A Court of Shadows and Lies / ACOTAR FF

Chapter 94

A/N: Hi guys! I'm so sorry for going MIA, I had a massive family emergency and was super burnt out from work but I'm back! Have a little soft chapter as an apology :)

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Exhausted was an understatement while I sat on the grass, watching my sisters, with Etta surprisingly missing, and the fae train. I hadn't slept at all last night, and Mother kept me up for the rest of the evening, into the wee hours of the morning in her study. Then my aunt came in with Amren, and the three females began talking in hushed whispers before they announced they needed to go to Eden.

They ushered out of the room and they hadn't been home since. It was now the end of the day, and I could barely keep my eyes open. In fact, I was fucking terrified to fall asleep. I didn't feel comfortable knowing how easy it was for Erebus to just slip into my dreams, or how he was able to just battle my thoughts while I slept. I just didn't want to sleep on my own.

Cassian landed in front of me, shirtless, and blocking the sun. I looked up at the sweating figure in front of me, his hand outstretched towards me. I would have ogled at the ponytailed male, who was breathing heavily in front of me, but I was so close to passing out on the spot. "Jez?" he panted, his other hand holding one of my weapons. "It'll do you some good."

"Sleep will do me some good," I murmured, pulling at the grass.

Mother had requested I stay up until she came back from Eden with my aunt. It seemed like she had an inkling as to what may have allowed Erebus into my thoughts, how he could slip past whatever magic was surrounding our home, but she didn't make me privy to her ideas. In fact, she just fucked off and left me standing in her room.

I walked back to my room, in the early hours of the morning where the sun began to peak over the skyline, to find an awake Azriel. He was concerned, his brows furrowed, and concerned etched into his creases. I told him what had happened in the hours between him telling me that I wasn't on my own and to me waking, I told him about the dream, and I told him about what my Mother and aunt did.

"What about training Nesta, Gwyn and Em?" he asked. I peered past him to look at the three girls practicing with Sif. Their feet were slightly too far apart, shoulders too tense. It was like they had forgotten the things I had taught them only months earlier. "Azriel told me that you hadn't slept."

I stared at him for a moment. "Did he tell you why I couldn't sleep?"

"He did."

I pursed my lips. I was expecting that answer, but I also wasn't. "I'm not in a good place to train today," I told him, accepting his hand nonetheless. He pulled me up and began tidying me up, taking me by surprise.

"You've been pulling grass all day, Jez," Cass grinned, pulling a blade of green from my hair and wiggling it in front of my face. I smiled softly, taking it from his fingers. "You're a mess, you need a bath. In fact, I think sleep would suit you better, Jez."

"Is that your expert opinion?" I asked him, flicking the blade at his chest and sticking against him. I wish all my problems would have been fixed by just sleeping. Sleep away Erebus. Sleep away my impending death. Sleep away the horrors that I would likely face sooner or later.

"That's the Cassian opinion," he winked. "With all seriousness, Jez, you look like someone's dragged you out of your grave and made you dance for two hours straight."

I blinked at him. "That's an oddly specific description."

"You should look at yourself, Jez," he murmured. "Az is concerned, we're all concerned. Go inside and take a bath. Maybe sleep."

"Mother said not to sleep," I muttered as he grabbed my shoulders and turned me around, forcing me to look at the door.

"I've known you for a while Jez," Cassian breathed into my ear, a smile laced in the words. "Why would you start listening to her now?"