"I'll do anything," I pleaded as the tears streamed down my cheeks. "Let him go!"

Azriel was pinned to the altar by his wings as the winged male dragged his knife across him. "Gwyn… go…" My mate's voice was hoarse.

"Take me instead," I pleaded and the male's face turned to mine.

I woke up with a scream and then the familiar taste in my mouth. Bile. Rising in my throat as I sat up, my breathing quick, hard. I ran into the bathroom before I could spew over the rug, making it just in time. A bang of a door opening. Footsteps sounded and Eris hurried in.

"Great," I muttered into the toilet bowl. Just another opportunity for him to see how weak I was. But he said nothing as he grabbed my hair, holding it back as I continued to empty what was left in my stomach.

"Breathe," He said and I realised why. My hands were warm, flames licked up the side of my arms. "In through the nose, out through the mouth." His voice was stern, commanding. That of a High Lord. I let out a shaky breath and breathed in again, trying to snuff out the flames. A wet cloth was pressed onto my neck and I hissed at the cold contact as I sat back from the toilet bowl, my blood cooling. The flames on my arm vanished and my breathing started to slow. Eris passed me the cloth and I wiped my face as my body shuddered at the last of the magic escaping.

"Sorry if I woke you," I apologised, my voice hoarse.

"I was already awake," He said and I looked over at him. His shirt was creased and half-untucked, not a tunic or piece of formalwear in sight. His trousers were grubby. He saw me looking at his appearance and he gave a small smile, "One of the hounds had puppies this evening."

"Puppies?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment and then took the cold cloth from me. "Would you like to go and see them?"

He waited in the living room whilst I changed into a shirt, trousers and boots and then we walked in silence out towards the barracks. It was quiet now, apart from the soldiers working the night shift. They bowed as we passed and Eris led me to a door at the end of the building. He opened the door carefully and inside I heard the barking and howling. The hounds were housed here I realised, each tucked into their own pen with their own marked outdoor space, which had been shut off for the night. He led me to the end where a white hound curled up, three tiny hounds curled up beside her.

"Oh, look at them!" I squealed, "They're so precious!"

Eris laughed softly beside me, the harsh exterior from the day gone and amusement across his features instead. He climbed into the pen and then signalled for me to do the same. He passed me a pup. I cradled it in my arms, stroking it as it made little squeaking sounds.

"How can you not be attached to them?" I asked him in disbelief.

"I never said I wasn't," He laughed, crouching to scratch one between the ears. "I've been out here for hours just watching and stroking them."

I raised my eyebrows, "You don't ever want to just take them inside?" I placed one on the floor next to its mother and it moved to her, suckling on her.

"As I said earlier, they're working dogs. Hunting dogs." He looked over to the next pen and a tiny hound started to bark at him, "Although this girl over here seems to have been rebelling."

I glanced into the next pen and sure enough a female dog was sprawled out next to Orion but the few-month-old puppy in the corner certainly didn't look like its father. It was white but its fur was longer and it had little ginger tufts, this way and that.

I laughed softly, "Ah."

"A true mongrel," Eris gave a shrug, "I'll probably have to give her to a nearby farm."

"You won't keep her?"

"She's not a true hunting hound," He said, "And with her short legs and long fur, she'll never keep up."

I climbed into her enclosure and Orion huffed at me as I passed and crouched down in front of the little mongrel. She walked over to me and licked my hand, making me laugh. "She's lovely, though." I scratched her between the ears and yawned. "I probably had better get some sleep," I told him, standing back up. He nodded and we each climbed out of our pens.

"I'm sorry," He apologised as I walked towards the door. "I shouldn't have been so hard on you."

I curtsied, despite my clothing choice, and went back to my bedroom.

I tried to work harder the next day and tried to ignore the exhaustion. The fear of messing up again. The disappointment. My handmaidens wouldn't eat breakfast with me, claiming they weren't hungry. I worked extra hard on my archery and when Eris kept me an extra hour with my dancing lessons, I didn't argue. In fact, I didn't say anything at all.

"Everything okay?" Rhian asked me that afternoon at our delayed meeting with the florist.

"Yes," I replied but from the expression on her face, I don't think she believed me.

The following few days I did the same- breakfast, training, dancing, lunch, etiquette lessons, party planning, dinner and bed. It all seemed to blur and roll into one.

It was day four that things changed. I got back from my etiquette lesson to find a puppy in my living room. The mongrel. She sat sprawled out on the sofa beside him, but hurried over to me as I stepped further into the room. I tilted my head, looking at the dog. She did the same back to me and then let out a gentle bark as she jumped up at me.

"I thought you were giving her to a farm," I said. "Did you decide to keep her as a pet?"

"She's yours," Eris said to me, "A peace offering."

"You're giving me a puppy?" I blinked as the dog barked again at me.

"Is that not a gift you give to your granddaughter?" He laughed, "Sorry, I do not know what the protocol is."

I crouched down and scratched her ears. "I wouldn't know," I told him.

He shrugged, "She seemed to like you and you have worked so hard the past few days. I have read that animals are supposed to reduce stress levels."

"I've read that too," I said with a soft laugh as the puppy licked my face. "What do I call you?" I asked her and then I thought of a book I'd read about old myths and legends, "Artemis." I said, tapping her nose and she seemed to bark in agreement.

"It suits her," Eris said, leaning over to scratch her ears. "Just please don't let her piss on the carpet or the floors." He stepped towards the door.

"Eris?"

He turned to look at me, "Yes?"

"I'd like to invite my handmaidens to the Ball," I said to him. "And I'd like to have breakfast with them every morning."

He blinked, "That's not really-"

"I know it's not protocol here," I said to him, "But I consider them my friends… or… I'd like to. A big place like this is lonely when you don't have friends."

His eyes seemed to soften in understanding and he gave a nod of his head, "Consider it done." He turned away.

"Thank you," I said and he gave a small smile, "And thank you for Artemis."

"You're most welcome."

I woke up the next morning with Artemis sprawled across the bottom of the bed, over my feet. I'd slept a little better than I had the last few nights but I still felt exhausted. Doja and Rosia walked into the room.

"Good morning," they chorused, pulling back the curtains. They paused at the sight of the puppy on the bed, her tail wagging.

"Does the High Lord know it's in here?" Doja asked, eyes wide.

"Yes, she's a gift from him," I laughed softly and Rosia moved to scratch behind her ears. "This is Artemis," I told them.

"Hello Artemis," Rosia cooed. "We should probably take her outside to relieve herself."

Rosia took the puppy whilst Doja prepared my clothes for the day and I bathed. When I was dressed, breakfast was already laid out but this time there was more than usual.

I placed the bowl of hound food on the floor and Artemis tucked in as I held my hand out, "This is for us." I told my handmaidens. "Please, sit, enjoy."

They looked over at each other, apprehensive, but sat anyway. Coffee was poured and I filled up a plate, signalling for them to do the same.

"Stop your worrying," I told them, "Eris knows you're joining me, I made an agreement." They both relaxed slightly. "Oh, and you're also invited to the ball." Rosia nearly spewed her drink and Doja simply blinked.

"But servants -" Doja started.

"Should be invited. The rules are a little old fashioned," I waved my hand, "Besides I'm inviting you as my friends." I paused for a moment, taking another bite of food, "Speaking of, how did you come to work here?"

"I grew up here," Rosia replied, "My mother works in the kitchen so it was an honour to be asked to be a handmaiden."

"And my family lives just on the other side of the forest," Doja fiddled with a curl that had come loose. "My father owns quite a bit of land and provides a lot of food for the House. He offered me up… he'd always wanted me to spend more time up here."

I nodded at them both and then I told them my story. How I grew up in Sangravah, the attack, being taken to Velaris to live in the library, the Valkyrie training, the Blood Rite.

When I'd finished speaking they were both gawping at me, "What?"

"You make our stories sound so boring," Rosia said with a laugh. "We had no idea…"

I gave a shrug.

"So Nesta and Emerie are your best friends?" Doja asked and I nodded. "It must be hard not having them around."

"I miss talking to them about books and training with them, even their teasing," I said. I looked down at my finger and twirled my finger, "And I miss Azriel even more." I sighed, "I know it's important for me to be here but-"

"You miss the Night Court," Rosia finished for me.

"It's where my home is," I replied.

"Home doesn't just have to be a place," Doja said, "Sometimes it can be a person."

There was a gentle knock at the door and Eris stepped in. Artemis ran over to greet him, barking and jumping up his leg. He laughed and bent down, scratching her ears, before he looked over to where we ate breakfast. We all got to our feet and curtsied.

"Are you ready?" He asked me, signalling to my quiver and bow, where it was draped over my desk.

I nodded and grabbed my weapons, "Let's go."

The air was warmer and I wished I'd worn a shorter-sleeved shirt under my tunic as we moved through the forest. I walked with an arrow nocked, Eris' hounds ahead of us. We paused before a clearing and I scanned the area, looking, listening. A small rustle in the leaves- a bird, perhaps? I ignored it, looking for more. I sensed the stag before I saw it. Undoubtedly the same one from a week ago. I crouched down slowly, careful not to make a sound. Then I spotted it through the undergrowth. It chewed on some grass as I lined up the shot. I held my breath as I released the arrow. Before it could edge in slightly the wrong direction, I hummed gently and the arrow corrected itself. It hit its mark.

I got to my feet and Eris watched me with a pleased expression.

"Perfect," He said, "Although I didn't know that your voice could do that."

I gave a shrug, "I wasn't taking any chances."

He walked towards the stag and finished its suffering with a quick swipe on the knife. He whistled and some guards approached. They took the stag between them and started to head back to the house.

"Come," He said to me, "Let's walk into the village."

A few guards followed as he led me through the clearing and into the village beyond. It was small, made up of some farms, a square with a market, a tavern and a few extra homes. The streets were old, cobblestone and trees were scattered about, growing apples. Lesser fae walked about, dressed in their working outfits and the few high fae that moved around the marketplace were also dressed for work. Tunics, shirts, leggings, boots, and the dresses with lace-up bodices and aprons that I'd seen the female servants wear in the house.

"My Lord," A male said with a bow. The young fae girl at his side curtsied, her golden eyes staring at me.

"Hello, Archer," Eris said with a bow of the head, "How are the crops doing?"

"Well," Archer replied, "Much better now that the weather has improved. Hopefully less rain is on its way."

"Who are you?" The young girl asked and I smiled at her amused.

"Seline!" Archer scolded. "My Lord, Miss, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," Eris waved a hand, "This is Gwyneth." He said, introducing me.

"A pleasure," I held my hand out to the young girl and she shook it.

We spent an hour wandering around the village, greeting people. But I couldn't help but notice the faces that were less happy to see us. From the muddy clothing, I gathered they worked the farms and were some of the people who disliked the High Lord and his family's status and traditions. They watched us warily, even though I smiled and Eris tried to be charming, even with power rolling off of him with every step.

When we walked back into the forest, Eris led me into an empty clearing. Empty apart from a target in the centre.

"Fire," he commanded. I blinked and he repeated himself, "Fire."

I stepped forward, dropping my bow and quiver. I held out my right hand and reached into that magical pit, pulling at the sparks there. Fire appeared in my hand.

"And the other," He said and his flames were conjured in both hands at once.

I held out the left now, concentrating hard. I hummed gently and a ball of fire appeared in my left.

"Good," he gave a nod of approval. "Now hit the target."

I blinked, "How?"

"Sing if it helps," He said. "Think of it as throwing a knife." Eris turned his body and with precision, he flung balls of flame at the target, one hand then the other. The target sizzled but he clicked his fingers and then the fire was gone.

I focussed hard on the flame in my hands. Each ball of fire missed the target and I hissed as the leaves caught fire. Eris wiped it out with a flick of the wrist.

"Concentrate," He said, his voice firm.

I tried again and this time I hummed gently again, as if serenading the fire, sending it towards the target. Closer this time but then the other … it reached the target and as I took a breath, the flames expanded, burning it.

"Better," Eris said. He moved his hands in front of him, manipulating the fire. It spun through the air and he smirked before wiping it out.

We headed back to the house a short while later and the hallways seemed to be bustling with activity. With just one day until the ball, the house was being prepared for the guests, some of whom would be staying, others would just visit for the party to celebrate the longest day of the year.

After lunch, I had a bit of free time before I was due to meet Rhian, so I took Artemis out into the garden with me. We walked along the paths together, in and out of the flower borders and she sniffed, exploring every scent she came across. I sucked in a breath, the lace-up back of the dress slightly too tight across my chest. I missed the loose, drapey priestess gowns.

"Oh, sorry!" I apologised as I crashed into someone solid. I took a step back and looked at the guard as he bowed awkwardly, moving back.

"No, I'm sorry," He said, adjusting his armour and removing his helmet. His hair was a rich copper, his eyes hazel. His eyes seemed to widen as he looked at me and I stood back, awkwardly. "I should've looked where I was going."

"So should I," I said, scooping up Artemis. I stepped around him and hurried indoors, fully aware that he seemed to watch me go.