Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.
Word Count: 1.5k
Warnings: swearing probably, extreme fluff, mentions of death
A/N: Hello!! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I've been so excited for this chapter you have no idea. so much fun stuff happens I hope you guys enjoyed the inclusion of Zephyr. I was a little hesitant but you know what there is a lack of animal buddies in acotar so I did it lol. Anyways I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as me. Let me know what you think especially about the possible new romance happening!!
Masterlist
Chapter 11
“Whoa Zephyr, not yet,” I said stroking Zephyr’s feather covered neck. The sun was just cresting over the mountains as we stood on the edge of a cliff outside Windhaven.
While I was healing this past week, Zephyr had rarely left my side, much to Lord Devlon’s dismay. Eventually, he informed me that Zephyr needed to stay in the forest. He didn’t trust Zephyr not to eat someone. The guilt ate at me so much I slept curled up in the forest with Zephyr. Rhysand and Devlon realized that I would continue to sleep outside, so Rhysand offered to build a stable attached to the cabin. The small stable only took two days to complete so Zephyr didn’t have to brave the woods for long. Since then, I’d spent most of my time in the stable with Zephyr, sleeping at his side.
Zephyr was restless by the time I fully healed, hence why we now stood at the edge of the highest drop near Windhaven. My hand burrowed deeper into his feathers as I leaned forward, surveying the long drop to the bottom.
“That’s a long drop buddy. Guess it’s good you have wings huh,” I laughed at my own dumb joke. Zephyr lightly nipped at my hand, not impressed with my jokes.
“Well, I’m going to be right over here while you stretch your wings,” I turned to sit on a nearby boulder but Zephyr clutched my sleeve in his beak, stopping me.
“What,” I asked. Zephyr let out a low pitched squawk motioning towards his back. “Oh no, no, no, no. That is so not happening. I’ll fall off.” Zephyr responded by using his head to push me towards his back. Stubborn creature. Huffing, I quickly threw my leg over his back, settling my legs right under his wings.
“If I fall, it’s on you.” The wind whipped around us as Zephyr steadily approached the precipice. Zephyr’s black-tipped wings snapped out to their full height. Before I could marvel at the sight of his fully outstretched wings, Zephyr brought them tightly into his body. Then, we were free-falling. I slammed forward and threw my arms around his neck letting out an oomf at the impact. Legs clenched and arms rigid, I held on for dear life.
Whoosh. Zephyr banked right, caught an updraft, and unfurled his wings. With two heavy beats, we rose into the sky and leveled out. The cliff we once stood on was now far below us. Zephyr let out a loud squawk. Seems someone was happy to be flying again.
Zephyr’s excitement was infectious and I was soon loosening my death grip on his feathers. Quickly, I was reminded why I enjoyed flying with Lord Devlon, the freedom. I’d envied the Illyrians because they could always feel this way. It was intoxicating. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath in, enjoying the crispness in the air. Surrendering to the freedom of flying, I relaxed and enjoyed the moment as Zephyr flew.
The sun was high in the sky when Zephyr and I made our way through Windhaven to the cabin. Before my sisters left the other day, we made cookies together just like we had as little kids. Instead of eating all the leftover cookies, I’d decided to bring some to Balthazar when I visited him today.
After freshening up, I walked into the medical cabin. It wasn’t a very hospitable place. I felt bad Balthazar had been here so long. The floors were a dirtied white color and the walls were stark white. Four beds lined both sides of the cabin. Each separated by a partition. My eyes were immediately drawn to Balthazar who was sitting up in bed at the back of the cabin. Shockingly, Vex was asleep in a chair next to his bed. I shot Balthazar a questioning look. He responded by simply shrugging and smiling.
Vex jerked awake from the sound of me dragging a chair towards the Balthazar’s bed.
“Sorry,” I said. Vex simply shook his head, muttered something about food and walked out of the med cabin.
“Has he been here the whole time?” I asked, placing the cookies in Balthazar’s lap.
Balthazar scooped up the bag and popped two cookies into his mouth. Someone was hungry. “No, he left a few times,” Balthazar responded through a mouthful of cookie. Well this was an interesting turn of events of I wasn’t expecting.
“Well I’m glad you seem to be feeling better,” I laughed as Balthazar shoved another cookie into his mouth. “In all seriousness, I’m glad to see you’re ok. I was terrified it was going to take too long to get you back to camp.”
Balthazar swallowed his cookie and smiled. “Right back at you. I heard about the attack. Seems like we both had a shitty hunting trip.”
I scoffed as I put my feet up on Balthazar’s bed. “You could say that again. I don’t think I’m going on another hunting trip any time soon.”
Balthazar chuckled. “I can’t blame you. The Steppes suck sometimes.”
“So how long are you on bedrest for,” I asked.
“Another week. Unfortunately you won’t get to see this amazing face bright and early every morning.”
“What will I ever do without you,” I crooned.
“Perish,” Balthazar said with a completely straight face. Then he cracked, letting out a booming laugh and I quickly joined in.
Vex came back shortly after that, arms laden with food to share. We spent the next few hours eating and talking. Vex was surprisingly nice despite his past behavior. I’d actually enjoyed his company. After awhile, Balthazar started to get tired so I decided to head back to the cabin. I’d just exited the med cabin when a shout from behind stopped me in my tracks.
“Hey, Mira,” I swiveled around and saw Vex jogging towards me. “I just wanted to apologize to you for my behavior. I was a dick and judged you without knowing you. And I’m sorry about the hunting trip. I truly wouldn’t have left you alone if it wasn’t necessary.”
My jaw dropped. Did he just apologize to me? Big, bad Vex apologized? Wow.
“Umm thanks Vex. Just so you know I don’t hold what happened in the forest against you. I could tell Balthazar was in a life or death situation. You made a choice and probably saved Balthazar’s life as a result.” I gave Vex a reassuring smile before we said goodbye.
I was restless when I got back to the cabin. My fingers constantly drummed against the table and I kept re-reading the same lines in my book. Vex’s apology kept running through my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Training was the best option to clear my head.
Loud clangs echoed from the training ring as I approached. A sword was clutched in Lord Devlon’s hand as he attacked a training dummy with precise, strong slashes. The muscles in his arms flexed with the strength of his blows. His wings moved with his body, providing balance when needed.
It was… impressive. I’d never seen Lord Devlon train before. For such a large male, he moved with amazing fluidity and grace. He was light on his feet as he spun and dipped around an inanimate enemy. The sword was an extension of his arm. The movements were precise yet beautiful. This was the trainer and commander of the Illyrian Legion. Honestly, it was pretty hot.
“What are you doing here so late,” Lord Devlon yelled across the training ring. I approached Lord Devlon as he sheathed the sword down his back.
I shrugged. “Restless.”
Lord Devlon nodded. “He’s going to be fine you know. Just needs more rest.”
I sighed and fell back into the fence behind me, rubbing a hand down my face. “I know. I was just so scared for him. And then I couldn’t see him for a week cause I needed to heal.”
A heavy thunk sounded as Lord Devlon leaned against the fence beside me. “I get it, I do. Seeing Vex drag Balthazar’s limp body through the sky just reminded me of all the warriors who died against Hybern. Fortunately, he arrived quickly and our medics were able to get to work on him immediately.”
I shifted slightly, looking Lord Devlon in the eye. “He reminded you of his father didn’t he? Balthazar said you were close.”
Lord Devlon leaned further into the fence, tilting his head up to the sky and releasing a deep breath. “Castor was my right-hand before he died. To me, he was more than a talented warrior and strategist,” a soft smile crossed Lord Devlon’s face as he talked. “Castor was my father’s best friend and when he died, Castor stepped up. He mentored me and helped me become the leader I am today.”
Despite everything between us, I reached over and grabbed Devlon’s hand, trying to comfort him. “He sounds like an amazing male. And he seemed to do a decent job with you,” I snickered. Devlon looked over, tears sparkling in his bright eyes, and squeezed my hand. In that moment, Devlon presented a tiny piece of him, and it was beautiful.
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Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.
Word Count: 1.4k
Warnings: feelings of self loathing/worthlessness, swearing
Author’s Note: Hello my lovely readers! Im so excited for this hunting trip unlike Mira lol. I would like to point out that Devlon’s dog is an adorable Great Dane puppy. Im hoping to get a day of the week hammered down for weekly updates but we shall see. Anyway I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
Masterlist
Chapter 7
I understand wanting to provide warriors with realistic survival scenarios but waking up this early to leave was absolutely unnecessary. I’m not a morning person at all, so getting up well before the sun sucked. I put on my light armor, which was warm yet lightweight, perfect for a hunting trip in the Illyrian Steppes. My sword was placed in its sheath down my back next to an Illyrian bow. I also strapped two daggers to either leg.
Balthazar stood outside the house waiting for me. He wore standard Illyrian leathers with a cloak draped over his shoulders. He smiled at the sight of my grumpy face. I shot him an unimpressed glare.
“I don’t know how you look so chipper this early in the morning,” I said.
“Guess I’m just tougher than you,” Balthazar snickered. "You ready for this week?”
“Sort of,” I shrugged. “Can’t say I’m super excited at the idea of camping with a bunch of smelly males.”
“Can’t blame you there. I swear Vex and Samson like don’t bathe. It’s disgusting.”
“God you guys are disgusting.”
Members of our training group were scattered throughout the ring when we arrived. Some leant against the fencing and others stood near a tall pile of bags, which appeared to be tents upon closer inspection. Each male was laden with a variety of weapons, but everyone’s back was occupied by a bow. I wondered if they were all capable of using those bows. The only thing missing was our fearless leader. Figures, I get out of bed early and the bastard can’t even show up on time.
Thinking about Lord Devlon ratcheted up my anxiety about this trip. One, I wasn’t sure what to expect on an Illyrian hunting trip. It was completely new territory for me. Second, ever since the moment in Lord Devlon’s office I’d been a little nervous around him. Whenever he was near me my mind conjured up the image of him glancing down at my lips.
Fingers snapped in front of my face. “Hey. I asked if you had any idea how you were getting to our campsite, since you know no wings,” Balthazar asked.
I actually had no idea, the thought hadn’t even occurred to me. I was about to say as much but someone interrupted me.
“She’s flying with me.” I spun around to the owner of the voice and found Lord Devlon standing over me. His dark armor clung to every muscle on his body like a second skin. He had a black cloak around his shoulders and the hood was up, leaving only his mouth visible. A massive sword was slung over Lord Devlon’s back. The sword was so large that it reached the top of his left wing and almost touched the bottom of his right wing.
Balthazar simply nodded, shot me a look I couldn’t read and walked towards the other Illyrians.
“I wasn’t informed of this plan,” I said.
“Would you prefer to walk the 63 miles to the campsite then?” Lord Devlon said. His usual smirk spreading across his face.
“You know that’s not what I meant,” I said. “Where’s my favorite puppy? I was hoping you would bring him with.”
Lord Devlon chuckled making my heart flutter. “Unfortunately, Cyrus is still growing into his legs and paws. By that I mean when he runs too fast he trips over his own feet and goes flying.”
“The poor baby. Well we can’t have him getting hurt so it’s probably best he stays home.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Lord Devlon quickly turned to the other Illyrian warriors. “Start heading out. We are going to the Southern hunting camp. Once you arrive, begin setting up.”
Lord Devlon turned to me. He looked… nervous. “Are you okay with this? I would have offered Balthazar take you but he’s already got a few tents.”
I was shocked he even considered my comfort in regards to him being the one to fly me to camp. It was nice to have someone think about my comfort. “I think I can handle a quick flight to camp, Commander,” I said smirking.
“Good. Hang on tight, I fly fast,” Lord Devlon said. He wrapped his arms around my waist so we were chest to chest. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, while my head rested against his shoulder.
Just like the other day in his office, Devlon emanated warmth, keeping the cold from burrowing deep in my bones while in the sky. I couldn’t help but wrap myself tighter against him, breathing in. Devlon smelled like soap and dirt, a weird combination but it made sense with how long he spent in the training ring. Without thinking, I nuzzled my face into his shoulder, breathing him in even deeper. Devlon’s arms wrapped tighter around my waist. His thumb gently stroked my side. I shivered but it wasn’t from the cold.
I watched over Devlon’s shoulder as Windhaven faded into the distance. The view from high in the sky was beautiful. I found it hard to believe anything but beauty could live in this place. I finally understood why the Illyrians loved it so much up here. Not only was it their ancestral home but it was stunning. The snow-capped mountains were surrounded by green forests and rivers cut through the lush greenery. It was so much more beautiful than the forest near the village I grew up in.
Suddenly, we banked right and I let out a loud yelp, not expecting the sudden change in direction. Devlon let out a loud laugh. “Sorry. I’m not used to flying with living cargo.”
“You don’t say. Just give me a warning next time you decide to show off,” I huffed.
Soon we caught up with the rest of the Illyrian’s and settled into a companionable silence. I’d flown before but never like this. Usually when I flew with one of the boys or Feyre it was short distances, but this was something else. It felt like total freedom. Like nothing could touch you but the clouds. My heart clenched, I was envious of the ability to always have this freedom.
Feyre always had this freedom. All she needed to do was shift and she could fly above the world. After being made, I tried to not compare myself to my sisters. It wasn’t healthy and I didn’t want anything to come between us anymore. But, sometimes, it was so hard to be normal when all my sisters had exceptional gifts that they used to bring peace and prosperity to our new home. I felt like I was never enough for them.
Before I could spiral deeper into my self-loathing, Devlon interrupted my thought process.
“There are a few things I wanted to go over before we landed.”
“Oh. Such as?”
“No running off on your own. These woods aren’t safe for anyone, let alone an inexperienced non-Illyrian.”
Way to kick someone when they're down. I mean shit. I was taken aback. I couldn’t do anything but just stare out him as he continued to fly. Inexperienced? I didn’t have powers but I was better trained than most of his warriors and he knew that. Anger bubbled in my gut and I could do nothing to stop it.
“Oh so because I’m not an ‘Illyrian’ I can’t possibly defend myself. Why even bring me along if you think I’m gonna get eaten in the first 5 minutes we are there? Was it just to keep Rhys off your back and Cassian quiet, to appease me. God you’re such an asshole,” I yelled. Was I being unreasonable? Probably, but he had a way of getting under my skin. Condescending prick was the best word for it.
“You misunderstand me,” Lord Devlon gruffly said. He tried to continue but I cut him off.
“No. You’ve been underestimating me the whole time I’ve been here despite knowing what I’m capable of. You underestimated Nesta and her friends when they passed the test to enter the blood trials. You underestimate Feyre's capacity to rule fairly over your people. And you won’t even let Elain anywhere near here because of what she can do. I’m sick of my family and I being judged by you, now let me down.” I screamed as I slammed into the ground from 5 feet in the air. Apparently we had arrived.
Lord Devlon stalked towards me, fury etched across his face. “I brought you because I saw your potential in training. I brought you because you seemed genuinely interested in Illyrian culture. I brought you because I want my people to no longer be seen as the monsters your family sees us as,” he snarled. I stood there dumbstruck as he stomped towards the rest of the warriors.
“Well that looked like it went well,” Balthazar snickered beside me.
Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.
Word Count: 1.3k
Warning: spoilers post acosf, mentions of wing clipping, cuteness, excessive adorableness, longing looks lol
Author's Note: Heyoooo. Sorry this chapter is so late life got hella hectic. Anyways I absolutely adore this chapter so much and there's finally some cute Mira, Devlon interaction so get excited. Let me know what you think!! I have so many fun things planned for this series I can't wait to share them with you guys!! Thanks for reading!
Masterlist
Chapter 6
It was freezing out but my face was burning at the thought of apologizing to Lord Devlon. Before I could make a run for it I knocked on the door. I braced myself for what would only be a shit-show as the door opened. I blinked. Well this wasn’t Lord Devlon. Instead a beautiful Illyrian female with long, dark hair and bright green eyes greeted me. No one ever mentioned Lord Devlon having a partner, and if she was, boy was he lucky.
“Hello, how can I help you,” the woman asked.
“Hi. Um I’m here to talk to Lord Devlon. My name’s Mira.”
Recognition flickered across her face. “Ah yes. Come on in,” the female stepped aside letting me enter the house. As I followed her further inside the house, I noticed two long scars on either wing. Her wings had been clipped. I tore my eyes from her wings as we stopped outside another door.
She knocked on the door and peeked her head in. “Devlon, someone is here to see you.”
A muffled response came from inside. She turned, gesturing me toward the door. “You can go on in,” she said, shooting me a smile as she walked away.
My hand hesitated on the doorknob as my heart began thumping wildly in my chest. Breathing in. Out. In. Out. With one final breath, I opened the door stepping inside. Dark mahogany bookcases covered three of the walls. The final wall housed an enormous, unlit fireplace. Opposite the fireplace sat a giant desk and sitting behind the desk was Lord Devlon himself. He was staring at some paperwork on his desk, a pen clutched in his hand.
“What do you want?” Lord Devlon said gruffly, his eyes never leaving the paperwork.
How did he… oh right scents. I don’t care what Feyre said, knowing others could smell me and my emotions was creepy. Not to mention I still found it difficult to distinguish people’s scents in my new form, probably because I didn’t want to smell them. There had been one time I’d scented other fae but I cringed and shook my head at the memory.
I approached Lord Devlon’s desk. “I came to apologize. I was out of line the other day. I’m sorry.” Lord Devlon’s head shot up at my words.
He leaned back, studying me. After a moment he smirked, “Even for tackling me into the mud?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, even for that.”
Lord Devlon leaned forward, place all his weight on his forearms. “Apology accepted. For what it’s worth, I do respect Cassian. He just makes it so fucking hard sometimes. I mean he’s basically a giant kid 50% of the time.”
I let out a snicker. “Can’t argue with you there. He has a love for candy that rivals a small child.”
Shockingly, an actual smile made its way across Lord Devlon’s face. “On more than one occasion I’ve found Cassian sneaking a bag of candy from the mess hall,” Lord Devlon said.
“Now I know why he has to train so hard. He has to burn off all that sugar. Shocking behavior from our dear commander,” I said.
“Truly,” Lord Devlon responded. A soft chuckle rumbled through his chest. My face heated at the sound.
The conversation flowed easily, to my surprise. This was definitely not the man described to me by the Inner Circle. No, this man had a beautiful smile, no matter how small. His eyes lit up with ease when he relaxed back into his chair. This wasn’t the cold, aloof man from earlier this week. No, this was warm and inviting just like the fire after our fight.
I wanted to sit and bask in it for hours. Unfortunately, the connection was broken by someone, or something, barging into the room. I looked towards the door but no one was standing there.
Brow furrowed, I heard Lord Devlon yell, “Cyrus no!”
Then, something rammed into my chair knocking it over. I was sprawled across the floor with something licking my arms frantically.
“Oh my god,” I looked down and found a giant puppy slobbering kisses up my arm. “He’s so fucking cute.”
“Sorry,” Lord Devlon said as he dragged Cyrus off me. “He’s still a puppy and we don’t get many visitors so he gets overexcited.”
“Can I pet him,” I asked as I righted myself, sitting up on the floor.
In answer, Lord Devlon released Cyrus. The puppy launched himself into my arms and I gladly cuddled him, laughing as he covered my face in kisses. His tail was wagging uncontrollably the entire time.
“Well someone loves cuddles. Don’t you. Don’t you!” I giggled as he continued to lick my face.
“He’s a bit of a love bug. I tried turning him into a stone cold guard dog but my sister got to him,” Lord Devlon said.
I wondered if that was the woman who answered the door. Cyrus’ tail wagged even harder as I scratched behind his ear.
“Well I much prefer this little love bug than whatever monster you would have created,” I joked.
“I can see that,” Lord Devlon smirked. “Cyrus, off.”
Cyrus automatically sat down next to Lord Devlon. I was about to stand up but a hand reached down to assist me. Lord Devlon was offering to help me up. Steeling myself, I placed my hand in his grasp. I inhaled sharply as the touch shot up my arm.
Lord Devlon must have felt it too because he quickly pulled me up, but he used too much power and I fell into him as I landed on my feet. I placed my hands on his broad chest to balance myself. I glanced up at him through my eyelashes. Devlon was staring down at me. His eyes briefly flicked down to my lips but quickly met my eyes again.
Suddenly, it felt ridiculously warm in the office and my breathing became shallow. Devlon squeezed me hand and gently ran his thumb along my wrist. I leaned further into Devlon’s chest.
“Woof.” A loud bark pierced the air. Lord Devlon and I quickly broke apart. Lord Devlon cleared his throat as he stepped back.
“Well um I should get going. I have to get up early tomorrow,” I stammered.
“I’ll show you out,” Lord Devlon said.
Lord Devlon opened the front door for me. I was walking out as Lord Devlon said, “Thank you by the way, for apologizing.” With that he closed the door.
The rest of the weekend was uneventful. I spent most of it reading. Feyre and Nyx stopped by for a visit which included baking cookies, but mostly eating cookie dough. It was fun to see my nephew, especially since he’d started gradually using his wings. He tended to flutter off the ground for a few seconds and then plop back down on his butt. It may have been one of the cutest things I’d ever seen.
Feyre asked about training and was happy to hear I had made some friends here. My sisters worried that coming to Windhaven would be hard on me. Feyre thought I looked lighter here. Guess the mountain air was refreshing. Too soon, it was time for Feyre and Nyx to leave.
Over the next few weeks, my family sporadically dropped in to see how I was doing. But for the most part, I was left to my own devices. I continued to regularly attend training and actually looked forward to it every morning. My cardio got progressively better to the point that I could now keep up with the Illyirans at the back of the pack. Lord Devlon was pleasant enough during training, if a bit distant.
At the end of training one day Lord Devlon threw a wrench into my daily life. “Gear up, tomorrow we head out for a week-long hunting trip. Perfect opportunity to sharpen your skills. Dismissed.”
Balthazar explained that Lord Devlon would take groups of warriors on intensive hunting trips to allow warriors to train in a real environment with real threats while obtaining food and pelts for the war band. So for one week I was going to be camping in the Illyrian wilderness with a bunch of Illyrians. What could go wrong?
Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.
Word Count: 1.2k
Warnings: swearing
Author's Note: Hello everyone!! God I love this story. Honestly I get so excited every time I release a chapter. Im thinking of Mondays for regular updates. Anyway let me know what you think!! Please! I love hearing what everyone thinks.
Masterlist
Chapter 8
Thunk. Thunk. The blade of an axe sliced through a log, the sound echoing through the forest. I’d been helping Balthazar gather and chop firewood since we finished setting up our tents. The sun was setting so it was imperative we worked quickly. The sooner the fires got set up the better. While a fire or two would normally pose an issue by drawing in too many creatures, however we would have enough fires and warriors to keep most threats at bay.
At least that’s what Balthazar told me but I had my doubts about our safety after everything Nesta told me. “How exactly are we supposed to stay protected at night if we are out in the open?” I said. “You said the fires were enough but it doesn’t seem like it would work.”
Balthazar halted his axe in mid-swing. “Your favorite person will be our protector during the duration of the trip. On hunts, the strongest warrior throws up a shield at night to protect us while we sleep. Since Lord Devlon is here, that means he will be the one shielding the camp. I realize you hate him right now but you should be glad he’s here. Lord Devlon is one of the strongest Illyrians in history besides Cassian, Rhysand, and Azriel,” Balthazar responded, resuming his swing.
No one had ever mentioned other powerful Illyrians. I guess everyone was too busy drooling over Cassian, Rhys and Az to care. It made since that Lord Devlon was one of the strongest Illyrians since he commanded the Illyrian legion under Cassian. That had to count for something. I thought back to the times in training when I had seen him fight, and I realized one glaring detail I’d missed.
“He has five siphons,” I said, mouth gaping open at the realization.
“Can’t believe you never noticed that before.”
“Yeah, well, I was focused on my own training.” That was a lie. I’d been distracted by Lord Devlon training. I mean come on who can resist watching him swing a sword as he beats the crap out of Vex. Unfortunately, it was incredibly attractive.
“Sure,” Balthazar snickered. He could see right through me.
“So Illyrian power is still active even if the Illyrian is asleep?” I questioned to shift the focus from my slightly obvious attraction to Lord Devlon.
Balthazar shook his head. “Not necessarily. It depends on how powerful the Illyrian is. Stronger Illyrians can easily hold a shield while asleep. Less powerful Illyrians can achieve a shield while asleep but it takes tons of practice. Some can never achieve it.”
I nodded. During my time at Windhaven I’d been fascinated by Illyrian magic. The high fae I was typically surrounded by had some of the biggest egos I’d ever seen. They acted like they were the most powerful beings in Prythian and no one could even come close. But the Illyrians continued to prove that they were just as skilled. Illyrian magic just worked differently.
In my opinion, the Illyrians never got enough credit for their role in saving Prythian. I’ve lost count of the times Night Court citizens praised Rhysand for saving them but I can count on one hand how many times I’ve heard people thank the Illyrians. I was starting to understand why the Illyrians hesitated to defend the Night Court. Why should they protect beings who could give less of a shit about them?
A loud roar pierced the air, startling me into dropping the wood I held. Balthazar halted, listening closely. “Don’t worry it’s far off, but we should start heading back,” he said. I nodded and we quickly headed back towards camp. I wasn’t ready to witness the horrors that Illyria held deep in the wilderness.
When we arrived back at camp, we set up a large fire pit in the center of camp, primarily for meal times. We moved on to create smaller fires, sporadically, throughout camp. Lord Devlon got a fire pit set up right outside his tent, the lucky bastard.
Once we finished, the sun was setting and all the warriors were arriving back at camp from their various duties. The hunting team had dressed and prepared the food far outside of camp to keep predators away. Dinner was quickly prepared. I was actually surprised at the cooking skills of the warriors. I did miss the spices and flavors of Velaris though.
Lord Devlon began speaking as we finished up eating. “Wake up before dawn. We begin hunting at daylight. We go in pairs but stay close to one another. You know the drill. You kill something bring it directly back to camp for transport back to camp by Tristan.”
I was wondering how they dealt with their kills but I guess Tristan’s job explained it, can’t have meat sitting around with creatures roaming the mountains. My eyes flickered to Tristan. I’d never interacted with him but he was friendly with Balthazar. He was always at the front of the pack during runs and beat everyone to camp this morning.
“Now get some rest,” Lord Devlon said. “Mira can I talk to you.” From his tone I could tell he was still angry with me.
Groaning internally, because I had a feeling I was about to get chewed out, I nodded and followed him into his tent. “You will be accompanying Vex and Balthazar tomorrow,” he raised his hand, stopping me before I could protest. “This has nothing to do with your skills as a warrior but learning how Illyrians hunt. It’s different than how your sister hunted. We take our hunts very seriously. So for the first day I suggest you watch Balthazar and Vex and join in later.”
I nodded. I didn’t really know what to expect from the hunt tomorrow so it made sense that I see the ropes before diving right in. Turning, I was about to leave when Lord Devlon gently grabbed my arm.
“Don’t be cocky tomorrow. You run into anything that you know you can’t kill, you run. As hard as you can,” Devlon said.
“I’m cocky not stupid,” Devlon narrowed his eyes at me. I sighed heavily. “Don’t worry I’ll stay alert.” He removed his hand from my arm as I walked out.
I tossed and turned all night. I didn’t want to admit it but Lord Devlon’s warning had unnerved me. Eventually, I decided to get up and walk around to calm myself down. As I exited my tent, I noticed a shimmering green barrier encasing camp. I walked towards it and gently placed my palm against the shield. It was so beautiful. The energy thrummed through my blood, warming me to my core. I felt settled for the first time since leaving Lord Devlon’s tent.
Past the shimmering green something shifted in the forest. The same feeling of being watched as that one night in Windhaven came over me. I jumped as a twig snapped. Something large shifting in the shadows. Squinting, I tried to make out what it was.
Crack. “Fuck,” I swore, whipping around, as a log cracked in the fire. When I turned back around there was nothing in the tree-line. I rubbed my eyes and dragged myself back to bed, chalking the shadows up to exhaustion.
Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.
Word Count: 1.5k
Warning: spoilers, post ACOSF, swearing, discussion of violence (nothing descriptive)
Author's Note: Finally starting to really set up the rest of the story in this chapter and im super excited for it. Don't be confused by the beginning it comes into play later. Anyway I hope you like it and let me know if you do! Also let me know if you would like to be tagged in future chapters.
Masterlist
Chapter 5
Waking up in the middle of the night is never fun. It’s made even worse when you wake up feeling like something is watching you. Groggily, I looked around the cabin. The fire was now embers in the hearth so the moon was my only light. Nothing seemed amiss, but that uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away even after checking the whole house.
Curiosity got the better of me and I staggered toward the front door and threw it open. One second I was at the cabin, the next I was at the edge of town looking off into the forest. There, in the shadows, something moved. Barely able to make out anything besides a large shape, I blinked hoping to improve my vision. When I opened my eyes, nothing was there.
I couldn’t tell if my shivering was a result of the cold or the sudden disappearance of the shape in the forest. I ran my hands up and down my arms in an attempt to warm myself up. I slowly made my way back to the cabin, hoping no one saw my late night walk around Windhaven. Once back at the cabin, I curled into the warmth of my bed and fell into a fitful sleep.
Waking up the next morning was harder than waking up after Solstice. My head was pounding and the sunlight was killing me. After freshening myself and throwing on a new change of clothes, I made my way to the training ring. I didn’t know what to expect from Lord Devlon after yesterday. To be honest, I was just hoping he wouldn’t make me run 20 miles.
The cold air of Autumn was no match for the cold reception from Lord Devlon. Part of me was happy he completely ignored my existence, but for some reason it felt… wrong. I shook off the feeling and proceeded with my stretches.
Training went along as normal, a hellish run followed by partner exercises. About two hours into training, things took a turn for the unusual.
“Illyrians fall in!” Lord Devlon yelled over the noise of training. I had a sinking feeling something bad was going to happen.
“I’ve noticed some sloppy exercises today, so I’d like to show everyone the correct technique,” Lord Devlon said, his eyes immediately locked on mine. “Mira, come help me demonstrate.”
Yup, I was officially being punished. I stepped up to stand across from Lord Devlon, who proceeded to glare at me the entire time. I was completely prepared to have the shit kicked out of me in this ‘demonstration.’ Not much I could do but mentally prepare for the incoming onslaught.
Lord Devlon simply nodded before he came at me. This exercise consisted of grabbing an opponents arm, hoisting it over your shoulder and using the leverage and momentum to flip them over you and slam them to the ground. Lord Devlon successfully completed the move before I could even react.
I was seething when I got up and faced Lord Devlon. Glee flickered in his eyes at my mud covered body. My next move was probably a dumb decision but I simply acted before thinking.
Lord Devlon let out an oof as I lunged, tackling him into the mud. Surprise rippled through the Illyrians watching as I sat on Lord Devlon’s chest, holding him down. Balthazar looked horrified by my actions.
“You didn’t say I couldn’t fight back,” I sneered at Lord Devlon.
The next thing I knew a fist was connecting with my face and I was shoved off Lord Devlon. The force of the blow caused blood to drip from my nose.
Lord Devlon stood, assessing me. Rage simmered in his eyes as he turned to the other Illyrians. “Go back to practicing, and this time do it correctly or you will end up in the same boat as Mira who now has to run double the distance for a month.”
Definitely not my smartest move because running 20 miles a day might actually kill me faster than Lord Devlon ever could.
“Are you insane or just stupid?” Balthazar whispered when I stalked back to his side to continue training. I had a feeling my punishment for tackling Lord Devlon would have been significantly worse had I not been Feyre’s younger sister. I settled back into training with Balthazar dreading the coming days.
Over the next week, training continued as normal except for the 20 mile runs every morning. While Lord Devlon and I ignored each other, Balthazar and I were slowly becoming friends. We pushed each other hard during training, benefiting from the techniques of the other. Balthazar was a quick learner and eventually he we were at a stalemate.
Finally, the weekend came around and so did dinner at the mess hall with Balthazar and Emerie. Emerie and Balthazar became friends after the Blood Rite because he was one of the few Illyrians who fully accepted Emerie and Gwyn as Carynthian. As we entered the mess hall, I noticed Lord Devlon was there, seated with a few other warriors. He glanced in my direction shooting me a glare and quickly looked away.
“So what exactly did you do that made Lord Devlon so pissed at you, well besides tackling him in front of everyone?” Balthazar questioned as we sat down. “I mean even before the incident he’s blatantly ignoring you and he is staring daggers into your back right now.”
“Yeah I haven’t seen him glare so hard since Nesta, Gwyn and I passed the test to get into the Blood Rite,” Emerie said.
“We got into a fight the other day. He insulted Cassian so I snapped back. Not my smartest move but he deserved it. Cassian deserves his respect,” I said curtly.
“Shit,” Balthazar said.
“Damn you got some balls,” Emerie said. “They almost rival Nesta’s.”
I chuckled. “He still glaring daggers into my back?”
“Yeah,” they both replied.
“Ugh. The thing is he hasn’t actually been that bad so far. But his face pisses me off. He always has this smug look that screams ‘I know I’m better than you,’” I said.
Emerie nodded. “I felt the same way after the Blood Rite,” Emerie said. “I had no reason to interact with Lord Devlon before the Rite. Obviously, after the Rite I had to interact with him more and he was surprisingly accommodating. He lets me train the females how I want and eased up on their chore load.”
“What’s up with that by the way?” I questioned. “I noticed males working in the mess hall and the females had significantly longer training sessions than I was told.”
“I can explain all that,” Balthazar said. “See you had a picture of Windhaven painted by the Inner Circle, who are barely ever around. Emerie here was basically an outcast before the Rite and kept to her store. Both of you haven’t seen the changes happening but those of us who live in town and train with Lord Devlon have noticed.”
Balthazar leaned forward and took a deep breath. “When Amarantha took over Prythian, things in Windhaven changed. Lord Devlon began to secretly train the females. He wanted anyone who could fight to prepare for an attack by Amarantha. He knew that he would need more than just the males to have a shot against Amarantha.”
“With Rhys gone and the Inner Circle holed up in Velaris, female wing clipping became standard practice again in other war bands. But, Lord Devlon cracked down hard on it in Windhaven. Any person found attempting to clip a female’s wings was whipped within an inch of their life in the town square. Eventually, something happened, no one knows what, and Lord Devlon was forced to pull back on outright training the women, but we still try to equalize male and female duties hence the male cooks. The whipping continued but it was made to look like a punishment for failure in training. Since, the Inner Circle was occupied elsewhere they never found out about any of this. They still believe Windhaven is a backward war band and Lord Devlon is the biggest misogynist in the world.”
“Shit,” I muttered.
“How do you know all of this?” Emerie asked.
“My father was one of Lord Devlon’s closest advisors. When Lord Devlon came up with the idea my father automatically signed my sister up for training. She now trains with Emerie’s group of females. Unfortunately, my father died in the war against Hybern.” Balthazar said.
“Sorry to hear that,” I said. Emerie nodded her head in agreement.
Balthazar waved his hand. “Thanks. He was a great father and he fought hard to protect our family. I hope to be as strong as him someday.”
I smiled at Balthazar. I knew how hard it was to lose a parent. The hurt would never go away but things would get better. We finished our meal and went our separate ways. I stole a glance in the direction of Lord Devlon’s table but he was already gone.
I groaned realizing what all of this meant. I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of apologizing to Lord Devlon. He was rude and deserved to be put in his place. Unfortunately, my first and most important job was strengthening ties between my family and the Illyrians. If what Balthazar said was true then Lord Devlon couldn’t be as bad as I thought… right?
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Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.
Word Count: 1.2k
Warning: Post ACOSF so spoiler warning, Swearing, Anxiety attack, depiction of anxiety attack
Author's Note: Hello!! If you thought things were gonna heat up between Mira and Devlon soon, you were dead wrong lol. The end of this chapter describes an anxiety attack. If you would prefer not to read it stop reading once Mira leaves the mess hall. I suffer from anxiety so the description comes from my own experiences. Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist (don't be shy im very friendly lol).
Masterlist
Chapter 4
A war was going on in my head as I walked back home. What Emerie told me was the direct opposite of what the Inner Circle said about Lord Devlon. In Velaris, Lord Devlon was a sexist asshole who didn’t support training females, yet he had explicitly asked Emerie if she wanted to improve their training. So what was the truth?
I was lost in my thoughts of Lord Devlon as I slammed into something solid. I was on my way to landing on my ass for the second time that day when something wrapped around my waist, stopping me. I looked down and saw an arm wrapped around my waist. The person’s shirt was rolled up exposing their muscular forearm. I couldn’t help but follow their arm all the way up their body.
My hands clutched the soft, silken material of their shirt, which hugged their chest in all the right places. Broad shoulders supported an equally muscular neck. I gripped their shirt tighter seeing the strength in their jawline. My eyes flitted past their lips and stared into their hazel eyes. Such beautiful eyes, it felt like swimming in a field of grass as the sun set.
Suddenly, I was snapped out of my gazing. “Is your goal for the day to continuously land on your ass?” Lord Devlon snickered as he set me upright. “Might want to watch where you’re going around here.”
“For your information, I only landed on my ass once during training. The rest of your precious Illyrians were repeatedly falling to the ground,” I snapped back, brushing myself off.
The smirk making its way across Lord Devlon’s face was intolerable. “Let’s go. You must be hungry,” he said.
I blinked. I was still reeling from ogling the object of my confusion seconds before. Of course as I was having an existential crisis, my stomach decided this was the perfect time to let out one long, loud growl.
“I’m going to take that as a yes. Come on, right before you so rudely ran into me I was headed to the mess hall,” Lord Devlon motioned me forward.
I swallowed heavily and started in the direction Lord Devlon motioned. I was terrified. He wasn’t being mean, but he sure as hell wasn’t being friendly. Why was he inviting me to eat with him? Was I in trouble for accidentally running into him? I mean I knew the Illyrians loved to punish their warriors but come on, it was an accident. Despite my nervousness I didn’t let my emotions show on my face.
“Don’t worry I’m not going to humiliate you in front of everyone, your pathetic run today already achieved that,” Lord Devlon said. “I simply want to discuss some things with you and warriors need to eat after training.” I nodded, gritting my teeth at his dig at my lack of running prowess. I mean it was true but still.
The mess hall was located across the square from the shopping area of Windhaven. It was a huge building, capable of housing the entire village if necessary. Long, rectangular tables spanned the length of the room. Cassian and Rhys said that most Illyrians kept to their own homes for meals, especially if a warrior was married or mated since females provided food for their partners. Females also prepared and distributed food in the mess hall.
Cassian and Rhys were, apparently, right because few Illyrians sat at the tables. But the boys were also wrong. I noticed that females weren’t the only ones preparing the food. A few males were taking part in preparing the food alongside the females. The Inner Circle made it explicitly clear that Illyrian males did not help with chores around camp. Yet there they were helping out.
Lord Devlon didn’t shoot the males a second glance as he grabbed some food and headed towards an empty table. I followed closely behind with my own plate. It was piled high with some sort of meat, potatoes, and a variety of veggies. My mouth watered at the sight of potatoes.
Sitting across from Lord Devlon was an exercise in patience. His face had arrogant prick written all over it and I instantly dreaded this conversation. There was no way it was going to be about anything good despite what he said. Maybe my run actually wasn’t good enough and I was already getting kicked out of training.
Before I could continue to spiral, Lord Devlon interrupted my thoughts. “So what exactly did the dog—” I quickly interrupted him.
“Cassian,” I corrected, sneering at Lord Devlon in disgust. “And before you continue, Cassian told me everything I needed to know before I came here, but I didn’t need someone to tell me you are an arrogant asshole who needs to be in charge.”
Lord Devlon slammed his cutlery down. “Your precious commander has been spreading lies and looking down his nose at the very people he grew up with and made him into the man he is today,” Lord Devlon stated, fury etched across his face.
I scoffed. “Cassian is the man he is today because of his own strength and determination. You don’t get to take credit for other people’s achievements. For fucks sake, his mother died because of pricks like you,” I yelled.
A growl ripped through the mess hall and the next thing I knew Lord Devlon’s chair was upturned and the mess door was swinging shut. I was stunned. I didn’t regret standing up for Cassian. He was my brother, I would always defend him. But I also realized I may have taken it a little too far. After all, I was partially here to work on relations between the Night Court and the Illyrians. I might have just ruined that relationship for good.
I finished my food and quietly exited the mess hall. I’d caused enough ruckus for one day. When I arrived back at the house, I collapsed against the front door, a loud sob left my mouth as I landed on the hardwood floor. I couldn’t explain why I was crying. Uncontrollable sobs echoed through the cabin. My heart raced. My fingers went numb. I couldn’t breathe. I felt like I was going to vomit.
I knew these feelings. I’d felt them many times before. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. I recognized those feelings and let them flow through me. Slowly, I started to calm down and my sobs turned into sniffles. I dragged myself off the floor and over to the couch. The warmth from the fire enveloped me, comforting me.
I'd had these attacks before being made, but after they got more frequent, almost once a day. They terrified me because it felt like the world was collapsing in on me. After awhile I got used to them but it didn’t necessarily make them better. I assumed the fight with Lord Devlon triggered this attack. The Inner Circle put a lot of pressure on me to make things right. The idea that I had fucked everything up terrified me.
I already felt like a failure among my family. My sisters all had special powers that they wielded to help support the Night Court. I had no apparent special abilities and couldn’t even do the job I was assigned to correctly. Before the panic could take over again, I drifted off to sleep, wrapped in warmth despite the coldness inside.
