Shadows and Flame

Rowan's pissy? what? Aelins actually a good mom? maybe? sometimes?

She might've been wrong about finding her parents room on her own. Ilias was looking at identical walls- either because variation didn't exist in this place, or because she was walking in circles.

But what was the worst that could happen of she just knocked on one of the several doors she passed.

Either she was lucky, and inside it would be her parents. She'd knock to hear her mother's voice on the other side of the door, she'd open it to see Aelin stretched across the pillows. Rowan would probably be glaring standing somewhere else- but not a real glare.

Or it would be Manon, Aedion, or Chaol. If not one of them, no one.

She didn't imagine Rhysand and Feyre kept many people locked up in their house- Ilias flinched inwardly at the thought, at the implication that they were forced there.

It was them- her family, and her friends- that had intruded. Had just appeared in their home and asked for help.

They had done nothing but try to help.

She knocked on the next door she passed, praying that all the luck in the world would find her now.

And then she opened it, but not to the scene she expected.

She had gotten the room right, but Rowan wasn't standing off to the side, Aelin wasn't sprawled across the pillows, hogging the bed.

Instead they both laid together, her mother curled softly into her husband, where they were clearly talking. Though they stopped, when she walked in.

"Ilias," Her mother murmured.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," She replied. "But I- I'm- I don't know how this whole Mate thing works. But you guys would."

Her father turned away, as her mother sat up. "I'm going to go for a walk." Rowan announced, then he was gone, before anyone could say anything.

"Sorry- He's-"

"Is he angry with me?"

"No," Aelin shook her head. "No, Ilias. He's got a lot on his plate. What did you want to know about mates?"

"Azriel was hurt. I don't know- I don't know how. Or how bad. But I heard Rhysand talking about it. Can you feel it, when your mate gets hurt?"

"Not in exacts," she answered. "Sometimes you can feel that something's wrong, but in my experience I've never felt the pain your father has."

"I- I had a really bad headache, earlier. But then it was gone. And then my stomach hurt, a while later. Feyre said she would feel it when her mate was injured. Do you think that's this? Or- Uncle Aedion said I had a fever, like I was sick."

"Fae don't get sick," her mother murmured. Aelin reached out, her fingers gently running across her daughter's chin. "Feyre knows this world. The mating bond might be different here."

"Would I know? If- would I know if he died?" Ilias felt a sob escape her lips, but she wasn't crying. There weren't years in her eyes. There was only the singular cry in her throat.

"I couldn't say. My mates alive, and well. But I'd imagine you would. That's a pain no one should feel. I've lost people I love, and it tears you apart. Losing your mate- that bond would probably tear you in half before you even knew why."

She nodded, "So- since I haven't felt that- he's okay?"

"He's alive." Aelin leaned forward, and kissed her daughter's forehead, the hand on her chin moving to run softly through her hair.

"And father-?" She changed the topic, to the way he'd left as soon as she'd mentioned anything about mates. As soon as she'd shown up in the room.

"Is stressed. Things are changing. This isn't the best time. You're his little girl and you're growing up. And he's not in control, you know he doesn't like that."

"But even at home he's not in control. You are."

Aelin laughed, the blue and gold eyes she and her daughter shared lighting up. "That's right. And I'm glad you know it. But none of us are really ourselves here, are we?"

Ilias shook her head, "no. I suppose we're not."

Her mom put her hand on her shoulder, and squeezed it. "I'm sure Azriel will be fine."

"Feyre told me she'll tell me, when she knows more." Ilias looked at her mother in the way a child would. A way that asked her to kiss an injury away.

She wanted her mother to kiss this injury away.

A/N: lmao yes another one sorry, (refering to the authors note not the chapter shut up) don't always expect these frequent updates. This is just the only thing I haven't had writers block for lmao.

I also have a question! Can I make friends on Wattpad? Or is that weird? I would like to make friends.

My last question is angst ending or happy ending because my heart says angst but my brain says happy.