A Court of Heritance and Destiny

Chapter 2 Etera

The green landscape under her slowly turned paler as she reached the shore, the vast blue sea joined with the horizon so far ahead of her as she flew. And somewhere at that line, her home waited for her. Etera stroked the bond to her mate, hiding her excitement at being home earlier. Her mission had wrapped up, the target she was following had... Well, the plans had changed, and her target was no longer of interest.

She turned flying over the shore line, looking for the cape where Azriel was waiting to pick her up. Her mentor had supported her from the start, and in some ways had acted like a father to her once she came to the Night Court. She still laughed over the way he had scolded Ikarad once they told the rest of the family about the bond. Her poor mate had been scared in and out of the cauldron but the end of it. Two months away, she was so ready to be back.

She loved her work, she loved to recon and follow her targets. She loved to memorise conversations, names and faces. But she also loved to go back home.

The cape came up before her and she started to glide down, waiting to see the Shadowsinger.

Azriel's large frame materialised from the shadows. Etera flew down and landed on his shoulder, folding her wings close to her body.

"Ready to head home?" He asked.

So ready, Ikarad doesn't know? The shadows could hear her and told Az.

"He knows nothing."

Good. Then I am ready. The shadows swallowed them and once the light came back she saw the city of Velaris under her. She jumped of Azriel's shoulder and started to fly, shifting from the small sparrow to her falcon.

"He is in the rings sparing!" Azriel called after her. She let out a scream back and headed towards the River Estate. Smiling as she saw her own home from above. And then... The ring. She started to circle it, seeing how Ikarad and Nyx spared. The two brothers could not be more different when they trained.

Ikarad, force and power in an elegant combination. His double blades, like a natural extension of his body, his wings moving to balance his body. Nyx, less explosive, more reserved. Still deadly, but not to the same extreme.

Care to surprise my mate? Etera asked out, seeing how Nyx reacted to the words and just narrowly escaped a blow from Ikarad.

You are back? He asked instead, before continuing with the sparing.

Yes... She came closer. Keep him occupied. She landed before shifting, right behind Ikarad, moving with his body to stay behind him and out of his way.

How long? She heard how Nyx was struggling to keep up.

Now. She placed her hand in Ikarads back, just between his wings. He stumbled and Nyx got the upperhand. Etera navigated around him, and soon she had him pinned down. Ginning like a cat at the shock in his face.

"Hi love." She said, laughing even more.

"Fucking shit..." Ikarad framed her face with his hands. "Nyx... stop playing tricks..."

"I am not a trick." She kissed him, savouring the feeling of finally being back home. "I am real. And I am here." the phrase that he had whispered in her ear during the months of pain.

"I am not even mad..." Ikarad kissed her deeper, "Not one bit..."

"You two are so annoyingly in love." Her mate's brother laughed. "Go and get a room!"

"Soon..." Etera held back another wave of laughter as Ikarad moved a few strands from her face. "You are here..." Ikarad's grey blue eyes were her safe place, the colour that she had held on to when she had been healing during those first months.