A Court of Smoke and Moonlight

Chapter One

Aelin Galathynius and Feyre Archeon gasped as they appeared suddenly back at the Day Court, Rhysand and Rowan gaping at them.

Aelin leapt to her feet, launching herself into Rowan's arms. He squeezed her tight, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "What happened? You and Feyre disappear through the portal, Rhysand receives a note from Feyre not a second later, then you guys appear again. And what are you wearing?"

"Time differences," Aelin sighed, her arms around her husband's neck. "We were in Lunathion for almost a month."

Rowan's brows bunched as he gently set her down, scanning her body for wounds. "Lunathion?"

Aelin waved a hand. "Another world."

Rhysand and Feyre were nestled together on the floor, murmuring things to each other with their foreheads pressed together. Helion was simply standing there, watching the whole situation with a cool stare.

Aelin gently weighed the little black jar in her hand, which hand gone silent as soon as it had transported them back to Feyre's home.

"What's that?"

Aelin chucked it at Rowan. "A weapon. To help us defeat the Valg and Mantyx or Orcus."

Rowan carefully turned it over in his hands. "Do you know exactly what it is?"

Aelin shrugged, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Dunno. It said it could help us."

Rowan arched a brow. "It 'said'?"

Aelin waved a hand, rolling her eyes, "yes, you idiot. Pay attention."

Rowan grumbled, but then Rhysand spoke up. "We need to start planning our next move. We don't know when the next attack will be."

Feyre shakily got to her feet, seeming unstable on her own two legs. "Feyre?" Aelin said suddenly. "Can I talk to you for a moment? In private?"

Feyre frowned but nodded. She followed Aelin around the corner, curiosity written all over her face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Its you I'm worried about."

Feyre's eyebrows rose. "Me?"

"You and your babe. I grew up without parents; it was awful. If something happened to you or your child in this battle... I would never forgive myself. The Valg are my responsibility."

Feyre's face softened, shaking her head slightly. "Aelin. I-we'll be fine. Trust me. I can take care of myself." She gently placed a hand on Aelin's arm. "And the Valg are not your responsibility. It's our world, not yours."

Aelin ran both hands through her hair, suddenly blurting, "I can help but feel like it is. I know that there was no way I could have stopped Mantyx or Orcus because they were in separate worlds, but maybe if I had interrogated Erawan and Maeve more I could've-"

Feyre stopped her by wrapping her in a hug. Aelin tensed, but them melted into the other woman's arms. "Its okay," Feyre breathed. "What you've been through, and to go through it again... I couldn't even imagine."

Aelin fluttered her eyes shut. "I thought I could handle it, but... I'm sick of fighting. Of battles and wars and death. I just... I just want to go home."

Feyre nodded into the crook of her neck. "I know it's been months since you've seen your family. But one more fight, one more battle, and you can rest. I promise."

Aelin sniffed, suddenly jerking back from the embrace. Embarrassed by her uncalled-for and sudden display of emotion, she violently wiped her eyes, regaining her posture. "Lets go back to the others. We need to plan, like Rhysie said."

~

The two courts relocated to the Night Court mansion, after bidding Helion and the Day Court goodbye. Feyre had given her and Rowan a room upstairs, and Aelin was currently changing out of her annoying ball gown and into a set of clothes offered by their hosts.

While getting dressed and cleaning her face, Aelin filled her mate in on all that had happened in Lunathion. She told him all about Bryce, Hunt, even Ruhn. Rowan visibly angered when he heard what Ruhn had done to her, but she quickly reassured him that she had gotten her revenge.

She slipped into the comfortable long pants that tied up around her waist, and a flowing shirt that cut just above the bottom of her ribcage, the same pretty lilac colour as her bottoms.

She twisted her hair up behind her head and secured it with a stick, before walking back out of the bathroom and approaching the bed where Rowan sat. He opened his arms, and she snuggled against his chest, breathing in his scent.

They stayed like this for a long time; not moving, not talking, just simply... living.