I limped from Azriel's morning flying session, my back muscles screaming in fatigue.

Every inch of my body ached. Mostly after coming from Cassian's training right before, but also from falling so many times.

I'd landed on the ground hard and so many times, the wind knocked out of me.

Why was flying so difficult?

"Alright, that's enough." Azriel picked me up under the arms, placing me on my feet as I huffed, brushing pine needles from my back.

"Thanks." I muttered, brushing my thighs of dirt and leaves.

Stretching my back with my arms wide, I groaned, climbing up to sit on the boulder.

Azriel observed me quietly, his wings almost glittering in the sunshine.

"You glided well."

"Til I hit the tree." I muttered.

I needed the grounding today emotionally. I felt restless, irritable and not for any reason. The exercise was a mindfulness activity to calm my emotions.

Even if I'd feel as though I'd been run over by tonight.

I shook my stinging hands, watching my boots dangling from the rock.

Azriel took a seat next to me, grasping my hand with finger light touch, plucking a pine needle from my palm.

His quiet kindness calmed my frustration.

"You're doing well. You'll get it in time."

He said thoughtfully easing my irritation.

I sighed and smiled at him in thanks.

By the time evening rolled around, I excused myself to an early bed time, my bones aching and sore.

"Azriel dropped off some salve." Rhys said thoughtfully, entering the bedroom.

I smiled, too tired to even lift my head from the pillow.

"Shall I put it on for you, Feyre Darling?" Rhys said, sensually, eyes scanning my body.

I chuckled.

"Tomorrow."

Even talking hurt.

Maybe I was getting sick? Did Fae even get sick?

He chuckled, sliding in next to me, wrapping his around around my waist.

"Do I need to tell Cassian and Azriel to go easier on you?"

"No." I huddled back into his embrace.

"I like that they don't coddle me." I yawned.

Rhys chuckled.

"Sleep, Feyre."

I slept peacefully and quickly.

I groaned in pain as I stretched myself out of bed the next morning. Rhys wasn't next to me, though the dull morning light told me that it was still early.

A cough racked my chest, the motion clawing at my burning throat.

I dragged myself into the shower and even the pressure of the water hurt my skin.

So the aching yesterday was not just post workout torture related.

This felt like a flu from hell.

Huffing, I dragged on my training leggings and jacket, cursing my body. I had too much to do to be sick.

Rhys was going to the Summer Court with Amren today, and I planned to help Cassian and Azriel deal with the Illyrian camp and work in the town.

I wasn't in the mood for sympathy either.

Rhys sat in conversation at the end of the table, the Illyrians and Mor at the other.

Multiple eyes narrowed as I sipped only a coffee for breakfast.

"You're not training on an empty stomach." Cassian said, in between a mouthful of eggs.

I rolled my eyes.

"Are you okay?" Mor started, accusation in her tone as she prepared for my defensiveness. "You look pale."

I tried not to clear my throat. "Fine. Just not hungry." My voice was raspy and strained.

Azriel stared, sympathy in his eyes.

"You're sick." She said, concern in her tone, taking in the exhausted dark bags under my eyes.

"I'm fine." I muttered back, my husky voice not supportive of that fact.

She shot me an exasperated look and dug back into her toast.

I could feel Rhys caress my mental shields as he took a sip from his coffee.

I dropped them, shooting him a warning look to comment.
I hated the coddling.

"I'm not trying to stop you", Rhys flashed me a smirk across the table in between his conversation with Amren, "but can I ask for you to take it easy today?"

My glare at him was my answer.

"So stubborn." He sent back.

A plate of toast pushed across the table to me.

Azriel smirked, his eyes kind.

I smiled in surrender, taking a bite.

Rhys kissed me on the forehead as he left with Amren, wisely not insisting I take it easy again today.

I missed him already.

Entering the chalk drawn ring with Cassian shortly after, his lingering expression made me drawl with, "if Rhys asked you to go easy on me and you listen, I will kill you."

Cassian boomed a laugh, chuckling as he wrapped his hands, shaking his head.

I jutted my chin to Azriel, who sat smirking on a rock. "You too."

He raised his hands in innocence, "I wouldn't dream of it."

I ignored the thudding of my head and aching of my muscles as I jumped into routine punches.

"Do Fae even get sick?"

I whined to Cassian, gasping for air harder than usual in between sets.

He lifted his hands to signal another round, mischief on his face, "only the weaker ones."

Azriel's quiet chuckle came from behind.

I scowled at him, lunging into more punches as he laughed again.

I did have to have many more breaks than normal but thankfully Cassian didn't push me to stop.

Training with Azriel afterwards was the same, and I was secretly thankful that today wasfocussed on wing exercises, given I was not in the mood to hit the ground multiple times.

By lunch time, after I had showered, I was ready to sleep for ten years.

My lungs burned, the coughing was more frequent and the fatigue was exhausting.

But I had too much to do.

I sipped a warm cup of coffee, shivering against it as I gazed out on the balcony. I hoped it would wake me up, because just staying on my feet felt like a workout.

Feet scuffed on the indoor tiles behind me, deliberately but subtly alerting me to their presence.

Azriel perched on the railing next to me, his eyes warm.

"You feeling okay?" He prompted softly.

I shivered again, nodding unconvincingly.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Have you thought about staying here while we go the camp?" He said slowly, shadows swirling around his fingers.

"Dangerous territory!" Mor drawled from the dining room.

He laughed and I couldn't help but join in, stiffling a cough afterwards.

"No it's okay I'll be fine in a few hours." My tone didn't even convince myself. It seemed each hour was worsening.

Azriel pursed his lips, giving me a look of doubt.

The cold prickled goosebumps on my skin, despite my sweater and it not being a particularly cold day.

Azriel jutted his chin towards the house. "Your lips are blue."

I nodded, heading back inside.

Mor sat sprawled on the chair near the fire, painting her nails, a book perched haphazardly on the arm chair.

The warmth from the fire did little to warm my cold bones or ease the congestion from my lungs.

Azriel took a seat at the dining table, coffee in his hand.

I excused myself into the kitchen, looking for some water to ease my burning throat.

Taking one sip, I coughed violently gripping the table to steady myself, the sound wracking and deathly.

I took a deep breath, noticing the wheezing sound for the first time as I gulped air in.

Cassian scowled as I entered the dining room ."There is no way you're coming today."

I plonked myself heavily into the chair between him and Azriel, leaning my head on my hand.

"Yes I am." I muttered, not looking at him, my voice husky.

"No you are not going to that freezing hell hole with a cough like that." He shot back, his tone serious and authoritarian.

I curled a knee to my chest, ignoring him.

Mor held her book, not lifting her gaze from the pages as she said, "Stubborn vs Stubborn. I'm curious to see who will win."

Azriel loosed a quiet laugh, turning towards her.

"My bet is actually on Cassian." He said, Cassian not even smirking in his usual arrogance, his piercing eyes still on me.

I glared at them both, avoiding Cassian, too tired to really keep my eyes open.

Listening to the two Illyrians plan our visit, I closed my eyes, my hand propping my head up on the table, rubbing my aching temples.

"Devlon needs to let the women train or we'll have to crack down." Cassian said to Azriel, his tone lined with violent promise.

"Sounds fun." Azriel replied darkly.

I coughed again, hugging my knee to my chest, wincing as I cleared my throat.

I felt all conversation stop on me and would have blushed under the eye gazes had it not been for my fatigue.

Insufferable family.

"That's it." Cassian stood up from his seat.

I raised my head off my knee to look at him.

"You need rest. Couch. Now." He pointed, tapping his foot.

When I just looked at him, he gently gripped my elbow, pulling me to my feet.

"Cassian-"

A smirk pulled up one corner of Cassian's mouth.

"I'm fine-"

Cassian stooped low, lifting me into his arms.

"Hey!" He walked towards the couch, Azriel and Mor chuckling as I squirmed in his arms.

"Are you going to say something?" I whined, glaring over Cassian's shoulder.

The soft couch hit my back as he lowered me with a light thud.

"Sorry Feyre, you know I'm on their side with this." Mor said.

Azriel chuckled softly, placing a blanket over me.

I couldn't help the tiredness that threatened to pull me under, leaning into the blanket and the couch softness.

I gripped Cassian's large hand as he turned to walk away.

"If you two don't wake me up before you go to the camp, I will murder you both."

Cassian boomed a laugh, Azriel joining in.

"Yeah yeah. Go to sleep." He shook his head, still laughing. Mor raised her eyebrows and muttered something to them, but sleep consumed me quickly.

Judging by the stiffness in my body, when I awoke, I knew I'd been asleep a long time.

I stretched, sitting upright before the previous conversation dawned on me. I gasped, shooting upright.

Mor entered with a cup of coffee in hand.

"They went a few hours ago."

I gaped at her and she smiled, coming and sitting next to me on the couch.

I sat down with a thud, irritated.

She passed me the cup and said, "they worryabout you. Plus you don't want to go stand in the snow like this." She rubbed my shoulder as I just looked at her, somehow feeling even more exhausted.

I coughed a few times.

She rubbed my back. "You sound terrible."

I smiled dryly, nodding once.

"I'm still going to plot my demise against them when they're back."

She chuckled once and added, "I'll help you."

A short while later,Azriel and Cassian strode in, wings tucked tight, eyebrows raised, snow falling from their shoulders.

They gave a sheepish look as I scowled at them from my position on the couch.

"I'd start running if I was you." Mor said.

Azriel dipped his head once. "Sorry Feyre."

Cassian just smirked, amused.

I sighed, a smile on my lips, taking in the great warriors who now looked like naughty school children.

"I'll get you both when I have the energy."

The pair chuckled, taking a seat across from us by the fire.

Mor pulled the blanket onto her lap.

"How was it?"

Cassian stretched his legs out, crossing an ankle over the other.

"Devlon is agreeable now."

He loosed a dark chuckle, Azriel joining in.

Cassian's hazel eyes met mine as he shot me one of his fiercely observant gazes.

"You look worse." He said, his tone tight.

Actually I felt worse. My chest was definitely tighter, muscles more sore.

I shrugged.

Azriel sat up straighter, leaning forward in his chair and said, "Shall we call Madja?"

I shook my head.

"I'll be fine by tomorrow." My voice sounded strained and tight. Azriel's eyes narrowed.

"I sound worse than I feel." I lied, ignoring their muttered argued responses.

As the hours passed, Cassian and Azriel hovered more than usual, nearly always in the same room as me, watching intently, checking I was okay. It was sweet of them though irritating.

Mor kept bringing me cups of tea made of various herbs, likely based on secret consultation with Madja as a remedy.

Such kind but stubborn busy bodies.

Azriel walked in, stacking more chopped firewood, Cassian then following, restocking the wine cabinet. Even Mor hung around nearby, pots clanging in the kitchen.

I ignored their concerned gazes with each cough and groan I failed to stiffle .

I dragged my body upright, lest I fall asleep again, sitting down heavily at the table.

A steaming mug of tea lowered in front of me.

"Ginger is good for your immunity."

Mor said kindly before turning to the couch.