They both made contact with wooden floorboards, Azriel's hand loosely held her around the waist as they laid side by side. Shaera blinked and turned her head towards Azriel his breath began to become laboured once more, she looked past him, the blonde winnowed into the room and darted towards the Illyrian that lay beside her, the hole in his chest beginning to seep blood again. He shouldn't have winnowed, he wasn't strong enough. Mumbled voices hit her ears but all she could think about was how much her back hurt. Everything hurt. She also couldn't hear anyone's thoughts which wasn't a great start, she could always hear at least someone's thoughts even if she didn't try. But now she was trying, only the sound of silence answered her.

Shaera's thoughts were cut off as Rhysand appeared above her, his hand secured itself around her throat. The high lord of the night court ripped her from the grasp around her torso. Shaera let out a noise of surprise as she was lifted from the ground and slammed into the wall, the grip around her throat tightened, black clashed with violet. Rhysand's face was inches from her own, hot breath hit her face 

"You're going to wish that Attor tore you apart" he growled, Azriel groaned his hand twitched and reached for Shaera. She was dead, so dead, the attor didn't seem so bad compared to the enraged High lord before her. Nails pierced into her throat, blood welling from the small wounds. Morrigan simply ignored the ordeal as she focused on stopping Azriel's bleeding. She whimpered. 

"Do it" she whispered, her eyes continued to stare into the eyes of the man before her. He chuckled darkly his mouth moved to her ear.

"I wouldn't give you such a mercy" he whispered in reply. Shaera couldn't stop it. She let out a laugh, it bounced off the walls of the room, the blonde fae snapped her head up from where she was knelt by Azriel. Another woman was by Cassian. She hadn't met her before.  If Shaera had to be honest she was glad, something about the other woman's aura unsettled her. Their gazes rested on her as Rhysand moved away from her face his grip still secured around her throat. Nervous laughter. Fuck. Why'd she always laugh? His face was filled with boiling rage. His grip tightened, even more blood seeped from the punctures. Shaera moved her hands up to his in an attempt to get leeway for any amount of oxygen to fill her lungs, he lifted her higher, her legs now dangled off the ground. No oxygen. She gasped for breath. Her nails scraped along his hands, deep scratches left behind. She tried to lash out mentally but nothing happened
Shaera stared up into his eyes. Her eyelids grew heavy and finally closed,

She could breathe again. Air rushed into her lung! She was flying! Nope. Not flying. She had in fact been flung across the room.... and straight for a very sturdy looking table. fantastic. Shaera hit the table, a loud crash echoed around the room the table crumbled in on itself and the ex-commander. The breath left her lungs was gone again, everything became muffled once more. She felt like she was missing out on valuable information, though they probably didn't want her listening in the first place. Spy. Enemies. Sacrifice.
High lady... Highlady! Shaera let out a small wheeze of pain. Her body still slumped against the now pile of wood. There was no such thing as a high lady, ever. 

"I mean to tell you that your Highlady made a sacrifice for her court— and we will move when the time is right" Shaera saw the other tattoo... oh it all made sense now... the force that slammed her against the wall, Feyre in Tamlin's arms oh it was all a ruse. She let out a small chuckle under her breath, it came out more as another wheeze but the intent was there. 

"Until then? What of the Cauldron— of the book?" The other dark-haired woman demanded, 

"Until then-" the high lord cleared his throat, even In her fogged state Shaera could swear that the room darkened ever so slightly

"-We go to war." This time she let out a laugh, a laugh not a wheeze, an actual laugh. She shakily pulled herself up slightly into a sitting position, Rhysand snapped his eyes over to hers. 

"You can't fight the king" she winced slightly, her throat now extremely sore from nearly being choked to death. 

"Why's that?" The high lord asked he stalked over to the injured woman and crouched.

"Are you serious? He controls the cauldron and therefore he controls everyone and everything, as soon as you accept that, the better" Shaera stared the high lord down, he stood up straight again 

"You just don't want to fight for anyone but yourself, you stood in that hall content, complacent in your position, you've stood by and watched thousands die-"  silence hung in the air

"And what did you do under the mountain, oh high lord of the night court" Rhysand choked on his next sentence, Shaera began to pull herself to her feet Morrigan moved away from Azriel her hand rested on Rhysand's arm 

"As you fucked Amarantha how many people died?" They were practically toe to toe, Shaera's glare dead set on the Illyrian's face, the high lord's outer facade began to crumble. The blonde woman let out a low growl. Shaera stepped away from him, pain shot up her leg. She frowned and looked down, a piece of wood was embedded in her leg, the dark-eyed woman scoffed, it had to be right in her thigh... if she pulled that out... well let's just say blood would go everywhere and she'd eventually bleed out quite quickly seeing as the wounds on her back had too bled quite profusely earlier. Shaera cleared her throat 

"Now if you don't mind I'd like to find a nice tree and go bleed out in peace" she began to hobble towards the door.

"Get her healed enough so she won't die in her cell" Shaera whirled around, the high lord was addressing the short dark-haired woman. Who nodded and started over to her, fear hit Shaera like a ton of stone. She couldn't be locked away. Not again. Never again. She backed away and held her hand up to the woman

"If I'm being honest I'd prefer to die. Death Or torture I don't care I'm not fussy. " Shaera continued to back away. She attempted to slam into the woman's mind but nothing happened. Not even a dent, she tried Morrigan's mind... nothing.  She even tried Azriel's. Nothing. She panicked, her back hit the wall 

"Amren-" the high lord of the night court called to the short woman. She stopped her approach. 

"- forget the cell...take her to the hospital along with Azriel and Cassian... chain her wrists" he ordered. Shaera sighed and blinked, her gaze shifted to Rhysand. 

"Don't take my kindness for weakness, Shaera" her name fell off his lips as though it was poison. 

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." He paused "though we aren't friends and shall never be as such, your knowledge of Hybern and the king will be useful" he spoke to her as the high lord of a court, as a protector of his people. She continued to stare at him 

"You were going to lock me away, what? 30 seconds ago" Shaera stood off from the wall, she
had to pull herself together, though her head hurt, her back ached, her leg throbbed like a bitch, she couldn't show any more weakness... she'd already let it slip she hated cells, she couldn't let anything else out in the open, Rhysand approached 

"I changed my mind" he stated his eyes locked with her's again before he turned away, Morrigan approached with chains. Shaera blinked before she put her wrists out in front of her. The blonde fae wasn't gentle as she secured the cuffs around her wrists, tighter than necessary.
"What about her mind thing" Morrigan questioned Rhysand shrugged 

"She won't be able to use that now she's no longer in the favour of the king" now it was her turn to choke on her saliva 

"I also wondered about that little factor you see, but seeing as you didn't lash out as I continued to choke you against that wall, it's safe to say the king decided you no longer needed them if you didn't serve him" he waved his hand and Amren moved forward again and grabbed her arm. Shaera stared at his retreating figure silently. He figured it out. No. Amarantha had done the same thing to him under the mountain. He did get his power back once she died. Shaera looked down at the ground. She'd never get hers back, the king wasn't going to die... not anytime soon at least, and he sure as hell wouldn't give her back full reign of her power. It was bullshit. Now she was stuck with the people she theoretically helped to save however little she did help and she was cuffed and taken to a healer. Oh, she didn't know why she was complaining, they could've shoved her in a cell to rot and die from infection.

The thing was she'd heard so much about the night court, she thought she'd even seen it a few times in dreams or distant memories... but this place, it wasn't malicious, dark or even remotely dangerous... she said that as though she wasn't choked and stabbed with a piece of table 10 minutes prior.... but to be fair from a "enemies" point of view they were currently stood is a townhouse for cauldron sake, hardly a location one would expect to meet their certain doom. Amren gripped her arm tighter, Morrigan had gathered Azriel and Cassian in the time she was rambling mentally. Then before she knew what happened they were all gone from the wooden room.

*******************
Long story short she was taken to a hospital wing of sorts, her chain attached to a bed by Amren who swiftly left her to be dealt with by the healers. Shaera sat there, the sun began to sink below the horizon, orange beams shone through the white chiffon curtains that moved gently with the breeze. Beds lined the walls, the ground a cream stone, the place was so bright and clean... and beautiful.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the pain in her throat had lessened, but seeing as she wasn't exactly dying and for the small fact she was the enemy, the healers didn't seem too rushed to come over and help her, perhaps they were daunted by her chained hands and permanent pissed expression...

she didn't mean to look pissed all the time, it was just how her face rested... everyone's face would rest like that after working closely with the king of Hybern for all those years.
Now she was self-conscious of how her face rested.  An hour tops away from Hybern and she's already becoming emotional about her face. The last light of the sun-warmed her, it was peaceful. Someone cleared their throat. Shaera's eyes snapped open her gaze rested on the expressionless face of a blue-eyed high fae woman. Oh. She had a resting pissed face too. Ha. Shaera concluded that she did indeed like her resting pissed face.

"Lay down" Shaera did as she was told and laid flat on the bed. The woman got a piece of cloth and tied it around the top of her thigh. Before Shaera could even get comfortable especially with her back the woman gripped ahold of the wood and yanked it out. 

"FUCKING HELL!" Shaera lurched forward the metal around her wrists clanged against the frame, Azriel stirred, the healer put the wood in a metal pot, the dark-haired woman flopped against the bed. That wasn't pleasant... The brunette placed her hands over the wound a soft glow coming from them. Shaera groaned the heat from the woman's hands wasn't exactly the nicest feeling in the world, a mixture between unbearable warmth and a needle stabbing into your skin over and over again. It went on for about 10 minutes until the woman moved her hand away and stepped away. 

"I'll get you some clean clothes" Shaera nodded, and the healer walked away with the pot in her grasp. She touched her leg, it was still red, aggravated and sore but at least she wasn't going to bleed to death anymore. She'd never thought she'd find herself outside Hybern's clutches ever again, let alone alive and ... mainly in one piece, though she'd admit she was a bit rough around the edges after the whole ordeal... but to be fair wasn't everyone? Another healer approached high fae again, with brown eyes and dark skin. Shaera saw her eyes linger on the chain, as she sighed, the woman hesitated but shook her head and made her way over to the ex-commander. Shaera moved her legs so they dangled off the bed, she swung them gently back and forth. The elder stood in front of her holding a basin of water and a cloth, she cleared her throat

"Hello I'm Madja" she nodded at her and stepped closer 

"Where'd the blue-eyed one go?" Shaera asked the woman who snorted 

"She said you swore at her" Madja raised an inquisitive eyebrow in her direction 

"I didn't say a fucking thing!" Shaera exclaimed Madja laughed and patted her head 

"Don't worry. Ferin will come round eventually, she's a bit iffy when it comes to Hybern commanders-" the old woman winked at her 

"-until then. let's get your back cleaned and then you can go use one of the baths" the elderly woman smiled at her warmly, Shaera frowned and turned to look at the chain attached to her bed and the cuffs around her wrists. Madja patted her head again Shaera got the message and turned around, metal clanged at her movement. Her hand then rested at the base of her shirt, she hesitated and took a shaky breath. Madja squeezed her arm gently, Shaera sighed before she peeled the bloodied shirt from her body, she winced at the sensation. She heard Madja sigh, water sloshed about in the basin before the wet cloth made contact with her back. Shaera flinched then settled, she wasn't really comfortable sitting on a bed in a room, nothing but a bra on, someone touching her back. She didn't like people touching her back. Now she thought about it she didn't like people touching her anywhere for that matter. Maybe she just didn't like people. 

"You know-" Madja's voice cut through the silence it echoed slightly 

"I thought you'd be taller... and a man" Shaera chuckled 

"I get that a lot" she hummed staring across the room at nothing in particular

Azriel stirred in the bed next to her own, he groaned and opened his eyes. The now healing Illyrian blinked before he turned his gaze to settle on Shaera. A semi-naked Shaera. He choked and clenched his eyes shut again. She snorted 

"Never seen a semi-naked woman before? I'm shocked, to say the least" she hummed relaxing more under Madja's care. Azriel opened his eyes and glared at her before he turned over. He was icy all of a sudden. Well, she was the enemy, perhaps he had an adrenaline rush, saved her and now regretted it. She wouldn't blame him if he did. Ai, she regretted a lot of things. Like sleeping with the king... then sleeping with Tamlin... then letting Elain get put into the cauldron. Shaera stopped... Did she regret signing herself over in allegiance to Hybern? Maybe she would have been something completely different, perhaps a baker... She felt Madja begin to work her magic on the wounds, the pain easing ever so slightly. She would have made a terrible baker, she much preferred meat and vegetables. Hmmm, perhaps a farmer. The old woman stopped 

"I've healed them enough, they won't scar... though I can't say there's anything left that isn't scarred" Shaera didn't think she meant to say that last part out loud from the way the woman clamped her mouth shut. She chuckled darkly. She knew her back wasn't the prettiest of sights, two thick scars ran down either side of her spine, as many smaller whip marks decorated a large amount of skin that should've been scarless. The blue-eyed fae from earlier approached, fresh clothes in her hand

"I'm not wearing that," Shaera stated bluntly as she stared at the cream loose-fitting dress folded in Ferin's arms. Madja took the clothing from the younger fae and waved her off. She brought her hand up to Shaera's head wound, her hand glowed followed by the burning and stabbing sensation then nothing. Madja produced a key from her pocket and unlocked the cuffs. Shaera stood from the bed 

"Take the clothes" 

"Don't you have pants" 

"Pants will irritate your leg" 

"I want pants"

"We don't have pants"

"Can't you find me pants" 

"No" 

"Please"

"No"  Madja shoved the cream dress into Shaera's arms and ushered her towards the small door about 4 meters away from the bed. 

"Wash now" 

"Shorts?"

"Go" Shaera sighed and shuffled towards the bathroom. She stopped short outside the oak door

"Thank you Madja-" the old woman nodded Her hand clasped the door handle

"Please tell Ferin I meant her no offence" Madja simply blinked this time, Shaera took it as a maybe I will, maybe I won't kind of blink. The room smelt like lavender. She sneezed. A small chair sat in the corner of the room, the ex-commander shuffled over to it and placed the light coloured clothing on top. Oils and soaps of many scents sat around the edge of the bath. Shaera sighed before she stripped off her pants and bra. The moment her feet stepped into the warm tub she groaned and lowered herself into the steamy heaven. Fuckkkkkkk, she loved baths. The baths were brilliant. She grabbed the closest soap to her which happened to be vanilla, She scrubbed every part of her body except her back which though had already been cleaned and largely healed, still remained tender in places. The dark-haired woman groaned as she laid further back in the bath letting the water run over her scalp and through her hair. She scrubbed the dried blood off and hastily grasped the oils which she ran through her hair, detangling it in the process. Now her hair smelt like Sandalwood. Perfect. The smell of death was gone. She could finally breathe. She sighed and closed her eyes.

Shaera knew that was a mistake. As soon as flashbacks from the cauldron came flooding into her mind in full force. This time the water entered her lungs, the man dragged her down further, Elain gave up fighting. She kicked and kicked but nothing worked, she spiralled further and further down.

Her eyes snapped open. That was morbid. Crickets chirped. She'd nodded off...how odd, she knew it was time to leave the bath, it now barely being lukewarm. Shaera heaved herself from the tub, her feet hit the cold stone floor, the clothes were soft under her now very shrivelled fingers. She pulled on the underwear and slipped the dress over her head. She didn't like it. Not at all, but it was extremely comfy, the way the fabric hung around her only occasionally touching her flesh, it was like wearing a cloud. Who knew being an enemy of the night court would be this luxurious. Shaera swayed slightly the fabric turning around her legs, she grinned, oh if Hybern saw her now, she laughed. Ferin flung the door open and sighed

"So you didn't drown yourself" she gestured for Shaera to exist the bathroom she strolled over to the woman her damp feet padding against the stone

"It's actually impossible for someone to drown themselves" she hummed as she walked past

"I didn't ask" 

"Yet you learnt something new" Shaera retorted and sat down on her bed presenting her wrists to the fae, the blue-eyed woman walked over and grabbed the cuffs clicking them around the enemy's wrists. Ferin simply walked off and out of the room...
Shaera needed to piss. There wasn't even a toilet in the bathroom. She didn't know where she could piss And now she was chained to the bed.

She was not going to piss the bed.... or was she. She couldn't sleep, she needed to piss so bad it was unbearable. She turned over; then 2 minutes later turned over again. She tried her front, then her back. She couldn't sleep when she needed to piss. A shadow fell over her, she opened her eyes.

"Stop fidgeting," Azriel said. 

"I can't" 

"Why not" he stared down at her.
"I need to piss" 

"You're shitting me" 

"No Azriel I am very much so not shitting you" 

"Out of every being on this earth, I get the most selfish, conceited, emotionally inept one of them all"

"Oh I do love it when you talk dirty to me" Azriel stared at her 

"You're not funny" Shaera smirked up at him 

"I'm  hilarious" the Illyrian paused again and continued to stare at her, then he just turned away

"You know what; you can piss yourself" Shaera frowned 

"Fine I will" Azriel waved his hand dismissing her as he slipped back into bed

 
"Sleep well" She did not sleep well.

***************
3718
It is now 2 am
Obviously, Feyre is in spring court doing her thing I can't remember how long she was there so I'm going to have to go through wings and ruin and figure it out. Tbh I'm just seeing how long I get to write my absolute nonsense before the next book kicks in. I think it's at least over a month, so that's a month of Shaera and the inner circle 😌 buckle up. I say that as if I know what I'm gonna write. Anywho!

Edit: On March 11th there are fewer mistakes in these chapters... can't believe y'all let me keep some of my earlier chapters up, the spelling mistakes 🤭 there's probably more but I'll check again another time 😂
Don't forget to vote and comment ❤️

Edited 11th May 2022