Chapter 1 - Feyre

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I, Feyre Archeron, High Lady of the Night Court and mate to Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court, bounce my one-year-old son up and down on my knees. I coo softly to him, smiling as his perfectly blue eyes sparkled with amusement and laughter. I smile deeper as he giggles slightly and drools.

"How could I have been so blessed to have you Kairyn?" I whisper as I kiss Kai's perfect head. He giggles again.

Next to me on the couch, Rhys snorts in his sleep and grumbles something I can't understand. I giggle again.

Kai woke up at three in the morning, again. It's the fourth night this week, and Rhysand, like the sweetheart he is deep down inside, won't let me take care of Kai myself. Finally, Rhys fell asleep, I believe me when I say he needs it. He's been dealing with the Court of Nightmares all week after they were caught keeping the females from training again. I'm about to go down their myself and show them who their High Lady is but Mor and Amren are both away at the moment and as much as I love Cassian and Azriel I don't quite trust them to watch Kai alone all day. I would let Elain take care of Kai, but she's been too preoccupied with packing to take a trip of her own. She's tired of being cooped up and finally accepted that she Fae. She's thinking of visiting Lucien, and perhaps sneaking into the Spring Court to stealing some plant cuttings, and I couldn't say no to that.

And Nesta, well Nesta is being Nesta. She's toned down a bit since I last saw her. She wasn't drunk last time so I saw that as an improvement and she's let Cass attempt to court her. She keeps her distance but has visited more often. But not this week, and I wonder what she's been up to this time.

Another snort from Rhys breaks my train of thought and I smile. Kai claps his hands together and starts to make little squeaky noises. I try to shush him but he gets louder. With a jolt, Rhys wakes up and stares at me. I smirk when I see how disheveled he looks when I realize I must look like that. Being parents just has that effect on you.

"How long was I asleep?" Rhys asks running his fingers through his knotted hair.

"Almost an hour," I reply with another smirk. "You were snorting in your sleep."

"Was it a barbaric snort or a sarcastic snort?" he asks with a smirk to mirror my own.

"Both."

"Liar. I bet it was beautiful."

I can't stop myself from laughing.

✧✦✧

Kia scoots around on his bum on the floor. He spits and giggles and scoots some more. I watch as his Illyrian wings suddenly unfold and spring out. They drag behind him as he starts to crawl.

I want to laugh, or scoop Kai up and give him a great big hug, but I'm too tired. Kai kept me up for the rest of the morning and Rhys had to leave and go do something. I don't remember but he'll tell me later.

Kia sneezes and ice fractals shot across the floor. I jump up in surprise. This is new. Last time one of Kai's powers showed it was a month ago when he smash the dining room table in half when he started to cry. We were so surprised at his outburst of the dark power both me and Rhys had that the room had fallen silent for a whole minute. That never happens. Since then we had to assume Kai had some of me and Rhys powers.

Feyre? Is everything ok? Rhys shoots down our bonds. I rub the palm of my hand into my forehead.

Yeah, but Kai just froze the floor, I reply drowsily.

WHAT!

I know, that's how I feel. Plus the fact I couldn't go back to sleep.

Darling, I'm coming home. I think it's about time we take a vacation.

Where?

How 'bout a certain cottage by a certain mountain?!

Yes, come get me and Kai! I'll be ready in an hour.

Rhys ends our conversation with something kinky and I shut him off immediately. Then I pick up Kai and go off to pack our things. A vacation is definitely something I need right now, if only for a couple of days.

✧✦✧

We arrive at the cottage in less than an hour. We told Cassian and Azriel that we would be back in a few days and left them in charge until Amren comes back, which was only a day away.

The cottage was as we left it the last time we were here. I and Rhys exchange bright smiles and probably think of the same memory we made here together. Kai sneezes at the cold breeze tickling his nose. This time his ice the cottage door. Rhys stares in awe and smiles as I wipe Kai's nose. We reach to open the door when the door opens itself and Nesta comes out, knife in hand. We freeze, she freezes.

"What the fuck," she says.

"I could say the same," Rhys replies.

"Why are you here Nesta?" I ask. "How did you get here?"

Nest ignores Rhys and looks me up and down, before her eyes rest of Kai. Her eyes glimmer and she lowers her knife. "Amren told me about this place when I said I needed to go somewhere more private."

"But we always leave you alone!" Rhys points out, spreading his hands in front of him. Again Nesta ignores him.

"Can we come in?" I ask.

"I guess but I was just leaving."

"Where too?"

"None of your business."

I hand Kai to Rhys and take a step forward. "I think it's my business when I'm concerned for your well being. I haven't seen you in almost two weeks!"

"Whose fault is that?" Nesta calls out and she goes back inside the cottage. When she returns to comes out with an ancient looking book and knife still in hand. She heads away from us but opens the book to a certain page. Then she takes the knife and cuts her finger open. She doesn't even wince as she does so. She starts creating strange marks in the dirt with her blood and I walk to her.

"Nesta what are you-" I start to ask but am cut off when the wind picks up. Nesta starts to chant something in a language I can't understand and the wind picks up faster as the marks on the ground start to glow. Rhys looks at me with alarm and reaches out for me as I reach out for Nesta.

"Nesta stop!" I yell but it's no use, she can't hear me. I can't hear me. I grab onto her arm and try to pull her away when a wave of black washes over me and her. Everything goes dark and I scream, as Nesta curses before suddenly we are falling and the sky is blue again and the grass bright green. But when I look up I don't see the familiar landscape or Rhys and Kai. Instead, I see and tall fae female and a golden dog bearing their teeth at me. That's when I realize I'm not in the Night Court anymore. I don't know where I am. And this female looks ready to attack.

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