Chapter 3

Tamlin and Lucian were out for the day doing their own set of patrols. Time to test the dropped in the body muscle memory. The training yard had bows and other various weapons neatly put away in a nice armory. I picked up the bow, feeling for it, it seemed right. Then set of ten arrows.

I walked to the training court. At this point, I knew I was being watched; I could feel the invisible eyes. The looks growing stronger.

I spoke out loud. "I can feel all the eyes on me. Carry on and stay out of the path of these arrows." I smirked, pulling the string back without thinking. I aimed down the shaft to the target and released. It hit the bottom of the target.

There was muscle memory, however small, it still lingered. I practiced, letting my arms do what felt right. After a round of ten, I hit the middle. This wasn't so bad, I at least had this for defense. I did round after round, increasing my range as I shoot to see just where that skill's limit was.

It felt so natural. It was weird being in her body. Weird to do these things and pretend to be her. Part of me wished it had not happened. The other wondered why it did. The story was fine, what could I possibly change to make anything better?

I shot my last arrow and gasped when I watched it do something I did not think I could ever do. A splintering sound came to my ears as it shoved down the shift of the last arrow I shot.

I had to get closer, see for myself that my eyes were not deceiving me. I pulled it out, twirling it around in my hands to see how it split. Not directly centered, but enough to be stuck together.

A whistle came from behind me. "I suppose I can believe you have skill. How long have you been out here?"

"Um. Maybe two hours. I was about to go back in and practice reading. I just needed a little air." I stared at it. "May I keep this?"

"Sure, but why?"

"It's my first one, it's like a staple in being an archer."

I remember the wyrm, the fact that Feyre could not use her one skill that got her here. I could take the bow string to make my own bow if the bones were flexible enough.

"Lucian, I have a weird question. Could a bow be made of bone?"

His face contorted. "I am not sure I should answer that. Theoretically yes, a rib bone would be more suitable as long as it's big enough. It would be brittle and would probably break after one to a few uses. Why are you asking?"

"Curiosity. My father said that's how humans used to hunt before the more modern bows. You've been around for a while, I figured you would know."

"I'm not that old, I will have you know I am younger than Tamlin. Let us both hope you never have to do that or must do that."

"Yeah, I hope I won't have too either. It was just a pondering question."

With time passing and the studying I did, I was able to read again. I was glad for it, taking books to my room to read at night or in leisure time. It took me a while, having to sound things out, and compare my letters to be sure, but I was getting there. Context was key.

I was progressing through the story just fine; Tamlin was off hunting the bogey. I was in the house safe and sound. I looked out my window, giving my eyes a break from the words I consumed.

Something curious was by the road, a woman was standing there. I slightly remember this, some kind of mimic creature. It was getting closer, looking up at my window.

"Nope." I set the book down, leaving the window ceil.

Down the hallway I called for the one I knew was here. "Lucian, anyone honestly. There is something weird at the end of the manor's road, and it shapeshifts. It's looking in my window and it's creepy."

No response. "Whatever." I turned, bumping into someone. I staggered back a little looking up to the golden boy of this story.

"What did you see?" Tamlin asked.

"I don't know what it's called. It shifts shape to what you want most. No one would from being a woman to a stack of books on the ground." A small lie. Would he notice?

"A Puca, you're not as dumb as most humans are."

"I suppose I can take that as a compliment. I mean, I was warned at least a dozen times to keep my wits about me… And I wouldn't dream of being out in the woods past dark. Anyways, I'm going back to my room."

I walked around him, and he grabbed my arm. "Feyre, you did the right thing by saying something. Get some sleep, don't stay up to late reading or I might regret having you taught."

I smirked. "Don't, it made me happy." He let go, his lip twitching a little to the side. Was he trying? I walked off to my room, looking out my window. The thing was still there, then it ran, Tamlin darting after it.

He did not come back the next day. Lucian taking this time to see what my skills were. He wore light clothing, but the fancy tunic he usually had on. I had been given my own set of brown leather pants and a white shirt.

I tied my hair back. "Where do we start?"

"Let's see what you can do."

"Like a fight?"

"Slow down killer, you won't survive. Throw a few punches, I need to see what form you have."

"Oh." I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. I had plenty of dreams, ones where I was fighting. Everyone around me was fighting. Screams of valor and pain all micked as one as swords clanked and armor was struck.

I felt the line as the memories rolled backwards, I was a man in this life. A general, talking to a pretty nurse. The memory moved past her smile to the training yard. I moved to the form, feeling the movements, matching them to this body. I was lighter, smaller.

My eyes flared open. "Bring it but hold back the punches. I am in a human body." The words had come out like this form was not the one I should have.

"You asked for this, Tamlin askes, you attacked me. I was merely defending myself."

I laughed. "Fair enough, Luci."

Taller, broader. Did not mean he would be slow, but his movements would be that of his build. He was Fae, a high lord's son. I moved closer, the only advantage I would have.

I threw one punch to test his reflex. He moved my hand away, twisting my arm until I fell to the ground. I swung my legs up, wrapping around his neck, breaking free. I grabbed his hair, pretending I had a knife.

"Dead. Your opponent is smaller, nibble. Again." In that moment I felt like Thadius again. The general that trained and commanded armies and won many battles. I flipped back in a cartwheel. Blinking as the memory melded over my skin.

His slightly larger hands, dirty fingernails from training all day. The nice training clothes. I could see the light blanket of snow and feel the bite of winter. Fires were all around, warriors armed to the teeth, warming themselves in the middle of a camp hidden with in a massive forest.

I gazed around to the familiar feeling faces, and she was there. Smiling at me as she brought me food. "You take care of yourself too." I knew I liked her, fight for her. The girl dressed as a nurse went back into a tent with a medic symbol.

"Where did you learn that? Is this how you killed him?" I blinked, snapped back by Lucian's words.

"Killed who…" My lips pressed as spring court came back. "No, I have this feeling I have lived many times before. Before Feyre. That was… Thadius. That was the name I felt."

"A man?"

"Yes, is that a problem? Again, who knows what I might dig up next." I looked at the feminine hands. Yes, this felt more natural, I may have been a man before, but I felt more like a woman.

When Tamlin come back, I snuck down he hallway. Lucian and Tamlin were talking.

"I just want to know what you think you are doing." Lucian spoke in a lazy but vicious voice.

"What are you doing?" Tamlin snapped.

"Me? By the cauldron, Tam- there isn't much time, and you're just sulking and glowering. You're not even trying to fake it anymore."

"It was a mistake from the start. I can't stomach it, not after what my father did to their kind, to their lands. I won't follow in his footsteps- won't be that sort of person. So back off."

"Back off? Back off while you seal out fates and ruin everything. I stayed with you out of hope, not to watch you stumble. For someone with a heart of stone, yours is certainly soft these days. The Bogge was on our lands- the Bogge, Tamlin! The barriers between courts have vanished, and even our woods are teeming with filth like the Puca. Are you just going to start living out there, slaughtering every bit of vermin that slinks in?"

"Watch your mouth." I felt a pulse of magic and I looked though the crack, watching Tamlin's face. "Don't push me, Lucien. You think I don't know what's happening on my own lands? What I've got to lose? What's lost already?" It was hard to see his expressions through the mask, but it did not take a genius to know how he was feeling.

I walked off, not wishing to here them argue any further. I sat in my bed, cuddled up with a book and fruit to snack on. All I needed to do was get through this.

A little later, there was a knock on my door. Alis answered it, letting Lucian in. Placing a strip of paper to mark my place, I set the book down. He held a leather wrap, and stalked over to the bed before throwing it down.

Alis eyes were wide, she looked between us. "What in the cauldron did you do?"

"Leave." Lucian ordered.

Alis bowed to Lucian. "I told you girl, keep your wits about you." He such the door behind her and I reached for the wrap.

"Is this it?" I spoke lowly.

"It is."

I unrolled the leather straps and rolled the wrap out on the bed. They were seven to eight inches long. I flipped them over in my hands and inspected them thoroughly. Pressing the trigger, it sprung open.

Not too fast, not too slow. It was perfect. "These are good, I didn't expect them to be this good for a first attempt."

"It was trial and error, that's why it took as long as it had. Anymore dreams lately?"

"Nope, other than the useless nightmares." I slinked off the bed and opened the wardrobe. I pulled a corset out, one I had asked for specifically for its style, and thickness.

"And what will you do with that?"

"Well, I can't just hold them in my hands as I walk in." I folded the blades and laid them on the corset.

"I see what you're doing. You'll hide them in the corset."

"Precisely. If I look dainty, they won't think to check.

"Your trying to help us, but how do you know it will work in your favor?"

"I don't, I can only prepare for the 'what if' Like any other General, plan based off of the knowledge you do know. If they ask, I'm also illiterate. I am to be a stupid, dainty human who got lucky killing a Fae." I put the corset on inside out, position the Knives before dotting lines.

"Why?"

"It will make the following tasks that much easier. The Blight is mad with power, it thinks only of itself. It will do anything to humiliate me if it even thinks I have a sliver of feeling for Tam or he for me."

I pressed my lips, choosing my words. "I'm not even sure how much I should even say. Anyways, I have a new task; this one will be simpler in design." I held the paper out. "These are 'hair' decorations; I need them to be made strong enough to hold me but pretty, so it seems like an accessory and nothing more. Plain, no gems, this way it will go with anything. I know this might be putting a damper in the coffers, but if we get through this, I will pay you back double, scouts honor."

"Scouts Honor?" He took the paper.

"It's a silly phrase where I'm from."

His lips pressed. "What is this."

"It is called a piton, It's used for climbing. If it holds you, it will hold me. The wyrm is in a pit, one of mud and…" I could not stop my face from wincing. "Gross things. This will help if I were to fall in the pit. I mean bones work to but breaking them will get tiresome."

His eyes furrowed. "Who are you?"

"I wish I knew that answer." I rolled everything up in the leather pouch, putting it inside the desk. "I really wish I knew the answer to that one question. All I do know is that these days are short, and every second counts." I leaned on the desk, staring down at my book as I turned the page.

As I did things, the light would emerge, and I could feel my soul sparking as it showed me the things I needed. I could not force it, I had to let it flow like the magic of this land when it was formed by the tip of the cauldron.

I read over Thadius; the girl was the one I wanted to know more about. The one piece I wanted, her name. To understand why in all these visions that smile, the feeling was there. The linger of her presence.

I got that feeling around one person in two different lives. That feeling I would protect them at all costs, the smile looked the same, the demeanor. It all led to more questions. Was this the same person or was this me searching for someone similar in every life?