13
ACOTAR
They appeared in front of Rhysand's new home. She quickly stepped out of Eris's warm embrace before she threw all caution to the wind and slanted her lips over his again. To feel him again, to taste him. But that couldn't happen. That could never happen again. She couldn't start something with him without him knowing her. With him calling her Terrin for the rest of their lives. She let her eyes drift away from him and to her surroundings.
Her eyes roamed over the large, beautiful and new building. When Eris knocked on the door, her eyes snapped forwards again. A few seconds passed before the door eased open.
"Hello, how can I -" The female started before her eyes flickered to Eris. "Eris? What are you doing here?"
"I have business with Rhysand, High Lady."
Feyre, the High Lady of the Night Court frowned. "In two weeks."
Her eyes snapped to the Fae next to her. She knew that the meeting with Rhys had been an excuse to come with her, but now she actually had proof. Eris didn't meet her eyes.
"Some business came up." He glanced at Terrin from the corner of his eyes. "And thought I would come over now."
"Alright." She still frowned. Feyre turned to her. "Hi, I'm Feyre." She held out her hand.
I smiled as I shook it. "It's very nice to meet the woman who has captured the grumpy man's heart." She chuckled and Feyre smiled broadly. "I'm Terrin."
"Terrin?" Her eyes widened. "Oh, yes. Everyone is already waiting for you, please come in."
"Thank you." She stepped aside to let her and Eris in. She glanced around the large open living room as she followed the High Lady to another room. When Feyre opened the door to another room, her eyes widened, and a large grin plastered on her face.
"LUCIEN!" She screamed and ran up to him. She jumped when she reached him and wrapped her legs around him as he held her close.
"Gods, Terrin." He whispered in her hair. "It's been so long. I've missed you."
"I've missed you too." She buried her head in the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent. She knew the others in the room were watching her, that Eris was watching their interaction. But at the moment, she couldn't care less. She had missed her best friend with everything in her. Someone cleared their throat and Lucien lowered her the floor.
"Eris." Lucien said surprised as he glanced over my head. He looked back to me. "Does he-"
"No, it's a long story." She said. "I'll tell you later." Lucien nodded, still dumbfounded. She turned to Rhys, another large smile spreading across her features. "Rhys."
"Terrin." He smiled and pulled her in a bone crushing hug, lifting her feet from the ground.
"I heard what happened to you." She whispered and she felt him stiffen against her. "I'm so sorry. If I had known -"
He let her feet touch the ground again and pulled back, his hands on her shoulders. "There was nothing you could have done, Ter. Nothing." He pulled my head closer and kissed the crown of my head. She stepped back, letting her eyes roam over the others in the room.
"It's been a long time since I stepped in a room with many gorgeous people." She said, glancing at every one of them. She looked over her shoulder to her travel companion. "No, offense to your brothers."
Eris shrugged, a little smile curling on his lips. The others looked at him in shock, blinking a few times. He quickly dropped the smile, and she turned back around.
"Nesta and Cassian." She said, stepping closer with a grin. She eyed them up and down slowly. "Hmm." She hummed. "You two seem very interesting." She cocked her head. "If you ever want to explore a little, you know where to find me." She winked. They both grinned back at her. She turned to Morrigan and a raven-haired female next to her.
"Morrigan." She whispered.
"Terrin." She smiled, standing up from her seat to hug her. They hugged each other fiercely. When she pulled back, her eyes fell on the other female. "I think we haven't had the pleasure to meet."
"Terrin, Amren. Amren, Terrin." Mor introduced us.
"Amren." She murmured as they shook hands. "I've met a god once; he had a daughter named Amren."
Amren blinked at her as they let go off their hands. "That's - that's not possible."
Terrin shrugged. "If you say so." She turned to the last one in the room, a lopsided grin appearing as she took in the shadows around the male. Gods, he was handsome. "Well, well, the famous shadowsinger. It's nice to finally officially meet you."
His grasped her hand in his scarred one and she stepped closer. He blinked down at her, standing as still as a statue. Her free hand came up to weave her fingers through the shadows. "That tickles." She grinned up at him. "We are going to have so much fun, Azriel. It's been a while since I've been with an Illirian."
A small smile appeared on that extremely handsome face.
"Can someone explain what is going on? Who she is and what she is doing here?" The Fae named Amren asked. She let go of the Shadowsinger's hand and shadows and turned to face the room. She purposely avoided Eris's stare.
"Feyre and I hired Terrin for a job. She and Az are going to track down Bryaxis."
"And why do you think she can help if even Az can't find her?" Amren asked.
A sly grin appeared on Rhys' face and she knew what was coming. And she knew she would get a reaction from the future High Lord standing not too far from her.
"I believe most of you have heard of her. Maybe not as Terrin, but she has another name she is known for. Everyone, I want you to meet -" He gestured over to her. "The Ghost."
ACOTAR
Eris wasn't sure he heard right. The Ghost. He turned back to her, and he knew the High Lord of the Night Court spoke the truth. She was The Ghost. Someone who had been hired by possibly all the courts in Prythian, probably far beyond that if she didn't know about Amarantha. She was the infamous Spymaster. That note she left him the first time she came over to taunt him. It had the old symbol of Ghost on it. How he never pieced it together was beyond him.
"The Ghost?" Nesta asked confused.
"The Ghost is the most famous spy in the world." Cassian said, he sounded in awe of her. He couldn't blame him. "No, offense, Az." He winked at the other Illyrian. "People hire her for multiple reasons, and she always gets the job done. Rumours about her have been circling for centuries now. Never knew it was a her though."
"That's the whole point, General." She winked at him.
"I have heard of you." Amren said, cocking her head to the side. "But in those rumours, it was never explained how you became such a great spy."
"Maybe it would be easier to just show you." She glanced at him for a second before she closed her eyes and became... invisible. The others' eyes widened, just like his as they looked at the empty spot where she just stood. She was just gone. Did she winnow or was she truly invisible. It seemed like she was invisible and was walking around the room. She tugged on Mor's hair, then squeezed Nesta's side. She squealed a little at that.
"Where is she?" Feyre asked, glancing around the room. Good question.
Rhys grinned. "You still have your walls up. Good, little Ghost, good."
Little Ghost? How well did the two of them know each other? Jealousy roared inside of him again, just like when she was touching the Shadowsinger a moment ago. Rhys probably trained her so nobody could enter her mind and found out where she was or who she was.
His eyes fell to his brother and a few of Lucien's top buttons of his shirt popped open. He huffed a laugh, trying to catch her. But he only caught air. The door next to him opened and Elain stepped in, looking at Lucien's half undone shirt.
"What is going on?" She asked. Terrin let out a small growl. Something he never heard from her and he wondered why she reacted like that to Elain. "What was that?" She paled a little.
The growl had given her away and Lucien wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her presumable back against his chest. "Don't." He whispered.
She became visible again. And her angry face became impassive as she looked at Elain. "Hello, Elain." Her voice didn't sound friendly at all.
"Oh, hello." Elain's voice was small. Eris still couldn't believe that she was his brother's Mate. He deserves someone... stronger. Not a former mortal as frail as her, not someone who doesn't even want to look at her Mate or give him a minute of her time. He wondered if that was the reason Terrin reacted like that.
She relaxed in Lucien's arms, and he let go of her waist. Eris wasn't sure if that was the right move. "You are Lucien's Mate, are you not?"
She blinked stupidly at her.
"Being a formal mortal, you probably never heard of me. But it's my job to know everything, flower girl. And I know you haven't given Lucien the time of day." Elain's mouth bobbed like a fish. "Lucien has been my best friend since we were kids, and you should be lucky to call him your Mate. Because he is not only kind and loyal. He is also fiercely protective for those he cares for and funny. Not to mention insanely hot and a firecracker in the bed."
It sounded like Lucien choked in his own saliva. Eris couldn't blame him, he had almost the same reaction, next to the jealousy. Elain's face matched the colour of a tomato. Terrin grinned.
"Let's just say, the rumour about the Fae's from the Autumn Court with fire in their veins, they are all true. And believe me, you will never leave the room unsatisfied."
Eris didn't know it was possible, but the former mortal turned even redder. All the others in the room were blinking at Terrin. In confusion, in fascination, in whatever else.
"I'm just telling you so you would really think about taking time in your oh-so-busy schedule to meet up with him. I promise you, it will be worth it." She smiled sweetly. "I'm Terrin, by the way."
But he knew there was more venom behind it than she showed. When he glanced to Lucien, he knew he had the same thought. Rhys cleared his throat.
"Why don't we eat dinner first. After we can discuss the plans." He nudged his face to the dining area. In silence, they all walked out. Rhys came up last. "We have room for one more." His eyes were hard. In any other circumstance, he would decline but his time with Terrin was almost up, and he really needed to talk to her about the whole Ghost thing.
So, slowly he gave the High Lord a short nod. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He gazed out the room, finding her amongst the others before looking back to him. He knew. Somehow, he knew. Of course, he would fucking know. Even without the possibility of reading his mind or Terrin's. Ever since meeting her 'again', he never wanted to read anyone's mind as desperately as hers. He could still feel the heat of her lips against his, how her fingers curled so perfectly in his hair. How she tasted, the noises she made. He would give his life for one more taste of her. And the thought made him nearly stumble over his feet as he walked to the large dining table. Terrin sat across from him, and she tilted her head, worry crossing in those green eyes. She must have noticed the 'almost' stumble. He averted his eyes and looked to where Elain was placing several dishes of food on the table.