16

ACOTAR

He figured Rhysand winnowed to the border before he flew the rest of the way in. Winnowing near his home needs to have special permission to do that. The High Lord of the Night Court didn't have that permission.

"Where is she?"

"At my house."

Without waiting he grabbed Rhys's arm and winnowed away. A few minutes later, he was running through the house and found her lifeless on the floor, her head in the Shadowsinger's lap. Lucien was beside her, his face pale. He fell to his knees next to her and cupped her cheek. She was ice cold.

"No, no, no, no, no." He whispered in a panic. "When does the healer get here?"

"She's on her way." Feyre said with a soft voice.

"Lucien, we need to warm her up." He said, not taking his eyes off her lifeless form, her pale skin. Lucien shifted so he could hold both of her hands. He cupped both of her cheeks and placed his forehead against hers. Sending all the warmth through her body, just like his brother was doing. Her pale colour pinked up and her body felt warm once again, but she was still lifeless. The others in the room were dead silent. He wasn't even sure who all was in the room.

"Stay with me, Terrin." He whispered. "I can't lose you, not again. I won't survive that." His fingers trembled against her cheeks. "You are everything to me, everything. I love you. I think I was in love with you since the moment I met you. Come back to me. Please, come back -" It seemed like a piece of wall broke off in his mind, letting out a tiny bit of information. He shook when he said. "Come back to me, Jo." He noticed he was crying when his tears fell on her cheeks. "Joénna-Bry Terrin."

"Jo." Lucien whispered somewhere near him.

And suddenly it felt like his head exploded. He fell backward, clutching his head as he screamed. It was like a wall was being torn apart inside his head. All of his memories of her started to fill his mind, over and over again. He clutched his heart as it felt like something cracked in there.

"Eris." Lucien's voice came from somewhere far away. "Breathe through it. Come on, take a deep breath."

He didn't know how he did it. He didn't see or hear anyone around him. He just saw her. Their past, their present and their future he had hoped to have with her. Because know he knew... he was in love with her for a long time before the curse hit. And he never got to tell her.

"Drink this." Lucien urged, pushing a vial against his lips.

"No." He shook his head. "Jo."

"The healer is working on her. You need to drink this for your body and mind to calm down."

He opened his mouth and just let Lucien pour whatever it was into his mouth. Everything in him calmed. His head cleared and his tension on his heart released. He opened his eyes and Lucien was kneeling in front of him.

"Do you -"

"I remember everything." He let out a shuddering breath and for the first time in centuries he took his youngest brother in his arms. Lucien was hesitant at first before his arms curled around his back. His eyes fell over his brother shoulder to the healer and Jo. "How is she?"

"She's going to be okay. She needs her rest, but she'll be up and about by tomorrow." The healer turned to him. "You two heating up her body saved her life." The healer stood up and collected her things. "I'll come by in the morning to check up on her."

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Madja." Feyre said, clasping hands with the healer.

"Not a problem, High Lady."

Azriel made a move to pick her up. "Don't touch her." Eris growled. The shadowsinger looked somewhere behind him.

"Eris, you can take her to the room she stayed in last time. You're welcome to stay with her." Rhysand said.

He didn't turn to look at him but gave him a short nod. He gathered her in his arms and walked out of the room. When he reached the bedroom, he didn't let her go. He sat down on the bed with her still in his arms, her head against his chest.

Her breathing was deeper, better. She had remained her colour and she twitched a bit in his lap. But he needed to see her eyes, those bright green beautiful eyes.

"Please wake up, baby. I need you." He whispered against her hair.

"It had been so long since you called me that." She rasped. He pulled back, scanning her face. Her eyes opened slowly, and he gave her a trembling smile as her green eyes found his.

"I thought I lost you." He said, cupping her cheek with shaking hands. "I love you, Joénna-Bry Terrin. I fell in love with you as Terrin and I fell in love with you as Jo. I have loved you for centuries."

Tears formed in her eyes as she looked at him. "You - you remember?"

"Yes, I remember everything."

She surprised him when she reached up and kissed him. Soft at first but somehow, she had enough strength to push herself up and straddle him. The kiss deepened and her fingers curled around his hair again. Then she breathed against his lips. "I love you too."

His heart soared at those words and claimed her delicious lips again. "I've missed you."

She was crying as she pulled back. "How long?"

"Six months." He trailed his hand over her cheek, to her neck. "For you?"

Her voice shook when she said. "Two years."

Fuck! He couldn't imagine how it must have been for her. "Please tell me you're not leaving anytime soon."

"I still have my work but I'm not leaving this world anytime soon."

"Thank the Cauldron." He answered, kissing her again. He turned them so they laid on their sides. "You need rest. We'll talk about everything tomorrow."

"Stay with me?" She asked and for the first time she sounded unsure.

"I'm not going anywhere." He placed a soft kiss on her lips before pulling her close. He warmed her with his heat but pulled a blanket over them, nonetheless. He stared down at her as she nestled against his chest, her legs intertwined with his. He tucked a strand of dark auburn hair behind her ear before placing a soft kiss on her head. He felt her lips curl upwards against his chest.

ACOTAR

After the healer checked her over the next morning, Eris and Jo called Lucien in the room. He rushed in the room and engulfed her in a tight hug.

"I was so afraid. Azriel informed us what happened. I thought -"

"I know." She said softly. "But I'm okay. I'm here. Thanks to the Vanserra brothers." She smiled at the two males as she pulled back. "Can you sit down." She patted the bed. Eris had his arm curled around her waist as they sat side by side. Lucien didn't even blink at that as he sat down. "We -" She took in a breath. "We need to tell you something."

"Okay." He furrowed his brows.

She glanced at Eris before turning back to him. "You are not Beron's son." Lucien's face remained emotionless. "You're the only son of High Lord Helion." He did blink at that. "Helion and your mother were in love before she was forced to marry Beron. After a while they started up an affair." She clasped Lucien's hands in hers. "Your mother and Helion still love each other very much, Lucien."

"How do you know this?"

"I found your mother crying over a picture of him once, she told me everything. And when you look closely you can see the resemblance between you and Helion. You always had a darker skin than your brothers and your bone structure..."

"Fuck." He stood up and started pacing.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault." His gaze snapped to Eris and hardened. "You knew?"

"Yes." He answered calmly. "That's why I never saw you as a treat to the throne."

"When did you find out?"

"Not long after I forgot about Jo." He said as he rubbed circles on her back.

His hard gaze softened. Because he probably knew that if he had known before that, he would have told him. He sat back down, burying his head in his hands. "What do I do now?"

She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Eris and I are going back to the Autumn Court later today. We'll talk to your mother and arrange a meeting between you two."

"And Lucien." Eris said softly. "We both know mother is unhappy and has been treated horrible by Beron. I will make sure she gets her freedom again, hopefully with Helion."

He nodded. "If you need help, call for me. I will do anything for her happiness." He took Eris in slowly. "I've missed you, Eris. The real you."

"I've missed him too. And I've missed you, brother." They came together in a fierce hug.

"Oooow, you're going to make me cry." Jo teased, they laughed before pulling her into their hug.

ACOTAR

A few hours later, Eris and Jo appeared back at the Autumn Court. She breathed in deeply, the air that smelled like rain after a hot day. She glanced at the forest that surrounded them and Eris wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a soft kiss on her neck.

"The Dance of Trees is in two months." She said as she tilted her head to look at him. "Want to come watch it with me?" She smiled.

He beamed back at her. A smile she had missed so much, the sparkle in his eyes had returned once more. He squeezed her waist. "It would be my honour, Joénna-Bry Terrin."

"Please just call me Jo." She scrunched up her nose. He laughed, fully and booming before he kissed her nose. Then her lips, slow and passionate.

"Or baby?" He smirked against her lips.

"Or baby." She turned around in his arms and kissed him passionately. Her hands went into his soft, delicious red hair, tugging it slightly as she pressed her body against his.

He groaned. "If you keep this up, I'm going to take you right here and now. And I rather take my time with you, thoroughly and for hours."

She bit her bottom lip, her heart stammering in her chest. She couldn't wait to take him to bed, to get her way with him, all of him. She wanted to kiss him again, but her name was shouted from across the lawn. Her body trembled that her name recognised.

"JO!" Eris and Jo turned to the voice. Lady Lirone was running up to them, happy tears rolling down her cheeks. She wrapped them both in her arms. "You did it, my boy." She kissed Eris's cheek. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, mother." He kissed her cheek.

"What does this mean for you two?" She asked excitedly.

"It just happened last night, so we haven't talked about it much. But I'm not going to let her go."

"You better not." She scolded with a smile.

"Lirone! Get inside." Beron's stern voice came. The three of them turned to him, his face didn't reveal any emotions.

"I'll see you inside." She whispered, her demeaner suddenly gloom. And turned and walked back in the house. It was then when she saw Tark a few feet behind Beron. Tark was glaring at her.

"Well, well, you did it, son." His clapped his hands together. "I knew you could." From the tone of his voice, Jo froze and clasped Eris's hand tightly. He seemed to have gone rigid at the sight of his father. Beron stepped closer. He eyed their intertwined hands, a smirk appearing on his features. And that smirk shot a warning through her. "It is nice to see you again, Joénna." He didn't sound sincere at all.

"I'm going to take her inside. She needs to rest." Eris took a step aside towards the house, but his father blocked them with his arm. If Eris could send fire from his eyes, his father would be on fire right now. Whatever is happening, it isn't something good. Her free hand went to her closest dagger.

"Not just yet. I need you to do something first, son."

He frowned, his hand squeezing hers tightly. "Like what?" His voice was tense. He knew something was up too.

"I want you to become the next High Lord. You can be the next High Lord as of tomorrow."

"In exchange for...?" He asked sceptically, he was as wary as her.

"I want you to kill Joénna-Bry Terrin."