𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚎(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓**

     Astraea waited in the sitting room that afternoon, reading a book as she anticipated everyone's arrival. Rhys had informed her that the two sisters were moving into the townhouse.

     Feyre winnowed in with Evelina and greeted Astraea with a smile. They spoke about how her sisters were until Azriel arrived, with no shadows to be seen and Elain a pale, golden mass in his arms.

     He set her down gently on the foyer carpet, having carried her in through the front door. Elain peered up at his patient, solemn face.

"Would you like me to show you the garden?" Azriel asked.

     Elain nodded once. It wasn't clear whether she was looking at his blue Siphon or at his scarred skin beneath as she breathed, "Beautiful."

     Evelina shot to her feet at the words and declared, "I think I'll join you two." Azriel gave a low chuckle, but offered an arm to his wife. Astraea smiled as the three went out to the garden.

     A moment later, Nesta was stomping through the front door, her face a remarkable shade of green.

"I need—a toilet."

     Feyre wordlessly pointed Nesta toward the powder room beneath the stairs, and she vanished, slamming the door behind her.

     Astraea shot Rhys a demanding expression, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms as she waited for an explanation.

"You look like my mother when you do that," he told her. She threw my book at him, but he caught it with a grin.

      Cassian and Lucien appeared, neither looking at the other. But Lucien's attention went right to the hallway toward the back, his nostrils flaring as he scented Elain's direction. And who she'd gone with.

"Relax," Rhys said. "Azriel isn't the ravishing type. He has a mate." Lucien cut him a glare.

     Nesta's retching filled the silence. Cassian gaped at Rhys. Astraea groaned. "What did you do?"

"I asked him the same thing," Feyre said, crossing her arms. "He said he went fast."

     Nesta vomited again—then silence.

"I'm going to check on her," Astraea decided, cursing herself for always feeling the need to take care of everyone.

     Astraea went over to the bathroom, knocking before she stepped in. Nesta was washing her hands, but she turned when she saw the Illyrian.

"Are you okay?" Astraea asked quietly.

     Nesta's face was still greenish-pale, but her eyes burned. There was no way of describing that burning. Quicksilver set aflame.

     She pushed past Astraea and left the room. The Illyrian followed after her quickly, watching as she stormed towards Rhys.

     Cassian casually stepped in her path, wings folded in tight. Feet braced apart on the carpet. A fighting stance—casual, but his Siphons glimmered.

"Do you know," Cassian drawled to her, "that the last time I got into a brawl in this house, I was kicked out for a month?"

     Nesta's burning gaze slid to him, still outraged—but hinted with incredulity.

"It was Amren's fault, of course, but no one believed me. And no one dared banish her."

     She blinked slowly. And the burning, molten gaze became mortal.

"What are you?" Lucien breathed.

"I made it give something back," she said with terrifying quiet. The Cauldron. Nesta's gaze flicked to the carpet, then to a spot on the wall. "I wish to go to my room."