𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬

Ch 18: Ashryver eyes

'my mate whispering to me, "To whatever end." '

Rowan POV

My hands and legs were moving to their own accord when they knelt in front of Maeve. The day I left this forsaken place I had made an oath to bow to Aelin and only Aelin, and this left me with no breath because of that. I was grateful, I would rather die than bow to Maeve.

I could tell that Maeve had not thought about the blood oath before she wrapped this thing around my neck, and I needed to keep it that way if I needed her to take me to Aelin. In Aelin's presence, my body will follow only her commands, I knew that thanks to Maeve herself during my time with her, but she seemed to have forgotten.

"Where are the keys?" she asked simply, and despite my protests, the demon answered taking the memory from my head. "Dorian." he said and Maeve smiled. An evil, cruel, smile that promised suffering.

I slowly receded from the mental fight that was happening, stepped back into the mental jail cell, and slowly closed the door. I needed Maeve to trust the demon inside me and reveal information about any of my companions. Rowan needed to disappear for now so that everyone was convinced that the demon had taken me, at least until Aelin came near me.

So, when she asked me to say the one thing I never wanted to say to anyone but to the queen I was sworn to, I did. Still on my knees, "Your command is mine."

Lorcan POV

Aelin was crying. Never had I seen her cry like that. Fenrys wasn't waking up and Aelin's sobs weren't stopping. Tears were falling down Elide's eyes too and Gavriel wasn't doing much better when something came to mind. "Water." I whispered, an idea forming in my head.

"Aelin. Water." I said looking at her now. She looked back at me confusion etched into her face when it hit her. "My water heals." she whispered back in realization and turned back faster than I knew possible. She closed her eyes, her tears still falling, and placed her hands before herself, strain visible in her posture.

Nothing happened for a few moments when suddenly all the water from the room, the vase, the water glass Amren was using, even her own tears collected in a ball in front of her. She opened her eyes then and slowly she lowered her hand, and the water, to Fenrys's wound. The water began to slightly glow like the sun was shining on it, and it kept glowing for a while before she removed it, and a gasp of relief left her mouth. When the water receded and Fenrys's wound came back in view, the whole Night Court gasped, because the wound was no more. The paw was back to being snow white, all the blood and cuts are gone, the burns gone with white fur replacing them. Fenrys still hadn't opened his eyes, but his breaths were steady now which meant he was just tired and would live.

Before anyone could do anything a man from the Night Court cluster spoke up, authority in his eyes which told us that he was the leader. "How did you do that?" he said, in a broken voice, a tear escaping his left eye. Everyone gave him confused looks, except Aelin. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere, you looked like someone I knew that, but you're..." Rhysand trailed off. Aelin sighed like she never wanted to have this conversation but now she couldn't escape it.

"My mother was Ashryver, I got this from her. It's not much but it's there." Aelin said, slowly standing up from Fenrys's unconscious figure. "Lorcan could you please take Fenrys's body to a room downstairs please." Aelin said, command visible in her voice but I didn't try to resist, even my cold dead heart new when someone needed space. "Everyone leave." Aelin said again, this command directed to everyone in the room. The winged male with long hair didn't move an inch but one look from the leader had him following everyone out. "You too Feyre. Please." he said, almost pleading. The girl he called Feyre, somberly nodded her head before she left out the door. The room was empty now, only me and Fenrys remained who were uninvited. Aelin and the other guy seemed lost, staring in each other's eyes. I slowly strode and picked up Fenrys's body and stepped out the door, my magic closing it behind me.

Rhysand POV

My mother could do that, only her family had the ability to heal with water, not even Tarquin could do that. Ashryver she had said. My mother was Ashryver, the same eyes shining on Lillian's face. I voiced the only thing that made sense to me right now, "Are you my cousin or something, and how are you fae?" I asked. She didn't answer my question just kept looking at me curiously and with something else I couldn't quite place. "Why don't you have her eyes?" she asked, completely disregarding my question, but I still answered, too curious to get into a petty fight right now. "I was meant to be the next High Lord of the Night Court, my father's power and Night court features passed on to me the day I took his power, when he died. I got my wings from her but." I said, and a tear fell from her left eye. "Can I see?" she whispered, her voice slightly hoarse.

I didn't say anything just let my wings out, and she gasped like she had never seen Illyrian wings before. She stepped closer and trailed a delicate finger along the edges and I involuntarily shuddered, which had her giving me a confused glance. "Illyrian wings are....sensitive." I explained. She immediately withdrew her hand and looked at me with those eyes, mirth shining in them. "I'll make you a deal. I will tell you everything I know and in turn you will tell me about her." she said and I instantly agreed even though I had no idea why she needed to know about my mother.

"My name isn't Lillian." she started, and I took a seat right there on the floor, Lillian following my lead.