A Court of Stags and Night

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A/N: Hello all! Very long time, no see. I hope everyone is doing well. Life has been chaotic for me, as I am sure you understand. I have been struggling to write for months. The spark was barely existing anymore. But somehow, today, I managed to finish two chapters on this story, so I will post them for you guys to (hopefully) enjoy. This does not mean it might not be some time before more chapters are published, and I am terribly sorry if that is true. I will try my best to take the momentum I have going today and continue it.

Hope you guys enjoy!

The air around them was filled with laughter. Little quips here and there followed by either a snarl or a light smack, depending on who the intended target had been. None of them wished to think too deeply about the impending bloodshed that was to come. Of the family they might lose. They had already lost so much.

Shadows lurked around them, passing to and fro as the spy master worked tirelessly to uncover any secrets.

They were running out of time. This the young fire queen understood. The dark queen had given no hint as to when her plan would unfold, leaving each one of them tense, and untrusting of the other.

It left the fate of their worlds in the balance.

And it was within this chaos and turmoil the dark queen would begin the game.

Dark eyes watched the group, growling softly under the directive of the order given. They truly had no idea what lay ahead of them. What Maeve would manage in this world.

Aelin had managed to lock her out of Erilea for all time, but that didn't mean she was through with the young queen. What she'd suffered over a year ago would be nothing compared to the horrors she'd face when the Valg Queen finally got her hands on her.

Having her family in the picture would complicate matters, but Maeve knew what she was doing. All it would take was one slip, one falter, and their world would crash and burn.

She'd already managed to sow seeds of discord between the two groups. And having her son in the same world? Even as strong as he was, she was stronger. Older, and much more aware of her limitations, and his.

She knew his weak points and what it would take to fully draw him under her command.

This would doom them all.

For now, all that mattered was providing the true Queen with information. The time to strike would come soon enough.