𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚎(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖋𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖞-𝖋𝖎𝖛𝖊

"What do you know of the Dread Trove?" Nesta asked.

Gwyn and I were sitting at a desk in the library, both of us reading our own books as Gwyn silently sang to herself. It didn't bother or distract me. In fact, it helped me focus.

Saphira was in her lessons, and she had counseling directly after. It had been going well for her. She hadn't had as many nightmares, though she still slept in my room quite often.

"The what?" Gwyn asked, perking up.

"The Dread Trove," Nesta said, jumping up to sit on the desk. "Three ancient artifacts ..." Gwyn shook her head.

"My brothers have spoken to me about it when visiting," I recalled. "But I only know as much as they do."

"It seems like the Trove has a glamour to make people forget that it exists," Nesta said to us before explaining what she knew.

None of the information was new to me. Rhys had told me all about it yesterday--along with telling me that he was going to be a father. I was thrilled for him and Feyre. In eight months, there would be a baby boy in the family.

"And you must find it?" Gwyn asked her.

"I don't have the faintest idea where to begin looking," Nesta stressed. "Which one to find first."

"We do have an extensive card cataloging system," I shrugged. "But if there was information about the Trove down here, my brothers would've found it already."

"Why come to us about it?" Gwyn asked.

"You're clearly good at what you do, if you're working with someone as demanding as Merrill. And Astraea, you've been counseling here for five centuries. I figured you would know this library better than anyone. Could you just point me in a direction?"

"I can try," I decided with a nod.

"Thank you," she said with a tight smile. It was unusual, seeing this new side of her.

"Finding objects to help our court protect the world is rather exciting. About as exciting as I'm willing to get these days, but it shall be an adventure," Gwyn said.

"You could come to training if you want another sort of adventure," Nesta said carefully.

I had noticed the sign up sheet. It stayed blank. I kept considering signing my name. Maybe training would be good for me. At least it would just be Cassian.

"That's not for me, I'm afraid," Gwyn sighed.

"Why not?" Nesta asked.

"I'm not a warrior."

"Neither am I. But you could be."

"I don't think so. If I wished to be a warrior, I would have gone that route as a child. Instead I offered myself as an acolyte—and that is what I am."

"You don't have to give up one thing to be the other. Training is exercise. Learning to breathe and stretch and fight. Aren't you researching Valkyries for Merrill? That might even give you further insight. And I already have muscle building up. Two weeks, and I can tell the difference."

"Why would a priestess need muscular thighs?" Gwyn demanded. I couldn't help but smile.

"Is it Cassian?" Nesta guessed.

"Cassian is a good and honorable male."

"I know he is," Nesta acknowledged. "But is it Cassian's presence that makes you hesitate?"

Gwyn's cheeks went red, her head bowing in shame. I put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she glanced over, giving me a grateful smile.

"All right. Let me know if you learn anything regarding the Trove," Nesta said gently.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Five days later, I worked up the nerve to sign my name. And I wasn't alone. Gwyn came with me, her hand clutching mine.

I glanced at her as we approached the sign up sheet--still blank. I could feel Clotho's eyes on us as we neared it, and I picked up the pen.

I took a deep breath, signing it with a shaky hand. I handed the pen to Gwyn, who signed it after me.

She tilted her head at that, studying her name on the sign-up sheet. I took her hand again gave it a reassuring squeeze.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Gwyn and I walked ahead, hand-in-hand as we advanced towards the training ring. We'd braided each other's hair in two braids. I wore actual training leathers that I'd always had, but rarely wore.

"Hello," I greeted with a smile. I could feel Gwyn's hand shaking in mine.

"I, um—I realized on the way up here that I don't have proper clothes," Gwyn said, gesturing to her robes. "I suspect these will not be ideal."

"I can teach you in the robes, if you wish. Whatever's most comfortable," Cassian offered.

"I'll see how today's lesson goes and then decide. We wear the robes mostly from tradition, not strict rules," Gwyn explained. "I forgot how it feels to have the full sun upon my head. Forgive me if I spend some time gawking at the sky."

"Of course," Nesta said.

"All right. No more chitchat," Cassian announced, facing us. "Nesta, show our new friend—Gwyn, is it? I'm Cassian. Nes, show her and Astraea your feet."

"Feet?" Gwyn's copper brows rose. Nesta rolled her eyes.

'You'll see."

Nesta showed us how to ground through our feet, and the correct posture for it. Gwyn and I picked it up fairly quickly, though I had a harder time with my wings throwing me off balance. Cassian helped me with that.

Nesta and Cassian were kind and patient with us. We were able to laugh at our mistakes, and take corrections from Cassian without offense.

When we were done, I was flushed and sweaty, and my braids were frizzy. Cassian told us to drink before our cooldown.

"At the temple in Sangravah, we had a set of ancient movements that we would go through every sunrise," Gwyn told us as we drank our water. "Not for battle training, but for calming the mind. We did cooldowns after those, too, though we called them groundings. The movements took us out of our bodies, in a way. Let us commune with the Mother. The groundings settled us back into the present world."

"That sounds lovely," I hummed before taking a sip of water.

"Why did you sign up for this, then?" Nesta wondered. "If you already have mind-calming exercises you're accustomed to?"

"Because I don't ever want to feel powerless again," Gwyn said softly.

I nodded my head, letting her know that she wasn't alone. I felt the same way. In a way, I felt like I'd taken back control by killing him. But he still took so much from me that I hadn't ever gotten back.

"Me too," Nesta said quietly.