A/N: Once again, a huge thank you to my Inner Circle (my Beta's, Yasnah and Infernas81), for all their help and advice.

Chapter 4

CASSIAN POV

Well, that was an interesting morning. I could hear Nesta chewing out her legion as I made my way with Feyre and Sterd to Sterd's office. I did not want to be in their barracks right now.

We got to Sterd's office and he opened the door and stepped back without going in. Feyre just walked straight past him with no acknowledgment and settled herself on his side of the desk. I took up my customary place just behind her chair. Sterd stood in front of her, looking unsure of himself for once.

"Explain," was all she said, staring at Sterd with a look that made him pale; so Sterd stood there and peddled plenty of excuses for his failings. "Enough," she demanded, when she'd heard his excuses. "Your responsibilities as a Camp Lord are clear, if you can't perform your role then I will find someone else to take over. Fancy a new job Cassian?" she asked me.

Sterd blanched. If she removed him from his post he'd be put into a legion.

"Nah, I like fighting too much," I told Feyre honestly.

"Pity. Now Sterd, tell me why I didn't see many females training."

He blundered on and on with reason after excuse for not having many. Feyre wasn't having any of it, and demanded he up the numbers before the next Blood Rite. She insisted he send her a list with the names of all the females who entered training and the ones wo were ready for the Blood Rite. After she'd issued this demand she sent him out.

I sat down on the desk facing her, inwardly groaning at the loud crack that came from it. Feyre chuckled.

"We can go back to Velaris tonight, if you want, and come back tomorrow, seeing as that idiot didn't sort anything out for you bar a basic tent." Feyre shook her head. I thought about it. "How about if I get them to put up Rhys' command tent?"

"No!" She answered so quickly and with such passion that I couldn't stop looking at her, waiting for her to elaborate. She sighed, defeated. "I swore the last time I was in that tent I wouldn't sleep in it again. The last time was just after Hybern, just after….you know." Now I felt guilty as I could see the tears fall down her face. I didn't think about the fact that the last time was just after Rhys had died and been resurrected. I knelt down next to her and took her hands and properly looked at her. She was still broken from all that had happened – and it was a lot – and she was trying to hide it. "Feyre, you don't have to talk to me, or even Rhys, but I think you need to talk to someone. Az would be good, you and he have become closer. If not any of us, Madja might be an idea, or even one of the Camp Mother's. All of them would keep your confidence."

She gave me a smile, "I'm fine, thanks Cass."

She wasn't. I knew she wasn't. She knew she wasn't. Now it was a case of making her accept it and open up.

Our afternoon was spent with watching Nesta drill her legion. Watching her shouting and screaming at a bunch of seasoned Warriors – and watching them quake at her wrath – was messing with my head. I had a wanton need of her. I suspect that she felt something, as several times she glanced across the training ring at me, her eyes narrowed. Feyre noticed Nesta's continued stares, and decided to leave her to it, as she obviously had everything in hand.

We walked around the camp, checking out the training, and meeting the females who worked as laundresses, seamstresses and nursemaids. The fledglings flocked to Feyre, who had great pleasure greeting them all, and it was great to see her looking so happy.

Feyre refused again to go back to home for the night, or even to Devlon's camp, insisting she'd stay with the other pregnant females. I eventually persuaded her – on account of her safety, but also of pissing off Sterd – to bed down in his office. Nesta noticed a package on Sterd's desk, and upon opening it she found that Nuala had gotten Feyre's maternity leathers sorted, something that brought whoops of joy.

Despite mine and Nesta's best efforts, Feyre was up until the early hours going over camp reports and fell asleep at the desk. In the morning, it took some effort to get them both up and ready, Nesta flipping vulgar gestures at me.

We were just walking to breakfast when Feyre stopped and gasped.

"Feyre…?" Nesta asked uncertainly. When she didn't respond I looked at her and thought it looked like she was communicating with Rhys. I held a finger up to Nesta in a gesture for her to wait. A minute later Feyre blinked.

"CAMP, FALL IN!" she shouted, striding to the centre of the camp. Nesta and I looked at each other and rushed to follow her.

"Feyre, what's going on?" I tried to ask. She didn't say anything, seemingly concentrating on getting herself to the dais as quickly as possible. "Feyre!" I said, with more force, the general in me coming out.

"Rhys just got word; the Hewn City is under attack. Rhys and Az are winnowing a legion from Devlon's camp and the rest are readying to fly as we speak. Amren is in Velaris and is strengthening the shields. Mor will be here as soon as she's secured Elain. As soon as we've given out our orders to leave, she's going to winnow us back to Velaris. Rhys wants you with me Cass, I'm sorry."

I can't deny that I wasn't pissed off that Az was going to fight and I wasn't, but it was my job right now to be Feyre's guard – to keep her safe – and that is what I was going to do. "What's Rhys' plan?"

"He wants our legion plus one other to head to Velaris and the other is to patrol around this area of the Illyrian Steppes. The other legions at the other camps will also be patrolling Night and checking the borders." I nodded; the plan sounded solid enough.

Feyre gave out her orders and the legions readied to mobilise. Mor winnowed in just as we'd finished. She was also wearing her fighting leathers.

"Ready to go?" she asked, holding her arm out for us to grab. "I'm dropping you three off at the townhouse then I'm going to sort out the legions outside."

"No, we're going to the outskirts too," Feyre told her.

"Ummm," Mor started to say.

"Morrigan!" Feyre snapped.

"Yes, High Lady," Mor said, eyes downcast that her best friend had pulled rank.

As we arrived, I noticed Mor brush a hand across her eyes, then she turned to face us, with a steely determination. "Orders?" She asked Feyre.

Feyre's face fell and her shoulders slumped forwards a little. She reached her hand forward, to put it on Mor's arm, but Mor pulled it away. Feyre looked hurt, and she pulled her right sleeve up. "See this?" she said, pointing to the middle band of the three that were tattooed around her wrist. I'd seen it before, but never asked her what it was for. "This is a bargain between me and Rhys. Neither of us can bear to experience the other dying again, so this is so that when one goes, we both go."

"WHAT?!" It was nice to see Mor and Nesta sharing my thoughts on the matter.

"I don't want to get into it now," she said, rolling her sleeve back down, "I wanted to show you, so you knew that no matter where I am, if anything should happen to Rhys, then it won't matter how protected I am, I'll follow. That's why I'm not going to sit twiddling my thumbs at home. I'm not stupid, I know I have this little one to protect, and I promise I will be careful." She looked at all three of us in turn. "I love you all, and I know you love me and I also know you want to ask about this," she pointed to the now covered up tattoo, "so, let's defend our home, then we can talk after. Right then, Mor, Nesta, you two will command the legions, Cassian and I will be go-betweens, between you two, Amren and Lucien." We all nodded. "Take care of yourselves, and we'll meet at home later."

RHYS POV

Azriel's spies had warned us that a small team from Autumn had crossed the border and headed straight to the Hewn City whilst we were at Devlon's camp. I immediately got the legions prepped to leave, and Azriel and myself winnowed a legion straight to the Court of Nightmares.

We got there to find the Darkbringer Legion engaged at the entrance to the Hewn City with the Autumn army.

"Az, recon," I ordered as I dived down to the ground. Azriel winnowed away.

I slammed to the ground at the side of the Darkbringers, my Illyrian legion landing behind me, creating a barricade to the great doors. I studied the soldiers before me, it was too small of a force to be effective for anything major, which meant these were a…diversion. Shit!

Az, check the dungeons, I told him through the mind link.

I then contacted the others to tell them to keep their wits about them, as something else would happen. I was dismayed to find out that Feyre had decided to go out into Velaris rather than go back to the house, but I knew that Cassian would stick by her like glue, and against my better judgement, I forced myself to keep my mind focused on the threat, but I did send a message down our bond telling her to be safe.

The bastards broke in a back way and got Eris out, came Azriel's response.

Damn. I sent out a search team, but I didn't hold out much hope, they'd have winnowed him out as soon as they were past the wards. All I could hope for now was that Eris would remember that he was supposed to be allied with Night.

The Illyrians and Darkbringers made short work of the Autumn Court soldiers, and I felt angry that Beron had sent them on something akin to a suicide mission, all to free his son, whilst he would be sat safely back in Autumn.

Azriel joined me outside the Hewn City, looking rather pissed at himself. He was ticked off that he didn't know this attack was coming. I clapped him on the shoulder, "you can't catch 'em all Az." His despondent shrug told me that he was going to chew this over for some time yet.

We spent an hour combing the area for any sign of Eris or the soldiers who'd infiltrated the Court of Nightmares, but came up with a blank. I repaired and fortified the wards and shields, to hopefully better prepare against another attack. We'd gotten word that nothing had happened anywhere else in Night, so I set the legions to checking Night Court and guarding the borders.

Satisfied that we'd done all we could for now, Azriel and I left for home.

MOR POV

I'd spent a couple of hours outside the wards of Velaris with Nesta, watching and waiting for a potential attack. It was a relief when Rhys gave the all clear and we were able to return home. I wanted to try and get to Feyre before the rest of the family; I wanted a heads-up on why she could do something so stupid.

Nesta and I made our way to the townhouse in silence. We got in to find Elain and Amren sat in the lounge, waiting for the rest of us.

"Anyone else back yet?" I asked them.

"Just you two," Amren answered, without looking up from her book. "The others are on their way."

Nesta went to the drinks cabinet and poured two glasses of wine, passing one to me and she sat on the sofa next to Elain. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, sighing.

"Nesta…." Elain hesitantly asked.

"I'm ok, just tired. It's been a long two days." Then Nesta surprised me by adding, "and I'm trying to figure out what to do with Feyre and that mate of hers."

This statement made Amren look up from her book. "What about them?"

"It seems they made a bargain with the best of intentions, but it's bloody stupid if you ask me," I told her.

"You're referring to their mutual death pact?" Amren said, looking to her book once again.

"Yes!" I threw my arms up, exasperated at her lack of interest, but then I realised something, "you knew?!"

"Of course, I knew. It's my job to know these things."

"And you didn't think to say anything?" I all but shrieked at her.

Sighing, she shut her book and gave me her full attention. "Morrigan," she began gently, "Rhysand is his own person, as is Feyre, and I will not presume to tell them what to do with their lives," I scoffed at this, and she glared at me, so I instantly shut up, so she could continue. "Many years before Amarantha, Rhys feared that if anything happened to him before he had an Heir, that Keir would take over his place as High Lord, so he took steps to name an Heir until he had his own children. Feyre knows about this and agreed to it after Hybern."

"The naming of an Heir is not what I'm getting at Amren," I ranted, pacing the floor.

"Then what's wrong Mor?" Elain asked carefully.

"You don't have a problem with your sister dying just because her mate dies?" I shouted at her and Elain flinched. Nesta sat up and made to put Elain behind her, to hide her from my indignation.

"Mor," Amren warned, the Fire Drake still visible in her eyes.

"What about their child, Amren?" I shouted in her face, not giving a shit about the consequences. "If Rhys…..if Rhys died tomorrow, he'd take Feyre and their baby with him. And….and then if they had the baby, they'd leave a child without either of them." I couldn't stop the tears or the sobs that wracked through me. I sat awkwardly on the floor and felt arms around me, and I knew it was Elain, and I sobbed harder, for that sweet girl comforting me even when I'd shouted at her.

I struggled to calm myself, when a voice instantly broke through my sobs. "I'll admit we didn't think about children when we made our pact." Rhys stated.

I looked up to see Rhys and Cassian stood in the doorway, and I could hear awkward footsteps going up the stairs. They'd heard me. They'd heard me and Feyre had gotten upset and fled, Azriel no doubt following her. I looked at Rhys, and I could see that he was pissed off, distraught and resigned.

I opened my mouth, but Rhys just shook his head to me. He then looked to Amren, "Amren, you ok to deal?" He circled with finger around, meaning me. She gave him a curt nod and he turned to face the stairs. He rubbed the palms of his hands over his face and looked up the stairs. We could all hear Feyre crying her heart out. Rhys took a deep breath before heading up the stairs.

I couldn't take it anymore, I'd ruined everything. In my worry about losing my best friend and my cousin together – and losing their child as well or their child being left an orphan – I'd ruined everything. Feyre was upset and Rhys was pissed off; and both were rightly so. I scrambled out of Elain's embrace and headed to the front door, my tears obscuring my vision.

Cassian reached out to stop me, but I heard Amren call, "leave her," as I left the house. I headed towards the stairs for the House of Wind. I would climb every one of those steps, and each would be a punishment for what I'd unwittingly afflicted on those I loved the most.