#devlon fanfic

You ran straight into what you thought was a solid brick wall. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. Rough hands grasped your upper arms to steady you. As you looked up into the face of the brick wall, you were met with the snarling face of Lord Devlon. The universe had it out for you today. 

“Watch where you’re going,” Devlon growled.

You attempted an apology but he began yelling again. 

“It’s really not hard to not run into people. Maybe if you kept your head out of your ass this wouldn’t have happened.”

That was it. The dam broke on your emotions. A sob left your lips and tears ran down your face in deep rivers, no doubt ruining your makeup. Normally, you’d be embarrassed by crying uncontrollably in the middle of the street but you couldn’t help it. The tears and sobs just kept coming. 

Devlon’s face instantly softened at your sobs. He hadn’t meant to make you cry. The meetings had left him frustrated and he couldn’t stop from snapping at someone for running into him. 

He remembered looking at you across the conference room two hours earlier. Your face had constantly shifted between frustration and exhaustion. I mean the meetings would drive anyone insane. He was surprised you’d kept it together this long. 

“Hey,” he said as he softly took your chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting it gently so you could see his face. “I’m sorry. That was completely uncalled for.” 

He let out a heavy sigh and brushed a tear from your cheek. “Guess the meetings got to both of us. Huh?”

You let of a small laugh through your tears that sounded more like a strangled sob than anything else. Clearing your throat you said, “honestly, I probably would have bitten your head off too if I hadn’t started crying first.”

His hand trailed down your cheek before returning to his side. The movement brought you back to reality. 

“Fuck. I can’t go to this dinner. I’m a goddamn mess,” you said to yourself. 

Devlon shoved his hands in his pockets. “Is it important,” he asked with a cute tilt of his head.

You sighed. “I’m just meeting friends, but I feel bad not showing up. I don’t want them to worry.”

Devlon shrugged, his wings rippling with the movement. “Prioritizing your needs is more important. And, if they are good friends they will understand that.”

“Still,” you said guiltily. 

“How about this,” he said, “I walk you home and then swing by the place you were supposed to meet them and let them know you aren’t feeling well,” he offered.

You shook your head vigorously. “I couldn’t ask you to do that,” you said. 

He smiled. “But you aren’t asking. I’m offering. And it’s the least I could do after screaming at you and making you cry.”

Your eyebrows knitted together as you thought it over. A night in to catch up on sleep did sound mighty tempting, and necessary. 

“Ok,” you said. “Thank you.”

He turned toward the direction you’d been coming from and put out his elbow for you. Noticing your quizzical look at his arm he cheekily said, “to reduce the probability of another collision.”

You simply took his arm as you laughed at his antics. True to his word, Devlon walked you home, making you laugh the entire way. With a goodnight, he left with a promise to inform your friends of your whereabouts. 

Waking up the next morning was decidedly less painful than most days. You finally felt refreshed and ready for your duties. As you padded into your kitchen, a soft knock echoed through your house. Striding to the door, you threw it open revealing none other than Devlon. You smiled and leaned against the doorframe. 

He gave you a bright smile in return. “Breakfast,” he asked with a shrug of his shoulders. 

You nodded vigorously before grabbing a coat and accompanying him to a nearby cafe. Who could blame you, you’d both need the big breakfast to get you through the final meetings today, at least that’s the excuse you told yourself to spend more time with Devlon.

“10 of your warriors is equal to 1 of mine,” Devlon yelled. 

Keir guffawed. “Says the Commander who lost double the soldiers I did in the war against Hybern,” Keir spat back. 

Devlon stepped toward Keir and Cassian jumped up between the two fae, placing a hand against the Illyrian’s chest. “They died because we were on the front lines, unlike your ilk,” Devlon snarled.

Devlon turned away and dropped into his chair next to you. Keir glared at Devlon before sitting back in his chair. You weren’t particularly fond of the Illyrian commander, but you couldn’t help but agree with him. The war had taken a toll on the Illyrians but they fought harder than any other warrior on the battlefield. The Night Court owed a lot to the Illyrians for their sacrifice. 

“Now I think that’s quite enough for one night,” Cassian said sternly. You couldn’t help that small laugh that escaped your lips at his words. Hearing you, Keir turned his glare on you. “We will next week. Leave the ego’s at home.”

With one last glare, Keir winnowed from the room. The second he left, the tension in the room eased. A moment later, Mor appeared to the right of Cassian, ready to take him back to Velaris for the night. 

“Do you need a lift back,” Mor asked you.

“That’s ok. I’m going to stay at Emerie’s tonight,” you said before More nodded and winnowed out with Cassian, leaving you alone in the room with Devlon. 

You groaned as you stood, stretching out your tight limbs. “Well as fun as that was, I’m gonna head out,” you said to Devlon.

He simply grunted as you made your way towards the door. You were met with a wall of white when you opened the door. Five feet of snow blanketed the ground making it almost impossible to get to Emerie’s house on the other side of Windhaven. The blistering cold and blizzard conditions meant that if you even tried to get there, you’d probably die. Your only option was to stay put.

“Shit,” you said.

You felt the heat from Devlon’s body against your back and a soft chuckle left his lips as he surveyed the outside. You turned to observe the Commander and found a smirk plastered across his face. 

“Wonderful, stuck with you for hours,” you said.

“I have half a mind to think you planned this,” he said.

You gaped at him. “I did no such thing,” you sputtered hastily. “Trust me the last thing I want is to spend anymore time with you. I’ve had more than enough after tonight.”

“Keep telling yourself that sweetheart,” he said before he closed the door against the cold and snow. 

You followed Devlon deeper into his house. The war meeting was held toward the front of his house, in a rather stark and impersonal meeting space. The living area of Devlon’s house was decidedly different from that. Pieces of art scattered the walls, including a painting of his family and a few artworks likely from his niece, based on the handiwork. A fire roared in the fireplace and a plush couch sat opposite it. Hanging on the wall behind the couch were an assortment of Devlon’s personal weapons, all gleaming in the firelight. 

“Well now I see why our meetings are out front,” you said as you gestured to the weapons wall. “I can guarantee that either Keir or you would be dead had these been within reach.”

“Definitely Keir,” Devlon grumbled.

“Oh, I wasn’t referring to either of you killing the other. I was referring to myself murdering one of you if I had to listen to another second of fighting,” you said.

Devlon’s mouth opened, ready to respond but you held your hand up to stop him. “Spare me the bravado. I want to be stuck here just as much as you want me here, which is not at all. I’ll stay out of your hair and sleep on the couch here,” you said. Then, you flopped onto the couch and curled up to sleep.

As you drifted off to sleep, you heard the echo of Devlon heading up the steps to his room for the night. You woke in the middle of the night. The fire had died low but you were still surprisingly warm. Then, you noticed a thick blanket covered your form that hadn’t been there when you fell asleep. You couldn’t help the small smile that ghosted over your face as you curled deeper into the blanket, inhaling the smell of the Illyrian Commander.

Sunlight streamed in through the windows when you woke next. A steaming cup of tea sat on the table across from you. The sound of a sword being sharpened echoed from upstairs. You peaked behind you and noticed a large spot on the wall where a broadsword used to be was empty. 

Grabbing the tea, you padded to the front door to check the weather. The snow was now almost to the top of the doorframe and was still coming down. There would be no leaving Devlon’s today. 

The sound of sharpening stopped as you made your way back into the living area. A few moments later, Devlon padded down the stairs. He halted when he saw you standing there with tea in hand. 

You gave him a small smile. “Thank you for the tea,” you said. 

“Consider it apologies for last night,” he said before placing the broadsword back in its spot on the wall. With a war axe now in his hands, Devlon turned and nodded towards the kitchen. “Help yourself to any food you need.” With that he padded back up the stairs. 

After a light breakfast, you walked around the living room, studying the artwork that littered the walls. You stopped in front of a child’s drawing that portrayed a small girl holding the hand of what you could only assume was Devlon. She’d signed it, ‘to Uncle Dev Dev.’ Your heart softened as you took in the drawing. She must really love her Uncle Dev Dev and he must really love her to display it proudly on his wall.

You whirled around as Devlon cleared his throat behind you. He held a bundle of clothes in his hands. “I thought you might want to change into something more comfortable,” he said as he held out the bundle to you. 

“Oh,” you said, “thank you that’s very kind.” He nodded and went to head back upstairs but you stopped him. “I’m sorry,” you said. 

He looked at you quizzically. “Why?”

Your grip tightened on the clothes, uncomfortable with explaining yourself. “For threatening to murder you in your own house, for snapping at you last night, for thinking you were some stuck up asshole when you’ve been perfectly gracious, well you get the point,” you took a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is that you can’t be all that bad, right Dev Dev?”

His angry eyes snapped up to yours, but the anger faded when he saw the smile that graced your face. Before you could say anything else dumb, you brushed past him to change into the new clothes.

Devlon was seated in one of the armchairs next to the fireplace when you came back out. He briefly glanced up from the book he was reading before returning his eyes to the page. A second later, his eyes were back on you. 

You stopped, self conscious under his gaze. “They’re a little big,” you chuckled.

He shook his head vigorously. “No, uh, you, you look good is all.”

You smiled and flopped onto the couch. Minutes ticked by of you sitting on the couch bored as Devlon read. You sat up, tucking your feet underneath you. “Whatcha reading,” you asked the Illyrian.

He glanced up at your keen face. “A book on battle tactics from Drakon,” he hesitated, “would you like me to read aloud.” You nodded vigorously at his request. Over the next few hours, Devlon read to you with a few breaks to discuss some of tactics with one another. 

Eventually, the sun fell behind the mountains and you both decided that was enough for the day. “I’ll make us some dinner,” you said as you bounded towards the kitchen. 

You placed a bowl of stew in front of Devlon an hour later before sitting opposite of him at the table. Your spoon was inches from your mouth when it halted midair. “This isn’t like a mate thing,” you blurted out, “I just wanted to do something kind and this is my Mom’s recipe so I thought…”

You were cut off by Devlon’s boisterous laugh. “Don’t worry, that’s not what I thought this was, but I thank you for dinner nonetheless.”

The snow didn’t stop for three days and for those three days you and Devlon became closer as talked battle strategy. Soon battle strategy turned to more intimate topics, like your favorite places in the Night Court and plans for the upcoming Solstice celebration. 

Unfortunately, all good things had to come to an end and the snow finally stopped falling. Devlon and the other Illyrian warriors worked tirelessly to clear the roads and doorways in the camp. 

You stood in the doorway to Devlon’s home as Devlon looked down at you fondly. “Thank you for letting me stay here and putting up with my antics,” you said softly. 

A soft smile graced his face before he said, “it was my pleasure.”

You smiled back and turned to leave. You took one step away from him but his hand reached up and gently pulled you back. “I was wondering, would you like to join me here to celebrate the Solstice?” 

A huge smile broke out on your face. “I would love that,” you said. 

His hand ghosted down your arm and grasped your hand. Gently, he lifted your hand and pressed a soft kiss to it. “I look forward to it. Farewell, Sweetheart,” he said reverently. 

You headed towards Emerie’s while you counted down the days to the Solstice. Then the happiness faded and panic took over. What would you wear?

You had a strange relationship with the man. On one hand you thought he was irritating and rude but on the other he was handsome and surprising selfless. You’d been working with both Keir and Devlon to enact various reforms passed down by Rhysand and Feyre. Keir had been virtually impossible to work with and refused to meet any of the High Lord and Lady’s demands. Devlon resisted at first, mostly out of spite, but eventually came around. He’d been more aggressive in stopping wing-clipping and had the females on a training schedule to integrate them into the fighting forces. You gave each other a hard time but in the end you respected one another. Still, Devlon’s contempt for everyone in Velaris had the ability to ruin the celebration.

You sat in the library at the House of Wind, waiting for the arrival of Court members. The latest installment in Nesta’s favorite romance series just came out and you were attempting to finish it so you could discuss with her. Unfortunately, it seemed that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.

The doors to the library opened and Cassian approached the chair you were sitting in. From the look on his face, you could tell what he was going to say. “They’ve arrived,” he said glumly. He already looked annoyed and it had only been a few moments. His jaw clenched tight and he stomped around the room.

Slowly, you closed the book and set it aside before getting up. Walking up to Cassian, you patted his arm. “Let me handle it and try not to kill anyone will you,” you said with a pleading look. For some reason, Keir tolerated you better than most members of the Inner Court so it was best him and Devlon were left to you.

Cassian sneered at the thought of Keir and Devlon. “I make no promises.” You simply rolled your eyes at him before exiting the room. Cassian’s stomping footsteps followed after you.

You walked into the foyer and they were already arguing with one another. It had been so long since Keir and Devlon had been together that you’d forgotten how much they truly loathed one another. The contempt they had for one another surpassed their hatred of Rhysand.

Keir’s lips were pulled back into a snarl. Devlon strained so hard to keep control that the muscles in his neck bulged. “The fact that you,” Keir, eyes filled with hatred, surveyed the other Illyrians, “vermin were even invited is an outrage.”

Devlon’s siphons flickered in rage but you stepped in between the males before anything further could happen. “Now Keir, Rhysand has already stated that any provocations or fights will be met with the most severe punishment,” you said calmly, hoping to de-escalate the situation.

“It isn’t me you should be worried about,” Keir spat, “it’s that brute.” He nodded over your shoulder at Devlon.

“I think we both know that isn’t true,” you said. Once you figured Keir out, he was relatively easy to handle. The one thing Keir loved, being perceived as a threat. “If you make your way to your quarters, a lovely spread of Velaris’ finest delicacies has been prepared for you.” With a one last glare to Devlon, Keir reluctantly headed off to his quarters.

You watched Keir leave before turning around to address Devlon. You expected to meet his eyes but they were staring below your eyes and directly at your chest.

“What are you looking at,” you questioned Devlon.

“What the hell is that supposed to be?” He nodded toward the sweater you were wearing. You’d donned the ugly Christmas sweater Feyre had purchased in an attempt to be festive.

“What? It’s my Christmas sweater,” you said proudly displaying the sweater.

He quirked his eyebrow and continued to look at the sweater, then he burst into laughter. “Oh shut up,” you said as you slapped his arm, “it’s a tradition.” You simply stood there glaring at him while he continued to laugh for another minute.

Walking in the opposite direction of Keir, you escorted Devlon to his quarters. You’d decided to put Devlon in the same hall as your room. Mainly, to keep Keir and Devlon separated.

“Well the party begins at 7pm. Try not to be late,” you said as you turned to leave.

Devlon lightly touched your arm, stopping you from leaving. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. You nodded and continued out of the room. The journey to your room was incredibly short since it was right across the hall from Devlon’s.

The party was in full swing. Couples were dancing. People were drinking. Food was passing by on plates effortlessly floating through the air. It had taken days, but you’d made enough cookies to feed the entire party and then some. Trees decked with ornaments and lights were placed around the room. One giant tree stood at the front of the room. Feyre and Elain had decorated it all morning in red and green ornaments. Golden lights twinkled between the branches.

Devlon stepped up beside you, two cups of hot chocolate clasped in his hands. “Here,” he said as he handed you one of the drinks.

You shot him a smile as you took the hot chocolate. It had a slight hint of peppermint when you took a whiff of the sweet scent. You looked up at him surprised. “You remembered?”

A few months ago, you and Devlon were working late on expansion plans for Windhaven’s housing. He’d offered to make some hot chocolate as a treat once you finally finished. You had requested a few drops of mint oil in yours since that’s what you’d loved as a child. You hadn’t expected him to remember that little bit of information.

Devlon rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Yeah. It’s not a big deal,” he said with a wave of his hand. Your chest felt warm and it wasn’t from the hot chocolate.

Hours flew by without you even noticing, you were so engrossed in Devlon. There was an ease in talking to Devlon. You always knew what you were gonna get, he was consistent that way. There were a few surprises that night though, like the fact that he walked you back to your quarters. Yes, his were right across the hall but he walked closer than normal, his fingers constantly brushing yours.

He stopped you when you arrived outside both your quarters. He looked nervous. His hands were clammy when they brushed against yours and he kept mussing his hair. Reaching into his jacket pocket he pulled out a small black box.

“Um, I got you something,” he said before placing the box in your hand.

A silver ring in the shape of a bat sat in the center of the little box. Stunned you said, “I love it…”

Devlon studied your face for a moment. “No, no you hate it,” he said. “Pretend this didn’t happen,” he said as he turned to enter his quarters.

“No,” you yelled as you grasped his arm, “you misunderstand.” He turned back to face you though he looked ready to bolt at any moment. “Back home, if you give someone a ring it means a little bit more. Marriage.”

Panic flashed in Devlon’s eyes. “That’s not wha—”

“I know. I was just surprised at first that’s all. I really do love it, thank you,” you said reassuringly.

Devlon threw his head back and let out a loud sigh. “What’s that,” he said pointing upwards at something on the ceiling.

Sprigs of mistletoe hung, suspended from the ceiling by a red bow just above your heads. “Mistletoe,” you murmured.

“What’s mistletoe,” Devlon questioned.

You felt your face heat at his question. “Well, traditionally, when two people stand below it they are supposed to kiss. It’s a silly traditi—.” You were cut off by Devlon’s lips pressing against yours. Momentarily stunned, it took you a second to comprehend what was happening. Devlon, the fierce Illyrian commander was actually kissing you. While you surely hadn’t been expecting the night to go this way, you couldn’t say you were upset by the turn of events. You quickly sank into the kiss, wrapping your arms around Devlon’s neck. He reached around and gripped your waist, pulling you in closer. Eventually, you pulled away breathless. Devlon set his forehead gently against yours.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for awhile,” he said through deep breaths, his chest heaving. You nodded in agreement before giving him a light peck on the lips.

“Oh, I almost forgot. I got you a present too but it was delivered to your house in Windhaven,” you said.

Devlon quirked a brow at you, silently asking you what it was. “I got you a punching bag modeled in the likeness of Keir.”

Devlon’s lips were on yours once again but this time for only a moment. “You’re amazing,” he said.

You bundled up in your warmest clothes and headed outside, grabbing your shovel on the way. Glancing across the street, you groaned as your neighbor and commander raised his hand in greeting before he got back to work on his walkway. It wasn’t that you disliked Devlon. It was just well he was an arrogant prick sometimes. You’d grown up with him in Windhaven and he’d been every bit a lord’s son. He’d been relatively harmless but he was without a doubt the most obnoxious male you knew. He knew exactly how to push your buttons. Although, you’d noticed he was careful to never take it too far. If he noticed something bothered you more than normal he would drop it immediately. It’s probably why you didn’t entirely loathe him. 

That and you felt bad for him in a way. When you were both young, his eyes were always filled with so much light and happiness. Then, his Father never returned from battle and the light in his eyes died. You couldn’t imagine the pressure he’d had becoming Commander at such a young age.

He never lost his ability to push your buttons though, which is why you groaned even louder when you noticed him walking towards you. “I was wondering when you were gonna get out of bed and shovel,” Devlon chuckled as he leaned against his shovel at the base of your walkway. 

“Some of us didn’t sleep well last night,” you spat without stopping your work. You threw a shovel full of snow towards Devlon, the snow landing all over his boots. 

Devlon simply ignored the snow you’d dumped on his feet. Instead, he continued to tease you. “Went a little too hard on the mulled wine last night, sweetheart?” He smirked. 

“No,” you shot upright, shovel clenched in both hands, “Nightmares, if you must know.”

Devlon’s face fell. “Do you wanna talk about it,” he questioned gently, all hint of teasing gone from his voice.

“No,” you replied, before promptly returning to your work. 

“Well I’ll be right over there if you need anything.” 

You grunted in response. He hesitated a moment before walking back to his house. You chugged along, wanting to get the shoveling over with as quickly as possible. Your back was aching from being hunched over and your hands were cramping from holding the shovel for so long. You were drawn from your shoveling by the scratch of a shovel against pavement. Glancing up, you found Devlon at the bottom of your walkway clearing the snow. 

He glanced up, meeting your eyes. “Shut up, I’m helping,” he said before getting back to work.

Your jaw dropped. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You were gonna, I could tell.”

You grumbled under your breath about arrogant, obnoxious commanders before getting back to work. Admittedly, it was quicker having him help you then without him. You were just finishing up the last little bit when your foot hit a slick patch of ice. The next thing you knew, you were flat on your back and Devlon was cackling above you. Yup, you were definitely gonna need a nice long bath after today. 

“Yeah, very funny, I slipped on the ice, asshole,” you said as you glared at him. 

Devlon went to say something but couldn’t stop laughing long enough to spit it out. You went to get up but pain shot up your back making you yelp. Devlon instantly stopped laughing and dropped down to his knee to make sure you were ok. 

“I’m fine,” you said, slapping his hand away. You let out another pained gasp as you moved.

“Clearly, sweetheart” he said sarcastically. He reached out again but hesitated before he touched you. “May I?” 

You nodded. He wrapped one arm under your knees and the other behind your back before hefting you into his arms. You felt the muscles in his arms tighten and contract as he lifted you off the ground and your mind instantly leapt to the time you watched him drag a huge tree into camp to create firewood. He quickly made his way into your house and gently set you on the soft couch in the living room. Softness enveloped you as Devlon laid a blanket over you. He mumbled something about finding a healer before striding out the door. 

He arrived minutes later with a healer in tow. You expected him to leave once the healer arrived but he stood off to the side, a concerned look plastered across his place. Your eyes left his face as the healer finished looking you over. Luckily, nothing was broken but you’d be sore for a few days. 

The door clicked closed and footsteps made their way toward your spot on the couch. You looked up into Devlon’s eyes. Giving him a small smile you said, “thank you.”

He smirked as his eyes widened slightly in surprise. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He glanced around the house. “Do you need anything before I head out?”

You shook your head no, eyes drifting toward the fireplace. “Get some sleep,” he said as he turned to leave. 

“I can’t,” you mumbled. Memories of the nightmares came crashing over you and you couldn’t help the slight sob that left your throat. 

Devlon stopped, his hand on the door, before turning and making his way back to you. Seating himself on the floor next to the couch, he reached up and gently took your hand in his, running his thumb soothingly over the back of your hand. “Tell me,” he said softly. 

“It’s the war. I can’t stop seeing it whenever I go to sleep. I can’t unsee Hybern ripping through our forces. Our friends, people we love, gone in an instant,” your voice cracked.

For awhile you just sat there with Devlon gently stroking your hand before his voice shattered the silence. “I have them too,” he said, his eyes locked on yours. “Half the time I can’t get back to sleep. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling until the sun rises.”

“Is that why you can be so cranky,” you joked.

Devlon chuckled. “ One reason, yeah.”

“Thank you,” you muttered to him.

Devlon reached around and felt the back of your head while looking deep into your eyes. “What the hell are you doing,” you questioned. 

“Making sure you didn’t hit your head. That’s the second time you’ve thanked me today,” he said. 

You swatted at his hand but couldn’t help smiling at his antics. Drawing his hand from the back of your head he grasped your hand once more. “Try and rest. I’ll be right here the whole time, sweetheart.” His voice was entirely sincere, no trace of sarcasm left. 

The next few hours went about as well as a military meeting between Keir’s Darkbringers and Illyrians could go. Which meant that 3 fights almost broke out, Kier pretended to not hear Devlon, and Cassian put a giant crack down the table trying to get the two sides to cooperate. Overall, it went pretty well and everyone seemed happy by the end. 

Everyone went their separate ways after the meeting to take dinner and rest before leaving in the morning. You were guided by a member of the Court to the area for the Illyrians. The main living area was massive, larger than anything in Windhaven, and had multiple bedrooms splitting off from it. The furniture was dark and portrayed various monsters from the court. Above the fireplace was a giant, monstrous head. The eyes seemed to follow you wherever you walked. A shiver went down your spine before you tore your eyes from the beast. 

“You ok?” Devlon asks, noticing your shiver.

“Yeah just felt a draft, that’s all,” you said. 

You, Devlon, and a few other prominent members of the Illyrian army sat down to a nice meal of Autumn vegetables and other Court delicacies. Soon after, you turned in for bed. You snuggled into your natural heater aka Devlon. He wrapped his arm around you, pulling you even further into his chest. 

You were just dosing off when something crashed in the hallway. You bolted upright, startling Devlon. “Did you hear that?”

“What? Where are you going,” Devlon questioned groggily.

You rolled your eyes as you drew yourself out of bed to put your coat and shoes on, then strapped a sword to your back. “Well I won’t be able to sleep now, so I might as well find out what that sound was,” you said before exiting the room. 

You walked into the living area, surveying the room for anything out of place. Feeling eyes on you once more, you glanced to the monster above the fireplace. Just as you suspected the eyes were pinned on your form, following you around the room. 

You jumped as a thud echoed from the bedroom behind you. A few seconds later, Devlon came bounding out of your shared bedroom. You couldn’t help but admire the bit of your husbands chest that peaked out from beneath his partially unbuttoned shirt. You met his eyes and found him smirking at you, clearly he noticed you checking him out. 

“Decided to join me did you,” you quirked your brow at your husband.

“Well I couldn’t let my love wander around all alone now could I,” he said. With a wink he walked by you, grabbing your hand and heading towards the door.

You excited the room into the hallways of the Hewn City. Fae bustled past you both, all vibrating with excitement and anticipation. “Come out to play have you,” said a fae behind you. Twisting around, you locked eyes with the fae. They were tall and thin with green skin and horns growing out of their head that curled and twisted around their face. “Poor little Illyrians. You haven’t got a clue what’s going on.” They slinked around you as if taking you in. “Well let me tell you something little Illyrian,” they leaned down, their face just a breathe away from yours, “tonight is the most sacred night in the Court of Nightmares, for its Halloween!” With a loud, echoing laugh, they turned and walked away getting lost in the madness.

Devlon shrugged and pulled you forward moving with all the other fae. You hesitated forcing him to pull on your arm. “Come on scaredy-cat. I’ll protect you.” Devlon laughed knowing full well you could handle yourself. 

You walked into a giant atrium, decorated in orange and black with a plethora of pumpkins mixed in, in the center of the Hewn City. It was filled to the brim with members of the Court of Nightmares. In the middle of the atrium was a large dance floor with a band playing directly in front on bone instruments. Scattered around the dance floor was a variety of booths, food, and monstrosities. Some of the booths sold weapons others sold food and beverages. There was also complimentary food provided by Keir. 

The monstrosities were drawing the biggest crowd. For one night a year, the Court of Nightmares put their scariest and spookiest artifacts and entities on display. Once of the artifacts was similar to the monster that hung above the fireplace. They were stone statues that powerful fae in the Hewn City enchanted to make their city feel more alive. Two of the Nightmare Beasts stood proudly before a group of fae who marveled over them. One of Keir’s Darkbringers, an animal master, stood by explaining the history behind the beasts and their use in the court. Whenever one of the beasts became testy, he would throw a piece of meat into their waiting mouths. 

Devlon whistled at the sight spread before them. “I might hate this place, and Keir for that matter, but this is impressive,”

It was your turn to pull Devlon along. “Come on, let’s dance.” Devlon’s arms were warm as he wrapped them around you and pulled you into his chest. His thumbs ghosted over your back as you swayed side-to-side. 

You stayed at the festival for awhile, eating, dancing, and looking into all the creepy things the Court had. It was nice to spend some quality time together as things had been hectic back in Windhaven the last few months. You both couldn’t stop smiling and giggling the entire night. 

Eventually, you returned back to your quarters. You both fell into bed after changing. You resumed your original position in bed wrapped in Devlon’s embrace, but this time your face was too him instead of your back. You nuzzled your face into Devlon’s chest, breathing in his scent. Devlon tightened his arms around you in response. 

“I love you,” Devlon softly whispered into your the top of your head. 

You looked up into his loving eyes. “I love you too,” you said. Then, you placed a gentle kiss on his lips before falling into a deep slumber with your love by your side.

Vex was helping Balthazar strap on a metal chest plate when he glanced behind the other male to see me standing there. “Sorry Mira,” Vex said his tone apologetic. 

“Don’t worry. I hog him during training.” I smiled at the pair as I walked away in search of a new partner. Warriors began to file out of the training ring, everyone already partnered off. My hands flexed, panic beginning to overtake me. My mind flashed back to the last time I was alone in the Illyrian wilderness. I could hear the tearing of my own flesh echoing through the forest. 

“Need a partner?” Devlon asked from behind me. I spun around, my hands relaxed by my side. He had his usual sword strapped down his back. The straps crossed over his chest, rumpling the dark fabric of his shirt. It was tighter than what he normally wore, showing off every muscle in his chest and arms. I averted my eyes as heat rushed to my face. 

“Y-yeah,” I cleared my throat. “Yeah, I do actually.” He smiled and nodded towards the path. Aside from the runs during training, I hadn’t really explored the area surrounding Windhaven. Since coming to Prythian, I’d noticed that everything here was so much different from where I grew up. The forests of Illyria were beyond anything I’d ever seen. They put the forest in my hometown to shame. The trees grew high into the sky, blocking most of the sunlight from reaching the forest floor. Birds sang from their perches high in the boughs. Pine needles crunched with every step we took. Small streams cut through the forested path providing an outlet for the melting mountain snow. I walked alongside Devlon, enamored by the beauty surrounding me. 

“I take it our forests are quite different from the ones on the other side of the wall,” Devlon questioned. 

I shook my head, my eyes hooked on the surrounding area. “There’s no comparison,” I muttered. “There the forests were bleak and desolate. But here, there’s life and green.” I took a deep breath, trying to savor the crisp air. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” 

Devlon huffed a small laugh. We continued walking in silence, content to listen to the sounds of nature. Any fear from earlier faded with each passing moment in the forest. It helped there was a giant Illyrian next to me with an equally massive sword. In the silence, my mind wandered to the the trip to Velaris. Something bothered me about the whole thing and it wasn’t the people who were angry at Devlon. What bothered me was the people who weren’t. 

“Can I ask you something,” I said, twisting so I could see Devlon as we walked. He nodded in response, keeping his eyes focused on the ground in front of him. “Why doesn’t Nesta hate you? By all rights she should, but she doesn’t. I know my sister, if she didn’t like you she would have mentioned it whenever you’re brought up but nothing. ”

Devlon rubbed the back of his neck. “I should have done this awhile ago, and I’m sorry it’s taken me this long, but I apologize for my behavior towards you and your sisters. I treated you unfairly because of, well, who you are. My distaste for the Night Court blinded me and I assumed, wrongly, that you would treat me as they do. The same goes for your sister. Because of Nesta’s powers and position within the Night Court I was… less than welcoming towards her. She proved me wrong in the end, as have you. I apologize, sincerely, for my actions.” 

I hadn’t noticed we’d stopped until I felt the chill of ice cold water from one of the mountain streams filling my leather boots. I quickly moved back onto the trail and turned back to Devlon. He stood a few paces away as if he didn’t want to approach me, or didn’t know if I wanted him near me. “I accept your apology,” I said. A sad smile crossed Devlon’s face. “But that still doesn’t explain why Nesta tolerates you.”

He sighed, taking a step towards me. “When you were unconscious after the hunting attack, we both sat beside your bed that entire first day. At first, she gave me the silent treatment. She just sat there, glaring at me. I don’t blame her, of course. She was well within her rights to dislike me and now her youngest sister got horrifically injured under my watch. Eventually, I think she got sick of looking at my face and politely gave me a piece of her mind.” I quirked my eyebrow at the word politely. Nesta was rarely polite when she was mad about something. “Ok so it wasn’t politely but it was well deserved. Anyways, I apologized to her and we came to some sort of truce.”

“A truce?”

Devlon avoided my eyes and began playing with a rock on the ground, kicking it around. “She knew how easy it would have been to simply let you die. How easy it would be to say you were already dead when I got there.”

“Did you think about it,” I interjected.

Devlon met my eyes. He looked ashamed. His eyebrows were knitted together and his hands clenched in fists. “For a moment, yes,” he said, his shoulders sagging whether in shame or relief, I didn’t know. I didn’t blame him, not really. If our roles were reversed I might have thought about it. I’d despised Devlon for his treatment of Feyre and Nesta and for everything I thought he was. I couldn’t fault him for his feelings back then because I’d felt the same. This wasn’t a job anymore, it was my life and I’d be damned if others tried to twist it for their own gain.

I stepped forward, closing the gap between us. Of its own accord, my hand lifted, cupping Devlon’s cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into my hand, the stubble along his jaw scratched against it with the movement. A tear escaped from behind his lashes and I brushed it away with the pad of my thumb. “I’m sorry about the things I said to you and the way I treated you. I hated you for who I believed you were but I was wrong. So wrong. I hurt you that day in the cafeteria and I thought you deserved it, but you didn’t. I-,” I choked on my tears, “I’m sorry Devlon. I forgive you.” In the end, we’d both made assumptions about one that were entirely inaccurate to who we actually were. How could we do anything other than forgive one another for a mistake we both made.  

Devlon’s arms enveloped me and I responded by wrapping my arms around his neck. The pain, the hate, the anger, everything I’d been told to feel, it all fell away, a spark of warmth and light enveloping it and banishing it from existence. 

I don’t know how long we stayed wrapped up in each other, unable to pull away out of fear that this moment would cease to exist. After spending so long at odds with one another, it was hard not to cling to a second of contentment as the world crumbled around us. 

I grasped his hand. Warm and slightly callused, just like I remembered. Devlon pulled me up, brushing his thumb over my palm before dropping my hand. I gestured to the couches as Devlon closed the door, following me into the house. I settled down with Cyrus next to me. “What’s up,” I asked. My brain was spinning thinking of all the reasons he could be here. Another attack by Alistair. Something happened to Clio. Rhysand butting his big head in.

Devlon’s voice pierced through the thoughts, “I thought maybe, after Velaris, you could use a cuddle.” Devlon rubbed the back of his neck. “With Cyrus of course.”

As if he knew he was there for cuddles, Cyrus flopped his head into my lap and rolled over for belly rubs, which I happily gave him. For awhile, we sat there in silence while I cuddled Cyrus.

Devlon lightly cleared his throat, bringing my attention back to him. “Can I ask how it went?” I nodded and recounted the past couple days. The thumping of Cyrus’ tail kept me grounded, unable to dwell on my fight with Rhysand. 

Devlon looked concerned when I finished telling him about my meeting with Rhysand. I wasn’t expecting where his concern was placed though. “Are you ok,” his asked, his voice gentle. My head snapped up at his question. Of all the things I thought he would ask once I finished, ‘are you ok’ was what I least expected. He leaned forward like he was ready to leap across the room if necessary.  Cyrus whined, shoving his giant head into my hands, demanding I resume petting him. 

I looked down finding Cyrus’ tongue lolling out of his mouth. I ran my hand over the soft, tan fur  on his neck. He turned his head and gently licked the inside of my wrist as his tail thumped against the couch. I heard a rustle from the other side of room and then warmth on my knee. “Mira,” Devlon whispered softly. I followed his hand up to meet his eyes. They pleaded with me to say something, anything. 

“I—,” my voice cracked. He brushed his thumb soothingly against my knee. I took a deep breath and said, “I don’t know.” He nodded. I reached down, grabbing his hand from its place on my knee. “But this,” I gestured with my other hand to him and Cyrus, “this helps.” 

He reached up, holding my hand between both of his. I gave them a gentle tug. “Do you mind,” I said. 

He responded by taking the empty spot next to me, wrapping his unoccupied arm around me, and pulling me back into his chest. “Take your time Mira. I’ll be here when you need me.” I sunk into his chest, letting his warmth surround me. 

“Cyrus,” I grumbled. “Cyrus stop.” The giant pup continued to slather my face in kisses. It wasn’t my usual way to wake up but it was better than some. A thunk sounded as Cyrus jumped off the bed and onto the floor. Following Cyrus downstairs, I found one of the blankets from my room neatly folded on the couch next to some pillows. After placing me in bed, Devlon must have stayed over on the couch. My heart skipped thinking of the massive Commander sleeping on the couch in case I needed to talk in the middle of the night. 

“Come on Cyrus. Let’s get ready and then we can find your daddy.” 10 minutes later, I stepped outside with Cyrus beside me to head for the training rings. Training was due to start soon so it made sense to just take Cyrus there instead of heading all the way to Devlon’s house. 

As I approached our usual training ring, I noticed a familiar head of black hair that shone with bits of blue in the sunlight. “Balthazar,” I yelled as I sprinted toward the Illyrian. It felt like ages since I’d last seen him, let alone in the training ring. Hearing me, Balthazar turned, a wide smile crossing his face as he opened his arms wide for a hug. I jumped into his waiting arms, throwing my arms around his neck. 

“I missed you,” I said. 

Balthazar squeezed me tighter. “I missed you too.” His voice was muffled by my hair but it didn’t matter, he was ok. 

“Ready to get your ass kicked today,” I asked after he set me down.

Balthazar scoffed. “I might ask you that question. While you were away, flitting around Illyria, I was here training.” I snorted as I bumped his hip with mine. It was good to have him joking around again.

 I noticed Vex heading in our direction, his sights set on Balthazar. I nodded towards him. “Were you training or flirting with a certain someone,” I said. Vex brushed past us, his eyes firmly rested on Balthazar. I’m pretty sure he didn’t even notice I was back, but that’s ok, it was cute seeing them so smitten. Vex stopped a couple feet away and began stretching. 

“Apparently, he’s had a thing for me since we entered training together, decades ago,” Balthazar whispered out of the side of his mouth. 

“Guess some good came out of that hunting trip after all,” I whispered back. 

Balthazar gave me knowing look. Cyrus let out a loud bark and sprinted away from us. “That’s not the only thing.” Balthazar nodded in the direction the large puppy was heading. Devlon was bent down placing a few loving pats on Cyrus’ head. 

My brows furrowed as I leaned back to look at Balthazar. “What the fuck does that mean,” I asked. There wasn’t anything going on between us, we just worked closely together because of our positions, nothing more. Even I knew that was a lie though. Last night wasn’t something that happened between co-workers. 

Balthazar shrugged, his wings raising with the motion. “Come on Mira. You hated each other and then you got hurt and now you’re going on trips together.”

“Those were purely business,” I scoffed. 

“Yeah so’s sharing a bed, I guess,” Balthazar mumbled, clearly not meaning for me to hear. 

I inhaled sharply. I never told Balthazar about the sleeping situation at Titan’s Peak. I pointed my finger at his face. “Who told you? It was Emerie, wasn’t it.”

Balthazar raised his hands in surrender. “She’s a fantastic warrior, terrible gossip.”

“Shit.” My hands covered my face hoping the ground would swallow me where I stood. 

Balthazar patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, she only told Vex and I. You know I won’t tell anyone and Vex is too awkward to engage in conversation with most fae,” Balthazar said. 

“Hey,” Vex’s voice yelled from behind us. “I mean, I know you’re right but still,” he grumbled. As we headed out for our run, Balthazar threw his arm around Vex, reassuring the male that he loved his awkwardness and found it endearing. 

Balthazar went through training like he had never been gravely injured and placed on bedrest for like two weeks. He easily kept up with Vex and I on the run and even took me to the ground during combat training. Unfortunately for me, training went rather poorly. You’d think since Feyre was such a gifted archer, some of that talent would rub off on me, but no. I was arguably the worst archer in the group, with my arrows constantly far from center, despite my best efforts. 

It all came to head when I lost my patience, unsheathed one of my daggers and threw it at the target, splitting one of the arrows directly down the middle. Unsheathing the other dagger, I threw it, hitting the center of the target. I stood there seething, my chest rising and falling rapidly, while Devlon dismissed the other warriors. Devlon walked up to my target, surveying the damage. 

“Nice aim. Unfortunately for you, we weren’t training with daggers today,” he said. His hands were clasped firmly behind his back as he turned to look at me. He wanted an explanation and he was going to wait until he got one. 

“I’ve been training with these stupid bows for months and yet I get worse with every arrow,” I said. 

Devlon walked toward me, picking my bow off the ground where I’d dropped it in a rage. He took an arrow from the quiver next to me and nocked it. One breath, in and out, was all it took for Devlon to bring the bow up, pull back the string and fire. He hit dead center. He turned and handed me the bow. “You’re a strong and talented warrior, Mira. But what you lack is control.”

I opened my mouth to retort but Devlon continued. “You learn quickly and excel at a rate faster than any Illyrian. As a result, you never learned when to take a step back and relax. Archery is about focus and precision. Skills I know you have, but ones you haven’t perfected,” he nodded towards the target. “Try again, but this time relax your posture and focus on the target, nothing else.” 

I grabbed an arrow from the bow and nocked it. I brought the bow up and pulled the string to the anchor point on my face. Focusing only on the target, I let out a deep breath and released the arrow. “Better,” Devlon said. He handed me another arrow. “Now, try again.”

I repeated the same process, pulling the arrow back. Before I could release the arrow, Devlon’s arms encircled mine. His face so close to mine that every breath he took rustled the hairs around it. Gently, he moved my hand on the bow to a higher placement. Then, he lifted my elbow to the correct position. He dropped his arms from around me, but stayed just as close. “Try now,” he whispered into my ear. His breath sent a shiver down my spine but I shook it off and focused on the target. I released a deep breath and let the arrow fly. With a satisfying thunk, the arrow embedded just right of center.  

I yelled and, without thinking, spun around to throw my arms over Devlon’s shoulders in a hug. Devlon didn’t hesitate to return the hug. I imagine this was what I missed when I fell asleep in his arms last night. It felt like wrapping the warmest most secure blanket around yourself. For the second time in less than a day, I felt my entire body relax as I slowly sunk into the warmth that was Devlon. As quickly as it happened, we let go of one another, each taking a step back. Devlon rubbed the back of his neck. “Nice shot,” he said with a smile. 

“Thanks,” I said. My face felt hot and I prayed I wasn’t obviously flushed. 

We both stood there for a few seconds not sure what to do. Devlon’s voice shattered the silence. “Well I should probably get going. Meetings to attend.” With a wave he turned and walked away. 

As I watched his retreating figure exit the training ring, I couldn’t help the, more than likely, idiotic grin that came over my face before I got back to training.

Instantly I jumped into action. “What happened?” I demanded to know.

“Balthazar got quilled. He’s been out for roughly 30 minutes,” said Vex. He panted heavily, barely able to get the words out. Anti-venom only worked within 2 hours, after that the poison would take hold and it would only be a matter of time before someone succumbed to the toxin. We needed to act fast to keep Balthazar alive. The sooner he got help the better.

“Tristan,” I barked, shifting into commander mode. “Quickly, help Vex get Balthazar back to Windhaven. Take him straight to the healers.”

I spun to Nico and Felix. “You two bring everyone back in and start packing we leave as soon as possible.” The hunters nodded and took off to collect the other warriors.

“Vex—“ Fuck. Mira. Where was Mira? Giving Vex my deadliest look I asked, “Where is she?”

Vex’s face blanched. “Twenty miles south, near the stream. She was going to start heading back to camp. I swear, I wouldn’t have left if I didn’t need to.”

Vex was shaking in his boots. He knew he disobeyed my direct orders to watch over Mira and not leave her behind. “For your sake, Vex, she better be alive,” I said before I headed off in search of Mira. If she died it would bring the entire Night Court down on me and that’s the last thing I needed.

Mira’s POV

Wing’s rustled. A purring filled my ear. Then growling. My body was lifted off the soft, warm pillow. I’d been in these arms before, it was Devlon. I passed out again from the movement.

I swear if I woke up feeling like I was being watched one more time, I was going to flip my shit. The sound of pages turning and muffled yelling filled the room. I felt like I’d been slammed into the floor by Cassian during a training session. Focusing my eyes, I saw Nesta sitting beside me, the book she’d been reading now placed on my bedside table.

“You fully healed but you are gonna feel like shit for a bit, ok?” Typical Nesta, always to the point but I appreciated that about her.

“What happened,” I winced as I sat up fully.

“You had five claw marks down your back. The longest cut was 12 inches long and sliced through layers of skin and muscle. It took the healers almost eight hours to get you fully healed, and even then there was still some residual damage. Your body took things over after that.”

I nodded, flinching with the motion. The yelling got louder. “What is that?” I said.

Nesta rolled her eyes, “who do you think?”

I sprang out of bed grunting with the effort. Fae healing was bullshit. It closed the wounds but the pain remained. You looked healthy on the outside but on the inside you were suffering and no one could see it. “Mira, you shouldn’t,” Nesta started.

“Oh hush,” I cut her off as I stumbled downstairs, gripping the railing for support. Lord Devlon was on one side of the room. His face was stoic but annoyance simmered beneath the surface. Feyre and Cassian stood across from him, blaming him for my injuries. Rhysand stood, smirking, against the fireplace. From the tension in the room, this had been going on for awhile.

“She could have died. What did you leave her out there so you wouldn’t have to train her anymore,” Feyre yelled. Her eyes were wild and her face was flushed and rosey, a stark contrast to Cassian’s demeanor. Cassian’s gaze was deadly, laced with predatory intent. Like any moment he might lunge and beat the ever living crap out of Lord Devlon. Knowing Cassian he was probably imaging that exact scenario.

“I told you that if she came into any harm the repercussions would be severe. I could strip you of your position,” Cassian stated with the voice he only used when he was truly pissed off. Honestly, I’d never seen Feyre or Cassian so angry and that realization made me intervene.

I stepped into the room. “That’s enough!” I shouted, shooting a glare at my sister and Cassian. Feyre’s mouth dropped at my outburst. “If it wasn’t for Lord Devlon I would be dead. He got me out of there before I could bleed out,” I lowered my voice. “Anyways, it wasn’t his fault I was alone. Balthazar needed immediate care and that meant I needed to stay behind. So blame me if you really want to blame someone but not Lord Devlon.”

Feyre seemed slightly ashamed of her actions but Cassian looked like he still wanted to rip Lord Devlon apart. Nesta walked over to Cassian and gently placed her hand on his arm, reigning in his anger. Cassian’s face softened at her touch. All the anger disappeared from his eyes and was replaced by what could only be love.

Rhysand finally interjected, but not to thank Lord Devlon—god forbid Rhysand thanks an Illyrian for protecting a Night Court citizen. “Well it isn’t only Devlon you have to thank, Mira. The other one has been circling the house for hours,” Rhysand smirked.

“What?” I asked, completely confused. Rhysand simply nodded to the door as it opened. I rushed outside for the answer Rhysand was keeping from me.

“I don’t see anythi—,” before I could finish a large mass slammed down in front of me. I blinked. A griffin. A griffin stood in front of me. I’d thought they were a myth but the living, breathing griffin in front of me proved that thought wrong. From the amount of blood smeared on its talons and beak, I assumed it had been the one to kill the creature. I slowly approached it, lifting my hand. It leaned forward so my hand connected with its beak. I smiled and stroked its head. It leaned further into my hand and began to purr.

With my hand still firmly placed on the griffin’s beak, I turned to Rhysand, “I have no idea either. I already contacted Clotho. The priestesses are looking into it. But it appears that he’s bonded with you for whatever reason,” Rhysand answered my question before I could even ask.

“His name is Zephyr.” At my quizzical look Rhysand continued. “It appears that Zephyr has a higher sentience than most so I have a slight ability to converse with him, but it’s very limited.”

“He’s beautiful,” I said. Zephyr purred louder at my compliment.

“So what happens now?” I asked.

Lord Devlon stepped up. Zephyr eyed him but didn’t react. “Well, after the last two days I have a feeling he won’t be leaving your side for awhile. We have no stables so he will have to stay in the woods at the edge of camp,” Lord Devlon said.

Rhysand stepped forward and Zephyr let out a low growl. “I don’t think he likes you,” Cassian snickered.

“I don’t think he likes any of you,” I said. I smiled at Zephyr, who was, apparently, my new protector.

“He didn’t growl at Lord Devlon,” I whipped my head around to Nesta. She was smirking, assessing my face for emotions. I schooled my features. It was surprising that he let Lord Devlon so close without a peep after seeing how Zephyr reacted to everyone else.

Nesta’s eyes flicked to Lord Devlon. I knew that look. She was trying to make up her mind about him. On one hand, he treated her like shit when she came to Windhaven with Cassian. On the other hand, she seemed content with my explanation on the day’s events.

I tuned out as my family began to bicker about who Zephyr did and did not like. “How long was I out by the way?” I asked Lord Devlon.

“Two days,” Lord Devlon said quietly. “Your family arrived soon after I brought you back to Windhaven. Once you were stabilized, returned to the hunting camp. The warriors needed my help and I wanted to investigate the remains of the creature that attacked you. Zephyr didn’t leave me much to investigate though.” Zephyr loosed a huff at Lord Devlon’s words.

Silently, I thanked Zephyr for protecting me in those moments when I was laying unconscious and prone on the ground. In my soul I knew that Zephyr was the main reason I was alive today. He seemed to understand my thoughts because he nuzzled his head against mine, purring so loud his body vibrated with the sound.

I was brought out of my moment with Zephyr by the sound of the cabin door closing. Cassian probably complained about being hungry so they all went inside to eat. I stepped to Zephyr’s side, running my hands through the gray feathers on his neck. They stretched all the way to the juncture of his wings and body. From there, his body was covered in golden fur, including his tail. Unlike his front legs that ended in taloned feet, his back two legs ended in paws with sharp claws. His wings were huge, three times the size of the biggest Illyrian wings. They were covered in the same gray feathers as his neck except for the edges which were black.

Devlon silently watched the interaction between Zephyr and I.

“Thank you,” I said lowly. “You didn’t have to—,”

“Yes I did,” Lord Devlon insisted.

I shook my head. “No you didn’t. You could have simply told them I was dead before you got to me. So, thank you.”

Lord Devlon’s eyes flitted across my face. Then with a nod, he turned and left.

We knew with this event that there was a truce between us. Something had changed and I had a feeling it wouldn’t go back to the way it was. I still had questions, particularly where my sisters were concerned, but for now we were at peace.