After the fall

Prolouge

(Amren's POV)

I was livid. Rhysand always just HAD to play sacrificial lamb. Didn't he? Velaris is too happy of a place for me to be in charge of. Maybe I could get Mor to come up here and rule instead of that filthy ant hole they call the Court of Nightmares. I'm more suited for there anyway, and I have some lovely things to say to my friend Kier. Not that he would be able to hear it over his own screams.

We all got the message from Rhysand before Amarantha made her move. And we all were in the townhouse not five minutes later. The baby bats had to have the door opened because of the shields protecting the house. Mor winnowed in.  Not one person in the room knew what we were to do. I decided to play it nice and give them the night to lick their wounds. We all sat in that living room, not getting one ounce of sleep. Myself included. We sat in silence grieving what we just lost. Our High Lord, our brother, our friend just sentenced himself to 50 years of hell for a little town and it's ideals. A lesser male would've used this place as a bargaining chip, I know for damn sure I would've.

I was the first to rise, grabbing a bit of blood Rhys kept in the fridge for me when I stayed over. As a grabbed it and went back to the living room I saw the sun rise over the mountain peaks surrounding our little paradise. I scoffed at it. Cassian looked at me as if he would kill me right then and there. Good, then he wouldn't keep his anger in until he exploded like usual. To my surprise Azriel spoke first.

"What now?" He choked out. I felt bad but someone needed to step up and none of them were in the shape to.

"We carry on business as usual." I said, with no ounce of the emotion I felt in that moment. The Spymaster of the Night Court just choked on his words. If Rhys didn't kill her I was ready to march down under that mother forsaken and do it myself.

"There won't be a usual if he's not here." Cassian spat, fire lacing those nine words enough to take down an entire army. This is what the general was known for, making army surrender before he pulled a sword. His mere presence deterrent enough to the cowardly legions he was to battle against. If they didn't surrender, his actions were swift and severe. Like a dance that was only made to last seconds.

"There will be normal, just not the one any of you know. I will assume command of the night court until Rhysand's return and you all will do what you do now." I fired back with equal force. He is angry right now but I am still the second of the Night Court and he will do well to remember that.

" WHO DIED AND MADE YOU HIGH LORD?!" Cassian boomed. Okay time to rip off the bandage then.

" Your brother did." I said with enough venom to stop his rampage before it even began. It was a low blow, even for me. But to coddle the three of them right now would be their downfall, I could see it. So I'm that moment, I became the stone the court of dreams needed me to be.

That was the end of the conversation. Mor barely said a word and it concerned me but I wasn't going to ask if she was okay, I already knew the true answer anyway. So when she left to go back to the Hewn City I pulled her aside.

" Be strong. You are the Morrigan, the third of the Night Court and regent of the Hewn City. People cower when you walk in a room. Let them see it, don't let him see anything but the woman you've fought so hard to become." I spoke blankly. I don't know know if she thought I meant Eris or Kier, I didn't either.

There was a pregnant pause in between us when she finally spoke " Thank you, Amren. The boys won't say it but we need you right now. A voice of reason when reason was taken with... with..." she never finished the sentence. But I knew whom she spoke of.

She gave me a brief embrace which I loathed in all ways possible. But returned with equal strength. That's the only hug I gave anyone, ever. But in that moment, I needed all the strength and comfort I could get.

The boys left later in the evening, to what I assume was either the cabin or the Illyrian camps. Ohhh how I would love to smash their misogynistic faces in right now.

When it was just me in the house. I got another glass of blood, sat down and read a book. When I got bored I went for a walk down the street, humming an old song from my previous world. About a certain firebringer who incapacitated a certain Vlag king. Sacrificing his own name to do it. Brannon was an idiot. Not the point.

When I finally concluded the tune I looked to the sky the city was known for. And saw a little blur coming down from the abyss. It was a small child, and was coming down at a fast pace. I slowed it down with my magic as best as I could but the child was still rendered unconscious.