Empire of Storms Bonus Short Story - Aelin

Empire of Storms Bonus Short Story: Aelin in Terrasen

They'd crossed the Terrasen border two days ago.

The little town baking in the midday sun was the first they'd encountered, the gray stones and moss-speckled shingles all weatherworn and near-crumbling. No main road connected to it--at least no road beyond a groove of wagon tracks through hard grass and mud--and freshly tilled farmlands surrounded it for a good mile in either direction.

Atop a grassy, rock-strewn outlook, Aelin surveyed the sprawl of hills through the little valley, the town at its heart, and the ancient ramble of Oakwald Forest flowing on after it.

"The outfitter is small, but surprisingly well stocked," Lysandra said beside her, still breathless from scouting ahead. Rowan had accompanied her, keeping at a distance, letting the shifter glean what information was vital, then showing what she'd missed. He'd been training her since they'd left Rifthold--not just the scouting, but the flying. Reading the winds, too.

The shifter went on, "The people seemed friendly enough. I could buy what we need and be done in an hour or so. Then meet you in the forest with a wagon."

Aelin at last drew her attention away from the village and valley. Lysandra wore her human form--rare, these days. "I assume you'd do this as... a man?"

Lysandra braced her hands on her hips. "No, as a squirrel."

Aelin's mouth twitched. "That'd be a sight."

"What would be?" Aedion sauntered over from where he'd been rubbing down the horses, Fleetfoot trotting merrily at his heels. Aelin didn't miss how her cousin raked his gaze over Lysandra--or how the shifter deliberately ignored it. Fleetfoot bounded right up to the shifter, however, and peppered her with sloppy kisses.

Aelin jerked her chin at the shifter, who was now ruffling Fleetfoot's soft head. "Lysandra plans to barter with acorns for our food, apparently."

Aedion's brows furrowed. "What?"

The ladies snorted, right as Rowan said from where he and Evangeline had been gathering buckets of water, "Don't even bother getting in the middle of that nonsense, Aedion."

Aelin stuck out her tongue at the Fae Prince. Evangeline giggled--then quickly hid the grin when Rowan shot a look at her. The girl darted to Lysandra--wholly missing the crinkling in Rowan's eyes as she took over pampering Fleetfoot.

Something tightened in Aelin's chest at Rowan's quiet amusement. He and Aedion had both been kind to the girl--knowing when to tease, when to comfort. Two bossy, overbearing older brothers--and trained, lethal killers. Gods help Evangeline when she was old enough to be interested in anyone romantically.

Though given the horror of her childhood, even with Lysandra's intervention... Aelin supposed they'd all be happy for Evangeline when that day came. But the moment any young man looked too long at Evangeline... Aelin smiled to herself. The man--or woman, she supposed--wouldn't just have Rowan and Aedion snarling at them. Oh, no. They'd have a fire-breathing bitch-queen and a shape-shifter capable of turning into the face of their nightmares waiting to have a little chat.

Honestly, it was enough to make anyone pity the girl.

Fleetfoot seemed rather put out as Evangeline straightened and wrapped her arms around Lysandra's waist, holding her tightly. The shifter smiled absently down at the girl, stroking her red-gold head.

"If you turn into a squirrel," Evangeline said into Lysandra's road-dusty white shirt, "will you travel on my shoulder and let me make an acorn hat for you to wear?"

Aelin bit her lip, striding toward Rowan and the water before she could make the mistake of meeting Lysandra's gaze and howling. Rowan was indeed clamping his lips together, eyes dazzlingly bright. Aelin linked her arm through his and led the prince toward the copse of trees behind them--quickly.