Fae of Fire and Night ✔

Chapter 2 - Aelin

When I took Fleetfoot out for a walk in our newly completed gardens I didn't expect for two fae females to fall from the sky, or for one of them to be so fluent in the art of cursing. I bear my teeth, in case they were a threat, but it was so hard to keep my face neutral and not burst out laughing as one of the females screeched for the other to get off her.

Finally, the females stood up and I looked them in the eyes. One female but her hands up in the air but looked up to meet the other in the face.

"Nesta, what did you do?" she snarls. The other female, Nesta, dusts herself off and rolls her eyes at me. Rolls her eyes. Oh, this female had it coming.

"I was trying to get away from you lot. Your so annoying, trying to mother me all the time Feyre. Deal with your own life," Nesta snarls back.

"I was trying to help," the smaller female, Feyre offers.

"DON'T! I don't want it!" Nesta yells.

"But-" Feyre tried to say but was cut off.

"No! You don't get to control me or decide what's best for me. Just because you got your happily ever after doesn't mean everyone else did. I now Lucien and Mor are unhappy." At that Feyre gives her and look the Nesta rolls her eyes. "What you didn't think I didn't know about Mor? No only those fools of brothers can't see it, but I can!" Nesta grounds out. "Now just leave me alone!" Then Nesta scanned the ground and finding nothing, bolts into the forest, leaving Feyre to stare after her.

"Well, that was entertaining. Hi Feyre. You've got some explaining to do. Do you want to talk over lunch?" I ask. Feyre stares blankly at me but follows when I head back to the castle, Fleetfoot following on my heals.

✧✦✧

The female Feyre barely touches her meal. She pokes it with her fork and sits at one of the kitchen counters silently. I silently take her in as I eat I plate of chocolate hazelnut cookies, my favorite invention of our cook.

"So, I say with my mouth half full. "How'd you do they teleporting thingy?"

Feyre blinks. "Winnow? I didn't winnow."

"No, the falling from the sky."

"Oh, that." Feyre pokes at her meal some more before pushing it away. "Nesta was doing something magical. She drew some marks on the ground with her blood then teleported as you say. I followed because I was worried and tried to stop her."

I nearly spit out my cookie, but that would have been a waste. Instead, I swallow quickly before drinking some water then spitting that out onto the floor. Feyre looks disgusted. "Wait. Drawing marks with blood?" I ask.

"Yes. She used this old book that I had never seen before to help her. It, unfortunately, did not get teleported with us," Feyre explains.

"Did you get a good look at any of the marks?" I ask. Feyre shakes her head. "Damn," I mutter. I slide off the counter and start pacing around the kitchen, occasionally little sparks flying through my fingertips as I think.

I closed the Wyrdgate, forging the Lock, destroyed the gods, Maeve, and Erawan. How was this possible? I think fast before coming up with an idea.

"We need to go to the library," I say before grabbing Feyre's arm and dragging her along with me.

The castle library had been ransacked all those years ago but as soon as I could I asked my friends and family for donations for the library. Not many donated, but those who did made it count. Especially Dorian. As soon as he could he shipped me all the books I had left being in Rifthold. Then he personally came by with books they could spare, along with having his librarians get onto copying documents and other important knowledge they could use.

We entered the library and started walking through the isles to the back where my personal shelves of books were. I found Dorian back there since he is currently visiting. He's shelving books but turns around when he hears us approach. He seems surprised when he sees Feyre but smirks.

"Ah, look what the cat dragged in," he purrs.

"Are you comparing me to Lysandra?" I ask, feigning shock. He laughs. Feyre looks more confused then she did before.

"Who's the lady," Dorian asks and winks at Feyre. I slap him, and he laughs it off, continuing to shelve the books.

"She's my guest and person I want to get information from," I say. "Do you know where we put the books on Wyrdmarks?" Dorian raises an eyebrow but points down the shelf. "Down at the end somewhere. It's unorganized again because the librarians tried to alphabetical-ize it." I nod my thanks and take off to the books.

"Wyrdmarks? What are Wyrdmarks?" Feyre asks.

"Likely what the fae, Nesta you called her, used to get here. It's should be impossible and after the events of this year, I'm surprised that I'm surprised it could be done still," I explain to Feyre. I stop at the shelf and look for The Walking Dead among the other books on the shelf. I the end I grab every book that mentions Wyrdmarks. "Follow me," I say and leave the library to go to my study. Feyre follows, getting more annoyed.

We walk through the castle and when we reach my study I bang the door open with my foot, plop the books onto the desk, and then sweep everything else off it. Papers, empty cups, books, and other stuff crash to the floor.

At the sound of the crash Rowan, my husband and mate, comes through the open study door, barely glances at Feyre and looks at the mess I made.

"Aelin? Care to explain why you ruined all the hard work I went through to organizing those papers just to sweep them off the desk?" he questions.

"Good afternoon to you to Buzzard," I say and plop into the desk chair. Feyre leans against the wall and rubs her hands into her eyes.

"How come everywhere I go the people there are so annoying?" she mutters.

"Who's this?" Rowan asks me.

"That's Feyre. And she's got a lot of explaining to do."