2

#

Well, some things don't change. She chuckled as she was perched on a high tree branch watching the mansion. She couldn't help but slip the note in the book. Poor little High Lord, indeed. It seemed like Eris hasn't changed much since the last time she spoke with him. Gods, that must have been over three hundred years ago. She knew it would happen, but it still hurt that he didn't recognize her. A small part hoped there was even a tiny bit that would remember her. All those damned curses. She knew the brothers would never remember her, even though they weren't cursed. Maybe she needed to try Lucien. If she knew where to gods damned find him.

The first time she saw Eris again in a while was a few months ago, she had slipped in the mansion then. He and his brothers were in the dining room having dinner. It was easy to find, the mansion was still the same even after three hundred years. She had rustled the curtains on purpose to see if anyone would notice. Eris had looked, even it was only for a second.

She followed him out into the woods after that. Heard the wind and trees whisper the family name like it did all those years ago. She walked past him, knowing where he would go and climbed in his favourite Red Oak tree. She hung upside down, her lips close to his ear when she whispered his name. The look on his face nearly made her burst out laughing. She hopped from one tree to another before a giggle escaped her.

Distracting and taking out the guards went even easier than she expected. She didn't need to really; with her gifts she could have just slipped past them without any of them noticing. She was called The Ghost for a reason. But seeing Eris's stunned face when he called for his guards a few minutes later, was totally worth it.

She had been in contact with the High Lord himself for the past months. That's why she was here. She had a meeting with him in a few days but couldn't help but torment his son first. She couldn't wait to see his reaction when he saw her with his father.

Beron. She grew up with him. She knew about his ways of ruling, about his cruelty towards... everyone. But especially towards his wife and Lucien. Gods, how she had missed them. She hoped to see them both soon. She had lived at the Autumn Court until her 167th birthday before she got in her line of work. Her gifts were... unique. The last one she knew that had the same gifts was a Fae female that lived over a thousand years ago. Maybe, once upon a time, there were more like her, but not now. And because of those gifts, she was in high demand. She wasn't constricted to one Court. She was a hired gun, so to speak. She has been hired by almost every Court in Prythian and well beyond those lands. Lands most of the people here had never set a foot on. It wasn't the first time Beron asked for her assistance, but it was the first time he invited her back to his home.

When the three annoying younger brothers came outside, walking towards a fighting pit, she rolled her eyes and went on her way. She would see them all soon enough.

#

For her meeting with Beron, she chose a different attire then her fighting leathers. She opted for a thin silk dress, showing just the tip of her tattoo between her breasts. She loved to let the people guessing. A slit went to her thigh and the small straps on her shoulder barely held the dress together. But that was the point. Other than Beron, maybe Eris, that would depend on if Beron would share his intel with his heir, he didn't the last time. But other than Beron, nobody knew who or what she was. And she would like to keep it that way. Let them all think she's a weak, fragile female. Whose only thoughts are about pretty dresses and finding a Mate. She snorted at the last one as she strode to the front gates. She didn't want a Mate and she made sure it wouldn't happen. Not many know it, but there are ways to block out the pull or the click to ones Mate. She found a way a few years after she left the Autumn Court. Witches who lived on the Mortal lands made her a potion. Maybe she had crossed her Mate already, maybe not. But she didn't like to be bound to a male or female. She liked her freedom too much. Her freedom to travel without needing to leave one behind, liked her freedom to fuck whoever and whenever she wanted. She grew bored easily. She had Fae's, Mortals, Witches. Wraiths, Water-Wraiths, Urisk, you name it. She didn't want to be tied down by a Fae or Mortal Mate. Because once the bond is there, even not official, there would always be a pull. And she wasn't having any of that. Let the others all deal with it. Not her.

Her hair was loose on her back, her high heels clicked on the cobblestones as she reached the front gate.

"Good morning." She offered the guards a dazzling smile. She remembered that those were the guards that she had knocked unconscious a few days earlier. "I have a meeting with his High Lord."

The two guards looked her over, their eyes resting a second longer on her breasts before finding her face again. "Name?" The younger one asked. He had a buzzcut, a viper earring dangling from his left ear.

"You can call me Edora."

"Edora..." He waited for a last name.

"Edora is just fine." She said. It wasn't even her real name. When people talked about her, about her expertise, they called her The Ghost. But whenever she had to meet a potential client for a job, she always chose for a different name. It wasn't because of her job, because once she had an assignment, she was called The Ghost. But due to the same curse that made Eris forget about her, she couldn't remember her own name. For over three hundred years, she had been nameless.

The two guards checked a list they had in their little hut before giving her a nod and opened the gates soundlessly.

"Do you want me to escort you to his High Lord?" The second guard asked. He had shoulder length brown hair, dark hazel eyes.

"That's very kind of you, but I'll manage." She offered him a sweet smile. "Besides now you can enjoy the view from the back." She winked and turned around. She felt their eyes on her until she disappeared behind the large double doors. Another guard was stationed just inside the mansion, but it was Beron's second who waited for her.

"Lady Edora." He bowed slightly. "The High Lord is waiting for you in the dining room."

She raised a single eyebrow. "The dining room? Doesn't he want to speak with me privately?"

"He will, but he wants you to see the family."

She took him in. He had short hair, a shade lighter than hers. His hazel eyes were kind as he smiled. "You remember me?"

"I do." He gave a slow nod. "It's been a while, Trouble."

She couldn't help but chuckle. "It has indeed, Luk." She said before she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in for a hug. The nickname Trouble was giving to her by Lucien and Eris's mother, the Lady Lirone. Saying she was the one to always get her sons into trouble.

He offered her his arm and she took it with a smile as he guided her through the house. "I heard you have been stirring trouble around here."

"Me?" She asked in mock shock. Putting her free hand against her chest. "I would never."

Luk's lips twisted upwards. "Haven't changed a bit, have you?"

"Do I need to?"

"No." He shook his head, still smiling. "No, you don't." They turned another corner. "How's work?"

"Busy." She said. Lkc didn't ask any further, knowing she couldn't tell him anything anyway. They stopped in front of the closed doors of the dining room. He squeezed her arm that was looped through his.

"Don't make Eris suffer too much." She just shot him a toothy grin. She had seen Eris and his brother a few days ago, but still being here officially, it made her nervous. Luk felt her fingers shake and squeezed them softly. "You will be fine. Lady Lirone will be over the moon to see you again."

"Thanks." She offered him a small smile. She just hoped Beron wouldn't punish her for being happy, even if it was for only a short time. She knew about Lady Lirone and the High Lord of the Day Court. She had an inkling of whose Lucien biological father was, but never dared to ask the Lady Lirone the direct question. Even though they had a close bond once. Luk pushed the door open to the dining room.

She looked to the seat on the head of the table first, the High Lord was sitting there going over several different papers. The Lady Lirone wasn't there yet. But Eris and his brothers were. None of them looked up when they stepped into the room.

"High Lord." Luk bowed. "The Lady Edora has arrived."

Beron looked up. Recognition filled his eyes, but he didn't smile or showed any sign of affection. Beron could be a gruesome, terrible Fae Male, but for some reason he always treated her kindly. Maybe that was because he didn't have any daughters of his own and she had been in this house since she was born. Maybe it was because she was the daughter of his general that got killed during a heavy battle and he felt an ounce of remorse. Who knows. Luk gave her arm one last squeeze before departing.

"You." Beron said, tone void of emotion.

"Me." She grinned. She let go of Luc's arm and walked over. She could feel the eyes of Beron's sons on her now. She knew Eris hadn't looked up from whatever he was doing, because he wouldn't have stayed quiet if he did. "Beron." She said, leaning against a chair and the eyes of Tark, Paxton and Micah widened at her informal greeting. "Hello, boys."

Their eyes shot from her to their father and back in unison. They took her in, from her feet to the flowers tucked in her hair, and just like the guards at the front, their eyes lingered on her breasts, but longer than a few seconds.

"Do we know you?" Micah asked slowly.

"Because I wouldn't mind knowing you." Tark winked.

"We have met." She said shortly. She heard a goblet fall to the ground and looked to Eris. A shocked expression spread across his face; his face filled with rage.

"YOU!"

"Me." She repeated with a smirk. "Hi, poor little High Lord."

"You two know each other?" Tark asked, already a predatory look on his face.

"That is the woman who broke into our house a few days ago. The woman that took out two guards and bypassed you three drunk idiots." His hand was drifting to his knife. She grinned.

"Have you been wandering around the house again?" Beron asked. Like everyone else, he didn't remember my name and instead of calling me whatever name I provided at that point, he didn't use them.

"Just once." She shrugged, still standing behind the table. "Eris wasn't a fan."

"Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on?!" Eris snarled. But before she or Beron could answer, the Lady Lirone walked in the room. Her grim face brightened when she saw her.

"Troublemaker!" She walked over quickly but elegantly before wrapping her in her arms.

"Lady Lirone." She whispered as she buried her face in her shoulder. "Gods, I've missed you."

"Me too, Trouble. Me too." When she pulled back, she quickly wiped her tears away. She took her by the arm and sat down, dragging Ghost with her. When Beron spoke, Lady Lirone's face went grim again. I squeezed her hand under the table.

"She was once a Lady of our Court before she went off to do..." He stopped for a moment. "Her business." He wasn't allowed to say anything about her gifts, like she wasn't allowed to talk about the assignments. "I lied to you." He said to her. She stiffened. "I didn't call for you for an assignment. I found out more about the curse that was inflicted on you and my son."

"Curse?"

"What son?"

"I still don't know who she is." The three younger brothers said at the same time. Ghost glanced to Eris. He was frowning as he looked at his father.

"About three centuries ago, she and Eris were cursed. She and Eris had been close friends when they were young."

"Lucien." Lady Lirone whispered.

"What?" Beron snapped. Lady Lirone made herself smaller in her chair.

"Eris, me and Lucien." Ghost said more confidently than she felt. The moment he mentioned the curse, something inside of her tightened. "We three were friends."

He ignored the mention of Lucien and continued. "They had been friends and -" Beron looked to Eris. "Do you remember Ellopé?"

"The daughter of the Emissary?" Eris blinked. "She left the Autumn Court about-" He looked to Ghost.

"She was banished from the Autumn Court after she put a curse the two of you."

Lady Lirone had straightened up in her chair as she looked to her eldest son. "Ellopé was always jealous of your friendship, even though nothing ever happened between you two. She was afraid it might, and she felt that she deserved to become your wife and rule besides you once you became the High Lord. So, she cursed you."

Eris's eyes slid over to Ghost's. "She remembers me." He said with a nudge of his head, his eyes void of anything.

"The curse hit each of you differently. You wouldn't remember her at all, while everyone would forget her name. Even herself."

"You don't know your name?" Eris asked sceptically.

"I don't. I haven't known it for over three hundred years." She turned to the other sons. "You don't remember me because we didn't spend much time together. Besides, by the way you three hop on females and males, it would surprise me you know who you fucked just the day before."

Tark grin went feral. "How do you know about our nightly activities?"

Ghost glanced at Beron, who nodded. "At one point in my life, that was my job."

Tark blinked, then the grin came back. "Maybe I should show you personally what I'm capable of."

"I haven't been impressed by what I saw, so my guess is it didn't get any better." Tark bristled. Paxton and Micah couldn't help but laugh, even Eris's lips twitched. She turned to Beron. "I don't know why you called me here, Beron."

They stopped laughing, glancing between her and their father again. Still shocked at her calling him by his name. So casual, so informal.

"I've told you many years ago, you don't need to find a way to break the curse."

"Why not?" The heir asked.

She turned to Eris. "Does it restrict you from living, not knowing me? Does the curse hold you back?" The smallest shake of his head. "It's the same for me, it even comes in handy in my line of work."

"And that is?"

She winked but didn't say anything. She turned back to Beron. "So, I appreciate it, but it isn't necessary."

Lady Lirone took her hand in hers. She met her gaze. "A name is not just a name, Trouble."

Ghost smiled a little sadly. "It is. I've been choosing my name for a long time now. And every time I come to a new place, I can try out a new one. It's my own type of freedom."

"A name is who you are. It is how your parents named you. It is how my sons used to call you when you played hide and seek." She winked. "How they called after you as you ran inside the woods when it was pitch dark. I really wish I remembered your name, Trouble." She said softly.

She could feel Eris' eyes on them. But she turned to Beron. "How? If it takes a long time or it involves killing someone, I'm out. I have assignments waiting for me."

"I've visited many witches over the past centuries. And there was one thing that always came back." Beron looked to Eris. "You are the way to break the curse."

"Me?" He asked dully. His finger tracing lines over his book.

"The curse will break once you remember her name."

Ghost stood up, gathering everyone's attention. "Well, that settles it then. Since he doesn't remember me, he will never remember my name." She patted her silk dress down. "This night has been... interesting. Thank you for inviting me but I'll be taking my leave."

Lady Lirone eyes widened in panic. Ghost leaned down to hug her. "I'm going to visit Lucien." She whispered. "I will come by after the visit." Her hands grabbed hers tighter. She straightened up again. "Until next time, High Lord." She bowed a little for Beron and without waiting for an answer, she walked out the dining room.

#

What the fuck?! Did that all just happen? The still unknown female had just walked out of the dining room. Tark and the others were drilling their father for more information. Eris's head was still spinning for everything that happened in the past half hour.

"Go talk to her. Make her change her mind." His mother said.

"Why? She doesn't want to break the curse. And I don't know her, I don't remember her. It doesn't matter. So, we just let it be."

His mother shook her head sadly. "If you remembered, you wouldn't say that."

"Mother." He said quietly, so only she could hear. "Who was she to me?"

"She was your world." She looked to her other sons for a second. "After you forgot about her, you changed. You became cold, almost heartless. I think she meant more to you than you wanted to admit back then."

He swallowed. "What was I to her?"

She gave him a sad smile. "I wish I knew. I know she loved you, but she was always free spirited. She isn't one to be held back. But you and Lucien were her everything. And it broke her when you didn't recognise her."

"Is that why she left?"

She nodded, her eyes shone with unshed tears. "It was too hard on her. I tried to convince her to stay, to try to build a new friendship with you but you weren't the same. You didn't even want to acknowledge her after that. She knew nothing would ever be the same again." Another glance at his brothers. "Tark doesn't remember, but he wanted her back then too. When you forgot about her, he thought he had free range. He went after her and -"

"What happened?" He asked, his throat tight.

"You encouraged him, saying she looked like a good fuck." She cringed saying it. "She heard everything. The night before she left, Tark went to her room. Maybe it's because he doesn't remember her name, that he doesn't remember what she did to him. He still has a scar on his ribs. She left before dawn without another word."

"How come I don't remember any of that?"

"The curse, the spell... whatever was used, it messed you up for a few days. You don't remember anything for a week after it happened."

Eris had noticed his father had left the room, his brothers were whispering further along the table. "Why does father care? He never cared for anything in his life except power."

"He always had a soft spot for her. I don't know why. At first, I thought she might be his, but I found out that wasn't true." He refrained from asking about Lucien. "Her father was his best friend, maybe that's why." She didn't sound sure.

"Or he has other motives for doing it. Maybe there is more to this curse than he wants to say."

"Certainly a possibility." She reached for his hand and squeezed. It had been years since she held him, even just something as simple as this. Her doing this, said more than her words. "Believe me when I say, you want the curse broken, Eris." Then she breathed. "Go."

He was on his feet before he could second guess himself. He figured she must have gone outside, so, with hurried steps he rushed to the front door. Before he could reach them, Luc stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"She's in the old tree house."

Eris gave him a short nod and turned around. When he reached the garden, his saw the crooked, rotten tree house between the trees. Is she mad? That thing could come down any minute. He sighed heavily before he winnowed up there.