Velaria

Velaria clutched her head, groaning. She sat up, blinking. She was stretching her arms above her head when the weird scent hit her: night-chilled mist and cedar. She looked around frantically, and then she remembered what had happened.

Az had taken care of her, then put her in his own bed.

Velaria furrowed her brow, wondering where her mate had slept, wandering over to a dresser and taking her dirty clothes off. She dug through until she found a black button up shirt and a pair of leather pants. Digging around in the closet, she grabbed a belt and tightened it around her waist until the pants stayed up. Then she made her way downstairs, where the smell of eggs wafted up the stairs.

"Who's cooking?" Velaria called as she descended the staircase.

Azriel smiled at her before blinking at her once, twice. "You're...wearing my clothes."

Velaria shrugged. "Didn't see another option," she said, sliding into the seat next to him. "Do you mind?"

"Absolutely not," Azriel said quickly, kissing her cheek.

Feyre smiled at them from her position at the stove, frying up a couple of eggs. "It's good to see you two together."

"Thanks, Feyre," Velaria said. "Are you making breakfast?"

"Didn't have anything better to do," Feyre said. "Speaking of – what are our next steps?"

Velaria glanced at Azriel, who looked just as puzzled as she did. "Do we have any intel about the rest of Prythian?" she asked both of them. "Because if we do, I would suggest finding allies and making a plan with them. If we don't, I would say we go get intel."

"Great idea," Feyre said. "We don't know anything besides what Emerie knew before she was imprisoned, so I'll finish making breakfast, we'll eat, and then go out. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," Azriel said, smiling at Velaria.

Feyre's power brushed up against Velaria's mental shields, and she let them down.

I truly have never seen Az smile this much. Ever, she murmured, stirring the eggs.

I don't know whether or not we're going too fast, Velaria replied after a moment. I know we were friends before, but the decision was too quick, rushed by a few strenuous circumstances.

You're walking a hard road, Feyre admitted. I doubt another has ever walked in your shoes.

If anything, that makes it harder.

I'm aware, but you have us now. Velaria looked up at Feyre, who didn't show any emotion at all, but her magic conveyed her sincerity. None of the people you knew are the same as they were when you left them, and that certainly is difficult by itself, but I watched Azriel with Elain. They weren't right for each other.

Thank you, truly, but that's not a reassurance. Velaria inhaled sharply. I trusted him five centuries ago to fall in love with me, but he's so different now. I can't tell if he's being genuine.

Feyre didn't respond for a minute as she portioned eggs out onto plates, but her presence never left Velaria's mind. Ask him, she said finally. Open communication is best. Always.

Open communication is scary.

That's what makes it so useful. And then Feyre was gone.

Azriel glared at the two of them. "It's terribly boring not being a daemati," he grumbled.

"Poor Illyrian baby," Feyre cooed. "Did you forget you're a shadowsinger?"

Azriel didn't respond, just glowered and ate his eggs.

Velaria roared with laughter. It was good to be home.

✿ ↬ - - - ↫ ✿

Helion

"Good morning, Lucien," Helion said without looking up from the paperwork he was doing.

Lucien walked into the room, his red hair catching the light out of the corner of Helion's eye. Lucien walked closer, his boots hitting the marble floors, Helion still scribbling furiously.

"Well?" Lucien asked. "How do I look?"

Helion looked up to see Lucien in full Day Court attire. "I love it." Helion grinned. "This is going to send a strong message to the Autumn Court when they see you."

"They sent a strong message for centuries that they didn't want me as a brother," Lucien fired back. "I think their egos can handle it."

Footsteps sounded in the doorway to the right of where Helion was sitting, and Marigold entered. Helion thought she looked absolutely resplendent in Day Court gold and white, wearing a shimmering gold dress with a white sash right underneath the top of her chest.

"Now that's a message," Lucien said, raising an eyebrow.

Marigold smiled softly, stepping towards Lucien. She put a hand up to his cheek, brushing a stray strand of hair out of his face. "My son, my beautiful son," she said.

"Hello, Mother," Lucien said, smiling back at her. "It is very good to see you again."

Marigold stepped back and turned to Helion. "Have you any news of the rest of Prythian?" she asked, her voice now serious.

Helion cleared his throat. "One messenger arrived today from the Spring Court, and another from the Night Court. The Spring Court asked," he said, lowering his voice so the guards nearby couldn't hear, "where we stood in this, and the Night Court asked if we were harboring any specific prisoners."

"Which ones?" Lucien hissed.

"The High Lady, Rhysand's Third, his sister, and the spymaster."

Lucien chuckled. "So they escaped."

"That they did." Helion cleared his throat again. "The trouble is responding to the Spring Court. As far as I know, Tamlin doesn't know if I am still alive. The messenger didn't see me directly, and asked for the 'current High Lord of Day'."

Lucien rolled his eyes and confirmed, "Then he definitely doesn't know. If Tamlin knows something, he'll say it outright."

"That's good, then," Marigold said.

"Do you two have suggestions on how to respond to the Spring Court?" Helion asked. "I sent the Night Court messenger back, but the Spring Court one is with my guards currently."

"What if we pretend Lucien succeeded?" Marigold raised a bright red eyebrow. "And Lucien, if you're up for it, can infiltrate Tamlin's circle."

"What would I do in the meantime?" Helion questioned, gears turning in his brain. He could see his son's doing the same.

"Lay low. Find allies with me anywhere we can. We're going to need all the help we can get," Marigold said. "If we could find the Night Court prisoners, they would likely be able to help us."

Helion shook his head, staring at her with awe. "You are so smart," he whispered, kissing her cheek. "So smart."

Marigold swatted him away. "We have work to do, mainly planning your fake death."

Helion's eyes widened. "I have to pretend to die?"

"Yes," Marigold said, rolling her eyes. "Dramatic High Lord."

"Me? Never." Helion feigned hurt.

"High Lord?" a messenger then called, running in and interrupting their banter. "High Lord?"

"Yes?" Helion asked, turning.

The messenger panted. "Someone at the gates, a young female. Asking for her mate."

Helion furrowed his brow and asked, "Who is her mate?"

The messenger's eyes landed on Lucien. "Him. She's asking for him," he gasped.

Helion turned, watching the color drain from Lucien's face.

"Elain's here," Lucien said quietly, a moment before taking off sprinting in the direction of front gates.

Helion ran after him, Marigold staying behind. He followed Lucien through the marble and gold halls, passing giant floor-to-ceiling windows and sunlit walls until they reached the front entrance.

"Elain." Lucien ran for her, stopping right in front of the female. "You're okay."

Helion studied the female. Her pink tunic was ripped in places, smudged with dirt in others. Her black leather pants had stayed intact, likely the material of the Illyrian warriors. Her eyes were distant, bags present under them, and her hair was in a messy ponytail.

"I'm okay." Elain put a hand on Lucien's chest, fear in her eyes. "My court has fallen to ruin. I – I didn't know where to go, so I went to your house in the human lands, but only Jurian was there, and he told me you had gone to Calanmai. It took me all week to look for you."

"You were looking...for me?" Lucien was in shock.

Elain looked as though she were about to cry. "Both my sisters are missing. Rhysand and Cassian...they tried to take me, too, but I ran. Azriel is nowhere to be seen, the Valkyrie and Illyrian legions cowering in their camps or submitting to the reign of terror. I don't know what happened."

"Tamlin possessed the High Lords," Lucien told her as her face leeched of color. "They've been instructed to help him become High King of Prythian with the power he now possesses."

"Does that mean Velaria is to be High Queen?" Elain asked.

"Velaria's marrying Tamlin?" Helion butted in.

Elain turned to him. "She agreed, what I last heard."

Lucien spoke then, drawing her attention back to him. "What else have you heard? About any court?"

"Well..." Elain wrung her hands. "No one's heard from Kallias or Thesan. Velaria agreed to marry Tamlin. Beron's dead, and Eris is now High Lord. There was a rumor that Amren was killed by Varian and Tarquin, but no one confirmed it." Elain shook her head. "That's all I know. I swear."

"I believe you," Lucien said softly. She nodded at him gratefully.

"If Kallias wasn't at Calanmai..." Helion said, thinking. "We could likely ally with him. See if he'll help."

"If Amren is dead..." Lucien shut his eyes. "What of Nesta? We could try to find her. You could try to find her."

"I could, but I think it's a safer bet to find what's left of the Night Court and go to Kallias," Helion said. "I'm going to draw up some plans. Can you explain to Elain what we're planning?"

"Yes, please," Elain said quietly. "I need to keep busy, and it would be nice to be included in big plans for once."

"Do they not in the Night Court?" Lucien asked, shocked.

Elain pursed her lips. "I'm not the strongest warrior, I'm not a shadowsinger, and I carry no powers. They love and value me, but sometimes it's hard not to feel like the most inferior one there."

"Hey, hey." Lucien clasped her chin. "You're plenty useful. You have talents, Elain. You're intelligent, you're resourceful. They're idiots to not use your abilities more."

Elain smiled weakly. "Thank you, Lucien."

Helion turned away, shaking his head. What a message this would all send to the Autumn and Night Courts.

An Autumn Court son, on the throne of the Day Court.

With a human-turned-fae Night Court female by his side.

Helion allowed himself a chuckle before going off to find Marigold and begin their plans to reclaim Prythian.