Rowan POV

Once Aelin was reassured that everything would be fine, she took out her dagger. I gently touched her arm and took the blade from her.

"Use mine," I said as I sliced through my own palm. It reminded me of when we realized we were carranam, when I gave her every ounce of my power. She looked at me with eyes full of gratitude, and not just for the blood, as she started drawing the wyrdmarks for the portal. It was a series of loops and whirls and I wondered if she'd ever teach it to me. I marveled at the sight of her sure hands, capable of doing so many things, create these intricate marks,

After she finished, she stepped back and wiped the blood off of my hand with the sleeve of her suit. The cut had already healed. We stepped through the portal together and had somehow ended up in each other's arms when we emerged on the threshold of our own home. I immediately looked to Aelin and scooped up her hair as she vomited into the bushes. I sent more wind blowing her way to cool her off. Despite the situation, I smiled realizing the cause of this situation. I tried to conjure up an image of what our child would look like. He or she would be too smart for it's own good. It will be the best warrior in it's generation, Aelin and I would make sure of that. It would be smart, cunning, loyal, loving, clever, tricky, fast, and I'd realized I was just listing off characteristics I loved about Aelin. I'd also realized that I was calling our child it.

When she stood back up, suddenly composed, I asked, "are we going to tell Aedion now or later?"

"Tell me what?" Aedion chimed. Gavriel's son came running out of the house and when he saw the vomit in the bush, he stopped short. "That was my favorite bush," he murmured. I rolled my eyes, who had a favorite bush?

"Aedion, I have something to ask of you," Aelin said cautiously, while simultaneously rolling her eyes, "and you're not going to like it."

He eyed her with suspicion and asked, "Should we go inside for this?" He looked to me worriedly, and I nodded slowly. Aedion can be aloof sometimes, but at least he knew when to be serious.

We all went into our too familiar house and sat on the large couch. This was the first thing we made when we settled in Terrassen, a house for our inner court. Of course, they were free to live on their own, but something bonded everyone together, Aelin bonded everyone together. I took her hand and pulled her closer.

Aedion asked, "what's going on?" I could tell he was nervous, by the way he didn't throw himself on the furniture like he usually did.

"Is the army stable enough to mobilize?" Aelin said right off the bat, getting straight to the point.

It took Aedion by surprise and he stuttered before a second before he said, "We've had months to train, so of course we're ready for anything, but we're not as good as we can get," he said it convincingly, but I could hear the underlying worry in his voice. Maybe he thought Aelin didn't trust his abilities.

"My daughter was captured, Aedion, and we need your army to get her back and defeat the tyrant that holds her," I told him, trying to explain the situation.

"You have a daughter?" Aedion exclaimed, immediately looking to Aelin. He genuinely looked hurt. Despite the situation Aelin laughed. She explained to him all that we learned in Velaris to catch him up to speed. Once Aelin had finished a much shortened version of the past events that took place in our short while in the other world, Aedion let out a puff of breath.

"You are the leader of the army, not me. So if you think you are not ready…" Aelin trailed off, but I saw the pure desperation in her eyes. My heart swelled massively. She was doing this for me, for my daughter that I had with another woman, my mate. The fact that she didn't refuse out of jealousy right away made me realize how much I didn't deserve her.

He looked to me then to Aelin then back at me and said with a smirk, "when do we leave, your highness?" He said it teasingly, but I knew he meant it sincerely. I hadn't doubted that he would help us, he was always doing whatever he could for Aelin. He was probably prolonging his acceptance to her plea, he always has a thing for dramatics.

"Early in the morning, but we'll need help strategizing. Aelin and I are going to pay a visit to our favorite king," I said and smiled at Aelin. I had been thinking about inviting Dorian to help us for a while; I knew Aelin missed her old friend.

"Well then what are we waiting for? Aedion, you get the troops ready so that we can leave right when we get back," Aelin said in that queen voice that I'd come to love. This is how she was different from Maeve. Maeve ruled in a way that was only beneficial to her. Aelin ruled from her heart, and while it could be dangerous at times, she had us to balance her out. We had a family in Terrassen, something I never had had in centuries.

"I'll have them ready before you know it. Say hello to dear Dorian for me," Aedion said with another one of his smirks. Aelin looked at me, amusement dancing in her eyes. Aedion and Dorian never really got a long.

"Thank you, Aedion," I said, trying to put every ounce of sincerity in my voice. "I do not take what you do lightly."

"Don't thank me, Rowan. Thank her," Aedion said jerking his head towards Aelin. He was already walking outside, most likely towards his horse.

"Ready?" I asked Aelin once we got outside.

"Ready," she replied, with a smile that was so breathtaking, it struck me dumb every time I'd realized it was meant for me.