After the fall

XI

Estrella's POV
I woke up on my stomach. I thought I was still asleep because of the new surroundings. But I was quickly corrected from my theory because of my back. It was the most excruciating pain I had ever felt. Other than the night they took them.

My wings, they're gone. I will never feel the wind again. Not only that, they blocked almost every power I had. The lightning, the shadows. What's the point of living now that I'm reduced to nothing. At least in that damn cage I knew nothing. Ignorance truly is bliss.

I was quickly called out of my thoughts by an almost chilling voice behind me.

"Good morning, Elentiya."

I turned to look at the female behind me. While it sent a sharp pain to my back I didn't show it. The raven haired female was short in stature but not in the power that radiated off of her like a storm, you could feel it coming off of her in waves. The second thing I noticed was her eyes. They haunted and also protected me in my dreams. Why are they so familiar? I would remember seeing them for sure. She also wore a lot of jewelry, not enough to be gaudy. It was tasteful enough.

"Should I know you?" I asked warily. I knew if she wanted to kill me, she would have. But that doesn't mean that she has all my trust my any means.

"Depends." She said, picking at her nails as is if they were knives. She reminded me of a race of witch I read about in my favorite novel. As cocky as their leader, but most of the arrogance was earned.

"What does that mean?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. I tried to sit up and face her, while it hurt and I grimaced, I got the job done. When I faced her fully, she seemed to almost look at me with pity? Sadness maybe? She is difficult to read. Maybe she just can't show emotion well, maybe she's not fae at all and shows emotion differently.

"How much before the cage do you remember girl?" She spat, clearly she is trying to deflect what I had asked earlier. Did I strike a nerve on the brick wall?

"Not much, just the swirls being carved into my stomach and the ugliest bitch on the entire fucking planet." The woman went from her neutral face to a hint of a smirk. But then it went back to neutral as fast as it changed.

" And what of the Male with her?" She asked while raising an eyebrow. I visibly stiffened at the thought of him. The woman was watching my every reaction during this whole conversation, this time with even more intensity. I finally calmed myself enough to glare at her and collect my thoughts.

"How do you know about the Male? Do you work with him?" I asked.

"I asked the question first, girl." She spat. Well someone woke up on the wrong side of whatever hole she crawled out of.

There was a pregnant pause before I answered her. "I don't know much. Tall, well built, violet eyes, black suit, looked expensive, probably a dick, horrible at helping people who are obviously in distress, I'm assuming a grade A piece of shit. Shall I continue?" When I looked back up she seemed deep in thought so I decided to change subject. "What is your name?" I finally asked. She perked up at that, her face in it's forever neutral state.

"Amren, and yours?"

"Estrella"

"False"

"I think I know my own name, Amren." I told her, shocked that she would even say something like that. What does she know that I don't?

"You had I life before that cage under the mountain. Your name as the world knew it was Velaris." She stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. What the actual fuck is going on here? Who the fuck is she?

"How do you know all of this, who are you?" I asked finally. The question eating me alive since the beginning.

"I already said I'm Amren, idiot. The better question is who are you?"

"Fine Amren, I'll play along. Who am I?"

"You are Velaris Elentiya Bryaxon. Your are my daug- the child I raised." She said as she looked down at me. I was genuinely stunned, not even bothering to mask what I was feeling. Eventually I tear snaked down my face as Amren and I stared at each other. I was like she was staring into my soul. I was terrified and at home all at once. That's when I finally felt a flash in my head and then a memory.

The male from before the cage, and I laughing our asses off. After a while he calmed down and so did I.

"Be safe" he warned with care.

"When have I not been?" I quipped.

"Do you see where we are? Every decision you have made for us to meet has been the opposite of safe" he said jokingly. Then proceeded to give me a hug.

I was shook by cold hands as I came out of the memory. In front of me was Amren with an angry face that could make anyone run for the hills. After I nodded to her to show I was out of it and alright she quickly got far away from me and didn't ask what it was about.

"The male from before the cage, what's his name?" I asked. She looked at me skeptically and raised an eyebrow. Then Finally sighed. As if losing a fight with herself.

"Rhysand Noctus-Aeternae, High Lord of the Night Court."

"Oh" was all I said. I was more inclined to continent politics but everyone knew of Rhysand, Amarantha's whore. I've known who the woman was in that memory, but never the man. Everything is making more sense now. But I still have many questions. "So did he truly changed sides and defeated Hybern's armies?"

"He never switched sides, what he was down there was an act."

"I'll decide that for myself."

Amren smirked at that then simply said "this should be fun." And left I was scared what that meant and I laid down on the bed as best I could with my back. There was a long time where I was alone and I took in my room. It was large but not disgustingly so. It was expensive or sure, but not stiff. It looked lived in. Like a home.

I heard the door open and this scent had a different one than Amren's. It was like the Sea and Citrus. I turned my head to see the person I wanted to hide from and see all at the same time.

Rhysand, high lord of the night court.

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Hey everyone! Just wanted to say: yes, I know Rhys doesn't have a cannon last name. The one I picked means "night eternal" in latin. So it seemed fitting. That will be all haha hope you like the chapter.