A Court of Love and Devotion - Novellas

My Sister's Footsteps

Hazel had always trained but she wouldn't call herself a soldier. No, that was Aria entirely. Hazel mostly trained for fun and to decompress. She was good at it, though. She could be a soldier, but there was one thing she needed to do first.

Alone in her room, Hazel picked up the sword her father had gifted her for her birthday last year. A few weeks before she thought she lost her sister somewhere in the past.

***

[Three months prior]

Hazel was sitting by the fire with Sage at the river house, waiting for her father to come home from his brotherly escapade. He'd probably be shit-faced drunk too.

Meaning that he and his mate would sleep at the river house that night. He was getting too old for this. Hazel smirked to herself at the thought.

Her mother and aunt were cuddled up on the sofa, talking about everything and anything.

"We're still going to see Elain next week?" Nesta asked.

"Yes," Feyre answered. "We have the whole weekend just the three of us next week. Can't wait."

Mor was sitting on Emerie's lap on the arm chair, the two females were busy kissing and caressing each other mindlessly.

Aunt Gwyn and Elia were listening to Valeria talk about her play on the other couch while Hazel listened to her little sister ramble on about the history of the human lands. The young lady was studious to say the least.

Callum had left but hadn't said why and the impossible trio was somewhere, probably causing trouble in Velaris as they usually did.

Three broad forms appeared in the family room. All of them grinning like idiots.

"Who won?" Hazel asked.

"Azriel, like always," Uncle Rhys said.

Cassian walked over to his mate and tried to kiss her but she huffed and turned her face away from him. That wouldn't do for the general who pressed his face closer until Nesta was trapped between the armroll of the couch and her mate. She giggled as he attacked her with kisses.

Her hands went to his shoulders and she tried to push him away. "Get away from me. I don't kiss losers."

He gave her one last deep kiss on the cheek, hard enough that her skin turned red briefly. She wiped her cheek as he strolled to his daughters by the fire.

"You know, Dad," Sage began. "For a fearsome General, it's a little troubling that you can't seem to win a simple snowball fight."

Hazel bit her fist, her mother, however, laughed freely as well as everyone else in the room.

Her father grabbed Sage and pulled her over his shoulders. The young girl screeched and tried to escape, laughing as he spun her around.

Then Callum rushed inside, his face pale.

"We have a problem," he panted. His father was by his side a second later. As Callum explained the situation, Hazel felt her own face drain of color.

Elia, Valeria and Sage stayed behind as everyone else, Hazel included, suited up to head to the middle.

"Hazel, you're not coming with us," her mother said.

"Why not?" Hazel yelped. "I can fight."

"You haven't cut the ribbon yet!"

"What? You went on more dangerous missions when you'd barely started training. I'm coming!"

Without waiting for her mother's response, Hazel took flight.

Mor, Rhys, Feyre, Azriel and Callum winnowed everyone to the Middle where the portal had just closed before their very eyes.

Hazel scanned the area but her sister and cousins were nowhere to be found. She drew her sword and plunged toward the monsters, looking around frantically for Aria, Nyx and Catrin.

Monsters were swarming her. Hazel bared her teeth as she attacked. She felt a monster coming from behind but the beast was beheaded by her mother who scowled at her.

"You're in trouble when we get home," she warned before putting her back on her daughter's. They fought together, protecting each other as the creatures attacked.

The fight didn't last long and by the end of it, there were still no signs of the trio. There was, however, blood next to the spot where the portal had opened.

Callum immediately picked up his sister's scent. "She was guarding the portal," he said before turning round teal eyes at everyone. "I think they went through."

A hand wrapped around her bicep. Hazel turned her head and found Emerie.

"You're hurt," she said and looked down.

Hazel followed her stare and saw the long cut on her thigh. That was when pain hit.

***

[Present Day]

The cut had taken some time to heal and Hazel hadn't been able to help out during the fight in the past. She'd been busy helping her dying sister and ignoring the gnawing feeling of seeing her mother in that state of despair.

All she wanted to do was forget that moment of her life and move on. And there was a challenge she still hadn't won. One she felt ready to take on today.

Hazel walked over to her dressing table and picked out her green jewelry box from childhood. She'd drawn on it with crayons when she was four and the beautiful box had been ruined but she'd never thrown it away.

Her jewelry had since been moved to another, bigger box but this one contained something special. She opened it and pulled out a long, white ribbon.

One she had kept since she was a little girl in this box, safe and perfectly folded for this day. She'd practiced for years but had never dared take the ribbon out. Until today.

The training pit was empty when she got there. The crispy winter air bit her skin as she tied the ribbon on the wood.

Her sword, one she had yet to find a name for, was strapped to her hip. Hazel closed her eyes and breathed. When she opened her eyes again, she sensed other presences around her.

She looked to the balcony overlooking the training pit where her mother was looking intently. Aunt Emerie and Aunt Gwyn were with her, waiting for Hazel to cut the ribbon.

But it was the other female who'd just walked into the training pit that drew her attention. Aria stood tall, wings tucked in tight as she took in her little sister. Her back was straight, her gaze confident, her feet slightly apart and her hands clasped behind her back.

The Generals' daughter.

Hazel had no doubt her sister would lead entire armies one day, she was born for that. And Hazel would gladly follow her command and fight by her side should the opportunity arise.

Aria's lips twitched ever so slightly and she gave her sister a nod of encouragement. Hazel turned back to the ribbon, drew her sword and got into position. With one swift move, she swung her blade and cut the fabric in two.

Aria walked over to her sister and picked up the fallen piece. Her blue-gray eyes were shining as she looked back at her sister. She tied the ribbon around Hazel's brow and murmured : "Valkyrie."