The artwork above is not mine.

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"In there is the kitchen. The servant's quarters are behind it," Celosia said as they wandered through the house. "Is that where you will be staying?"

"No, I have a room of my own elsewhere," Evren replied.

"Eris has never hired a Human before. Only Lesser Fae serve in this house. What is your position?"

"I'm not a servant," Evren maintained a flat tone. She wasn't sure if this female was trying to provoke her or not. "Like I said downstairs, I'm an attendant of sorts. I'll be attending to a few matters for the High Lord."

"What matters?" Celosia paused, looking back at her.

"Private ones."

Celosia's gaze drifted over her. Evren crossed her arms under that analytical stare. She met it, refusing to be frightened. She had been trained to kill High Fae. Deadly, dangerous ones. By the looks of her, Celosia was neither deadly nor dangerous. Evren could kill her with ease.

"Eris always did have interesting taste," Celosia sniffed.

"I'm not his whore, if that's what you're thinking."

"I'm not even sure what I'm thinking. You carry so many different scents about you. Most are male, so I would assume..."

"My line of work involves my hands and my mind, and that is all you need to know," Evren said coldly. "And I am no whore. Least of all a whore to a Faerie."

Celosia smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It seems Humans never change. As touchy as ever, and just as prejudiced."

They walked on. Evren followed a few paces behind Celosia. "Your sense of smell intrigues me," Evren said at last. "I know Fae have heightened senses, but to what extent?"

As much as she hated the thought of living and interacting with these creatures she despised, she had to admit that it could prove useful. She'd be able to learn more about their ways and abilities, more than she could just from watching and killing them. The more she knew, the easier her kills would be and the sooner she would be out of here. She would take this meager play at revenge and then carry out the end of her original plan.

"We can see further than Humans. We can hear better. We can smell better," Celosia said.

"That doesn't answer my question."

Celosia paused and faced her again. "Using my sense of smell alone, I can tell that you are a Human female. You are not on your cycle. You have been around one male in particular for an extended period of time, but you recently interacted with another and Eris. I can smell horse and foliage on you, leading me to believe you have been in the woods traveling on horseback for some time. You also smell of jasmine and sandalwood, so I imagine you must bathe occasionally and you favor more rich fragrances."

"With my hearing, I know that you are forcing your voice to sound flat and cold. If you spoke normally, I think your accent would suggest that you come from the northern part of the Mortal Lands, somewhere close to where the Wall used to be. Your footsteps make very little sound, so I believe you are used to being quiet. It is a part of your daily life. Every move you make is meant to be as quiet as possible."

"And as for seeing..." Celosia came closer. She took Evren's chin in her slender fingers and tilted her head from side to side. "Your eyes are cyan, but most would call them sea green. However, I can also make out hints of silver, maybe even a slight bit of purple, towards your pupils. We are able to differentiate colors better than Humans."

She released Evren. "Does that answer your question?"

"Sufficiently."

They resumed walking. Celosia began to point out a few paintings that hung from the walls. "The former Lady of the Autumn Court, Eris' mother. She is going to be married to Helion, the High Lord of the Day Court. Five of Eris' younger brothers. All are dead now. His aunts. Also dead. And his father." Celosia pointed to one last painting. "Beron Vanserra. He is dead as well."

Evren approached the painting. She was hardly aware of walking. Now that she saw his face, captured in the painting, she remembered him. She remembered how he had laughed. How he had roared in anger. How he had kicked her to the ground and ordered his soldiers to wrap her in a blood soaked cloak. She felt the bodies beneath her fingertips. The dirt falling on her back.

"You know of him?" Celosia asked.

"Yes." Evren dug her nails into her palm. "Why did Eris kill him?"

"To become the High Lord, of course. Although, I think Eris would have killed him anyway. He hated Beron."

How had she forgotten this face? The face she saw in her nightmares. How had she mistaken Eris for him? Beron had coarse brown hair, and harsh chestnut eyes. She glanced at the painting of Eris' mother. It was clear that Eris took after her, with their shared red hair and amber eyes.

"Eris will need a Lady of his own soon enough," Celosia said. "I'm hoping he'll choose me for the task."

"Lady? Not High Lady?"

"No, there is only one High Lady in Prythian. Feyre Archeron." Celosia practically spat the name. "Everyone adores her. She is Rhysand's mate and High Lady of the Night Court. I don't see what's so special about her. She used to be a Human, then had her flimsy little neck snapped."

Celosia paused, then added, "She should've stayed dead. No one deserves to come back from death. But, the High Lords resurrected her, Making her High Fae, and when Rhysand died during the War with Hybern, they resurrected him too. Rhysand's spymaster was resurrected during the War with Koschei."

"How many wars have there been here lately?"

"More than necessary. Personally, I think everyone would be better off if we let those self sacrificing fools in the Night Court die and stay dead. That court causes nothing but trouble."

"You said Feyre was once Human?"

"Yes. Her sisters were too, before they were Made High Fae also."

I didn't know Humans could become Fae, Evren thought. "Were they turned into Fae like Feyre? Did the High Lords turn them?"

"The term is Make or Made.  And no, they were not Made by the High Lords. They were thrown into the Cauldron."

"What is the Cauldron?"

Celosia gave her a surprised look. "You don't know what the Cauldron is? Surely even Humans know about the Cauldron and the Mother?"

"The Mother I've heard of, but not the Cauldron."

"The Cauldron came before any of us existed. It is said that all magic was contained within it, and the world was created in its depths. It is what sustains our world. If it were destroyed, all life would cease to be.

"I have never heard that story before," Evren admitted. She wasn't even sure if she believed it.

"Well, you are Human after all. Excuse me. I need to go see my father." Celosia barely inclined her head and walked away. The skirts of her elegant gown swished around her feet.

Evren tapped her chin thoughtfully, running back over everything she had learned. If their sense of smell is so much sharper than mine, it must be that much more sensitive too. Already, an idea was taking form in her mind.

Evren managed to locate her rooms, only getting turned around twice. Once inside, she entered the bathroom and filled the tub with hot water. She stripped out of her leathers and undergarments. She tossed everything into the tub. Even her boots. Evren reached into her hair. From beneath the leather band holding her hair in a braid, she recovered a small packet.

Evren pulled two of the tiny crystals out of the packet and dropped them into the tub. Half of a crystal, when dissolved in water, would absorb into a handkerchief and be strong enough to confuse a person's sense of smell. Two crystals absorbed into her clothes would muffle her scent, and any scents clinging to her, well enough for her assignments and would leave no trace behind.

Evren returned the packet to her hair. She'd only have to treat the clothes once every two weeks. Hopefully, she'd be able to replenish her stock of the drug when she ran out. She let the clothes sit for a while, then rung them out and hung them up to dry. She placed her boots upside down in the bathroom sink. Evren cleaned the tub, then refilled it for herself.

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"Who is she?" Eris looked up as Celosia barged into his office.

Her father rose, narrowing his eyes. "Who is who?"

"A Human woman I've taken into my employment," Eris replied. "She's here to help me with some private matters."

"Such as?" Celosia arched an eyebrow.

Eris fixed a shrewd gaze on her. "I said they were private, didn't I?" He held her stare until Celosia looked away.

"How long will she be helping you? Where is she staying?"

"That's enough, my dear," her father said, touching her shoulder. "The High Lord does not have to reveal his business to you."

"You may go now, Duman," Eris dismissed the male. He inclined his head and began to lead Celosia to the door. "She'll remain for a moment longer." Duman bit his lip, but nodded and left.

Celosia waited expectantly. "Well?"

"I owe you no explanation," Eris said indifferently.

"Then why did you ask me to remain?"

"I want you to befriend Evren. Tell me what you learn about her."

"Spy on her?"

"No," Eris huffed with amusement. "I'm capable of spying on her myself. Tell me what you learn about her. I want to know who her parents were exactly and why my father killed them. Get her to tell you, and don't trust her."

"How will I know she's telling me the truth?"

Eris grinned. "Because she will trust you."

"I'm under the impression that she hates Fae."

"I'm sure she does, so convince her not to hate you."

"That might prove difficult. We had a bit of a rough start in our acquaintanceship."

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Eris asked. Already, he was feeling a prickle of annoyance. "Or are you going to stop making excuses?" 

Celosia lifted her head airily. "What's in it for me?"

Eris rolled his eyes and pulled a small bag out of the desk drawer. He thumped it onto the desk. Celosia undid the drawstring. Her eyes widened at the amount of diamonds that filled the bag.

"Not quite what I had in mind, but it will do," she said. Celosia took the bag and left the room, letting her hips swing as she walked. Eris scoffed and closed the door behind her.