We landed on the upper steps before a massive house. Mansion would probably describe it better. It looked like it was carved out of a mountain. Behind me there was at least a thousand steps leading up to the house. I couldn't imagine how long it would take to climb those stairs.

They flying had been… Well, I was glad to feel the earth under my feet again. I promised myself to never try that again. I hadn't, however, been scared that my ride would drop me. Some part of me had told me to trust him even though I would have expected every nerve in my body screaming at his touch. He was nothing but muscle underneath his leathers. Why was I not more afraid?

Only now that we had landed did I have time to notice that I was extremely nauseous. Partly from the flying, but also from strong sweet smell from Azriel - as the others had called him. I immediately stepped several steps back. I had to get away from the scent. His eyes were on me the entire time, clearly studying my every move. He was clearly not as convinced of my purpose for being here as the High Lord had been. But his face revealed nothing to confirm this.

Then, to my left, the High Lord landed with the High Lady in his arms. I shuddered with surprise. Apparently, he could summon wings - as he had not had them minutes ago. He put his mate down and let one arm stay at her side as he looked at me with a smirk on his mouth. "Welcome to the House of Wind," he said. "For good measures, do note that you cannot winnow out of here. The only exit or entrance is by these stairs or by flying."

Winnowing? I remembered that my teachers had once tried to teach me, but I never learned it before my mother had stopped my schooling. So, if I were to leave, I would have to climb down the stairs. I simply nodded as reply, returning my gaze from the High Lord to the house before me.

"We can fix up a room for you here if you'd like," the High Lady said to me with warmth. Not the same hint of fear and hatred as earlier when she had just seen my eyes. "But first, you need to eat. You look like someone who hasn't eaten for weeks. Follow me." She walked out of the High Lord's grasp and walked towards the grand entrance.

At the sound of food, my stomach growled. I had forgot how hungry I was. "Thank you, High Lady," I said with a dry, hoarse voice and followed her hesitantly. I could sense that Azriel's eyes were still on me and it made me uncomfortable along with his scent that still lingered in the air. I speeded my steps, desperate to leave his gaze, and entered the House of Wind.

My eyes went big as I took it all it. It was gigantic and richly decorated. Obviously fitting for a High Lord and Lady. "Please, call me Feyre. And my mate is Rhysand," she said in front of my, grinning at my expression. She didn't let me stay in the foyer before she guided me upstairs. At the top of the stairs, we entered a room decorated with similar wealth. And in the middle of the room, the was a big table surrounded by chairs that was shaped in an odd way. Feyre waved her hand and a grand feast appeared on the table. I let out a moan at the sight. I had lived off on scraps from taverns and petty plants from the woods, neither had filled my stomach. And even before that, I had never seen so much food. And the smell… I could have sworn that I was dreaming. "Sit down and eat. You must be famished," Feyre said as she invited me to a chair.

I accepted her invite and sat down. A plate appeared before me and before Feyre as she sat down next to me. She filled her plate with food before us and with a nod from her, I mirrored her. With my plate full, I tasted the food and another moan escaped my mouth. It was like no other food I had tasted - at least not for many years. In my cell, I had only been served plane bread and sometimes a soup. Just enough to keep me alive and not too weakened. "How long were you Under the Mountain?" Feyre asked with wary eyes. I could sense a slight terror in her voice as she spoke.

I figured that she meant the mountain that my mother had kept me trapped in. I did not know that place had a name. I swallowed my food before answering. "I arrived with my mother. I had no way to measure time so I don't know how long I was there. I was never out of my cell."

Feyre looked at me with sadness. I shifted in my seat and looked down. I did not want her to pity me. From what I'd heard, she'd been through much worse. She probably envied me for never leaving my cell. "You must have been down there for at least 50 years then," she said. "How did you survive all those years?"

50 years. I swallowed. That was more than half my life. Anger flushed up in me - directed at my mother, that cruel beast that had took away so many years from me and restricted me to that cold and dark cell. Behind me were footsteps and I looked over my shoulder to see the source of them. Rhysand and Azriel had entered the room. The former with a smile on his face and the latter, like before, expressionless.

"Sorry to interrupt," Rhysand said as he walked over to take a seat next to Feyre. Azriel did not follow him. Instead, he stood in the corner, almost blending in as a shadow. "Is the food good?" He began shoveling food on his own plate that had just appeared.

"Yes, thank you," I replied and took another bite. I could already feel my body relaxing, not feeling as tense as before, as my stomach welcomed the food. We sat in silence for some moments. Feyre's question from moments before still lingered between us, unanswered. Had I even survived? I had not felt very alive all those years Under the Mountain. It was only when I was freed that a hope had risen in me. Something worth living for. And she was seated right in front of me. I almost couldn't believe it. Maybe I was still in the woods and dreaming of this place.

Rhysand interrupted the silence. "I'm sorry, again, that I was so brutal when I entered your mind. It's no excuse, but your eyes don't particular remind me of something good." I looked down again, kept my eyes to myself. I was not proud of who they originated from. "But no-one chooses their parents. I know that. So, I'm sorry." I would never have expected to hear such words from a High Lord. My teachers had described High Lords as cunning and royal-like - not as apologizing, somewhat friendly people. I met his eyes again and nodded as a thank you.

Suddenly, a loud yell pierced through the air. "Rhysand!" The voice almost like a roar. I couldn't figure out who it might be. An enemy of the High Lord? It didn't seem unfriendly, however. Then, another winged male entered the room. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but he seemed even larger than Azriel. But on his face was a large grin. "Oh, there you are. When are we going to Rita's?" The male was tan and dark shoulder-length hair. He, like the rest of them, was very beautiful. He was wearing seven stones that glowed with a bright red light. Then, his eyes curiously caught mine. "Who's the new girl?"

"Cassian, meet Iris. Iris, meet Cassian," Rhysand said with a similar grin on his face. They were very good friends as I could depict. Cassian walked towards a seat of the table and smiled greatly at me as he sat down. He waited for further explanation. "She caused a rather big turmoil in the mountains by Hewn City. She's here to serve my Feyre darling, apparently."

Cassian, in the same way that Rhysand had, shoveled a huge amount of food on a plate and dug in. "Serve her?" he asked with his mouth full of food.

Rhysand nodded, a wary eye on me. "Yes. She claims to be Amarantha's daughter," he said. He was just about to say more when he was interrupted.

"WHAT?!" Cassian roared, his eyes now furious at me and back to Rhysand. He had choked on his food as Rhysand had said those words. I looked nervously at the winged male. I hated this. "You let Amarantha's daughter here in Velaris?"

Rhysand sent Cassian a look that told him to calm down. "Yes, I did. She was tortured by Amarantha just like, or perhaps more than, many others. She is a guest here and you will treat her as such." Rhysand's words were strong, like an order. Rhysand spoke to me next. "Cassian means well. He is in charge of my armies and a childhood friend of mine. Now, I do not believe that you will be able to hold down any more food without throwing it up, Iris. Or any more winged males," he laughed. Cassian had shut his mouth and shifted his focus to his food. I noticed now why the chairs were in a weird shape. They were built to fit wings. I wondered how many other people in this court had wings. I nodded. Since I hadn't had a proper meal for a very long time, my stomach was not accustomed and eating any more food would probably upset it. Rhysand stood up. "Let me show you to your room."

I stood up, too. Our half-eaten plates disappeared with a wave of his hands and he held of a hand, signaling me to follow him as he walked towards a hall. I followed him down the hall before stopping in front of a door. "This will be your room. If you need anything, don't be shy to call me," Rhysand said kindly.

"Thank you," I said with gratitude. I opened the door and saw a large room. Inside, a large bed resided. I went inside and let my fingers touch the soft fabric. It was nothing like that tiny mattress in my cell from Under the Mountain. Rhysand was standing in the doorway as I looked back at him.

"I'll leave you to yourself, then. Rest well," he said and closed the door. I was alone. From a life mostly spent in captivity, I was not used to that many people around me. Even though some had been more wary than others, I felt welcome here. I continued my inspection of the room. Beside the large bed there was a dresser and across the room, an entrance to another room. I went in to find a bathing room.

I couldn't remember the last time I had bathed. Probably weeks ago, in some lake in the woods. Looking down at my arms, I could hardly depict my skin color from layers of dirt. I looked over my shoulder, making sure I was still alone. Then, I stripped down and went into the bath that was already filled with warm water - as if it had expected for me to need a bath.

It was good to get clean. I could have stayed in that bathtub forever, I thought to myself. Were it not for that bed in the next room. I did, however, stay in the bath until the water got cold. Then I got up and dried myself with a towel next to the bathtub. I walked over to the mirror in the room and I studied the reflection. I had always been thin, but the past months had left me looking like a skeleton. I could hardly recognize myself. My eyes were sunken in with no light or life in them and my lips were thin and dry. My bones poked through my skin several places on my body. My long silvery blonde hair hung wet around my backside. My stomach was bloated from the meal. I turned away and walked in the bedroom again. I suddenly felt very naked again as I noticed the grand window. It showed me a city, beaming with life. And the sky full of stars. It had somehow gotten dark since I arrived.

With a promise to inspect the view further later with more clothes on, I went over to the dresser and pulled out a sleeping gown. I didn't, however, make it back to the window, before I passed out on the bed with the taste of the feast still on my lips and the scent of shadows in my nose.