To Whatever End

9. The Enemy

Hey!!!! I'm BACK!! ENJOY THE CHAPTER!

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Rowan was messing around with his blades, throwing them at the target dummy set fifteen yards away in his chambers.

It had been a shock to see Remelle walking around tonight. He'd thought that she'd been locked in the bathroom but apparently a servant had heard her and let her out. He pursed his lips, throwing another dagger at the dummy, with enough force that the blade sank up to the hilt in the stuffed doll. Aedion and the others won't be happy, Common Sense told him.

No doubt—they're already mad at me anyways. Rowan sighed; it just wasn't a battle he can win. On top of everything, he missed Aelin terribly; Rowan was expecting the nightmares to come back and torment him but, fortunately, a deity or other has decided he was miserable enough.

Gods, what wouldn't he do to just be near her again. He sighed again and flopped into bed, where Aelin's scent still lingered; he went to sleep clinging to the hope that she would take him back and all will be well.

...

Aedion Ashryver woke up, squinting in the bright sunlight that flooded through the thick velvet curtains. At the sound of clattering, he sniffed; the scent of bacon and eggs registered and his stomach growled. Damn. His queen and cousin was setting out breakfast. Gods above. He padded over.

"Do you never sleep?" he asked incredulously. Aelin's always up before the rest of the court and, sometimes, even the servants. And they get up ridiculously early.

"Don't be ludicrous. Of course I do. Though not much," Aelin admitted.

"How. Just... How?"

"Well... long story short, I used to stay up late... hunting you could say—"

"You mean to say...?" he trailed off.

"Yes. And whenever I got back, I would sleep for a few hours, four at the most, before reporting to Arobynn and then get a new mission, also courtesy of Arobynn."

"That's why? Good gods, you should try to break the habit."

"About that... well, you know what they all say; bad habits die hard," she remarked. "I've tried, and believe me, it did not work. Instead, I ended waking up earlier in the mornings if I went to bed early the night before."

"Have you tried other methods?" Aedion asked, splashing water on his face at the sink. He toweled himself dry as Aelin spoke.

"Of course, every safe method known."

"Great. Just wonderful. I wake up after my younger cousin, who is also a girl, I might add. It's like losing to a younger sister," he mocked.

"Shame. It sucks for you." His cousin grinned wickedly. "Now eat up. You'll need the strength for when I kick your as in training. Public courts today."

Aedion groaned before digging in. "You're kidding! The public courts?" he muttered through his food.

"Yes. Serves you right." He mumbled a curse and shot Aelin a glare. Why does this always happen to me?

"Screw you," he told her. "I—"

Before he even finished his sentence, Aelin pulled a face and retorted, "Please don't."

His head shot up, eyes wide. "Aelin!" he exclaimed. What the fuck? "That is disgusting!"

"You're the one who said it," she laughed. Aedion frowned.