A court of Night and Fire

I am death, demon and hell, all mixed into one towering inferno

Asterin POV

I'm sat on my bed, thinking over everything that has happened when I hear a knock on the door. Feyre comes in, smiling at me. "I thought you might want these for when you go to the camp tomorrow" she says, flicking her wrist. A set of leathers appear on the bed. "I had them specially made for you, since you don't have your own yet. There's two sets there - one for training and one for fighting. I had them made in black, since that seems to be your colour of choice" I leap off the bed and hug her "thank you" I say, grinning.

She helps me put them on. I thought the others fitted me well, but these manage to fit even better. They're pure black and shaped to suit a slightly more feminine figure. Outfitted in all black, I look stunning in them. Feyre thinks so too. "Don't show the others until tomorrow morning, I want to see their reactions" she says, smirking at me.

Nyx POV

The next morning, I meet everyone in the lobby. Asterin arrives. The sight of her takes my breath away. She's got new leathers. They're black. They suit her beautifully. She looks stunning. Ash's jaw has dropped. Even my father, Cass and Az look stunned. My mother gives my father a smirk that says she's enjoying the sight of our reactions. Asterin ignores it and walks up to me. I shake myself mentally and grin at her, she grins back. She stands between me and Ash. Rhysand, Cassian and Azriel still look annoyed and reluctant to allow us to go. With Feyre on our side, they eventually gave in. None of the three of us are particularly pleased ,either, about going to train with the Illyrians and complete the blood rite. They all wish us luck and I take Ash's and Asterin's hands and winnow us up to Windhaven.

Asterin POV

The new scenery is decidedly less cheerful than what we just left. The mountains loom up around us, the sky is coated in grey clouds and the ground is wet from recent rain. The other Illyrians stop and stare at the three of us. They don't seem to know where to look at first, but most of their gazes settle on me. I can actually hear Ash growl softly and I nudge him slightly in the ribs. Territorial fae bastards. The man i recognise as Devlon approaches the three of us. "Nyx, Ash and Asterin, welcome to windhaven" the bastard seems happy about this. Probably because he thinks we're all about to die.

I look him up and down slowly, allowing him to register the gesture. He signals for us to follow him. Ash and Nyx already tried to talk me out of this, but gave up very quickly when they realised I would not change my mind. Devlon leads us over to a group of Illyrians around the same age as us. "you will be training with them" they look over us. Some are smirking, others are looking slightly lustful at the sight of me. Well, it'll take some time but I think I can break them. 

Devlon leaves and immediately, the males close in around us. A particularly large Illyrian steps forward. He's well built, but he does not have the refined, powerful predatory build of Nyx and Ash. "don't do anything. this one's mine" I whisper quietly to the two males behind me, who stiffen but nod. The larger male steps closer to me, sneering "Looks like Devlon's given us a new toy to play with"

Ash POV

Every instinct is screaming at me to kill the male and rip out his throat, but the order Asterin gave me helps me to fight them. She steps forwards, looking at the male, unafraid and completely sure of herself. She rolls her eyes and within seconds, the male is pinned to the ground, his arms behind his back with Asterin kneeling between his wings, a knee on his spine. "unlike you" she drawls, flicking on of her wrists to release one of those beautiful blade's of hers and holding it to his neck "I am not incompetent. Unlike majority of the females in this camp, I fight back." The other males have taken a step away from her, moving their hands to reach for their swords, but not drawing them "So I will make one thing clear, I am not weak. I will fight you. If I so much as hear of you referencing another female like that, I will kill you. Understood?" The male growls and she laughs, digging the blade in just enough to draw blood, still kneeling on one knee on his back.

"ah, male pride. Always getting in the way." she removes the blade from his neck and looks around to the other Illyrians "I will say this once and once only, so put aside your pride and listen, it may cost you your life if you don't" She stands up, pressing a foot to the male's back, keeping him down. The Illyrians look perplexed. They've never really seen a display from a female like this. "you think you know fear? you don't. you think you know pain? you don't. you think your nightmares can't get worse? they can. I am death, demon and hell, all mixed into one towering inferno you do not want to cross." she looks around at them, serious "so, by all means, try to cross me, just know you likely won't survive."

She takes her foot off the male's back, allowing him to rise. "why would we waste our breath trying to cross some useless female when she has other much more interesting uses" on of them sneers. Asterin sighs, rolls her eyes and a few seconds later, she's holding the male in front of her with a blade to his neck. "you really are more stupid than you look" she says, sounding bored "So, keep insulting me, see where it get's you. Gods knows I might actually enjoy making you regret it" she smirks and releases the Illyrian. "Whist I could threaten you all day, I believe we're here to train"

The male who Asterin pinned to the floor earlier is furious at her and so challenges her to a fight, hoping to win back some of his lost pride. Asterin knocks him out cold. After that, for some reason, the Illyrians jump at the chance to spar with her. She beats them all, over and over again. And yet, they keep challenging her. Somehow, the attitude towards her turns from disgust and annoyance, to anger at her unending victory streak, to a mix of fear and respect as they realise the power she holds with her body alone.

We're sat in Rhys's mum's old house that evening when my father, Rhys and Azriel winnow in. "so how was the first day of training with the other Illyrians?" my father asks. Me and Nyx smirk at each other and look to Asterin. She grins. "I think they like me" she says and Cass snorts "how in Gods earth did you make them like you?" "when she says like, she means fear" I add, chuckling. Asterin shrugs "same thing"