Hello all,

The time frame might be just a bit wonky, but let's just go with it alright?

Towards the very end of KOA, there is a part where the fae males of the court 'sniff the air and grin' after Aelin says something about 'training the next generation of magic users'. Or something along those lines. A page later she blushes about having kids with Rowan so…. I haven't seen anyone talking about it, but I am convinced that means she pregnant. So, I'm taking that and running with it! Even though she will be pregnant in the story, I would love to know if you think that I'm reading too much into it or if you agree with me.

Check out pages 949/950 of KOA for what I'm talking about!

Thanks always for the love and support!

Happy reading,

Court

Chapter 14: Osprey

Elide:

It took a while for everyone to leave Orynth. I had made several trips to Perranth and back during that time. It was King Dorian, Yrene, and Chaol who left last, saying the longest goodbyes, even though they would move closest.

The road of rebuilding would be difficult. There was no money, and no one to loan it either. Adarlan had no money to gift back, the witches had done something with it, no one knew, not even Manon. Tough many of the witches had flown off, not willing to follow Manon, and likely those missing witches had the money.

I walked the castle and city battlements as often as I could. It was important for me to see that the bodies were gone, the blood washed away. It was important to remember too. I also marked spots in need of repair.

Aedion would have done it, but he was busy with wedding preparations, and a hundred court things that I couldn't help with. Lorcan might have been teaching me to read, but it was a slow process, and legal letters were not where to start.

The big news, Aelin told me before she even hinted to the others. I didn't have a prenatural sense of smell, but for a week Aelin had been pregnant, and told not a soul, but me. She had been waiting for them to ask, to smell it and ask. Apparently Chaol's wife, Yrene had thrown that off quite a bit.

It was exciting. It was a new beginning.

"My wife." Lorcan said, coming from behind me.

"My husband." I answered back, leaning into his arms. It was still very, very cold.

He breathed in my scent, our scent now. "Any daring plans for tonight?"

"None I can think of. Dinner, with everyone." I amended. Standing with a brilliant view of the Staghorns.

"Do you see that?" Lorcan asked a note of worry in his voice, that set me looking for the thing. He pointed at a white speck soaring straight at us.

"A bird." I clapped his arm.

"Vaughan." Lorcan murmured. "Go, go get Rowan and Fenrys, or Aedion. Aelin if she'll come." He pushed me from him and towards the stairs, with a sharp voice.

I ran down the stairs, taking them as fast as my ankle would allow. I swung up onto a horse that was parked nearby, a little thing. Only the little horses survived the war, the larger ones were broken on the battle field.

The clopping of hooves on the stone road echoed in my mind until the castle proper came racing up to meet me.

A groom took my reins, but I shouted to the guards on the top step, they could run faster than I could. "Fetch King Rowan, and Fenrys. Now."

I would wait here. Likely they weren't in the same places.

"What's wrong?" one asked.

"Nothing you can help with unfortunately." I raised my chin. I didn't need to broadcast that there was a potentially hostile and powerful high Fae coming here.

"Will you be needing your horse again, milady?" The groom asked, tentatively.

"Mostly likely." I said evenly. Either I would or Aelin.

The groom took several steps away despite my information. "I will stand over there so as to not overhear."

"Thank you." I said without looking over at him. Rowan and Fenrys had to know there was a threat, quickly.

"Elide?" Rowan asked, turning from his hawk form. I hadn't even seen him.

"Vaughan is at the battlements, Lorcan saw him and sent for you and anyone who isn't busy." I said quickly.

Rowan crossed his arms, shifting his weight and gaze towards the battlements. "Is he hostile?"

"I left before he got close. I think we would know if they were fighting though." I informed him. Fenrys bounded towards us, in wolf form. Rowan sent more guards in for Aelin to be brought to the battlements. He would want her to decide about to do with him.

Then he and Fenrys took off towards Lorcan. I had the groom fetch Aelin's horse.

She could easily walk to the battlements, but I could not. She would want to ride with me.

…

They were arguing when we pulled the horses to a stop. We hadn't ridden with much speed. On Aelin's suggestion.

Rowan would likely just kill Vaughan if she came near and he was still a threat.

Indeed, all of his weapons had been discarded on the ground, far from his reach.

"You are?" Aelin asked, lazy, snarky.

The male stood straighter, taller. He was taller than Lorcan. "Vaughan, former blood sworn to Maeve."

"Where have you been?" She asked without concern.

"In the north." He still studied her.

"Where in the north?" She met his gaze for the first time.

Vaughan seemed to huff a breath, exasperated or annoyed. "There are no names where I was."

"Fine, what were you doing in the North?" Aelin amended.

"I was staying at a manor house," He paused, then, "with the girl I love."

Fenrys crossed his arms, and went on the attack. "You were so far north there were no towns, but you were in a manor house?"

"I was told it was very expensive. I was also told it built when Adarlan started testing its power, as an escape house." Vaughan then took to analyzing me. Lorcan growled just a bit.

"Alright, I accept that. Who is this manor owner?" Aelin asked with a wave her hand. She was acting bored, annoyed, cold.

Vaughan crossed his arms in response to her seeming indifference. "I was asked to only tell Lady Elide Lochan."

"Why?" Several of us asked at once.

Vaughan lifted his hands up to show he didn't quite understand. His lover had asked for this though, not him.

I narrowed my eyes. "A game of identities."

"Surprise I think." He corrected, then leveled a look at me. "I have a letter, for you to read, but only you."

I extended my hand. He reached into his tunic. It was a pretty blue. The letter was a little crumpled. The seal was in prefect shape. I knew it immediately.

The shock turned my voice cold. "Where did you get this?"

"What is it?" Lorcan asked, peering over my shoulder. He wouldn't recognize it, though.

"The owner of the manor gave it to me." Vaughan crossed his arms.

"That's not possible." There was no way. There was no way she was alive, no way she was his mate, even if he hadn't said the word it must be true. There was no way the cadre matched up with us ladies like that. I took a step away from the others. I broke the seal, careful to leave it intact as much as possible.

Elide,

I know what you're thinking, how are you alive?

Well the fire was fake. The manor Vaughan talks of is real. It's real and you all were supposed to be here. More than just me waits for you here. Please, please convince them to join me in the north, I swear you will not regret it. I told Vaughan little about our game of surprises, but I would love it if you could convince to come north without telling them why. Good luck!

With all my love,

Holly

I couldn't read every word for certain. It took me much longer than I intended, but the seal was right. Holly had drawn a horse right next to her signature, what she used to do on all her lessons until the tutors smacked her hands for it. The only time she was ever punished. Even if she did plenty things as devious as Aelin.

"Aelin, I know you've been quite stressed, how about a trip north." I asked after I finished it a second time.

"You want me to just drop everything and go north." She looked between Vaughan and me.

"I swear, you won't regret it." I brandished the letter, but didn't let her read it.

"I'll have to leave Aedion in charge then." She sighed, more to herself.

"No!" I said far too quickly. "He has to come as well."

Aelin raised a brow.

"Everyone has to come." I clarified.

"Not lord Darrow." She moaned.

I shook my head. "No, Ren, Aedion, you, me, Ravi, and Sol."

The names where telling ,but it was what Holly wanted. "Why?" Aelin asked.

"Can't tell you." I tucked the letter away for emphasize.

"Elide, now is not the best time," She started but I cut her off.

"Now is the perfect time, you aren't far enough into your pregnancy for that to be an issue, you have sent out the initial orders to begin construction, the snows are melting, and you have to go Suria for that event. Go north from there, and we only have to stay a few days. Plus, you want to get out of the castle. And it give the decorators more time get the living quarters-"

"Alright, we can go." She flashed me a grin, hidden from the others. She needed to get out of here, even I had to convince her to actually go. A crown was another sort of shackle and she needed a break. Holly's return would solve a lot of problems, she would the last vote we needed when it was split, and she would have been studying more than the rest had an opportunity to.