It was early morning when the group finally made it to their respected homes. Aelin had received a text from Wesley. Arobynn had bought the story that Wesley had fabricated which meant that she had some time to think and plan her next move.

She said good night to Aedion and went into her room; she hadn't even changed before she collapsed on the bed and drifted off into a nightmare filled sleep.

When Aelin finally awoke she was gasping for breath and sweat poured down her the back of her neck and down her spine as she sat up and looked around her surroundings, she took a deep breath to calm herself and looked at her alarm clock it was almost midday. She crawled out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown and slipped on her slippers. She slipped out of her bedroom and made her way to the hallway when she heard hushed voices, it sounded like Aedion and Rowan.

She stopped short of the end of the hallway and stood listening, she knew she shouldn't be eavesdropping but she couldn't help it.

"I still can't believe how much she's been through. I don't know how to even look at her now. I should have done more." Aedion was sitting at the dining room table with Rowan, Rowan had turned up for Aelin for their date but when Aedion had told him she was still asleep they both thought it might be a good idea to let her sleep. The date could wait her health was more important especially with the way she worked herself last night.

"She's family Aedion, you won't see her any differently, and she is still Aelin, we have all changed in the last 10 years. She's just had to grow up in a different way to us." Rowan put his hand on Aedion's shoulder he knew that his friend was struggling with what Aelin had divulged the night before, hell even he didn't know what to say about it.

"Yeah but how are we meant to help her, we don't know what this man is capable of. I just don't want her to feel like she is shouldering it all on her own, she's already worrying about all of us. I guess I'm worried about losing her again." Aedion sighed and put his head in his hands, hearing Aedion's words Aelin's heart swelled any thoughts she did have of leaving were instantly dispelled.

She silently made her way back to her room and open and closed the door loudly to announce she was up and then she made her way to the kitchen, the coffee was already made she poured herself a cup no one said a word as she made her way over to the two men who were nursing their coffees, she kissed Rowan on the cheek and sat next to Aedion.

"Morning or should I say afternoon. Why didn't one of you wake me?" She asked after a sip of coffee, she felt a little guilty for not saying anything about the conversation she had over herd but she thought it best not to mention it.

"We thought you could do with the lie in." Aedion smiled at her as she leaned back in her chair and stretched,

"Well I'm going to have this and go for a run; you two care to join me?" She asked as she braided her hair and took another sip of coffee.

"You shouldn't over do it" Aedion looked at her his face was full of concern, Rowan was nodding in agreement.

"I suppose old age will do that to you." Aelin smiled at the two men as she got up to return to her room. When she reappeared she was clad in some workout clothes her phone in one hand and headphones in the other.

"If you two old men don't want to come join me then I suggest you two clean up here, this place is a pig sty." She smiled sorting out her playlist as she went to the front door and pulled on her shoes.

"Aren't you forgetting something, like our date?" Rowan shouted across to her.

"Oh we still have time, but as I won't be able to train because of my hands I still need to be active" Aelin said with indifference and then she was gone.

Aedion looked around the apartment she was right this place was a mess; he stretched his arms over his head and got up.

"So where are you two going for your date?" He asked Rowan, who was still nursing a steaming cup of coffee,

"Well I'll admit I asked Lysandra for some help and she suggested the aquarium then to the fun fair which is being held just outside of Rifthold." Rowan answered rubbing his hands over his face then he looked down his arm prodding his tattoo.

"But before we do that I need to go to the tattoo parlour to book an appointment." He said more to himself then to Aedion, who had stopped what he was doing to look at him.

"If my cousin comes home with a tattoo, I'm holding you personally responsible, what you having done?" He said as he continued to do the dishes,

"Just some more to my sleeve I have been meaning to get it finished, but I haven't had the time to go in and see Ren, speaking of Ren where is he, he hasn't been at the gym for a while and he wasn't at the friendly either." Rowan finished prodding his tattoo and looked up at Aedion, who seemed to be thinking,

"I heard his dad didn't want him fighting anymore so he packed it in, when you see him ask him. Could you do me a favour and take all these books and put them in Aelin's room, she'll go nuts if they get ruined." Aedion said nodding to a stack of books on the kitchen counter. Rowan did as he was asked

Aelin's room was a total death trap, books and clothes were strewn all over her bed and floor, cosmetics were scattered all over her dresser more clothes were falling out of her closet and her chest of draws, he could smell Lavender it was subtle not over powering. He placed the books down on the bed as was about to leave when the bedroom door flew open.

"What are you doing in here?" Aelin asked she wasn't angry just shocked to find Rowan in her bedroom, her hands instantly went to her hips which made Rowan smile at her, she hadn't been gone all that long but her face was red and there was a gleam of sweat covering her body, which her crop top showed of perfectly. Rowan drank in the sight of her, as she stood waiting for his answer.

"Well now we are dating I thought I should get to know you better." He said sarcastically,

"Mmmmm, well do you mind if you get to know me better in the living room so I can go shower and change, where are we going?" She said walking deeper into her room.

Rowan knew he could have fun with this; he crossed his arms and leaned against the bed,

"Tattoo parlour, then I don't really have anything planned." He shrugged his shoulders as Aelin whipped round to look at him,

"Then how do I know what to wear?" She whined, a devilish grin crossed Rowans face. She walked over to Rowan and put her hands on his chest and looked up at him,

"Don't even think about it." He said knowing full well what she was about to do, he put his arms around her waist and pulled her into him, he could feel her warmth through his clothes and rested his chin on the top of her head so he didn't have to see those damn puppy dog eyes she used so well.

"Well if you're going to be like that go wait for me with Aedion, I won't be long I promise." She pried herself away from him and continued to fish through her clothes looking for things to wear. Rowan chuckled to himself as he did as he was told and joined Aedion in the front room; he sat on the couch with his friend to watch some programme Aedion had thrown on the TV.