Hey everyone, I'm just going to carry on.

*ERIS'S POV*

My eyes followed of their own accord as Kida stumbled away from me. The disbelief in her eyes, the stutter of her breath. It had all soaked into me, changing every fibre of my being. Nothing mattered anymore. No goals I had, no grievances I was keeping. Nothing. None of that mattered. She was everything. I knew things were going to be hard. I knew Rhysand wasn't going to make things easy. I didn't expect him too. I wouldn't either if it was my daughter. A good dad will protect their children no matter how old they are or how often they are told not too. Not that my Dad had been a 'good dad'.

Rhys's eyes burned into me. Seething. He was absolutely livid.

"No." Was all he whispered under his breath. His eyes not leaving mine as mine refused to leave her retreating form.

"What do you mean no?" My lower jaw clenched hard. This wasn't about him, or our history or any of it any more. None of that mattered.

"This is not going to happen." Rhys ground out. Finally, once Kida was out of my sight, I turned my eyes to the High Lord of the Night Court. The most feared and dangerous High Lord. Or so he had had people believing. That was until Feyre came along and changed the worlds perception of the infamous Night Court.

"It doesn't have anything to do with you Rhysand." I spit back. Calm, cool, collected. I repeated over and over in my mind. I had to stay calm, cool and collected. Any form of drama right now might tint Kida's opinion of me and that was something I didn't want. I knew my reputation, if I lived up to it right now, that would be everything ruined and I wasn't going to take that risk. I had to at least have a chance to show her I wasn't who everyone thought I was...especially considering my history with her Auntie.

"You won't be good for her. Walk away now." Rhys's word hit me in the chest like a sledge hammer. Out of everyone, part of me honestly thought that he might be one of the people to understand...considering his past. I guess things change when you're looking out for your own. I sighed.

"I wouldn't ever hurt her. You know that Rhys. I couldn't." Cassian and Feyre joined Rhys, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Let's not do this now." Feyre took her husbands arm and caught his attention. She sent me a sharp smile, both warning and friendly. "We have guests my love, come and be with me. Enjoy this time. The...problems will still be there in the morning." Rhys flashed me one last hard glance and a small smile filtered onto my lips. It wasn't often to saw the High Lord loosing his cool and the sick, sadistic part of me was kind of enjoying it.

Cassian moved so he was stood at my side looking out across the party with me. My eyes drifted back to the door that Kida had left through.

"He'll calm down. He won't be able to stop this if the both of you accept it." Cassian's words shocked me. In fact, he had a habit of doing that. Only 20 years ago he had told me that he didn't think I was as bad of a person as people made out. I couldn't believe it at the time, that the words I was hearing was actually coming out of his mouth. And here he was again, surprising me. Maybe I had underestimated him time and time again. Everybody, including me till recently, thought Cassian was the stupid brawling right hand man of Rhysand, but they were wrong. Cassian saw more than he'd ever tell you.

"Is she ok?" My voice was softer than I thought it was going to be. Was this what I could expect to come? To be softer around her? Was that a good thing? Was her changing me a good thing? I wasn't sure either way, but I was certain I didn't want to loose myself completely. I'd known males that had become nothing but their mating bond. Then again, I also knew males who were anything but their mating bond, so I had to find a healthy middle ground somewhere.

"Nesta has gone to speak to her, but I'm sure she'll be fine. She's much stronger than anyone realises." Cassian looked over his shoulder at me and grinned proudly. The love and adoration he had for his niece really shone of him.

"I don't doubt that. Not with her mother and fathers genetic." Cassian belly laughed and I joined him with a low chuckle of my own.

"You've certainly got a point there. They were bound to make powerhouse kids." We finished laughing and watched the couples dancing on the dance floor.

*KIDA'S POV*

The water streamed from the fossette and I took a few minutes washing my hands thoroughly. I was only going to give myself a few moments before shuffling my shock and awe deep down for the rest of the evening. I had a party to attend. This party that had been being planned for ages. I couldn't let my court down, my friends down, my parents down.

Watching the soap filled water escaping down the drain was therapeutic, as if I was watching my fears and nerves wash away. Taking a deep breath, I straightened and dried my hands. There was a knock at the door before it opened to reveal Nesta. I shock my head.

"Nope." I told her, pushing her back out the bathroom door. "We aren't doing this right now. We have people to smile at. Friends to dance with and food to eat. I'm not overthinking this right now. We have plenty of time for that in the near future. Tonight is to celebrate. So let's go get a fucking drink." One of my other family members might have told me off for my use of wording...they didn't like me swearing. I was a lady and I was to act like one, blah blah blah but Aunt Nesta didn't care. She loved it when I was "spunky" as she had once said to me.

My Aunts face lit up. She linked her arm with mine and straightened her shoulders. Pride in her eyes shown down at me as we took a step back towards the party.

"Always the Valkyrie." I hum under my breath. Of course her fae hearing picks up on it and she grins at me evilly.

"You'll know all about it soon enough." My dream since I had been a child was to become one of the Valkyrie, like my Auntie. And the delight that shimmered through my chest at the thought of it had me beaming.

"Let's party." We whisper together as we step back into the ballroom.