Elain furiously looked between the two and said nothing. Whatever happened with Elain, it was obvious that Eris and Azriel were involved too.

Vassa wasn’t the only one who noticed the strange behavior between the three. Lucien kept looking between them, his golden eye whirling and clicking like it normally did when he was upset.

“How do you know that Elain was exiled, Eris?” Lucien said in a dangerous tone, the second time they heard it that night.

Vassa sighed, it was a good possibility that someone would actually come to blows tonight.

Azriel and Elain froze and Eris kept his cool, looking back at Lucien.

“It’s not my secret to share,” Eris said, pointedly looking at Elain, his amber eyes blazing.

Elain’s eyes widened and her face fell, “No.”

Lucien glanced between his brother and his mate, his face looked devastated, "What's going on between you two?”

“Lucien..” Elain trailed off.

Lucien closed his eyes as Elain said his name and clenched his jaw, “No, enough, Elain. No more excuses. No more avoidance. I know that you never wanted the bond or me, but at the very least you could be honest with me.”

Everyone looked at Elain, who had her head down, hands in her hair, her eyes looking down at her untouched plate. Her hands were trembling.

“We’ve been training my magic together,” Elain said quietly, just loud enough so everyone could hear. “I was banished because Cassian caught us.”

Lucien looked betrayed, “You’ve been training with my estranged brother? You didn’t even think to ask me? ”

He stood up and threw his napkin at the table, storming out of the dining room and out the back door. Elain trembled as the door slammed.

“I’m going to go check on him,” Jurien said before rising and planting a kiss on Vassa’s cheek and following Lucien outside.

“Excuse me,” Elain said, her face once again had tears streaming down it. She got up and politely walked out of the dining room like a lady, but they could all hear her running upstairs and slamming her door behind her.

The only two people who remained at the table were Azriel and Eris, seated directly across from each other. Eris stared at Azriel, while he cut into his steak and took a bite. The bastard seemed completely unfazed by the fire he started.

Vassa looked between the two, sensing something was still off between them. And then she noticed one of Azriel’s shadows come out of Eris’ sleeve, danced around his wrist, before going back to it’s owner.

“What’s going on with you two?” She asked, getting tired of all the secrets and games. Her best friend and her new friend were both hurting from it all. “And don’t tell me it’s nothing, I just saw one of Azriel’s shadows dance with Eris’ wrist.”

Azriel and Eris both looked at her before looking at each other. Eris raised a red eyebrow.

“Do you want to tell her or should I, shadowsinger?”

“Are you sure we should tell anyone?” Azriel looked worried, his hazel eyes were wide and his shadows were swirling about him.

“You’re in my house, uninvited, I might add, and eating dinner at my table. You will tell me what’s happening,” Vassa ordered, irritated that she got dressed and came downstairs for all of this.

Azriel looked tense, he put his scarred hand on his chin and looked outside. Eris, however, didn’t look bothered in the slightest.

“I need your word that this stays between us. If my father finds out, he will kill both of Azriel and I,” Eris stated so plainly that it was jarring to Vassa.

Vassa nodded, “You have my word.”

Azriel looked at Eris again and Vassa noticed that the look had some longing in it. But that couldn’t be right, as far she knew, both males hated each other.

“Thank you, Queen Vassa,” Eris took a big drink of wine, the only outward sign that he too, was nervous to admit this secret. “Azriel and I have a complicated, messy history together. It’s gotten worse since I became allies with the Night Court and started helping Elain in secret. And the reason why it’s so complicated is because Azriel is my mate.”

Chapter Text

Vassa didn’t know what to say, as she looked at Eris and Azriel. The former was cutting up his steak and acting like he hadn’t just admitted that his nemesis was his cauldron blessed mate. The latter looked like he wanted his shadows to swallow him whole and take him far, far away.

Vassa took a gulp of her wine. Mates, like Elain and Lucien. That she didn’t see coming. She wondered if they were also estranged or if they had accepted the bond in secret.

“Azriel and I are not estranged but we also have not accepted the bond. We keep it ‘satisfied’ by fornicating every few weeks, or more if needed,” Eris explained nonchalantly, as if he could read Vassa’s mind.

At first Vassa was taken aback by how crass Eris was but then she had to remind herself that the Fae were not as modest about sex as humans were and discussed it freely with details. Lucien would get downright filthy in his discussions when he’d had a few to drink (despite him not sleeping with anyone in years due to his bond with Elain).

“And having sex with each other helps you two deal with the bond?” Vassa asked slowly.

Vassa was genuinely curious and didn’t understand why Elain and Lucien hadn’t tried this arrangement if it was so helpful. In the week that they’ve been living together in the manor, the tension between the two could be cut with a knife. They both would take turns staring at each other from across the dinner table. They made an effort to keep physical distance, but if they happened to accidentally brush against each other, they’d tense up or shudder at the sensation. They were both normally pretty chatty separately, but quiet and stumbled their words when together. The bond was clearly chaffing them both (at least that’s how Jurian explained it).

“Incredibly helpful. Sexual activity quiets the urges and pulls from the bond,” Eris answered bluntly.

As Vassa observed the pair, she wondered how well it was actually working for them. Eris was holding his fork with so much tension she thought the utensil might snap. Azriel had that same look of longing on his face, stealing glances at Eris. It couldn’t be easy for them, Eris was hated by the Night Court and Beron was traditional and cruel. He killed Lucien’s lover, Jesminda, for not being High Fae. It made Vassa ill to think what Baron would do with the knowledge that Eris was mated to an Illyrian and a male.

“What did I walk into?” Jurian joked.

He and Lucien walked back into the dining room. Jurian had a grin on face, almost giddy about the discussion. Lucien, on the other hand, looked horrified and sat down at the table. Jurian kissed her on the head and returned to his seat as well.

“You two have a bond?” Lucien asked in disbelief.

“Yes, little brother, the shadow signer and I are mates,” Eris replied, sounding bored. “And we frequently bed each other to keep the bond from chaffing.”

“I didn’t need to know that,” Lucien grumbled.

“Why haven’t you and Elain tried that?” Jurian asked, leave it to him to say the quiet part outloud.

Vassa tried to regain control of the conversation, “Now that most of us are here, perhaps you should tell us everything and how this resulted in Elain’s banishment.”

“I can tell you some things, but some are Elain’s to tell. And I made a bargain with her to keep those parts a secret,” Eris explained.

Lucien scoffed at that, “Does Azriel know these secrets too?”

“Yes,” Azriel answered for himself. “She told me when she wanted me to contact Eris.”

“Let’s start from the beginning though, shall we?” Eris interrupted. Azriel nodded in agreement. “Azriel and I are mates. The bond snapped for me when I first met Azriel, five hundred years ago when I was a teenager and betrothed to Morrigan.”

“The bond didn't snap for me until I rescued him from Bryialynn,” Azriel said quietly.

Vassa had heard about that from Lucien. Brialynn, one of the wretched human queens that sold her out, had kidnapped Eris and was controlling his mind with a magical crown. Azriel spent days watching for the perfect moment before saving Eris and taking him to safety.

“Shit,” Jurian said as he took a drink of whiskey that he brought in from the living room.

“After it snapped for Azriel, he had some business to attend to in the Night Court. When he was done a day later, we spent a week together in a cottage I own in Autumn. It’s hidden and warded, not even my father knows. But he did notice my absence and heard about Azriel saving me. I was punished severely for it.”

Azriel clenched jaw at that and took a moment before speaking again.

“We came to the agreement that we would satisfy the bond periodically, but keep it unaccepted due to consequences from my family and Baron,” Azriel said gruffly, like it hurt to admit that being apart was for the best.

“What does this have to do with Elain?” Lucien asked impatiently.

“We’re getting to that, little brother,” Eris retorted, eating another piece of steak.

“Elain came to me two months ago. She had a vision that made her petrified. She was desperate to train her powers but didn’t want to tell Rhys or Feyre. She thought they’d lock her up like Nesta if they knew,” Azriel answered, shooting a knowing look at Lucien.

Nesta locked up? Vassa wondered what was going on with the Archeron sisters that they were imprisoning each other. Edmond had mentioned that the three females had their fair share of disagreements, but nothing like this.

“Vision? What does that mean?” Jurian asked, cutting into his own steak.

“Elain is a seer. She sees visions of the future,” Lucien answered with a tinge of reluctance. “Her visions were how we found Vassa.”

Vassa was stunned. She had no idea that Elain was the reason she was granted leave from the lake. She’d never thought too much on how Lucien and Edmond were able to track her down. Vassa couldn’t help but feel immense gratitude for Elain. It wasn’t permanent and the curse was wearing on her physically and mentally, but at least she had time away from the lake. She had the time to spend with people she loved before she would return for the rest of life.

“So what was in the vision that got her so upset?” Jurian questioned, looking at Eris.

Eris looked directly at Vassa, “I cannot tell you that, but you would be very interested to know, Queen Vassa.”

Vassa knew exactly what he meant. Elain was having visions of Koschei. Vassa felt queasy again, thinking about what Elain had seen and why she didn’t say anything. Elain had been there for a week and was silent about it.

“Elain will tell in her own time, but she wanted better control of her magic so she could understand the vision. She asked for help in training her magic and insisted it had to be Eris to help her,” Azriel spoke again.

“I agreed to train her, we’d meet in the Day Court and train her magic. Helion helped me with research about Seers,” Eris said before shooting a regretful look at Lucien. “I didn’t do it to betray or hurt you, Lucien. I did it because she’s your mate and she desperately needed help. She was in dreadful shape when I first started training with her. She’s extremely powerful and was never shown how to burn off some of that magic. It almost consumed her.”

Lucien looked furious and hurt, and he shot a glare at Azriel, “No one in the Night Court bothered to train her? You were too busy trying to seduce her that you neglected her powers?”

“We had no idea she was this powerful. She insisted that she wasn’t getting visions anymore,” Azriel replied, to his credit he looked regretful.

“Some spymaster,” Lucien scoffed, taking down the rest of his whisky.

“That’s unfair, Luc. In the short time I’ve known Elain, she’s proven to be an incredibly skilled liar. She hides a lot from those around her and I think she’s done that her whole life,” Eris defended Azriel, clearly bothered by the discussion of Azriel’s feelings towards Elain.

“No, Lucien’s right,” Azriel spoke up. “I should have been focused on her needs and not my desires. It was misguided and I am sorry for that.”

Lucien didn’t say anything, he looked out the entryway to the dining room, his hands were clenched.

“I trained Elain once a week for a few months, Azriel would bring her to the Day Court every time,” Eris explained, getting back to the topic at hand.

“Until I was called to Illyria to deal with a conflict on the same morning that I was supposed to bring Elain to the Day Court, so I asked Eris to get Elain from Velaris,” Azriel added.

“What the fuck is Velaris?” Jurian asked, Vassa rolled her eyes at the profanity he always felt compelled to use.

“Velaris is a city in the Night Court, it's warded and kept a secret. Rhys is adamant that to protect its citizens, no one outside of the Night Court can know about its existence or where it is,” Azriel answered before looking at Lucien earnestly. “You’ve been more loyal to us than we’ve given you credit for if you didn’t tell them about it.”

Lucien looked away. While he never talked about Velaris, he did talk about how the Night Court didn’t trust him, that they barely even tolerated him. Vassa saw it with her own eyes when Cassian was (badly) trying to gather intelligence from them last year and ended up nearly losing his temper several times. What an unreasonable male.

“I picked her up from Velaris with no problems. She met me outside a town house she was living in,” Eris continued. “When I came back to drop her off, Rhysand was there, waiting for our return. He was livid and brought us to Hewn City to interrogate us.”

Lucien went still as that deadly look returned to his face, “He didn’t…”

“No, he didn’t torture her. But he was furious and ordered me to leave,” Eris tried to assure his brother, but it wasn’t working.

“He didn’t touch her, I made sure of that,” Azriel said, confirming Eris’ statement. “Feyre wanted to handle Elain herself and they got into a screaming match. It resulted in Feyre giving Elain the choice to spend time locked up in Hewn City for treason or be banished to the human lands.”

“I came here when Azriel told me,” Eris started. “I wanted to make sure that Elain was ok and see if she’d still let me assist in training her magic. She still has a long way to go, repressing her magic did damage that’s going to take time to undo. I worry what could happen to her.”

Lucien sat, taking in his brother's words, until he spoke softly, “I’ll talk to her and let you know.”

Eris nodded, stood up, and straightened his jacket, “It’s getting late, I need to get back. Azriel?”

Azriel stood up and looked at Lucien, “Please tell her I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to get this complicated, I only wanted to help her.”

After Azriel and Eris left, Lucien stared at the table for a few moments and then stood up too.

“I need to go talk to her,” he stated, his eyes had a certain heaviness and sadness in them.

“Good luck,” Jurian muttered sarcastically, Vassa shot him a glare.

Jurian and Vassa sat at the table by themselves. Vassa poured herself more wine.

“I need more of that too,” Jurian said, giving his glass over to Vassa to fill. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking about Elain’s vision?”

Vassa took a drink of her wine and shivered, “She had a vision of him.”

“Koschei,” Jurian said with distaste and anger.

Vassa took another long drink. She would have to ask Elain about it, even though she hated talking about him. Maybe Elain had information that could help or at least give her a clue as to when she’d have to return so she’d have time to prepare and say goodbye.

“Let’s get you upstairs,” Jurian said, pulling out her chair so he could scoop her up and carry her. Vassa kissed his neck.

Jurian often knew what she needed before she had to say anything. He carried her up the staircase. As they rounded the corner and walked outside of Elain’s room, they heard Elain and Lucien talking to each other loudly, both of their voices filled with so much angst and sadness, it almost sounded like both of them were crying. Vassa looked at Jurian and he cringed.

“That’s not a conversation I want to be apart of,” he whispered.

———————————-

Vassa laid in her bed, her eyes wide open. Dawn wasn’t for another couple of hours but she couldn’t sleep. Jurian was asleep beside her, gently snoring with an arm draped over her waist. His broad chest was against her back and moved with each breath.

When they made it into their bedroom last night, Vassa had every intention of sleeping until she watched Jurian take off his tunic. With the exposed muscles on his upper body and arms and the patch of hair on his chest and stomach leading in a trail down below his pants, she couldn’t help herself. She pulled him on top of her, sighing when his familiar weight was on top of her. As he pushed himself inside her entrance and his length hit the exact spot that drove her wild with pleasure, she watched his beautiful face as he moaned and nearly told Jurian that she loved him. Because despite avoiding her feelings about whatever they were to each other, she couldn’t deny how much she started to love him more than anything. And it scared her because she knew she’d be leaving him for the lake soon.

She sighed as she slowly moved Jurian’s arm, careful not to wake him and pulled on her silky red robe. She slowly made her way downstairs, using her cane for balance and noticed a light coming from the kitchen so she followed it. The kitchen was not a place that she went in often (she didn’t know how to cook), but she was curious to see who was in there at this hour. When she walked in, she was met by a strong smell of cinnamon and Elain sitting at the table in a fuzzy pink robe, her curly braided down her back, eating a cinnamon crumb cake slice.

“Elain, what are you doing?” Vassa asked.

Elain jumped and then her face flushed from embarrassment, “I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to bake. Do you want a piece?”

It did smell delicious.

“I’d love one,” Vassa answered.

Elain got up and put a piece on a small plate with a fork, handing it to Vassa before sitting down and resuming eating her piece. Vassa took a bite, it was warm and delightful.

“I’m sorry if I woke you,” Elain said quietly.

“It’s ok, I couldn’t sleep,” Vassa replied, taking another bite.

They ate in silence (except for their forks hitting the plate) for a few minutes before Elain spoke again.

“Lucien has left,” Elain said with a shaky voice. “He went back to the Spring Court. I don’t think he’ll be back any time soon.

Elain let out a sob and tears began to fall. Vassa stared at her, stunned by the news but also by Elain’s reaction. She seemed heartbroken, even though she always shrunk in Lucien’s presence.

“Elain, I don’t understand. Why do you avoid him if you’re this upset when he leaves?” Vassa asked gently.

Elain looked up at her, her big brown eyes were red and swollen from crying.

“It has nothing to do with Lucien or my feelings towards him. Lucien is handsome, smart, and loyal. I think in another life, we could have been very happy together. I maybe could have loved him,” Elain said quietly. “But I don’t just see the future, Vassa, I see the past, too. I’ve seen him lose a lover at the hands of his father. And I’ve also seen him lose me and I can’t do that to him. I just can’t.”

Vassa swallowed hard. She knew all about Jesminda and what a terrible and traumatic loss it was for Lucien. He told them one night, after a night of heavy drinking and recounted the horror and why couldn’t go back home.

“I understand, Elain. More than you know,” Vassa lamented. “In your vision, how did Lucien lose you?”

Elain sniffled, “He lost me to the death god. He kidnapped me and took me to the lake.”

Vassa froze, “Why would Koschei take you?”

Elain looked at her directly, Vassa felt a bit uncomfortable under the weight of her intense gaze. She had come to enjoy Elain’s presence but had to admit that at times she was still unsettling. It was the way Elain’s big doe eyes seemed to peer into her soul when she stared like that.

“Because my father accidentally made a bargain with the death god to trade me in return for your temporary freedom,” Elain answered, still staring at Vassa.

Vassa’s mind reeled at this information. She didn’t know the details on how Edmond bargained for her freedom, she was in the sky as the firebird when it happened. But that couldn’t be right. There’s no way Elain’s father would use her in a bargain, even as an accident.

“That doesn’t sound like something your father would have done, how did you get this information?” Vassa asked.

“Koschei told me. He’s been talking to me in my dreams,” Elain answered with a shuddered breath

Chapter Text

Jurian watched as the firebird disappeared. When he awoke this morning, Vassa wasn’t in bed. He found her downstairs, eating cake with Elain and talking in hushed voices.

While he still found Elain to be a bit creepy with her knowing stares, he had come to appreciate her presence in the manor. She added some drama to the mix and was a bit of a troublemaker, if he was being honest. He always thought the middle Archeron was the boring sister out of the three, but she was proving to be quite the opposite.

But the thing he appreciated the most about Elain was how fast she and Vassa took a liking to each other. Within the first night, they were laughing and talking like old friends. Jurian was relieved to see them get along so well, it was something Vassa desperately needed. A female friend. The past year had been lonely for her. Between her curse and her status, it was difficult for Vassa to make friends with the women in the village near the manor. Occasionally, they were invited to dine with Grayson and his wife, but Vassa and Imogene weren’t exactly friends, despite how polite they were to each other. The conversation was always surface level small talk. Nothing like Elain and Vassa sharing secrets in the kitchen well into the early hours of the morning.

Jurian wanted Vassa to have everything she wanted while she waited for the day that Koschei would call her back. And it seemed like they were getting closer and closer to that day.

Jurian had seen his share of disturbing things in his time. He had been through two wars with Hybern. He was murdered by Amarantha and his soul was kept in an eye on a ring on Amarantha’s hand. He had been forced to witness the horrors she committed for fifty years under the mountain. But none of it terrified him more than watching Vassa transform back to human in the sky, plummeting to the Earth as she lost her wings. His heart stopped at that moment, as he ran to her. She miraculously survived but it reminded him of the fragile, short time that they had together.

He loved Vassa, and he’d never loved anyone the way he did with her. Not even Miryum. He didn’t think twice to dedicate himself to see her through the curse and hoped that one day, he’d help her reclaim her kingdom. But watching Vassa deteriorate because of the curse was an excruciating experience. Each day her body was a little bit weaker. She wasn’t bouncing back from her days as a firebird like she was a year ago. But even worse, her strong, resilient spirit was diminishing under the curse. Some days after returning home for the night, she’d just sit in the bath and stare blankly at the wall while Jurian washed her. She was getting quieter and gave no reaction to things that would normally irritate her. If having a friend helped keep at least her mind and spirit intact, he was willing to do all he could to make sure Elain Archeron stuck around.

As Jurian walked back from the decimated ground outside the manor, he saw Eris waiting on the porch. Eris’ bright red hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, he wasn’t covered in gold jewelry like he normally was, and wore brown leathers, suitable for training and exercise. Eris noticed Jurian walking up and gave him a short nod.

“I’m here to train with Elain,” Eris stated. “Lucien told me she still wanted to, thank gods.”

“You were really worried about that, weren’t you?”

“Without training, she could be a danger to not only herself, but everyone around here.”

Jurian thought about that statement and asked, “How powerful did the Cauldron make her?”

“Extremely” Eris answered. “I think she might be the most powerful out of all the Archeron sisters.”

“It’s always the least expected ones, isn’t it,” Jurian remarked.

Seconds after, Elain exited the manor, tying her braid with a piece of brown leather that matched what she was wearing. Her leathers were similar to Eris’, Elain must have gotten them from him. The cut and fit was more modest than Illyrian leathers that were practically painted on and showed everything. Elain’s pants were fitted but not skin tight and her tunic was longer giving more coverage, although it didn’t manage to hide her curvy shape.

Dark circles were lined around her eyes, making it obvious that she didn’t sleep the night before. Eris noticed, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Are you ready to train today, little sister?” He asked casually.

Elain rolled her eyes, “Yes, let’s go.”

“Ok, then,” Eris smirked and gave a nod in Jurian’s direction.

Jurian gave them both a salute and headed inside to the kitchen, where he got a cup of black tea and helped himself to the cinnamon crumb cake Elain and Vassa were sharing earlier.

He sat at the kitchen table, watching Eris and Elain in the field outside. Eris gave instructions and Elain nodded. Then they took six paces away and faced each other. Elain raised her arms in front of her, like she was directing something. Elain’s eyebrows furrowed and she bit her lip, intensely focusing. Jurian ducked down, just in case. He’d seen what Feyre could do and heard stories about Nesta, he wasn’t going to take his chances. He watched as green plants started to grow around her, some flowers, and some vegetables and fruits.

“Well, I’ll be!” Jurian said under his breath, taking a sip of his tea.

Eris yelled some more instructions and Elain gave a short nod, now pointing her hands at Eris. As she raised her hands, vines began to pop out of the ground surrounding Eris. Then they wrapped around Eris’ legs and arms. Eris yelled at Elain and Elain shook her head. Whatever he instructed her to do, Elain couldn’t do it. Vines continued to surround Eris.

“Oh, shit!” Jurian exclaimed as he got out of his seat and ran outside.

“Elain, stop!” Eris yelled.

“I can’t,” Elain screamed back in terror, her face flushed and errant curls stuck to her sweaty face, “I can’t make it stop!”

“Yes, you can. Push your magic back down into the well we talked about!” Eris yelled, groaning as the vines tightened around.

“Eris!” Elain cried out, before her eyes went milky white and she collapsed on the ground.

Eris used his fire to burn the vines that had now loosened their grip and ran to Elain’s side.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Eris cursed and he gathered her in his arms, “Elain, sister, you have to wake up. Come back!”

Jurian stood frozen in his spot, he didn’t know what to do or if he couldn’t be of any help. He’d heard about this with the Fae, when they’d use too much power that it’d start to consume them until they’d burn out.

Eris gently tapped her pale, freckled face, begging for her to come back. Jurian had never seen Eris show genuine concern in any situation, the male normally had a tight control of the emotionless, snarky mask he wore most of the time. But in that moment, Eris looked actually scared for Elain.

Elain’s eyes suddenly turned back into the deep brown eyes they all knew and she started shivering.

“Oh, thank gods,” Eris exclaimed. “Lucien would have my head if you didn’t wake up.”

“I’m sorry,” Elain said weakly, shutting her eyes.

“This is why we shouldn’t train if you haven’t had proper sleep,” Eris lightly scolded.

“I’m so cold, Eris,” Elain said, her body trembling and her teeth chattering.

Eris held her body closer, likely trying to heat her up with his Autumn magic.

“Lets get you inside,” Eris murmured.

“I’ll have Colette draw her a warm bath,” Jurian offered.

They walked in, Jurian found Colette and she went upstairs with Eris, Elain still in his arms. Jurian returned to his tea and cake, taking it out into the living room. Vassa would throw a fit if she knew he was eating on her beloved pink couch but he would make sure to not spill anything. Or clean it up if he did.

Eris came back down ten minutes later, running a hand through his hair.

“How’s Elain?” Jurian asked.

“Better, but I’m hesitant to leave her when Lucien’s not here to help if her magic takes over her again,” Eris stated, digging into his inner coat pocket and retrieving a note book that he handed to Jurian. “If anything happens, if she starts acting even just a little bit off, write to me and I’ll be here as soon as I’m able.”

Jurian nodded, “You got it.”

Eris nodded, “Right. I need to go back to Autumn, I’ll be back in a few days. Hopefully Lucien will be back before then.”

“That all depends on Elain,” Jurian mumbled.

Eris looked at Jurian like he wanted to ask for details but instead winnowed out of the living room.

Elain came down a few hours later for lunch, joining him in the dining room as they had been doing for the last week or so. She had changed into a white button down shirt, tucked into a full, ankle length brown skirt. A dusty pink shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her freshly washed hair was braided down the side. She took small spoonfuls of the soup, blowing on it gently before putting it into her mouth.

Jurian watched her delicately eat while he plopped spoonfuls into his mouth. This whole situation was bothering him. Lucien wrote to Jurian that morning, telling him he wasn’t coming back until Elain requested him to come. Apparently during their talk last night, Elain told him that she didn’t want Lucien or the bond. But the way she seemed so forlorn today seemed to suggest otherwise. Of course it wasn’t any of his business, but that’s never stopped him before.

“Why did you ask Eris to train you? Why didn’t you ask Lucien to train you?” He asked her, breaking the silence.

Elain blinked at him, she seemed shocked by his question. She looked like she was debating how to answer.

“Eris is a Night Court alley and he’s powerful,” Elain answered.

“Why not ask Lucien? He works for the Night Court and he’s also powerful.”

“ I couldn’t ask Lucien to train me. I can’t get close to him, he’d fall for me. I see the future, you know,” Elain stated, just as plainly as Jurian.

“Would that be such a bad thing?”

Elain shuddered her eyes and then looked down at her bowl, “Yes. I can’t do that to him, I can't give him false hope. I don’t want him to fall in love and lose me too. I’ve seen it happen in visions and he doesn’t deserve that.”

Jurian furrowed his eyebrows, “That sounds very similar to my situation with Vassa.”

Elain looked at him, a questioning look on her face.

“Vassa’s time away from the lake is limited. She could be called back at any point and we haven’t found a cure for her curse yet,” Jurian started, looking out the window at the spot he watched her transform into the firebird today. “I know she thinks she’s a burden. That she’s wasting my time. But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but by her side. Even if our time together is short.”

Elain seemed to consider and process what Jurian just explained. But then she turned back to politely eating her soup.

“Thank you,” Elain murmured so quietly he almost missed it.

Elain seemed done with the conversation but Jurian wasn’t.

“Why did Lucien leave?” He asked.

Of course he already knew, but he wanted to get it from her perspective. It seemed as if Elain was intent on self-sabotage and because she was Vassa’s new best friend, Jurian felt he had an obligation to help her out a bit and point her in the right direction.

Elain looked up from her bowl and said in a small voice, “I told him to leave. I told him that I didn’t want him or the bond.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s true.”

Elain was a terrible liar. She looked away, her voice wobbled as she said it.

“I know that’s not true,” Jurian said, scoffing. “I can tell by the way you stare at him when you think no one’s looking.”

Elain frowned, she wasn’t expecting someone to call her out on her lie. One thing he knew about the Archeron sisters is that they coddled her a bit too much and she used it as a shield from responsibility.

“It doesn’t matter. He’s not coming back.”

“He would drop everything if you apologized and told to come back. He’d come back in a second.”

Elain gave him a sad smile, “I don’t know about that.”

“I do,” Jurian answered, tearing off a piece of bread to dip in his soup. “Just don’t let too much time pass before you tell him how you really feel. I know you aren’t shy or timid, ‘little sister’ so don’t act that way towards him.”

Elain rolled her eyes and gave a small smile before she began eating her soup again.

A couple moments later, Colette walked into the room, Grayson Nolan at her heels.

“General, Lord Grayson is here to meet with you,” Colette announced.

Elain’s face blanched, she sat frozen in her spot.

“Let’s go to my office,” Jurian said, standing up and leading Grayson out of the dining room.

“See you later, Elain!” Grayson called from behind him.

Jurian choked down a laugh as he watched Elain scowled at Grayson and stuck out her tongue as he turned his back towards her.

They got to Jurian’s office, he sat behind his desk that could use a bit of organizing, but that was neither here nor there. He moved a pile of papers to the side of the desk.

”What can I do for you?” Jurian asked.

Grayson cleared his throat, “There’s been more reports of that rot.”

“Where?”

“The Jamison farm,” Grayson answered, pulling out a pipe to smoke tobacco. “Got a match?”

Jurian handed him a match box.

“How bad?” He asked.

Grayson inhaled from his pipe and turned his face away from him to exhale.

“Not much right now, it’s spreading slowly,” the young lord answered. “But we need to figure out why it’s happening and how to stop it. The village needs all the crops it can get for the winter.”

Jurian agreed. “The rot” was what the villagers were calling a mysterious disease that caused the crops to turn black, dry out, and die for no apparent reason. It popped up in one other area farm, damaging 25% of the crops. Crops they couldn’t afford to lose. The winters here were harsh and the village would need all of the harvest to get through it.

“I’ll go take a look tomorrow,” Jurian said. “Got anything else for me?”

“Yes,” Grayson said, packing up his pipe into his coat pocket. “Come to dinner tonight with Queen Vassa. Imogene requested it. And bring Elain.”

Jurian cringed at that. Grayson had been informed of Elain’s stay (but not of her exile). Elain would hate to go to dinner at Grayson’s with his new wife. He didn’t want to subject her to that discomfort, that man had put her through enough. But he also felt he had no choice. The Nolans were funding most of their expenses at the moment.

“We’ll be there.” Jurian confirmed.