#devlon x oc

[mischiefmanagers]

I think I just entered my Lord Devlon era so apologies in advance 🫡

[geek-girl7]

Protectors of Illyria Masterlist

Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.

Pairing: Lord Devlon x OC/Reader!ArcheronSister

Warnings: swearing, canon typical violence, anxiety, discussion of trauma, slow burn, enemies to lovers, devlon is a sweet teddy bear I swear, SPOILERS POST ACOSF. (These are just some of the overall warnings. Each chapter has its own warnings section so make sure to check those.)

A/N: I usually update once a week. I decided to make a specific masterlist for Protectors because it’s getting kinda long lol so here it is. Let me know if you would like to be tagged or take my taglist survey linked below. I'm super friendly and love hearing from everyone so feel free to drop in my ask box on anon or not idc I just love talking about this fic.

Main Masterlist Taglist

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Softening the Pain- A Vex x Balthazar spinoff

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

More to Come!

Taglist: @mari-highladyof-feels @faith-vs-fears @elsie-bells @mutilatemyheart @eerievixen

[geek-girl7]

Protectors of Illyria

Pairing: Lord Devlon x OC/Reader!ArcheronSister

Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: angst sort of, fluff, emotional talks, probably swearing, fuck guys this chapter just hits

A/N: Hi everyone! Ohhhhhh booyyyyy let me tell you I straight up almost cried (ok I did cry) writing this chapter. I’ve been waiting to write this moment between them for so long and the emotional payoff for me is huge. God I just love them. Good music for this chapter is Soldiers of the Dark by Whitesand. Hope you enjoy and let me know if you would like to be tagged! (taglist form also in bio)

Series Masterlist    Main Masterlist

Chapter 20

“Gather in,” Devlon yelled to everyone in the training ring as we fell into starting formation. “Today, we hike up the mountain and back down.” He pointed to the peak high above our heads. Just below the clouds, the peak of the mountain glistened white with snow. “No wings. No shortcuts. If I see you cheating you will turn back around and start again. We fight through the pain and learn to persevere past failure.”

The Illyrians nodded and prepared for the treacherous hike, which meant covering oneself in full armor and weaponry to ready themselves for the discomfort of battle. Everyone began to pair off so I instinctively moved towards Balthazar. “Oh,” I said seeing that Vex and Balthazar already paired up for the hike.

Vex was helping Balthazar strap on a metal chest plate when he glanced behind the other male to see me standing there. “Sorry Mira,” Vex said his tone apologetic. 

“Don’t worry. I hog him during training.” I smiled at the pair as I walked away in search of a new partner. Warriors began to file out of the training ring, everyone already partnered off. My hands flexed, panic beginning to overtake me. My mind flashed back to the last time I was alone in the Illyrian wilderness. I could hear the tearing of my own flesh echoing through the forest. 

“Need a partner?” Devlon asked from behind me. I spun around, my hands relaxed by my side. He had his usual sword strapped down his back. The straps crossed over his chest, rumpling the dark fabric of his shirt. It was tighter than what he normally wore, showing off every muscle in his chest and arms. I averted my eyes as heat rushed to my face. 

“Y-yeah,” I cleared my throat. “Yeah, I do actually.” He smiled and nodded towards the path. Aside from the runs during training, I hadn’t really explored the area surrounding Windhaven. Since coming to Prythian, I’d noticed that everything here was so much different from where I grew up. The forests of Illyria were beyond anything I’d ever seen. They put the forest in my hometown to shame. The trees grew high into the sky, blocking most of the sunlight from reaching the forest floor. Birds sang from their perches high in the boughs. Pine needles crunched with every step we took. Small streams cut through the forested path providing an outlet for the melting mountain snow. I walked alongside Devlon, enamored by the beauty surrounding me. 

“I take it our forests are quite different from the ones on the other side of the wall,” Devlon questioned. 

I shook my head, my eyes hooked on the surrounding area. “There’s no comparison,” I muttered. “There the forests were bleak and desolate. But here, there’s life and green.” I took a deep breath, trying to savor the crisp air. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” 

Devlon huffed a small laugh. We continued walking in silence, content to listen to the sounds of nature. Any fear from earlier faded with each passing moment in the forest. It helped there was a giant Illyrian next to me with an equally massive sword. In the silence, my mind wandered to the the trip to Velaris. Something bothered me about the whole thing and it wasn’t the people who were angry at Devlon. What bothered me was the people who weren’t. 

“Can I ask you something,” I said, twisting so I could see Devlon as we walked. He nodded in response, keeping his eyes focused on the ground in front of him. “Why doesn’t Nesta hate you? By all rights she should, but she doesn’t. I know my sister, if she didn’t like you she would have mentioned it whenever you’re brought up but nothing. ”

Devlon rubbed the back of his neck. “I should have done this awhile ago, and I’m sorry it’s taken me this long, but I apologize for my behavior towards you and your sisters. I treated you unfairly because of, well, who you are. My distaste for the Night Court blinded me and I assumed, wrongly, that you would treat me as they do. The same goes for your sister. Because of Nesta’s powers and position within the Night Court I was… less than welcoming towards her. She proved me wrong in the end, as have you. I apologize, sincerely, for my actions.” 

I hadn’t noticed we’d stopped until I felt the chill of ice cold water from one of the mountain streams filling my leather boots. I quickly moved back onto the trail and turned back to Devlon. He stood a few paces away as if he didn’t want to approach me, or didn’t know if I wanted him near me. “I accept your apology,” I said. A sad smile crossed Devlon’s face. “But that still doesn’t explain why Nesta tolerates you.”

He sighed, taking a step towards me. “When you were unconscious after the hunting attack, we both sat beside your bed that entire first day. At first, she gave me the silent treatment. She just sat there, glaring at me. I don’t blame her, of course. She was well within her rights to dislike me and now her youngest sister got horrifically injured under my watch. Eventually, I think she got sick of looking at my face and politely gave me a piece of her mind.” I quirked my eyebrow at the word politely. Nesta was rarely polite when she was mad about something. “Ok so it wasn’t politely but it was well deserved. Anyways, I apologized to her and we came to some sort of truce.”

“A truce?”

Devlon avoided my eyes and began playing with a rock on the ground, kicking it around. “She knew how easy it would have been to simply let you die. How easy it would be to say you were already dead when I got there.”

“Did you think about it,” I interjected.

Devlon met my eyes. He looked ashamed. His eyebrows were knitted together and his hands clenched in fists. “For a moment, yes,” he said, his shoulders sagging whether in shame or relief, I didn’t know. I didn’t blame him, not really. If our roles were reversed I might have thought about it. I’d despised Devlon for his treatment of Feyre and Nesta and for everything I thought he was. I couldn’t fault him for his feelings back then because I’d felt the same. This wasn’t a job anymore, it was my life and I’d be damned if others tried to twist it for their own gain.

I stepped forward, closing the gap between us. Of its own accord, my hand lifted, cupping Devlon’s cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into my hand, the stubble along his jaw scratched against it with the movement. A tear escaped from behind his lashes and I brushed it away with the pad of my thumb. “I’m sorry about the things I said to you and the way I treated you. I hated you for who I believed you were but I was wrong. So wrong. I hurt you that day in the cafeteria and I thought you deserved it, but you didn’t. I-,” I choked on my tears, “I’m sorry Devlon. I forgive you.” In the end, we’d both made assumptions about one that were entirely inaccurate to who we actually were. How could we do anything other than forgive one another for a mistake we both made.  

Devlon’s arms enveloped me and I responded by wrapping my arms around his neck. The pain, the hate, the anger, everything I’d been told to feel, it all fell away, a spark of warmth and light enveloping it and banishing it from existence. 

I don’t know how long we stayed wrapped up in each other, unable to pull away out of fear that this moment would cease to exist. After spending so long at odds with one another, it was hard not to cling to a second of contentment as the world crumbled around us. 

Taglist: @mari-highladyof-feels @faith-vs-fears @elsie-bells @mutilatemyheart @eerievixen @red-writer13 @readingwithshelley​

[geek-girl7]

Protectors of Illyria

Pairing: Lord Devlon x OC/Reader!ArcheronSister

Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.

Word Count: 2.3k (I said it was long lol)

Warnings: swearing probably, social anxiety, Zephyr being a sassy bastard

A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry this one is late. It was hella long and with introducing new characters and places it took me awhile to get it all right. I hope you like it! As always let me know what you think and let me know if you wanna be tagged. (taglist form is also in my bio) ❤️

Masterlist

Chapter 13

“I know it isn’t comfortable but until we get you fitted for a custom saddle this will just have to do,” I muttered to Zephyr after he bit my hand. The bindings for the horse saddle were less than ideal for a giant griffin and Zephyr was not exactly pleased with his feathers being ruffled. But Zephyr was just going to have to deal with it. Since this flight was so long, I wasn’t taking any chances riding bareback. Plummeting hundreds of feet and smashing into the Earth sounded like an uncomfortable way to die.

I grabbed the strap and attempted to tighten the saddle again. Zephyr’s head twisted sharply and nipped at the hand holding the strap. “Fuck Zephyr, knock it off.” Unperturbed, Zephyr shook his head, loosening up the feathers around his neck. Stubborn creature. I walked around to face him head on. “If you let me tighten the saddle I’ll give you a huge bucket of apples.” At the mention of his favorite snack, Zephyr flared his wings out so I could have easy access to the saddle.

“I should just begin with bribery from now on because food is all you care about,” I said. Zephyr squawked loudly in response. “And me? I’m calling bullshit on that one, you just bit me twice,” I scoffed.

“I thought he wouldn’t hurt a fly?” I whirled around to find Devon smirking at me. Zephyr stamped his foot and shook his head appearing to dislike Devlon’s question.

“He’s just being slightly temperamental this morning that’s all,” I said in Zephyr’s defense.

“Just like his rider.” I didn’t know whether to laugh or be annoyed by his comment. I did know I wanted to wipe that smirk off Devlon’s face but before I could a soft voice interrupted.

“Now, now, Dev be nice,” the female said as she stopped beside Devlon, “we all know how difficult you can be from time to time.” I couldn’t help the grin that came over my face at the female’s words. From the slap she landed on the back of his head and the resigned grimace on Devlon’s face this female was his sister. No one could slap the commander and get away with it. Now tackling your commander during a training demonstration in front of everyone, that was completely acceptable. Not.

The female turned to face me, her long, raven hair cascading over her shoulder. If I hadn’t already realized she was Devlon’s sister, her eyes would have given it away. They sparkled and shone bright in the early morning sun, the green in her hazel eyes illuminated by the light. Apparently, good looks ran in the family. “Hello Mira. I’m Clio, Devlon’s favorite younger sister,” she beamed as she reached out her hand in greeting.

“Clio, you’re my only sister,” Devlon sighed at his sisters theatrics.

Clio rolled her eyes at her brother as I grasped her hand for a shake. Clio had other ideas though. She swiftly pulled me into a hug, squeezing tight. “I’m so excited to finally meet you,” Clio said gleefully as she let me go, “Devlon’s told me so much about you.” She elbowed Devlon in the ribs as she teased him.

I winced. Devlon and I had gotten off to a very rocky start and hadn’t gotten along until recently, so I dreaded that all Clio knew about me were bad things. “Only good things I hope,” I perked up hoping for a positive response.

Clio waved her hand dismissively. “Oh don’t worry. You’ve made quite the impression on my brother.” Devlon made a loud choking noise at his sisters admission. Clio clapped him on the back a few times. “Come on Dev breathe. It’s not hard.” Clio giggled at her own antics.

Squawk! Zephyr was peeved with the lack of attention he was getting. “And who is this?” Clio said as she stepped around me closer to Zephyr.

Drawing my eyes from Devlon— I was still reeling from Clio’s sudden admission— I nestled my hand in Zephyr’s feathers. My eyes shot to the long scars on her wings before resting on Zephyr. “This would be Zephyr.”

“You’re very handsome,” Clio cooed. Zephyr preened at the compliment, nudging his head into her hand. Clio happily obliged running her hands through the feathers on his head. While Zephyr and Clio bonded, I walked to his other side to attach my gear. A large presence appeared beside me.

“I apologize for my sister’s brash behavior. She’s rather… open with her opinions, unfortunately,” Devlon said. From his tone, he was quite uncomfortable with the entire situation.

I peered up at Devlon. His body was rigid. The black leather of his armor strained due to his stance. His jaw clenched as if trying to control a grimace that wanted to come over his face. The sword from the hunting trip was strapped to his back. How anyone could wield such an immense sword was beyond me. His green siphons gleamed in the light, appearing to take on an ethereal glow. Clutched in his hands was a helmet fit for a commander of the Illyrian legion. Illyrian warriors typically more the same hammered metal helmet in battle. However, to distinguish Devlon as commander among the other warriors, Devlon’s helmet was jet black with two horns protruding from both sides of the helmet. The tips were brushed in gold and sharp enough to easily gouge enemy opponents. No doubt Devlon would be a chilling sight on the battlefield.

My mind conjured up pictures of Devlon mowing down Hybern’s forces wielding his behemoth of a sword. I caught myself before my mind could spiral even deeper into those thoughts. I shrugged at Devlon’s words. “That’s what younger siblings are for,” I chuckled.

“Ah. So harassing your sisters was a typical activity for you,” Devlon questioned.

“Possibly.”

Devlon shook his head at my jest. “Mount up,” he gestured to Zephyr, “I want to arrive before the sun sets.” Flying through the Illyrian wilderness at night sounded less appealing than visiting the Court of Nightmares, although the likelihood of death was probably similar in both situations. Devlon turned to Clio an unimpressed look came over his face when he saw his sister ogling Zephyr. “Come on Clio, Markus’ waiting.”

Clio’s head snapped up and she swiftly made her way to her brother. “It’s unfair to always use Markus against me brother.” Devlon rolled his eyes and took off into the sky with his sister wrapped in his arms.

I hefted myself onto Zephyr’s back, settling comfortably into the saddle. I tapped Zephyr on the side of his neck signaling I was ready. He flared out his wings and with two beats we were flying. It didn’t take long to catch up to Devlon and Clio.

The air was frigid and would only get worse the higher up in the mountains we got. I wrapped my cloak tighter around myself and raised my hood, attempting to shield my face from the brunt of the cold. Clio clenched the edges of her fur-lined cloak in her fists, her knuckles white from the grip. Devlon seemed completely unfazed by the cold. It was hard to tell if the cold really didn’t bother him or if he was just putting on a brave face. No doubt Clio would incessantly tease him if he so much as shivered.

I steered Zephyr closer to the siblings. “Where exactly are we going,” I yelled over the wind.

“Titan’s Peak. It sits on the top of a mountain on the northern border of Illyria,” Devlon yelled back. “Legend says that thousands of years ago, when Illyria was untouched wilderness, a fight between mighty gods took place on the mountain. Their fighting was so fierce it leveled the mountains creating the Steppes. Finally, after weeks of fighting, a victor was crowned and immortalized within the mountain peak, never to be forgotten.”

“Do the Illyrians follow different gods than the rest of the Night Court?” I asked.

Devlon shook his head. “We used to, before the Night Court took over. Now most Illyrians recognize the Mother or nothing at all.”

“And you?”

“I don’t know what to believe in anymore.” Devlon’s words hung in the air. Only the beating of wings and the roaring of wind could be heard.

“Geez Dev lighten up,” Clio shattered the silence with her sarcastic comment. I couldn’t help the booming laugh that escaped me. I barely heard the soft chuckle of Devlon. The rest of the trip was lighthearted. Clio asked the occasional question about my life before the Cauldron and I happily obliged. After awhile we slipped into a comfortable silence.

A longer we flew, the colder it became. My teeth were chattering and ice was forming on the edges of my cloak when I spotted buildings in the distance. A tower rose high above the camp, dominating the skyline. The tower was a shock of black against the gray sky of autumn. The top of the tower skimmed the clouds. Shapes, presumably keeping a lookout for enemies, zig-zagged along the outside revealing an external staircase utilized by the Illyrians.

In the shadow of the tower lay the camp of Titan’s Peak. It was significantly smaller than Windhaven, one of the largest Illyrian camps. But unlike Windhaven, ever building was built out of solid stone. With the feet of snow blanketing the ground, it made sense the Illyrians here had built sturdy shelters.

Snow erupted as we slammed into the ground directly in front of a group of awaiting Illyrians. One warrior separated himself from the group, walking forward a few steps but hesitating to go further at the sight of Zephyr who was giving his best intimidation stance. At the sight of Clio, the male disregarded Zephyr, quickly making his way to her.

Clio let out piercing squeal as she launched herself into the warriors waiting arms. Her fingers caressed the dark brown curls at the base of his neck. As the couple embraced, I dismounted Zephyr and took hold of his reigns. Not because I thought Zephyr would attack but so the group of Illyrians could relax a little. In an attempt to avoid eye contact with anyone, I began to awkwardly remove my bags and weapons from Zephyr. My hands fumbled as I attempted to strap my daggers to either leg.

“Let me,” Devlon said quietly, trying to not draw attention. Devlon knelt down and took the dagger from my hands. I shifted my leg towards him so he could easily situate the dagger. His feather-light fingertips skimmed my thigh as he wrapped the sheath around and secured it. I glanced over his shoulder as he stood and saw the warriors quickly avert their eyes. Clio and the male were still too wrapped up in one another to take notice.

Devlon leaned in. His head directly next to mine. “Relax. You can handle this lot after dealing with everyone in Windhaven.” I shot him a grateful smile before he turned to address the Illyrians. “Ahem,” Devlon loudly cleared his throat. Clio drew herself out of the male’s arms and turned towards her brother.

“Can we help you,” she asked.

“Yes Clio. I believe introductions are in order.” Devlon quirked an eyebrow at his sister as if daring her to object. The male gripped her hand and made his way over to us. He was on the shorter side for an Illyrian but his muscles made him imposing despite his short stature. He had muscles in places I’d never even seen muscles before. I’d bet on him every time in an arm wrestling contest.

“Mira, this is Markus my lieutenant and leader of the Titan’s Peak camp,” Devlon gestured to Markus. “This is Mira an emissary from the Night Court. She will be accompanying me on the inspection of the border camps.”

“Lovely to meet you Mira. We’re honored to have you here,” Markus said. Honestly, I couldn’t tell if he was being courteous or if he actually meant it. I had a feeling most Illyrians weren’t thrilled to see a member of the Night Court in their camp.

Uncomfortable with being the center of attention among so many unfamiliar faces I shuffled my feet, struggling to think of something to say. “That’s quite a mount you got there,” Markus quickly said. I silently thanked him as all eyes shot back to Zephyr who huffed at the acknowledgement.

“He’s very friendly,” I hesitated, “for the most part.”

“Luckily, the stables are rather close to your lodgings, so your mighty friend will be quite comfortable, I hope,” Markus said. “If you’ll follow me I’ll escort you.” Markus grasped Clio’s hand as he turned to lead.

The camp was even smaller than it appeared from the sky. Most of the houses surrounded a mess hall, similar to the one in Windhaven but smaller, and a general store that sold everything from food to clothes. Despite the small size, the community was bustling. Males and females walked around doing their daily tasks and children threw snowballs at one another. One narrowly missed hitting Devlon in the face. He simply winked at the children and continued walking.

After only a few minutes, we arrived at the stables. I quickly unsaddled Zephyr, slipping him a few apples in the process. As I worked I overheard bits and pieces of Markus and Devlon’s conversation. Devlon asked about how things were going in the camp and I believe Markus muttered something about an incident. I simply shrugged and continued feeding Zephyr his beloved apples. I assured the Illyrian male who worked in the stables that I would care for Zephyr the entirety of my stay. His face lit up like Amren’s whenever someone gave her new jewelry.

“Mira, you ready,” Devlon asked. I nodded and followed him and Markus outside.

We walked across the road to a small hut. Smoke poured from the chimney enticing me to go inside to the warmth. “I must apologize. Unfortunately, this is the only hut available,” Markus spoke as he opened the door, “and, um, there’s only one bed.”

Taglist: @mari-highladyof-feels  @faith-vs-fears​ @imperishableblade​

[geek-girl7]

Protectors of Illyria

Pairing: Lord Devlon x OC/Reader!ArcheronSister

Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: discussion of wing clipping, death threats, discussion of murder, canon typical violence

A/N: Hello everyone! So I'm probably gonna change my update day to Thursday now, gives me more time to write. Anyway this chapter was a lot of fun to write. I haven't written any villains yet so it was really fun to do especially cause Alistair is so evil. Hope you enjoy and let me know if you would like to be tagged! (taglist form also in bio)

Series Masterlist Main Masterlist

Chapter 16

“Don’t you think this is a bit overkill Devlon?” I looked around at the many Illyrians Devlon gathered for our visit to Alistair’s camp. There were at least 15 fully armed Illyrians surrounding me.

“Err on the side of caution, Mira. Alistair is unpredictable at best so the more fighters we have the better,” Devlon said. Over Devlon’s shoulder, I spotted Clio helping Markus tighten his armor. She was smiling and laughing at something he said, but it looked forced. I wanted to pull her aside and talk to her but right now was not the time. I watched as Markus tucked a strand of Clio’s hair behind her ear and then settled his hand against her cheek. She leaned into it and pressed a kiss into his palm.

“Why can’t you just ‘fix’ the problem,” I asked, making sure to keep my voice down so no one heard my suggestion to kill a prominent Illyrian leader. I wasn’t usually one for murder but Alistair’s actions were despicable and from what everyone said he didn’t seem inclined to change.

“Because killing Alistair means starting a civil war between Illyrians. Even more blood would be shed and many would die. Contrary to what everyone seems to think about us we don’t chomp at the bit to fight and die. We train because it’s part of us. We train because living here necessitates it. Fighting isn’t in our blood, surviving is.”

“Is this really surviving though? Females live in constant fear of being ripped from their homes and having their freedom taken from them. There’s always a give and take. And right now, Alistair is taking and taking. When are you going to give him something to fear?” I could tell Devlon was agitated but I continued anyways.

“Cassian claims he fixed the issues in Illyria awhile back but it seems he really just applied a patch to something that needs so much more. I can try to hold off Cassian and Rhysand for awhile but sooner or later they will get involved and things might get a whole lot worse,” I finished.

“Maybe your precious Night Court can come back and ‘fix’ our shit again because it helped so much last time,” Devlon snapped. I’d expected backlash. He was on edge and I was offering an opinion he wouldn’t like. Devlon turned and stomped away. He walked back to the outskirts of the camp and then just stopped. He threw his hands in the air and turned making a beeline back to me. I bristled expecting a stern, or very very angry, talking to from the Commander.

Devlon stopped in front of me, his body rigid and hands clasped behind him. “I apologize for my outburst. I shouldn’t take my frustrations out on you. You’re just trying to do your job as an emissary.”

I tried to speak but nothing came out. I cleared my throat and said, “You’re wrong. This isn’t about a job. This about giving a bastard what he deserves.” My eyes flicked back to Clio. “I’m just worried.”

Devlon looked out at his warriors. “We all are,” he said with a grimace.

To reach Alistair’s camp, which Devlon lovingly referred to as the Pit, we had to fly south for two hours. The warriors made a point to give Zephyr a wide birth as we flew. Probably for the best since Zephyr was a little on edge today. I tried to boost his mood by giving him an entire sack of apples but he ate them like he was punishing them.

Zephyr wasn’t the only one on edge. All the warriors had their heads on a swivel, constantly looking around for threats. Some even flew with their bows drawn and arrows knocked. My right hand stayed close to the handle of my dagger, ready to draw at a moments notice.

Eventually, Markus signaled that we were approaching the camp. The forest obscured most of the camp from view, but from what I could tell, the camp was significantly larger than Titan’s Peak, probably close to the size of Windhaven. It worried me that such a big camp was actively against Devlon. How many other camps agreed with Alistair? I swallowed imagining another war. My family barely survived the last one. It wasn’t something I wanted to relive any time soon. Knowing how many Illyrians had died against Hybern, I understood Devlon’s reluctance to act against Alistair. Simply put, there was no good solution for this problem.

With a signal from Devlon, we dove straight down, heading directly for a clearing in the forest. Zephyr’s wings were tucked in tight to his body. I leaned forward, my chest flush against his back, to keep the wind from whipping me in the face. At the last second, his wings extended and we slammed to the ground. Zephyr shook out his feathers as I righted myself on his back, my hand still grasping the edge of my dagger.

Markus stepped up next to Devlon as an Illyrian slowly sauntered towards our group. He was younger than Devlon, probably around Rhysand’s age. His long, dark hair, which flashed red in the morning light, brushed across his bulging biceps. Despite being shorter than Devlon, he was rather intimidating. He looked like one of those guys who would show off his strength by crushing an apple in one fist. He had a smug look plastered on his face as he stopped before Devlon.

Alistair’s eyes flickered over me but quickly snapped back as he assessed our group. I held his stare, hoping my rage wasn’t too apparent on my face. Zephyr let out a low growl at the male. Alistair’s eyes jumped to Zephyr and he inadvertently took a step backwards at the sight of the griffin.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted warriors, with bows drawn, emerging from the trees, surrounding us. I silently thanked Devlon for insisting on bringing so many warriors on this trip. It was clear we weren’t welcome here.

Alistair dipped low at the waist giving Devlon a mocking bow. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Commander,” Alistair spat, his voice echoed through the clearing.

“There have been reports your warriors have been clipping and dropping females at various camps throughout Illyria,” Devlon replied. His voice was even but I could tell he was restraining himself.

Alistair sneered at Devlon. “And what if they are?”

Markus bristled at the indifference in Alistair’s tone. “If they are, then you are disobeying direct orders from your commander which is punishable by death.”

Alistair smirked, clearly not bothered by Devlon’s threats. “You know I would believe you if you had the balls to reprimand me after your poor sister was attacked.” Markus’ hand instantly wrapped around the handle of his sword at the mention of Clio. “I suggest Lord Devlon, that you don’t start what you can’t finish.”

Devlon just stared at him. Then he grabbed Alistair by the front of his collar and slammed him into the ground. “I can, and will, kill you Alistair if you continue to hurt the females. So help me, I will raze this camp to the ground,” Devlon growled in his face.

Alistair let out a booming laugh. “Go ahead, kill me and plunge Illyria into a war of your own making.” Alistair’s laughing became more unhinged, until he was sputtering for breath. “You think you can save them but you’re wrong.” His eyes flicked to mine. “That bitch will be next. Mark my words, you won’t save this one.”

Devlon snarled in Alistair’s face. Then, he picked Alistair up and slammed him back into the ground. Devlon turned, walking back to Markus. “Pleasure seeing you again Devlon,” Alistair wheezed as he sat up. With a signal from Devlon we were airborne once more and heading back to safety.

Taglist: @mari-highladyof-feels @faith-vs-fears @elsie-bells@mutilatemyheart @eerievixen

[geek-girl7]

Protectors of Illyria

Pairing: Lord Devlon x OC/Reader!ArcheronSister

Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: tooth rotting fluff, swearing, one non-sexual use of the word daddy

A/N: Hi everyone! I shit you not this is 2k words of straight fluff. Like the pining has shot up to a 10. I know we all missed Devlon the last couple chapters but this chapter does not disappoint in the Devlon content. I hope you all love the fluff in this chapter. Hope you enjoy and let me know if you would like to be tagged! (taglist form also in bio)

Series Masterlist    Main Masterlist

Chapter 19

By the time I got Zephyr unsaddled and settled in his stall in Windhaven, I was starving and ready to fall into bed. My boots dragged across the ground, barely able to keep me standing. I grabbed a snack from one of the cupboards and slumped into a chair. I was raising the food to my mouth when a knock echoed through the house. A loud groan escaped my lips. Using the strength of my arms, I pulled myself out of the chair and walked to the door. Flinging the door open, I saw a flurry of movement before I was tackled to the ground. 

Something was licking me all over my face. A laugh left my throat as the licking hit a particularly ticklish spot on my face. “Cyrus down,” Devlon’s voice called as the dog was dragged off me. “Sorry Mira. I need to stop letting him tackle you,” he said as he stretched out a hand to help me off the floor. His other hand clasped firmly around Cyrus’ collar, keeping him sedate for the moment. 

I grasped his hand. Warm and slightly callused, just like I remembered. Devlon pulled me up, brushing his thumb over my palm before dropping my hand. I gestured to the couches as Devlon closed the door, following me into the house. I settled down with Cyrus next to me. “What’s up,” I asked. My brain was spinning thinking of all the reasons he could be here. Another attack by Alistair. Something happened to Clio. Rhysand butting his big head in.

Devlon’s voice pierced through the thoughts, “I thought maybe, after Velaris, you could use a cuddle.” Devlon rubbed the back of his neck. “With Cyrus of course.”

As if he knew he was there for cuddles, Cyrus flopped his head into my lap and rolled over for belly rubs, which I happily gave him. For awhile, we sat there in silence while I cuddled Cyrus.

Devlon lightly cleared his throat, bringing my attention back to him. “Can I ask how it went?” I nodded and recounted the past couple days. The thumping of Cyrus’ tail kept me grounded, unable to dwell on my fight with Rhysand. 

Devlon looked concerned when I finished telling him about my meeting with Rhysand. I wasn’t expecting where his concern was placed though. “Are you ok,” his asked, his voice gentle. My head snapped up at his question. Of all the things I thought he would ask once I finished, ‘are you ok’ was what I least expected. He leaned forward like he was ready to leap across the room if necessary.  Cyrus whined, shoving his giant head into my hands, demanding I resume petting him. 

I looked down finding Cyrus’ tongue lolling out of his mouth. I ran my hand over the soft, tan fur  on his neck. He turned his head and gently licked the inside of my wrist as his tail thumped against the couch. I heard a rustle from the other side of room and then warmth on my knee. “Mira,” Devlon whispered softly. I followed his hand up to meet his eyes. They pleaded with me to say something, anything. 

“I—,” my voice cracked. He brushed his thumb soothingly against my knee. I took a deep breath and said, “I don’t know.” He nodded. I reached down, grabbing his hand from its place on my knee. “But this,” I gestured with my other hand to him and Cyrus, “this helps.” 

He reached up, holding my hand between both of his. I gave them a gentle tug. “Do you mind,” I said. 

He responded by taking the empty spot next to me, wrapping his unoccupied arm around me, and pulling me back into his chest. “Take your time Mira. I’ll be here when you need me.” I sunk into his chest, letting his warmth surround me. 

“Cyrus,” I grumbled. “Cyrus stop.” The giant pup continued to slather my face in kisses. It wasn’t my usual way to wake up but it was better than some. A thunk sounded as Cyrus jumped off the bed and onto the floor. Following Cyrus downstairs, I found one of the blankets from my room neatly folded on the couch next to some pillows. After placing me in bed, Devlon must have stayed over on the couch. My heart skipped thinking of the massive Commander sleeping on the couch in case I needed to talk in the middle of the night. 

“Come on Cyrus. Let’s get ready and then we can find your daddy.” 10 minutes later, I stepped outside with Cyrus beside me to head for the training rings. Training was due to start soon so it made sense to just take Cyrus there instead of heading all the way to Devlon’s house. 

As I approached our usual training ring, I noticed a familiar head of black hair that shone with bits of blue in the sunlight. “Balthazar,” I yelled as I sprinted toward the Illyrian. It felt like ages since I’d last seen him, let alone in the training ring. Hearing me, Balthazar turned, a wide smile crossing his face as he opened his arms wide for a hug. I jumped into his waiting arms, throwing my arms around his neck. 

“I missed you,” I said. 

Balthazar squeezed me tighter. “I missed you too.” His voice was muffled by my hair but it didn’t matter, he was ok. 

“Ready to get your ass kicked today,” I asked after he set me down.

Balthazar scoffed. “I might ask you that question. While you were away, flitting around Illyria, I was here training.” I snorted as I bumped his hip with mine. It was good to have him joking around again.

 I noticed Vex heading in our direction, his sights set on Balthazar. I nodded towards him. “Were you training or flirting with a certain someone,” I said. Vex brushed past us, his eyes firmly rested on Balthazar. I’m pretty sure he didn’t even notice I was back, but that’s ok, it was cute seeing them so smitten. Vex stopped a couple feet away and began stretching. 

“Apparently, he’s had a thing for me since we entered training together, decades ago,” Balthazar whispered out of the side of his mouth. 

“Guess some good came out of that hunting trip after all,” I whispered back. 

Balthazar gave me knowing look. Cyrus let out a loud bark and sprinted away from us. “That’s not the only thing.” Balthazar nodded in the direction the large puppy was heading. Devlon was bent down placing a few loving pats on Cyrus’ head. 

My brows furrowed as I leaned back to look at Balthazar. “What the fuck does that mean,” I asked. There wasn’t anything going on between us, we just worked closely together because of our positions, nothing more. Even I knew that was a lie though. Last night wasn’t something that happened between co-workers. 

Balthazar shrugged, his wings raising with the motion. “Come on Mira. You hated each other and then you got hurt and now you’re going on trips together.”

“Those were purely business,” I scoffed. 

“Yeah so’s sharing a bed, I guess,” Balthazar mumbled, clearly not meaning for me to hear. 

I inhaled sharply. I never told Balthazar about the sleeping situation at Titan’s Peak. I pointed my finger at his face. “Who told you? It was Emerie, wasn’t it.”

Balthazar raised his hands in surrender. “She’s a fantastic warrior, terrible gossip.”

“Shit.” My hands covered my face hoping the ground would swallow me where I stood. 

Balthazar patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, she only told Vex and I. You know I won’t tell anyone and Vex is too awkward to engage in conversation with most fae,” Balthazar said. 

“Hey,” Vex’s voice yelled from behind us. “I mean, I know you’re right but still,” he grumbled. As we headed out for our run, Balthazar threw his arm around Vex, reassuring the male that he loved his awkwardness and found it endearing. 

Balthazar went through training like he had never been gravely injured and placed on bedrest for like two weeks. He easily kept up with Vex and I on the run and even took me to the ground during combat training. Unfortunately for me, training went rather poorly. You’d think since Feyre was such a gifted archer, some of that talent would rub off on me, but no. I was arguably the worst archer in the group, with my arrows constantly far from center, despite my best efforts. 

It all came to head when I lost my patience, unsheathed one of my daggers and threw it at the target, splitting one of the arrows directly down the middle. Unsheathing the other dagger, I threw it, hitting the center of the target. I stood there seething, my chest rising and falling rapidly, while Devlon dismissed the other warriors. Devlon walked up to my target, surveying the damage. 

“Nice aim. Unfortunately for you, we weren’t training with daggers today,” he said. His hands were clasped firmly behind his back as he turned to look at me. He wanted an explanation and he was going to wait until he got one. 

“I’ve been training with these stupid bows for months and yet I get worse with every arrow,” I said. 

Devlon walked toward me, picking my bow off the ground where I’d dropped it in a rage. He took an arrow from the quiver next to me and nocked it. One breath, in and out, was all it took for Devlon to bring the bow up, pull back the string and fire. He hit dead center. He turned and handed me the bow. “You’re a strong and talented warrior, Mira. But what you lack is control.”

I opened my mouth to retort but Devlon continued. “You learn quickly and excel at a rate faster than any Illyrian. As a result, you never learned when to take a step back and relax. Archery is about focus and precision. Skills I know you have, but ones you haven’t perfected,” he nodded towards the target. “Try again, but this time relax your posture and focus on the target, nothing else.” 

I grabbed an arrow from the bow and nocked it. I brought the bow up and pulled the string to the anchor point on my face. Focusing only on the target, I let out a deep breath and released the arrow. “Better,” Devlon said. He handed me another arrow. “Now, try again.”

I repeated the same process, pulling the arrow back. Before I could release the arrow, Devlon’s arms encircled mine. His face so close to mine that every breath he took rustled the hairs around it. Gently, he moved my hand on the bow to a higher placement. Then, he lifted my elbow to the correct position. He dropped his arms from around me, but stayed just as close. “Try now,” he whispered into my ear. His breath sent a shiver down my spine but I shook it off and focused on the target. I released a deep breath and let the arrow fly. With a satisfying thunk, the arrow embedded just right of center.  

I yelled and, without thinking, spun around to throw my arms over Devlon’s shoulders in a hug. Devlon didn’t hesitate to return the hug. I imagine this was what I missed when I fell asleep in his arms last night. It felt like wrapping the warmest most secure blanket around yourself. For the second time in less than a day, I felt my entire body relax as I slowly sunk into the warmth that was Devlon. As quickly as it happened, we let go of one another, each taking a step back. Devlon rubbed the back of his neck. “Nice shot,” he said with a smile. 

“Thanks,” I said. My face felt hot and I prayed I wasn’t obviously flushed. 

We both stood there for a few seconds not sure what to do. Devlon’s voice shattered the silence. “Well I should probably get going. Meetings to attend.” With a wave he turned and walked away. 

As I watched his retreating figure exit the training ring, I couldn’t help the, more than likely, idiotic grin that came over my face before I got back to training.

Taglist: @mari-highladyof-feels @faith-vs-fears @elsie-bells @mutilatemyheart @eerievixen @red-writer13 @readingwithshelley​

[geek-girl7]

Protectors of Illyria

Pairing: Lord Devlon x OC/Reader!ArcheronSister

Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.

Word Count: 1.7k

Warnings: Canon typical violence, swearing

A/N: Hello Everyone! hehe I finally got to write in Devlon's pov which was so much fun let me tell you. Sorry for leaving everyone on a cliffhanger last week but I hope this chapter and its surprises makes up for it. Anyway I hope everyone likes it I took some risks with the story in this chapter but I hope you like what I did. Well enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!!

Masterlist

Chapter 10

Devlon’s POV

3 deer. 4 rabbits. And an assortment of fish. All within the first hour of hunting. As per usual the warriors were proving themselves to be incredibly capable hunters. At this rate we could probably pack up and head home earlier than expected. Which was good because Clio was still visiting and she wasn’t too happy I’d left for a hunting trip. For a younger sister she was surprisingly bossy.

I stood before Nico and Felix, marking their kills, when I heard the flapping of wings approaching. I glanced in the direction of the noise expecting a couple hunters bringing in a fresh kill. My head whipped around again and my stomach dropped. Balthazar lay slack in Vex’s arms. I’d lived long enough to know an unconscious Illyria was an emergency.

Instantly I jumped into action. “What happened?” I demanded to know.

“Balthazar got quilled. He’s been out for roughly 30 minutes,” said Vex. He panted heavily, barely able to get the words out. Anti-venom only worked within 2 hours, after that the poison would take hold and it would only be a matter of time before someone succumbed to the toxin. We needed to act fast to keep Balthazar alive. The sooner he got help the better.

“Tristan,” I barked, shifting into commander mode. “Quickly, help Vex get Balthazar back to Windhaven. Take him straight to the healers.”

I spun to Nico and Felix. “You two bring everyone back in and start packing we leave as soon as possible.” The hunters nodded and took off to collect the other warriors.

“Vex—“ Fuck. Mira. Where was Mira? Giving Vex my deadliest look I asked, “Where is she?”

Vex’s face blanched. “Twenty miles south, near the stream. She was going to start heading back to camp. I swear, I wouldn’t have left if I didn’t need to.”

Vex was shaking in his boots. He knew he disobeyed my direct orders to watch over Mira and not leave her behind. “For your sake, Vex, she better be alive,” I said before I headed off in search of Mira. If she died it would bring the entire Night Court down on me and that’s the last thing I needed.

Mira’s POV

Wing’s rustled. A purring filled my ear. Then growling. My body was lifted off the soft, warm pillow. I’d been in these arms before, it was Devlon. I passed out again from the movement.

I swear if I woke up feeling like I was being watched one more time, I was going to flip my shit. The sound of pages turning and muffled yelling filled the room. I felt like I’d been slammed into the floor by Cassian during a training session. Focusing my eyes, I saw Nesta sitting beside me, the book she’d been reading now placed on my bedside table.

“You fully healed but you are gonna feel like shit for a bit, ok?” Typical Nesta, always to the point but I appreciated that about her.

“What happened,” I winced as I sat up fully.

“You had five claw marks down your back. The longest cut was 12 inches long and sliced through layers of skin and muscle. It took the healers almost eight hours to get you fully healed, and even then there was still some residual damage. Your body took things over after that.”

I nodded, flinching with the motion. The yelling got louder. “What is that?” I said.

Nesta rolled her eyes, “who do you think?”

I sprang out of bed grunting with the effort. Fae healing was bullshit. It closed the wounds but the pain remained. You looked healthy on the outside but on the inside you were suffering and no one could see it. “Mira, you shouldn’t,” Nesta started.

“Oh hush,” I cut her off as I stumbled downstairs, gripping the railing for support. Lord Devlon was on one side of the room. His face was stoic but annoyance simmered beneath the surface. Feyre and Cassian stood across from him, blaming him for my injuries. Rhysand stood, smirking, against the fireplace. From the tension in the room, this had been going on for awhile.

“She could have died. What did you leave her out there so you wouldn’t have to train her anymore,” Feyre yelled. Her eyes were wild and her face was flushed and rosey, a stark contrast to Cassian’s demeanor. Cassian’s gaze was deadly, laced with predatory intent. Like any moment he might lunge and beat the ever living crap out of Lord Devlon. Knowing Cassian he was probably imaging that exact scenario.

“I told you that if she came into any harm the repercussions would be severe. I could strip you of your position,” Cassian stated with the voice he only used when he was truly pissed off. Honestly, I’d never seen Feyre or Cassian so angry and that realization made me intervene.

I stepped into the room. “That’s enough!” I shouted, shooting a glare at my sister and Cassian. Feyre’s mouth dropped at my outburst. “If it wasn’t for Lord Devlon I would be dead. He got me out of there before I could bleed out,” I lowered my voice. “Anyways, it wasn’t his fault I was alone. Balthazar needed immediate care and that meant I needed to stay behind. So blame me if you really want to blame someone but not Lord Devlon.”

Feyre seemed slightly ashamed of her actions but Cassian looked like he still wanted to rip Lord Devlon apart. Nesta walked over to Cassian and gently placed her hand on his arm, reigning in his anger. Cassian’s face softened at her touch. All the anger disappeared from his eyes and was replaced by what could only be love.

Rhysand finally interjected, but not to thank Lord Devlon—god forbid Rhysand thanks an Illyrian for protecting a Night Court citizen. “Well it isn’t only Devlon you have to thank, Mira. The other one has been circling the house for hours,” Rhysand smirked.

“What?” I asked, completely confused. Rhysand simply nodded to the door as it opened. I rushed outside for the answer Rhysand was keeping from me.

“I don’t see anythi—,” before I could finish a large mass slammed down in front of me. I blinked. A griffin. A griffin stood in front of me. I’d thought they were a myth but the living, breathing griffin in front of me proved that thought wrong. From the amount of blood smeared on its talons and beak, I assumed it had been the one to kill the creature. I slowly approached it, lifting my hand. It leaned forward so my hand connected with its beak. I smiled and stroked its head. It leaned further into my hand and began to purr.

With my hand still firmly placed on the griffin’s beak, I turned to Rhysand, “I have no idea either. I already contacted Clotho. The priestesses are looking into it. But it appears that he’s bonded with you for whatever reason,” Rhysand answered my question before I could even ask.

“His name is Zephyr.” At my quizzical look Rhysand continued. “It appears that Zephyr has a higher sentience than most so I have a slight ability to converse with him, but it’s very limited.”

“He’s beautiful,” I said. Zephyr purred louder at my compliment.

“So what happens now?” I asked.

Lord Devlon stepped up. Zephyr eyed him but didn’t react. “Well, after the last two days I have a feeling he won’t be leaving your side for awhile. We have no stables so he will have to stay in the woods at the edge of camp,” Lord Devlon said.

Rhysand stepped forward and Zephyr let out a low growl. “I don’t think he likes you,” Cassian snickered.

“I don’t think he likes any of you,” I said. I smiled at Zephyr, who was, apparently, my new protector.

“He didn’t growl at Lord Devlon,” I whipped my head around to Nesta. She was smirking, assessing my face for emotions. I schooled my features. It was surprising that he let Lord Devlon so close without a peep after seeing how Zephyr reacted to everyone else.

Nesta’s eyes flicked to Lord Devlon. I knew that look. She was trying to make up her mind about him. On one hand, he treated her like shit when she came to Windhaven with Cassian. On the other hand, she seemed content with my explanation on the day’s events.

I tuned out as my family began to bicker about who Zephyr did and did not like. “How long was I out by the way?” I asked Lord Devlon.

“Two days,” Lord Devlon said quietly. “Your family arrived soon after I brought you back to Windhaven. Once you were stabilized, returned to the hunting camp. The warriors needed my help and I wanted to investigate the remains of the creature that attacked you. Zephyr didn’t leave me much to investigate though.” Zephyr loosed a huff at Lord Devlon’s words.

Silently, I thanked Zephyr for protecting me in those moments when I was laying unconscious and prone on the ground. In my soul I knew that Zephyr was the main reason I was alive today. He seemed to understand my thoughts because he nuzzled his head against mine, purring so loud his body vibrated with the sound.

I was brought out of my moment with Zephyr by the sound of the cabin door closing. Cassian probably complained about being hungry so they all went inside to eat. I stepped to Zephyr’s side, running my hands through the gray feathers on his neck. They stretched all the way to the juncture of his wings and body. From there, his body was covered in golden fur, including his tail. Unlike his front legs that ended in taloned feet, his back two legs ended in paws with sharp claws. His wings were huge, three times the size of the biggest Illyrian wings. They were covered in the same gray feathers as his neck except for the edges which were black.

Devlon silently watched the interaction between Zephyr and I.

“Thank you,” I said lowly. “You didn’t have to—,”

“Yes I did,” Lord Devlon insisted.

I shook my head. “No you didn’t. You could have simply told them I was dead before you got to me. So, thank you.”

Lord Devlon’s eyes flitted across my face. Then with a nod, he turned and left.

We knew with this event that there was a truce between us. Something had changed and I had a feeling it wouldn’t go back to the way it was. I still had questions, particularly where my sisters were concerned, but for now we were at peace.

taglist: @mari-highladyof-feels if you wanna be added just let me know!

[geek-girl7]

Protectors of Illyria

Pairing: Lord Devlon x OC/Reader!ArcheronSister

Summary: Mira Archeron’s life changed the day she was forced into the Cauldron. In order to find meaning in her new life, she becomes the Night Court’s emissary to Illyria while training to become a formidable warrior under the watchful eye of Lord Devlon.

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: discussion of wing clipping (this chapter provides history behind wing clipping I have marked the specific sections if you don't want to read)

A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry this take so long. Moving is the actual worst. Also I really struggled with this chapter. I wanted to provide an explanation behind wing clipping but I kept worrying with the way I wrote it. Hope you enjoy and let me know if you would like to be tagged! (taglist form also in bio)

Series Masterlist Main Masterlist

Chapter 18

“That sounds exactly like a scene from my most recent romance novel,” Gwyn squealed. I’d just finished telling Gwyn, Emerie and Nesta about my trip to Titan’s Peak. Apparently, Gwyn was thrilled about certain parts of my trip, particularly those that involved Devlon, me, and a bed. “See what happened was there was all this tension between them and when they showed up at the inn there was only one bed. It lead to them doing… stuff,” she giggled.

My face heated at the mention of ‘stuff’ which had definitely not happened. Just some light cuddling, that's all. “Well that’s not how the night ended at all,” I said.

Gwyn smiled at me, “well it could have.”

“Ladies, it appears you’re working out your mouths more than your bodies,” Cassian shouted from his spot on the other side of the room next to Azriel. Nesta made a rather rude hand gesture to him but began exercising as a broad smile crossed Cassian’s face at his mate’s brashness. We grumbled but followed Nesta’s lead and picked up our drills where we had left off.

Emerie’s face was a stark contrast to Gwyn’s. Any smile she had before was wiped away, replaced by a deep frown. Guilt shone in her eyes. “How did I not know,” she muttered more to herself than to us. My heart broke. She bore guilt for actions that weren’t her own and it wasn’t fair.

Apparently, Nesta felt the same because she reached over patting Emerie on the back. “It isn’t your fault Em. What you’re doing is amazing and they love your training. Never doubt what you’re doing for a second.”

I nodded my head. “Nesta’s right. I’ve seen how happy everyone is during training. If they didn’t want to train they wouldn’t be there, but they are,” I said in an attempt to quell Emerie’s racing thoughts. “Hopefully, Devlon will hand Alistair his ass soon.”

A snort sounded across the room. Azriel stood staring at me shaking his head. “Something you’d like to say Shadowsinger,” I asked tersely.

“You put too much faith in him, Mira.”

I leveled a glare at Azriel. I realized there was bad blood between Devlon and the Inner Circle, but I was getting sick of it. “Maybe give him a chance for once and he might surprise you,” I said. Azriel just scoffed and turned back to help the other priestesses with their training.

Gwyn nudged me, pulling my attention from the Shadowsinger. “Ignore him,” she muttered. “He’s been grumpy all week.”

Training wrapped up with shortly afterwards and I walked with Gwyn and the other priestesses up to the library. I had research to do before I headed back to Windhaven later that day. Hearing Clio speak about various Illyrian heroes had piqued my interest and I was ravenous for more information. Clotho directed me toward a lower portion of the library where the texts for my research were located. Titles barely peeked through the layers of grime on each book, making them close to unreadable. Illyrian History. Tales of Old Illyria. Warriors of Illyria. Each tome covered a different aspect of Illyrian history. I quickly pulled out the book, Tales of Old Illyria, and found many of the stories Clio described on the tower in Titan’s Peak. Continuing to read, I noticed many of the details in the stories differed from what Clio told me. I flipped back to the front of the book looking for any information on the book or author.

Underneath the title was the name A. Tiretes with the inscription, “Researcher of the lesser fae.” I scoffed, slamming the book shut and placing it back on the shelf. It amazed me that high fae complained about other fae being lesser than them but used them as the main fighting force in their armies.

I pulled out the book Illyrian History, making sure to check the author before reading further. Castor Ectorius. I hesitated. That name, it was so familiar but I couldn’t quite place it. Then I remembered my conversation with Devlon after visiting Balthazar. Castor was the name of Balthazar’s father and one of Devlon’s closest advisors.

Wondering if it was the same Castor, I flipped to the dedication page. In bold lettering were the words, “For Balthazar and Phoebe.” It wasn’t exactly groundbreaking news but it was interesting to learn that Balthazar’s father was a renowned scholar of Illyrian history. Made a lot of sense that Devlon held him in such high regard. For the second time in one week, it struck me how poorly everyone represented the Illyrians. Markus’ words echoed through my mind. Clearly, the Illyrians weren’t mindless grunts, that much was obvious. They had their own culture that went beyond fighting, but the fae insisted on classifying them only as warriors with no purpose beyond warfare. The difference between what other fae thought of the Illyrians and who the Illyrians actually were had never been clearer.

Hefting the book into my arms, I made my way up to the top of the library. Clotho nodded when I asked if I could borrow the book for awhile. Based on the dust covering it, no one needed it anytime soon. Hurrying back to my room at the House of Wind, I curled up in an armchair across from the fire, scouring the book for information. A cup of tea and some cookies appeared a few hours in, the house always kept a good eye on me when I was home.

(Stop reading)

I was munching on my third cookie when a section stalled my hand as it brought the cookie to my mouth. The entire chapter was about wing-clipping, from the process to how the cuts impacted the ability to fly. This particular section focused on the history behind it. Castor wrote that “wing-clipping was a result of the takeover of Illyria by the Night Court. During the early years of Night Court rule, many Illyrian children were orphaned when their parents were forced to take part in Night Court’s battles. The Illyrians had effectively become expendable cannon fodder. Seeing the decimation in their communities, the Illyrians fought back against Night Court rule. The Night Court retaliated, hard. To keep the Illyrians in line, the High Lord decided to clip the wings of female Illyrians as punishment for any Illyrian stepping out of line. Eventually, the punishment was twisted by certain Illyrians in an effort to make females subservient to males. The practice has become highly discouraged by some Illyrian leaders but still persists in various camps throughout Illyria.”

(Start reading)

I brought the cookie to my mouth but found my hand empty when it reached my lips. Peaking over the edge of the book, I found it in pieces on the floor. I fell back into the chair, slowly closing the book and curling myself around it. The passage was settling in. Each second felt like an eternity. It felt different being in Velaris knowing the Night Court weaponized the Illyrian's love for one another and turned it into a punishment. Did the Inner Circle know the reasoning behind wing-clipping? Or did they ignore it to undermine the Illyrians? I’d spent months in Windhaven but no one ever said anything.

“Shit,” I yelled. The sun was high in the sky but would start setting within the next few hours. I needed to get going if I wanted to get back to Windhaven before darkness fell. My feet slid down the hall as I turned into the dining room. Nesta and Cassian were just sitting down to lunch but their attention turned to my panting form, a bag slung over my shoulder.

“Leaving,” Cassian asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. I nodded, still trying to catch my breath. “Well make sure you come back soon. We’ve missed you.”

Nesta got up to give me a parting hug. “Stay safe Mira. I don’t want to be summoned because of a life threatening emergency again,” she whispered in my ear.

I chuckled. Unlike what everyone thought, Nesta had motherly tendencies and always worried about me. “I’ll try not to get hurt again but I make no promises.”

With a hug to Cassian, I saddled Zephyr and began the journey back to Windhaven. Once, going to Windhaven felt like walking into the lion’s den. Now, it felt like I was leaving the lion’s den and heading to shelter.

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