only in my dreams [part three]
summary: the beginning of the end.
warnings: mentions of death, violence, abuse and burns.
pairings: azriel x reader, eris x reader
A feeling of numbness began to invade you from the top of your head to your toes.
As you closed your eyes and calmed your breathing, you felt your shattered heart one last time before focusing on your emotions and feelings and bringing them to the surface.
Realizing that it was impossible to reach all of them, you focused on those whose presence had become a habit and which had begun to suffocate you day after day.
Jealousy - upon seeing that Azriel's courtships were not intended for you.
Pain - realizing that the Spymaster eye's weren't looking for you the way yours did for him.
Insecurity - thinking that you will never be enough for the Shadowsinger that occupied your thoughts.
Sadness - understanding that you will never find yourself in the arms of the person you most want to hold you.
Broken heart - when you realize that the male you love will never love you back.
You let them emerge, and when they did, you let them swim back and forth as you dug your way through them looking for that little switch.
The switch that was about to solve all your problems. In a few moments, it would mend your heart and bind it with a steel chain around it, to prevent it from breaking again - from feeling again.
After digging your way for a few more seconds, the switch came into your reach and as you headed towards it, you noticed the darkness that surrounded it.
The darkness that would invade your veins and corrupt your heart - the price to pay.
By reaching for the switch with an invisible hand, you let the happy memories with your friends replay in your mind, granting one last wish to your aching heart.
It was while reliving those memories that you were hesitant about what you were about to do, seeing the good times you had spent with the friends that had become your family.
Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie, Rhys, Cass, Feyre, Mor and Amren - all their faces appeared in turns bringing a slight smile and a feeling of comfort.
But it shattered when the image of Azriel and Elain holding hands and exchanging smiles invaded your mind without permission.
You would never be her and he would never look at you that way.
That was your breaking point.
You wouldn't continue to suffer for a male who didn't even dedicate a second of his time to acknowledge you.
And just like the snap of a finger, the hesitation disappeared, anger replacing it, making the invisible hand reach out and finally complete its task.
A storm was heading towards Prythian.
Black clouds haunted the sky, an immense darkness hid behind them, preparing to release its confined monsters at the right moment.
The Courts were dominated by gray — a consequence of the storm that was about to break.
The trees had lost their color; the flowers and food planted in the gardens stopped growing; the water in the rivers and seas was still, with no wave being formed; the animals had fled and a crushing cold forced every inhabitant to stay at home.
The sun was nowhere to be found.
With no explanation from the High Lords for what was happening, the inhabitants were left at their mercy to conjure one.
'This is the work of witches,' some said.
'Prythian is dying. It's the end of the world,' said others.
But the rumor that most circulated among the Courts? The rumor that many believed but were too afraid to say out loud? The rumor that due to fear was whispered between ears or past written in letters?
Someone had disturbed a powerful being, and this was the result of their wrath.
Now, Prythian was condemned to face their punishment.
The entire extension of Prythian seemed cursed, but no Court was worse than the Night Court.
All eyes that fell on the city would only take a second to identify it as the epicenter of the storm.
After all, that was where the 'curse' itself began.
Velaris was paused in time.
Flying over what was once vibrant and full of life, Velaris, Azriel, Cassian, and Rhys continued their search.
They flew through the empty streets, past the closed shops, with no sign that anyone lived there.
If the males didn't have the age they have, they would never have believed that this had once been the City of Starlight.
It all started four weeks ago.
Four weeks since Madja's drastic revelation about you.
Four weeks since the last time any of them had seen you.
You had disappeared without leaving any kind of trace.
While Amren, Nesta, and Feyre read all the books Helion had lent them about rare powers, Mor on the Continent trying to find someone who knew more about empaths, the males were tasked with finding you.
The brothers had already flown over the entire Night Court to try to find any trace of you - but without success.
It was as if you had simply evaporated.
They went as far as contacting Eris to find out if the Heir knew anything about you.
Although they didn't get any information regarding you, the males ended up discovering that Eris himself was looking for you.
Apparently, your news powers had reached the ears of Beron, awakening his interest in you.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time Beron had been interested in you.
News in Prythian never took long to reach all the Courts.
When the first rumor about an empath in Prythian emerged, all the High Lords were agitated, especially when that same empath was one of the members of Rhysand's Inner Circle.
Empaths were very rare, with only two recorded in the last twenty thousand years, so the extent of their powers and capabilities remained a mystery.
Rhysand had to set up a meeting and introduce you to the High Lords personally to prove you weren't a threat.
And you weren't. The High Lords saw firsthand what a caring, kind, and gentle person you were.
They saw your abilities as a healer and the purity in your eyes.
You were the epitome of kindness.
There was no reason to fear you.
They could barely believe what you had become. It was as if the girl they had met decades ago had never existed.
As if it had been nothing more than a dream.
Helion was the first to find out about your situation when Rhysand came to him.
Rhysand will never forget how Helion said you must have suffered too much and too long in silence to be able to become what you became.
The warning that followed still haunted the male in his sleep 'Do not underestimate her, Rhysand. It's innocent and pure people like Y/N who can find the deepest darkness within themselves when motivated to do so. She may not have been a threat before, but she certainly is now.'
The truth that no one wanted to admit was that they were scared of you.
Scared of your new powers and what you would be able to do with them.
And now Beron was looking for you.
You were never a violent or aggressive person. In fact, in all the years since you joined the Inner Circle, they had never even seen you raise your voice.
But now...with your emotions turned off, and your powers, if Beron finds you and you feel threatened...
They weren't sure that Beron would come out alive from that confrontation.
They didn't know how far you would go to protect yourself, but there was one thing they knew: they needed to find you quickly.
On a distant illyrian mountain, in an unpopulated zone, an abandoned cabin had been improvised as a laboratory.
The cabin contained only three rooms: a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room/kitchen.
This last room was the largest of the three, but due to all the tables that filled it, it gave the impression of being the smallest.
On the tables against the walls were various dried plants and flowers — in other words, dead.
You were sitting on a wooden stool in front of one of the tables in the center — that one was loaded with green plants and flowers with colors ranging from blue, red, and yellow.
Your eyes studied a sunflower while your hands surrounded it with a darkness they emitted.
You watched as the poison began to spread through it from the root to its petals — how it began to lose its color and wither with each passing second.
This has been your occupation for the last four weeks.
Ever since you discovered your new powers, you have dedicated yourself to learning about them.
All those sleepless nights, the days with little food in your stomach, the headaches, and the hours you spent sitting had been rewarded.
You could poison a entire plant or in a specific place of your choice, it could spread quickly or slowly, it could be deadly immediately or last for hours, you could remove the poison and bring the plant to its original state.
But the most interesting part? You had accidentally discovered during one of your experiments a few days ago that even after its death, you were able to control it.
That's what you had spent the last few days working on.
You believed this was the final step to achieving your full power.
You watched closely as the flower reached its final stage. You could feel its vitality fading away at your fingertips.
With one last movement of your hand, the flower reached its end.
Letting a few seconds pass, you took the opportunity to readjust yourself on the bench and stretch a little. You felt the muscles in your arms and back relax instantly.
You didn't know how long you had been sitting here working on the flower, but when you looked out the window and saw the light of a new day outside, you realized that a few hours had passed.
With your eyes finding the flower once more, you ignored the headache that was beginning to form on the right side of it, you had had many lately preceded by a bad night's sleep because of the nightmares that had invaded your mind for almost two weeks.
You had never had nightmares before, and these were mysterious. You couldn't understand them no matter how hard you tried.
You let go of that thought, pushing it deep into the back of your mind, and focused your attention on the task at hand and extended your hands towards the flower.
This was the moment of truth.
Slowly, with each rotation of your wrist, the flower started moving.
A big smile appeared on your face as you watched the flower move with the direction of your hands — following your lead.
Your attention shifted to your hands as you realized what was happening.
Your glow was changing color.
What used to be darkness was now a bright red.
The reach of your full power.
However, your moment of triumph was interrupted when your ears perked at the new sounds outside of the cabin.
The cabin only had one entrance and one exit, and that was where the intruders were headed.
You knew exactly who they were. You knew they were looking for you. They had come very close to finding you the last time, forcing you to move.
Luckily for them, back then, your priority was learning your new powers, but this time? This time, you were irritated.
Your eyes didn’t leave the flower when the cabin door was kicked open and five Autumn soldiers burst into your small laboratory.
You had heard that Beron was looking for you, but you thought the male wouldn’t be stupid enough to send his soldiers to the Night Court — especially Illyria.
Apparently, you were mistaken.
The soldiers began shouting orders that you ignored.
Did Beron really think he could capture you? Use your powers as he pleased?
Without warning, the cabin door slammed shut, the hinges creaking.
The males' heads turned toward the sound faster than humanly possible, yet they dared not move when a melody followed — one that sounded like a lullaby.
With trembling hands and legs, the soldiers tried to maintain their composure as they turned in the opposite direction.
"Tell me," your voice rang out across the room, "Which one of you can winnow?"
There was a deadly tone in your voice, enough to send shivers down the males' spines and cause doubts in their beliefs.
Your voice was light, calm, and delicate like a siren's song luring its victims to their death.
In a matter of a second, regret settled in the eyes of the soldiers, too scared to even remember that they had been questioned.
When none of them responded, you moved just an inch on the stool, allowing the soldiers to see what you were doing.
Without making any noise or sudden movements, the males began to walk backwards slowly while they increased the strength with which they gripped their swords, their eyes still fixed on the scene they were witnessing — a dead flower being guided by the action of your hands that subjected it to what could only be described as the dance of death.
The noise of a soldier swallowing the lump in his throat reached your ears, the same one that made the wise decision in answering you. "All of us."
The small laugh you let out made them shrink.
"Well, that's perfect," you finally turned to them, "that way, I don't have to waste time guessing.”
Mouths dropped at the sight of you. The eyes that held nothing behind them, the long hair down to your waist, the simple long white dress you wore, your bare feet, and the smile that would scare away the bravest warriors.
Behind you, the flower continued to dance without ever stopping.
One of the soldiers gripped his sword tighter. “Wh...What...What's that supposed to mean?” his voice failed to hide the fear that was rising from him.
The soldiers backed away even more, their backs hitting the wall behind them.
"By the Cauldron..." one of them muttered.
Five too-fast heartbeats filled the silence of the room.
“I need you to deliver a message to Beron for me.”
The soldier, who was on the far left side, began to search for the doorknob at an unnatural speed.
The smell of fear was palpable in the air.
"Lucky for me that you all can winnow, but unlucky for you," you took another step, watching their faces change as they realized what was about to happen. "I only need one of you to deliver the message."
The last thing the soldiers saw was your eyes turning red before everything exploded.
Azriel didn't know how many hours he had been flying or how many laps he had already made over Velaris.
Lost in his thoughts, the male made the mistake of looking down.
He flew over a small, familiar house at the top of a street.
Inside the small house, there was an old healer with her face stained with tears and pain in her chest caused by a worrying heart.
The old healer was in the same position as the previous days. Sitting at the window in her living room, waiting for her beloved niece to return.
But with each passing day, Velaris grew grayer, taking a bit of the old female's hope with it.
The last time he had seen Madja was five days ago.
Nuala and Cerridwen had prepared several casseroles to help the old female through what was the worst time of her life.
Feyre offered to take them, and Azriel and Cassian volunteered to help.
The Spymaster expected Madja to kick him out or release her anger on him, but she never did.
The healer welcomed him with open arms and prepared him some tea as thanks for his help. The suffering in her was visible; red eyes, low voice, bent posture, slumped shoulders, and several handkerchiefs soaked in tears on the living room table.
How could things have gotten to this point?
The promise Azriel made to himself flashed through his mind — he would bring you back into Madja's arms.
The movement of Cassian's wings broke his trance, and Azriel's eyes left the small house and resumed his flight.
Four weeks without any information.
The males even thought that you might have left the Night Court and gone to a different one.
But no wards had been passed, and they would know if anyone had passed them.
So wherever you were, you were still within the borders of their Court.
The brothers flew to meet each other, and when Rhys was preparing to speak, something happened.
A surge of power ripped through the Night Court with a red flash accompanying it.
The mountain and the ground shook, the water rattled, and somewhere, screams were torn from the throats of the citizens in their homes.
The males were sent straight to the ground, their wings and Illyrian strength not enough to keep them in the sky.
Azriel, Cassian, and Rhysand had to protect their eyes from the intensity of the flash while trying to remain stable on a shaking ground and ignoring the overwhelming feeling they felt as the wave of power passed by the entire Court.
So many thoughts ran through their minds.
What was happening? Was Prythian being attacked? Were the girls okay?
After a few more seconds, the flash began to diminish until it disappeared completely, leaving only the remains of something red all over the sky.
The mountains and the ground regained their stability and the rivers their calm.
As they raised their heads, the brothers saw what appeared to be red powder falling from the sky and towards the ground.
Cassian was the first to pick up a small amount and rub it between his thumb and index finger, trying to decipher what it could be.
With no answers, Cassian turned his attention to the males sitting next to him, checking for injuries, and noticed that they were both doing the same to him.
After checking that both they and the city were okay, the three of them took to the skies, and their eyes immediately found the source of the wave of power — Illyria.
The Illyrians would never attack them. They could be brutish and arrogant, but they were not stupid, leaving only one possible explanation.
"It's her," Rhys confirmed as he stretched out his hand, where remnants of the red flash landed on it.
Shock did not fail to appear on the males' faces. None of them mentioned what they had just witnessed, but all three knew.
You were stronger. More powerful.
Cassian broke the silence, if his brothers weren't going to talk, then he would "She knows," a silent agreement hovered between them, It was only a matter of time before you found out about your new powers.
"What do you think she's doing with it?" A bad feeling invaded them at the General's words.
Something big was about to happen.
"We should go back." Rhysand ignored his brother's words — he wasn't prepared for this conversation.
"What?" Azriel protested, his wings beating faster with the anticipation of going to look for you. "We finally know where she is, and you want to give up?"
"No one's giving up, Az," Cassian placed his hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down, "but look around you. You just felt her power, and we've been flying for hours. We can't go to her like this."
Azriel removed his brother's hand from his shoulder, a bit harsher than he intended, but he couldn't stop the anger that filled every word of the scream he released next. "What, you think she's going to attack us?"
Cassian's wings lowered a little, and he didn't hide the look of defeat he felt nor the hurt it caused in his chest when he said what had to be said "I don't know."
Shock ran through the Shadowsinger's body, making him move away as if those words had burned him.
Cassian let out a small sigh before continuing, "That's not our Y/N, Az. We don't know what she's capable of, and we have to assume the worst-case scenario."
When Azriel tried to protest again, Rhys stopped him. "Cass is right. We'll be back in a few hours when we're recharged."
Azriel knew they were right, but the guilt that invaded him didn't let him rest so easily.
"Besides, we need to know if the girls are alright."
Azriel nodded. If Helion's words were truly true, if you now posed a threat, then they couldn't risk surprising you without being prepared.
That single thought hurt him more than a sword strike, but that was the new reality they faced.
The males resume their flights but with their destination being the House of Wind.
There was nothing they could do for now. All that was left for them was to wait.
To the mountains where you were.
The mountains that hid you from him.
Or the mountains that protected him from you?
Eris Vanserra was having a long day, and there was no sign lurking that it was about to end.
As he walked through the halls of the Forest House, Eris let his mind wander to the meeting he had just left.
Beron had just made his alliance with Koschei and the mortal queen official, but that wasn't what bothered the young Heir.
His father had also told his council that his search for you was not over. Not even when the only soldier who had returned described word for word what had happened in Illyria.
The soldier's testimony did not have the same effect on the High Lord as it had on his council.
While the old males had shrunk in their seats at the description of your powers, Beron had moved closer as if to hear better.
A hand slammed down on the meeting table hard enough to stir the liquids in the crystal glasses that sat in front of each member.
"Speak, boy!" Beron demanded.
"She... She's different, High Lord. I've never seen anything like this before, not even with Hybern."
"Be specific! Do I look like someone who has the patience for riddles?"
"Death." The soldier said quietly, as if afraid that the walls might have ears.
Beron stood up from his seat at the revelation, curiosity gnawing at his body. Eris leaned back from his chair and gripped the arms of the chair in an attempt to soften the shock that this news had caused him, while Beron's council struggled to regain color in their faces.
"She looked like Death." The soldier finished before being dismissed.
When the door to the meeting room closed, the council erupted in screams.
The males of the council tried to dissuade Beron from his search for you but without success, as was to be expected.
His greed grew, as did his hunger for power. Now knowing what you were capable of, his desire to find you was now even greater, with the several soldiers who had left the Autumn Court with orders to find you as soon as the meeting ended as proof.
That was what bothered him. Not the change in your powers, not what happened with the soldiers — his soldiers — but your well-being.
He was beginning to think he had lost his mind.
Eris had even made the mistake of staying after the meeting ended to try to persuade his father to continue searching for you.
That had earned him the burn on his shoulder that he now bore.
What was going on with him?
Why hadn't you left his mind in these last few weeks?
His brain was telling him to ignore the situation and focus on the potential war with the Death God that was becoming more real with each passing day.
But his heart... his heart was telling him to write a letter to Rhysand asking about you. To know if they had found you yet or if they had any clues about you.
Little did he know that this would not be necessary because when he opened the double brown doors that led to his room, his eyes met those that appeared in his dreams.
There you were — sitting on his bed with one leg over the other in what looked like a tight black dress.
A smile formed on your lips as you stared at the male in front of you. "Did you miss me?"
"That was Y/N?" Nesta's voice was so low that if Cassian hadn't been right in front of her, he probably wouldn't have heard her.
"Yes." Cassian confessed to her as he witnessed the pain appearing in his mate's eyes.
Cassian didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her.
This situation was difficult for everyone, but the General knew it was especially so for the female he was trying to comfort.
Your relationship with Nesta was different from everyone else's. It had started out as rocky as a bad day, but just as bad days never last forever, neither did your beginning.
Before you knew it, you and Nesta were laughing together, exchanging books, walking arm in arm, and going almost everywhere together.
And the thought of losing you caused her more pain than she could have ever imagined.
As Nesta pulled away from her mate’s arms, she faced her brother-in-law.
“What’s the plan?” You had fought for Nesta, never backing down, never giving up, and now she was going to do the same for you.
Rhys’s eyes softened, and he squeezed Feyre’s hand tighter before answering, “Cass, Azriel, and I are going to Illyria, see if we can find out where she’s hiding.”
Nesta nodded, but before she could speak, a voice interrupted her.
“How will you know where to go?” Elain asked.
“We’ll follow the trail of the power surge. That should be enough to tell us where it started.”
Elain nodded in understanding before her eyes flicked to Azriel.
The male was quick to look away, focusing on his brother.
"She might not be there anymore." Cassian pondered.
"Still, it's worth a try." Feyre spoke a few seconds later.
Rhys gave her a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes — Feyre mirrored it.
An awkward silence fell over the family.
These past few weeks had been the strangest they had ever experienced. Sometimes, it felt like it wasn't even real, but rather a never-ending nightmare — sometimes they had to pinch themselves to make sure they were awake, and this was actually happening.
"I'll go with you." Nesta broke the silence.
Cassian knew there was no point in arguing, so he just nodded, wrapping his arms around her.
Azriel nodded as well before turning to Feyre and asking the question everyone was eager to know the answers to.
Feyre let out a long sigh before shaking her head.
"We received a letter earlier. She arrived in Rask three days ago but hasn't found anything yet. She says there's an old male who's experienced in rare powers, but it might not mean anything," Feyre let out another sigh, "she says she'll let us know when she finds something."
Every day, they waited anxiously for a letter from Mor. With hope fading by the day, they believed more and more that the answer lay on the Continent.
Azriel was interrupted from his thoughts by a gentle touch on his shoulder, and he turned to find the middle Archeron sister standing in front of him.
"Can we talk?" She asked softly.
Looking back and seeing the rest of his family chatting, Azriel nodded and followed Elain into the hallway.
When the female in the pink dress tried to touch his hand, he pulled away faster than her brain could process.
Azriel remained silent, letting Elain start a conversation he had no desire to have.
"What happened that night?"
His response ended up being a frown rather than words, so Elain continued.
"The night of our date. You never showed up at the restaurant," When Azriel stayed silent, she continued, "I know you went looking for her, Azriel. I heard Madja say you went to the clinic looking for Y/N. Why?"
Azriel had the answer, but it wasn’t with Elain that he wanted to share it.
And as if his brother had heard his thoughts, Rhys appeared in the hallway, telling Azriel it was time to go.
Azriel didn’t look back before following his brother and taking off.
Eris checked that no one was around his room before closing the doors.
The male leaned against the door for a few moments as if to make sure you were real.
Your smile widened. "I am."
Eris matched your smile and moved to sit on the wooden chair in front of the bed before undoing a few buttons on his shirt and moving to unbutton his boots.
"Did Beron get my message?"
You watched him for a moment before speaking again. "So you know about my powers."
"I don't care about your powers." He was quick to respond.
"What about your soldiers?"
"They shouldn't have threatened you."
"But he keeps looking for me."
Eris continued to untie his boots as he confirmed your statement.
"I told him to stop but he wouldn't listen."
"Hmm," you slowly stood up before stopping in front of him, "is that how you got that burn?"
Eris's hands stopped immediately, and without moving much, he directed his gaze to the white shirt that had fallen down when he bent over, now revealing yet another of Beron's marks.
Eris sighed and stood up, leaning his back against the wood of the chair.
His golden eyes met yours and he didn't look away, not even when he considered what lie to tell.
"I saw your mother when I was coming here."
"She was applying what I think was a cream to her bruises."
Eris closed his eyes. He had heard about the argument his parents had had a few days ago when he was away at meetings.
His mother hadn't told him anything but he had assumed how it had ended.
The Heir felt a weight on his legs and arms wrapping around his neck. When he dared to open his eyes, he found yours a few inches away.
"Do you want me to kill him?"
The question took him by surprise. No one had ever dared to say such words.
"Would you do it if I said yes?"
It was no secret that Eris dreamed of the day he would put an end to Beron's reign. One of his greatest goals was to free Autumn and his family from the clutches of that male.
Eris laughed and tilted his head back only to be grabbed by the chin by a hand smaller than his and meet your eyes again.
"I'm serious. Say the word and it will be done."
The owner of the golden eyes was lost for words. No one had ever cared about him like this.
Not knowing what to say, Eris brought your lips together.
You kissed him back almost immediately, adjusting yourself on his lap.
Eris broke the kiss just long enough to say, "I was worried about you."
You laughed into the kiss, responding with a quick, "I can take care of myself, prince."
Eris laughed back, "I know, but I missed you."
His response did something to your heart — something you couldn't quite put your finger on.
It would be a lie if you said you came here just to warn him about his father.
For some reason, this male made you feel things that shouldn't have been possible.
Your brain was telling you to pull away, to leave, but that thought was forgotten when your heart answered for you.
"Then show me how much you missed me."
Were the first two things you came across.
Total darkness surrounded you.
You couldn't make out what was around you. No matter how hard you tried to squint your eyes, they couldn't make out any kind of shape, not even a shadow.
No noise could be heard — wherever you were, silence dominated that place.
How did you end up here? What were you doing here?
You didn't get any response back, which led you to assume that you were alone. Whether that was a good thing or not, you didn't know, but something told you that you were about to find out.
As you took a step forward, you stretched out your arms in the hope of finding a surface that you could use to guide yourself.
It took several steps until you found what seemed to be a wall. As you let your hands run along it, you realized that its surface was rocky and damp and that your footsteps echoed.
Always with one hand on the wall, you let yourself be guided to whatever was waiting for you on the other side.
You didn't know how long you had been walking, your hand already cold from being pressed against the wall for so long.
Just when you were beginning to think that the darkness was endless and that you were lost or trapped, that there was no way out, something answered your worries.
A weak beam of light entered your field of vision, indicating the path to salvation.
In what seemed like a matter of survival, you ran towards the light that gradually grew brighter as you approached.
The moment the light became a little stronger, you realized that you were inside a cave when you saw the entrance.
When you finally left the cave, you saw that the light that was offered to you came from the moon, hence its dim brightness.
Without any intention of returning to the infinite darkness, you walked towards the trees that led you to a lake.
The lake was large, surrounded by pine trees, and with only the moonlight illuminating it and reflecting on its water.
The view was enchanting. It reminded you of one of those places where people would go when they needed to be alone or to think.
A place that would become someone's favorite place — where they would feel nothing but tranquility and security.
Where they could escape reality and take a break from their problems for a few hours.
Unfortunately, not everything is as it seems.
Just as a wolf can seem affectionate and friendly at first, causing its prey to let its guard down moments before attacking, this lake also seemed like a place of peace and not one of danger.
Your feet took you to the edge of the lake, where you crouched down and stretched out your hand to be enveloped by the water.
The water was pleasant and reminded you of summer days. You were swinging your hand from side to side when something caught your attention.
There, reflected in the lake, right behind you and a lot taller, emerged a dark figure.
A figure that was impossible to make out, could it be anything — a person, an animal, a shadow?
Acting on instinct, you turned as quickly as possible, and the only thing you could find was darkness accompanied by a deep voice.
Your breathing was fast, as was your heartbeat — as if they were in a race that they both wanted to win.
A line of sweat ran down your chest while another on your forehead followed suit.
You sat up slightly in bed as your eyes quickly adjusted to the dark room.
You saw the desk in the middle of the room where the pile of letters still stood, the tall windows that were covered by brown curtains, the fireplace where there were still traces of the wood that had burned a few hours ago and finally — the warmth that rested against your back.
You were still in Autumn.
The male's arm was around your waist, his chest against your back, and his previously closed eyes were now open.
Those golden eyes that did something unknown to your heart.
Eris sat up, remaining behind you, bringing his free hand to brush your hair away from your bare shoulder where he placed a light kiss.
You could have sworn your heart skipped a beat at the brush of his lips against your skin, but you attributed those thoughts to your sleepy state.
With his arm still around your waist, he pulled you towards him until your back was resting against his bare chest and your head on his shoulder.
"Is everything okay?" Eris asked, barely above a whisper.
What was he doing to you?
How was it that after everything you had done to protect your heart, this male could undo it with just a touch?
You closed your eyes at the nickname. Your cheeks felt hot — from the nickname or from the male holding you?
You felt a warm hand take its place over your heart, a gesture so simple yet meaning so much.
Your heart began to stabilize, your body to relax, and your breathing to return to its normal state as Eris began to make small circles with his hand.
"I'm okay, Eris." You couldn't help the small smile that pulled the corners of your mouth upward until your dimples appeared.
This was becoming too real — too deep.
You had to get away. From this male, from this place — from everything that reminded you of a certain Heir with red hair and golden eyes that reminded you of the sun
"Are you sure, little fox?"
Whatever this was between you and this male couldn't continue.
How could he be having this effect on you?
"Mm-hmm." Your response was followed by a light kiss on your temple before another was placed on your cheek.
What was this feeling in your belly? Why was your heart reacting like this?
You had to put an end to this. You were going to tell the male that whatever this was was nothing more than a bit of fun.
You were going to pull yourself out of his arms, forget about his lips, put on your clothes, and leave.
You didn't pull away when Eris pulled the two of you to lie down.
You didn’t protest when he laid your head on his chest and wrapped an arm around you.
You didn’t stop him when he covered you with the blanket.
Your mind felt heavy — what had you been thinking about earlier?
You snuggled closer to him, placing one of your arms over his stomach and tangling your legs with his.
You kissed his chest, and he ran his hand briefly through your hair.
A vague sense of thought passed through your mind — you had made a decision, hadn’t you?
The next morning, Eris woke up alone in his bedroom, now lit by the light of a new day.
He did not find your figure on the left side of the bed. Instead, he was surprised by a piece of parchment.
"I had to go, I have some business to attend to. Don't worry, prince, you will see me again."
Eris fell onto the bed with one hand hiding his face but not enough to hide his smile.
A warm and welcoming feeling filled his heart.
For the first time in all his centuries of life, Eris Vanserra was happy.
So happy that he didn't notice that his burn had been cured.
The Inner Circle was gathered in the living room with Amren back from her home.
Rhys had shared the vision with everyone that the four of them had encountered in the cabin — or what was left of it.
Rhys, Cassian, Azriel, and Nesta were still lost for words. Their minds couldn’t form thoughts — too busy trying to process everything they had seen in the cabin.
The plants and flowers, the evidence of your power in the destroyed walls and soil, the soldiers, and… the dead flower that still danced.
Every time they closed their eyes, that was the sight they were greeted with.
Feyre sat on the arm of the chair with a hand pressed against her chest. “Y/N… the soldiers. Are you sure it was her?”
When everyone remained silent, Azriel took over. “It was her. The soldiers had traces of her power. We don’t know where she went, but we believe she couldn’t have gone far.”
"I couldn't find anything in Helion's books," Amren said, "what do we do now?"
Several sighs were let out, and then "I think we should-" Azriel couldn't finish his thought due to the change in the air.
As his family immediately took up defensive positions, he realized he wasn't the only one who felt it.
Everyone's eyes found the source of the change — the door to the living room.
It was early morning, the light illuminating the room completely, but somehow, darkness could be seen beyond the door.
Everyone's hands began to find their weapons.
It was impossible to break into the River House — Rhys had placed the wards himself.
Azriel didn’t wait for the threat to strike first.
His centuries of training, experience, and combat kicked in.
In an instant, faster than the blink of an eye, Truth-Teller was flying through the air, about to strike his target.
The darkness began to dissolve, revealing you behind it. As you walked into the room, the knife was still immobilized in your hand.
As surprise and shock grew on the faces of what you once recognized as your family, a smile grew on yours.
Your eyes flickered through violet, blue, brown, and silver ones until they stopped on a pair of hazels.
The Shadowsinger’s knees nearly gave out before you spoke.
“Now, that’s no way to welcome a lady.”
You walked around the room as you took in the decor.
The Inner Circle had moved to sit on the couch as they watched you.
"I like what you did with the new place. Fancy." You said as you ran a finger along the dining table.
As you walked to the couch, a smile still on your lips, you stopped to pour yourself a glass of whiskey before sitting down next to Nesta.
"Hello, friend." You said as you took a sip of the drink that burned your throat.
When Nesta showed an intention to speak again, you quickly turned your gaze to the males who were sitting on the couch opposite yours.
"I heard you were looking for me. How cute." You said with what could be detected as false emotion.
"Where have you been?" Rhys asked you.
"Oh, you know. Here and there," your hand slid down your leg, stopping at your knee, "by the way. Beron made his alliance with Koschei and that human queen official yesterday."
Amren gave you a scornful look, "And how do you know that?"
A cheeky smile filled your face. You rested your arms on the back of the couch and crossed your legs as you replied, "I was with Eris yesterday."
Seeing her roll her eyes, your smile widened before you met the eyes of the female who had become like a sister to you.
Nesta watched as you stared at her with blank eyes and no emotion on your face — pain struck her heart as she didn't recognize the person in front of her.
Azriel's voice broke your eye contact with the female and made you focus on him.
"Oh, yeah? And what did you think?"
Amren answered, "Monstrous."
Your gaze met hers. “I was just protecting myself.”
“Were you?” she asked, “or were you trying to show off?”
Your eyes turned red, and the room began to shake as you let your power surge to the surface.
Cassian, Rhysand, and Azriel widened their eyes as the Archeron sisters tried to hide the fear that filled them.
You stood up from the couch and walked towards the female without ever breaking eye contact or missing a step.
"Be careful, Amren," As you approached her, she began to retreat her steps. "If I were you, I would choose your next words wisely."
The ancient one's back touched the wall, and you noticed her breathing become faster. "You don't want to anger me."
As you glanced one last time at Amren, you gave her a smile before heading for the door.
Azriel was quick to stand up. “Where are you going?”
Your feet stopped, and you glanced over your shoulder. “Leaving, obviously.”
Just as you were about to resume walking, you were interrupted again.
“No.” Rhys answered this time.
This made you slowly turn in your place — it took all of Rhys’s strength not to flinch at the look in your eyes.
Cassian, who was next to him, murmured, “Careful, Rhys. Don’t get on her nerves.”
Rhys glanced at him sideways before swallowing the lump in his throat and letting out his High Lord voice.
Although he didn’t show it, he was shaking inside, but he hoped this would work on you.
"You're not going anywhere. Now that you're here, I want you under my supervision at all times. I forbid you to leave Velaris."
Everyone held their breath as they waited for your reaction.
They were all surprised when your answer was "Fine. Do I have a room here or will I have to sleep in the garden?"
One by one, they sighed in relief before Rhys spoke again "Of course you have a room here."
"I'll take you." Azriel walked forward before anyone could protest.
After climbing the stairs, turning left, then right and another right, they reached the door to your room.
Without hesitation, you opened the door and when you were about to close it, a hand stopped you.
"Azriel, no. I have a headache and I just want to sleep."
Azriel was surprised by your answer but now that you were in front of him, he didn't want to wait any longer.
"There's something I want to tell you. About that night."
"Honestly, I don't care."
"I didn't go to meet Elain. I went looking for you," seeing the confusion on your face, he continued, "I went to the clinic that morning but I didn't find you-"
"Azriel." Cassian's voice trailed off, drawing your gazes to him.
"Come," when Azriel tried to protest, Cassian was firmer, "now."
"Thank the Cauldron." And with that, you slammed the door in his face.
After dinner, the members of the Inner Circle entered the living room where Amren was on the couch with an old book on her lap.
No one had commented on what had happened.
Not out of fear of Amren but out of fear of what it would mean to admit it out loud.
Feeling your power, the closeness they felt — they weren't ready for this conversation even though they knew they would have to have it sooner or later.
"What are you looking for?" Feyre asked the elder.
When the silver-eyed female didn't answer, the High Lady approached and read the contents of the book.
Her eyes widened "You're reading about Koschei?"
"Yes, what Y/N said earlier made me think."
Azriel sat down next to her "About an alliance with Beron and the queen?"
"Yes." Amren kept her eyes on the book.
Cassian took the seat across from her and rested his arms on his thighs. “Why?”
Amren sighed and closed the book, setting it down on the small coffee table.
“Think about it. Koschei has been on the lake for thousands of years, right?” When everyone had settled down, she continued, “So why act now? With all the centuries he had to free himself from the lake, why now?”
Not liking where the conversation seemed to be going, Rhys approached the table and picked up the book, turning it over in his hand. “What’s your theory?”
“Waiting for what?” Nesta asked.
Amren stood and went to pour a glass of wine. “Not for what, but for who.”
"Amren." The High Lady said. Everyone realized that this was not going to be a simple conversation.
"He's a sorcerer and his powers weren't neutralized, we realized that when he cursed Vassa. So what other spells can he do?"
The General ran a hand through his hair before sighing "What are you trying to say?"
Amren looked at the High Lord who was already looking at her, with a nod, she indicated to open to page one hundred and forty seven.
Rhysand followed her indication but it was the only thing he could do because the content was in an ancient language — long lost.
Amren cleared her throat to answer and for the second time that day, the Inner Circle saw her get nervous.
"It's a spell to see the future."
"What?" Everyone asked in unison.
Elain spoke for the first time since all this began "I thought only seers could see the future."
Amren shook her head in denial. Rhysand looked at the her and like a snap of fingers, the situation became clear in his mind.
"You think he used this spell to see when would be the best time to act."
Amren nodded. She grabbed the book and flipped through the pages until she found the one she wanted.
"Koschei needs help to break the spell that is binding him to the lake. He needs someone powerful. Very powerful."
Her gaze met Azriel's. "I think Koschei used the spell and saw when that someone would appear and has been waiting ever since. He needs someone with a power that he can relate to. I think-"
All eyes moved to her but Nesta only looked at Amren.
The ancient one didn't need to say anything to confirm Nesta's thought.
"Koschei is a Death God," her eyes remained focused on the silver ones. "Y/N is a necromancer. Her power involves death and we have all just witnessed how powerful she is."
"No..." Azriel blurted out as Feyre covered her mouth with her hands.
The female simply nodded her head.
"If Koschei saw the future, he saw what was going to happen to Y/N," Rhysand began, "he waited until her powers changed to act."
Silence fell over the room.
This was bigger than they had thought. They had all thought their only concern would be Beron, but little did they know how wrong they were.
"Koschei was waiting for Y/N."
Azriel was the first to move, followed by the others.
They all ran towards your room.
Their hearts were pounding as they got closer.
Just a few steps away, several prayers were sent to the Mother for you.
The door to your room was knocked down and the space was invaded by seven people.
Your bed was unmade and empty.
And you were nowhere to be found.
You were at the lake again.
The lake surrounded by pine trees and illuminated by the moonlight.
The lake that promised tranquility and safety.
'Another nightmare' you thought to yourself.
The figure appeared again reflected in the lake but this time in front of you.
You followed its reflection until you found it hovering over the lake.
Anyone else would have backed away, screamed or even run away.
But you were not just anyone and whatever this was, it didn't scare you.
You walked closer until your feet were greeted by the water.
The figure approached and beneath the cover of darkness you could make out the shape of a man.
"My name is Koschei. We finally meet, Y/N."
Your face remained neutral, without a trace of shock or surprise.
"How do you know my name?"
A deep chuckle rang across the lake, making its water vibrate.
"I've been waiting for you."
It was only when the man shrouded in darkness placed a hand on your shoulder that you realized this wasn't a nightmare.
Pryhtian shook as a great flash invaded the sky, dyeing it red.
But it was only when they looked back at the sky that they realized what had happened.
The clouds changed color.
The darkness that had been hiding behind them advanced.
A/n: Thank you for reading! There will be one or two more parts (I haven't decided yet) and I have a lot of ideas to finish it off in style!
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