More energy went into resurrection than Evren could have imagined. Her very bones seemed to ache and for the first four days after her death, she did nothing but sleep. It had caused Eris a large amount of stress and he'd said over and over again that the Amulet hadn't affected Azriel and others in such a way.

Evren always pointed out that she was Human and perhaps it was having a greater effect on her because of that. Regardless of the reason, Eris was anxious enough that he didn't leave her longer than twenty minutes at a time. Brin hovered around the Forest House in case she was needed, but thanks to her many hours of sleep, Evren felt herself recovering quickly.

She'd been asleep when Eris confronted the remaining Loyalists. From what she'd been told, they had surrendered at the sight of Celosia's body and the promise that they would only be imprisoned, not tortured or executed. They gave up the names and locations of the rest of their allies and guards were sent out to arrest them. Peace was returning to the Autumn Court.

•~ ❘ ۞ ❘ ~•

Evren sighed contentedly as Eris stroked her hair. He smiled at the sound. She lay with her head on his chest and blankets pulled up to her waist. "Has everyone responded?" She asked.

"They have. They'll be here."

Not the High Lords and Ladies. Not this time. This time, they were hosting a ball for their people. All across the Autumn Court, Eris knew stories about Evren were being spread. Some were good, some were bad. Most of them told about the Human who had sacrificed her own life for them. A Human who was gifted with a Fae's long life. A Human who was now their High Lady.

He would never be able to repay the other High Lords and Ladies for agreeing to let him use the Amulet on Evren. He'd thanked each of them again and again, and they'd just told him that he deserved it. Both of them deserved it.

Evren took his hand and traced her fingers over the lines in his palm and the scars on his wrists. She kissed the scars, then kissed him. "We're going to have to find a job for you that doesn't involve killing others or yourself," Eris chuckled when she drew back.

"Hm. I suspect I'll have plenty of tasks that fit that description soon enough." She smiled. His heart fluttered at the sight of it. "Of course, there will still be times my skills will come in handy, I'm sure."

"I'm sure," Eris echoed. "Things are never truly peaceful in Prythian. We'll face another threat soon enough."

"Just, not for a few weeks at least," Evren laughed. "I'm still recovering from the last threat."

Eris grinned and pulled her back down for another kiss. "If there's a threat, we'll know about it quicker than normal."

"What do you mean?"

"I've hired a new spymaster."

"Really? Who?" Evren propped herself up and eyed him curiously.

"Keitha. She'll be our spymaster and her brothers will serve under her."

"Why did you choose her?"

"Because she served us well when you were back in the Mortal Lands. Her skills will come in handy."

"And if she's not comfortable torturing people?"

"That's where her brothers come in. They'll act as her agents."

"I see."

"You don't approve?"

"No, I approve," Evren replied. "They'll do a good job."

"Keitha said that Human girl is still with them. The one you helped when you killed Revan."

"Juliette? Good. I had wondered about her."

"Keitha is bringing her to the ball. You'll see her then."

"Great!" Her smile grew.

Eris met her sea green gaze and studied the planes of her face intently. He admired the way her smile lit up her features. How had she kept that smile locked away for so long? He touched her cheek gently.

"What?" Evren asked.

"One of the first thoughts I had when you died was that I would never see your smile again. I would never hear your laugh. I would never feel your touch. I wouldn't see you playing the piano. I wouldn't hear the silence of your footsteps. The house would be quiet again and I would be alone." He blinked back the burning sensation that stung his eyes. "But your smile and your laugh. Those are what I would miss the most."

Evren was quiet. She leaned into his touch as he continued. "You kept them hidden for so long. I tried to coax them out. We worked towards freeing them for so long. To never hear your laugh again, to never see your smile, after only hearing and seeing them a few times... That thought hurt more than anything. You had just started living. I had just started living. When you died, it felt like a part of me died too. The most important part of me."

"I don't know how long I could have survived the pain and emptiness of not having you with me. The thought of it at that moment was already so unbearable. I was holding you and yet you were gone. I told myself I would let you go, but when the others told me to use the Amulet..."

"I know," Evren interrupted, and tears shone in her own eyes. "I know and I'm not angry with you. Even if you hadn't used the Amulet... Even if I had become High Fae, I would never have been angry with you. I understand. I am a part of you, just like you are a part of me. I would rather die than live without you, and I know you feel the same."

A few tears managed to roll down his cheeks. Eris didn't wipe them away. "Celosia told me that when Feyre died and was Made, she thought she should have stayed dead. Celosia believed that no one deserved to come back from death. In some ways, I agree. It isn't fair to others who lose loved ones and don't get to see them return. But having been on the receiving end of this gift, I know that I'm very grateful for it. I could never find rest while knowing that you were still alive and suffering without me."

"If I could have brought back my parents, I would have done so in a heartbeat. If that had happened though, I never would have met you. Those who live... Those who die... They are more important in our stories than we think. Life and death decide many things. They change us in ways we could never imagine and present us with opportunities that wouldn't have been possible otherwise."

"Where would I be if my parents had lived? Where would you be if your father was still alive? What would have happened if he had died sooner? What would have happened if I died before we ever met?"

"I don't know," Eris replied.

"Neither do I, so I'll choose to be grateful for what happened because it led me to you. Everything I suffered brought me here. Everything you suffered brought you here. We are here. We are together. It is enough."

"It is enough," Eris agreed. "I am feeling content, happy, relieved, and honestly, exhausted."

"I am feeling happy, grateful, relieved, exhausted, and..." Evren laughed and gave him a sly look. "Wise."

"A wise person would know not to look at me like that."

"A wise person knows to look at you like that to get what they want."

"I thought we were tired."

"We are."

"So what is it you want?" Eris asked.

Evren nestled closer to him, pressing her cheek against his. She kissed his neck and he closed his eyes, simply feeling her touch. Her warm scent drifted towards him, jasmine and sandalwood. Eris slipped an arm around her waist and around her shoulders. He held her close and she tangled her legs with his. Evren wrapped her arms around him.

"I already have everything I want," she whispered. He felt her pull on their Bond. Eris stroked it in return. He blinked in surprise, hearing the echo of her voice in his mind. I love you.

I love you too. He felt Evren tense, and knew she was just as surprised as he was. She relaxed a moment later. Eris stroked her hair as she drifted off to sleep. She was there. They were together. It was enough.

•~ ❘ ۞ ❘ ~•

They arrived at the ball arm in arm. Evren held her head high, feeling the weight of the crown atop her curls. Eris wore its counterpart as usual. Their clothes complimented each other, carrying shades of crimson, gold, black, and copper.

The crowd parted for them as they made their way down the staircase and towards the dais where their thrones sat. The people began to bow. Evren reached out to touch the hands of those closest to her. She saw tears in their eyes when they looked up.

They were Fae, but they were her people. She had earned their respect and loyalty, and she would do everything she could to keep it. Evren and Eris sat on their thrones simultaneously. Music resumed and couples began to whirl across the floor.

Evren spied Keitha and Juliette dancing together. The two were laughing and talking as they danced. Keitha dipped Juliette suddenly, and when she pulled her up, Juliette pressed a kiss to her cheek. Keitha flushed at once and their dance continued.

"How long do we have to sit here and look powerful?" Evren whispered, leaning towards Eris.

"Not long," he replied. "Why?"

"I want to see if our very few dance lessons paid off."

Eris smirked. "I'll make sure you have more regular ones now that you'll have additional free time."

Evren grimaced and Eris stood. He offered her his hand. She took it and let him pull her onto the ballroom floor. They began to dance, keeping pace with the other couples. Evren's feet never faltered. She matched Eris' every move. She hooked an arm around his neck when he dipped her and let her fingers graze against the floor.

"Elegantly done," he said, bringing his lips towards her ear.

"I was afraid you might drop me," Evren snickered.

In response, Eris sent her into a rapid twirl, then dipped her. Evren yelped as his arm left her waist. He snagged her with the other arm just before she reached the floor. Her hair dragged across the marble and then she was upright once more.

"That is why you need to keep up with your dance lessons," he laughed. Evren laughed as well.

The pace of the music slowed gradually. She rested her cheek against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. Eris kissed the top of her head, careful not to jar her crown, which was miraculously still in place.

"Look at your people, Evren," Eris whispered. She peered past his shoulder. The people watched them with shining eyes. "It has been a long time since the Autumn Court had rulers who cared for the people and each other. It has been a long time since there has been joy and peace here."

Evren began to hear a name circulating through the room. It was her own, but changed by the people. Evren Lifegiver, High Lady of the Autumn Court. The irony of her new name was not lost on her.

"You have given them hope," Eris said. "You have given them their lives back."

"No, we did," Evren corrected.

Eris smiled, but shook his head. "No, this time, it was you, my Lady."

Evren smiled, tears blurring her vision. She tucked her head against her mate's chest once more. She was a Human. She was a monster. She was cruel. She was kind. She was Evren Bastile Vanserra Lifegiver, High Lady of the Autumn Court.

Despite what they said, she knew that it was not her actions alone that had given the people their hope, their lives. It had taken both of them. It had taken two monsters with hearts of stone, who had learned to live and love. It had taken a High Lord and a High Lady. It had taken two broken souls to restore a broken court. They had needed each other to make their worlds whole. And they were whole at last.