Chapter 2

I couldn't believe I had ventured out that far away from home. I ended up in Prythian, and was captured by fae soldiers. I had heard stories of this place but never thought I'd get the chance to visit. My life so far had consisted of nothing exciting and all of a sudden, today, I end up being chased by some unknown men and held in a cell by some faeries. I didn't know what to do in this situation, but it had to be better than getting caught by those other soldiers. The people of Prythian had come to an agreement with the humans since the wall dividing human and fae had broken due to the war against Hybern. Considering this, I should be okay with them, right? They would have to let me go since I did nothing wrong.

The soldier approached her but left the door behind him open. He didn't see me as a threat, this was good.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Aurora Raine. Please you have to hel-"

"Why were those men chasing you? Who are they?" He asked me sternly cutting me off before I could explain the situation. I wanted to say that I had nothing to do with those men, but words were becoming hard to form on my tongue. I felt pretty intimidated and scared but he didn't seem to notice or care how nervous I felt. I looked down, my long brown hair, probably a complete mess now, covering my face. My hair band must have broken off during my run in the woods.

"I- I don't know… I was just running some errands and they came out of nowhere and trapped me." I said as quickly as I could and stumbled over my words. I felt extremely nervous, I've never been put in a situation like this. I'd been training how to survive in the wilderness and fight enemies, but I'd never been taught how to talk to people and stand up for myself. I tried to think of why anyone would be chasing me, I didn't own anything of value, I had nothing to steal… I looked up at the soldier questioning me and he stared directly at me with his piercing blue eyes.

"Are you working with them? You're probably trying to trick us."

"No!" Putting my hands up in protest, "I swear, I don't know who they are. Please you have to believe me…"

He thought I was working with them, trying to trick my way into the land of fae. There had been rumors of human groups that would sneak their way into the fae lands to steal jewels and kill other fae. Those humans were still against the fae because of what they had done to our kind in the past. My heart started beating fast, I started to panic, he didn't trust me. They'll keep me locked up in this place and I'll never be able to leave. I'll die in this cell. All these worst-case scenarios were running through my head. I had to think of something else to convince him I'm innocent… A memory came to me in that moment. I remembered an old friend I had made a long time ago when visiting the town. I had heard stories of this friend getting captured and taken into Prythian, but overtime she made a life for herself here and people talk of her saving the world during the war. She had to try and convince this man to speak with her… Maybe she could help.

Some footsteps approached from outside.

"High Lord," the soldier bowed and held his fist over his heart, towards the man as he entered the room. I felt a spark when I saw him enter the room. This man literally took my breath away, he was handsome. He was tall with tanned skin and a warrior's build honed to perfection over several hundred years. His long golden hair lay messily around his face, framing his deep green eyes that seemed to glitter with gold.

"Commander Varun, has she said anything?" The High Lord asked the soldier but never taking his gaze away from me,

"Nothing useful, High Lord, she-"

I snapped out of the trance I was in and blurted out,

"I wish to speak with Feyre Archeron."

Both of their faces turned to complete shock and surprise. If this man was the High Lord of this place, he would have the authority to fulfill my request.

The man with the golden hair approached me and stared deep into my eyes,

"You know Feyre?"

His voice was smooth, but there was both confusion and alarm in his voice. I tried my best to stand my ground and keep my voice firm. I kept my head high, crossed my arms around my chest and replied,

"Yes. She can vouch for me."

"Very well then." And with that the man disappeared, the soldier exiting the cell and closing the door behind him. I hoped deep down that she would remember me, it had been a long time since they'd seen each other. She could tell them that I was no threat, that they should let me go. So, I waited in the dark cell, sitting down on the straw floor for what felt like hours. My adrenaline dwindling and sleepiness finding me, my eyes grew heavy, I found a corner in the room that was dry and sat down while I waited.

Feyre was hanging out in the town house when she got word of the surprise visit. Cassian storming in from the front door, panting heavily. He must have flown here quickly. Feyre stood up from the armchair she was sitting on and Rhys sitting across from her doing the same.

"What is it?" She said to Cassian.

Cassian steadied himself against the frame of the door, catching his breath for a second, he replied,

"Tamlin is here"

Rhys swiftly got to Feyre's side. Tamlin and Feyre were on good terms, but him showing up unannounced was not normal.

"Did he say why?" Rhys asked

"He just said he needs to speak with Feyre."

Rhys turned to Feyre, holding onto her and staring deeply into her eyes, this was his way of asking her if she's okay with it. With a slight nod of her head, they instantly winnowed to the House of Wind where Tamlin was waiting for them.

Mor and Amren were already there keeping an eye on Tamlin while they waited for Feyre and Rhys to get here. Feyre hastily approached Tamlin.

"What do you want?" Feyre asked as soon as they appeared in the room with Tamlin. Her question coming out a little bit more annoyed than it probably should have.

"A human girl crossed our border and she asked to speak with you." Tamlin said with a slightly annoyed voice, he seemed like he didn't want to be there as much as Feyre didn't want him there. This had to be important then.

"She asked for Feyre specifically?" Rhys asked getting closer to his High Lady and putting his arm around her waist.

"She claims her name is Aurora Raine."

Feyre almost staggered back. She hadn't heard that name in years. This girl she had met back in her human village years ago before she was taken to Prythian, and they had become good friends.

You know this girl? Rhys asked her down their bond. Looking at her deeply in her eyes, sensing that she was feeling a lot of emotions. Feyre was still stunned, so many thoughts were running through her head. Was she okay? She had to know. She took a step away from Rhys and went closer to Tamlin.

"She's an old friend…" Responded to Rhys' question without looking at him but never taking her eyes off of Tamlin to make sure there was no lie in his words. But he wouldn't have known of her, Feyre had never talked about this friend to anyone, since Aurora had requested their friendship to be secret. She turned to her mate,

"I need to see her." She reached her hand out towards her mate and he grabbed her hand and without question, they all winnowed back to the Spring Court.

I felt like I was sitting in the dark for hours. My eyes had become accustomed to the darkness so when the door flung open the bright light of the sun hurt my eyes and it took a moment for my vision to clear.

At the door, my old friend was staring back at me and a moment later I was engulfed in a hug.

"I can't believe it's you," Feyre said and let go of me and held onto my shoulders tightly and look straight to my eyes as if to confirm I was real, "what are you doing here?" She looked different than I remembered, more beautiful and taller and her ears... they were pointed like the fae.

"I-… I was being chased by some soldiers, I don't know who they were, and I ended up here." I said as quickly as I could without taking a breath, "One of his soldiers," I nodded towards the blond man, "took me here and locked me up."

Feyre let go of me and turned to the supposed High Lord, "Let her go." She said to him very sternly.

The High Lord instantly moved from the doorway and moved his hand in a way of showing the way out. Feyre grabbed my hand tightly and directed me outside of the stable house.

We stood in front of that magnificent manor and had some catching up to do. We were followed by the group of faeries that accompanied Feyre when she came here. Rhysand was her mate and had made her High Lady of the night court, which explained why the High Lord of this court listened to her when she requested to let me go. There was also the guard that questioned me, Commander Varun, who was a fae from the summer court, they were assisting the spring court for border patrols. And then there was Tamlin, who stood further away from everyone else. Feyre told me her whole story about when she came to Prythian, the whole ordeal with Amarantha and how she became fae, and even her history with Tamlin, the High Lord of the spring court.

"You should come with me to Velaris, my home." Feyre tells me grabbing onto my hands and showing a huge smile on her face. "You'll be safe there, and that way you can rest a bit."

From the corner of my eye, I could notice Tamlin staring at me and I felt a little flutter when our eyes locked. I felt my face flush a little and quickly took my eyes away from his and looked back at Feyre, "I'd love too."

This place seemed so magical and my blood just screamed for adventure, so I wanted to see the different parts of this world. I also needed some rest and had some catching up to do with an old friend. My whole life had been too simple and now I could finally experience something great. Amatheia would be worried for a little while but I wasn't going to miss this opportunity to explore.

Feyre was ready to leave the spring court and as soon as Aurora agreed to come with her, she tells Rhys that it is time to go. Feyre approached Tamlin first,

"Thank you, for coming to me." She said to him. Feyre noticed he seemed to be staring at her friend quite intently, like he was worried for her. He seemed to have been on his best behavior and was making an effort to be nice.

"You're welcome." He replied, finally taking his eyes away from Aurora. And that's when Feyre observed something in him. She looked to her mate and sensed that he saw the same thing in Tamlin's eyes. Did you see that? She said down the bond to her mate. He nodded slightly confirming that they both suspected something.

They all said their goodbyes and Feyre tells him that they will be leaving right away so that Aurora could get some rest. She takes Aurora's hand and they all winnow back to Velaris.

Back at the small home in Velaris, Feyre let Aurora settle for a few minutes, since winnowing for the first time would be quite a shock to her. But only a few moments went by before everyone in the cottage began introducing themselves to Aurora. That's when Feyre took a moment to speak with her mate.

"You noticed that spark in his eyes, didn't you?" she asked. Keeping her voice low so that no one else in the room could hear them; especially not Aurora. If their suspicions were wrong then she didn't have to know.

"Like almost a bond being snapped in place." Rhys replied confirming her suspicions, "I noticed it in her eyes too, like she sensed something when she stared at him."

"But that's not possible, you said that mortals can't sense the bond. I didn't notice it with you." She looked towards Aurora, noticing how happy she seemed and seeing herself in her friend when she first met everyone in the night court. If there was indeed a bond between them, would Tamlin treat her the same way Feyre was treated. She worried for Aurora and what her future would hold.