Son of Night and Daughter of Stars

Chapter 61: The Offer

Feyre explained how, during the war with Hybern, one of the members of her court had burned away her body to unleash a massive amount of power, ending her attack by plunging into the Cauldron. In return, the Cauldron had given her a new body, a Fae body. 

"And you think the Cauldron will do the same for Marzanna?" Aelin asked, her eyebrows drawn tightly. 

"I have no idea," Feyre admitted. "But isn't it worth a try?" 

"There's just one problem," Artemis said. She paused, considering. "Actually, there's a myriad of problems, but let's start with the fact that we'd have to bring Marzanna to the Cauldron. Which is currently in Prythian." 

"There's also the fact that she's still in Lysandra's body. You want to pitch her into the Cauldron?" Fenrys, who stood at Aelin's side, frowned at Feyre. "We don't know what'll happen to her." 

Aelin suddenly raised her hands. "Okay, let's just hang on for a moment." She turned to Estelle and Nyx. "Estelle, you've talked to Marzanna more than any of us. Do you think you could get her to listen to you long enough to explain?" 

Estelle hesitated. "Wasn't I supposed to stay away from her? Galathynius blood, remember?" 

"But she already has Galathynius blood, so you're no more of a danger than anyone else," Delilah pointed out. 

The room went silent. Estelle couldn't help but laugh aloud at her mother's annoyed expression, which earned her a rather dark glare. 

"We're all idiots," Aelin muttered. "Thank you... Delilah, yes?" At Delilah's nod, Aelin smirked. "This is why we have the younger generation around. They're all ten times smarter than us." 

Feyre made a noise somewhere between a cough and a laugh, and Nyx frowned playfully at her. 

"Anyway," Aelin continued. "Estelle?" 

Estelle considered it for a moment. "Yes. I'll try to talk to her. I can winnow up there easy enough." 

"You can't go by yourself," Nyx said, turning to her.

"Well, you can't go, so don't even think about offering," Elide told him, pointing at him. Nyx scowled, and Estelle recalled what he'd talked about before. She reached out and squeezed his hand, and he glanced at her. 

I wish you could come. She tried to convey. He frowned, but gripped her hand a bit tighter. 

If there was ever a grudge to hold against Marzanna, Estelle felt this was one she hated most. Keeping her from fighting beside the ones she wanted so dearly to protect. 

"I'll go with her," Fenrys offered. 

"Actually," Estelle turned at the voice from the door, and her eyes widened. 

"I think it'd be smart if I went with her," Azriel, the Shadowsinger her mother had told her about, stepped into the room. Cassian, the General Aelin had said married Feyre's sister Nesta, was right behind him. 

Estelle felt like she was watching this all happen to someone else. She'd been hearing about the Night Court for her whole life, and having them all just sauntering through the castle was giving her a very odd sense of deja vu, despite never having met any of them before. 

"I can hide her, if we need to." Azriel continued, coming to stand beside his High Lord and Lady. 

Rowan inhaled deeply, his fists clenched against his crossed arms. "So we're sending Estelle up to Marzanna just to... talk to her?" 

"I'll go under a white flag," Estelle said, wrapping her free hand around Solatanzta's hilt. "And if she won't listen, we'll come back and regroup. We can go after her if this doesn't work. All in agreement?"