Shaera strolled effortlessly into the hall behind the rest of the group. It was dark, cold and entirely made of stone. Pillars lined down the hall... it looked somewhat faintly like Hybern.  Azriel's hand rested lazily upon her hip. She didn't let her eyes scan the occupants of the room, she felt them stare at her, trying to get a grasp on her power, who she was. They tried, oh she nearly laughed out loud, they tried to find a way into her mind.

"You're a natural at this" Azriel's voice practically purred in her head, his finger drew a circle on her hip 

"I find this environment easier to handle" the dark haired woman hummed.

Feyre walked up the steps and sat upon the throne, Rhys was perched on the arm beside her. The rest of them took their places below the steps. Amren, Nesta and Mor on one side, her and Azriel on the other. His hand had moved up to draw small patterns on her waist. He was enjoying this a lot, she could tell from the small smirk that danced at the corner of his mouth. 

"Bow" the Highlord commanded. None did. They simply stood and watched the new arrivals. 

"Shaera" Rhysand whispered in her mind. Black circled her irises, they scanned across the room as she rendered the entirety of the court to their knees. Small gasps littered the room as many tried to fight against her hold. But alas they were no Highlord and therefore so much easier to handle. Shaera smirked her eyes met brown across the room. She knew those eyes... the ex-commander masked all shock. It was their uncle. She forgot about him, forgot he existed in fact.

"I will interpret the lack of two thrones to be due to the fact this visit came upon you quickly. And I will let you all escape without having your skin flayed from your bones, as my mating gift to you. Our loyal subjects" Rhysands voice was lethally calm, a smile faintly painted his features. Gods she felt at home, there was a familiar hierarchy, fear, torment and power, languages she spoke fluently. 

"Surely they would like to stand now" The Highlord hummed in amusement, Feyre's sinister mask didn't slip for a second 

"Rise" Shaera retreated from their minds. 

"You're good at that" Azriel mused she glanced at him making sure she was still shrouded in her sinister facade. 

"Every wall has a weak spot, find that and everything else crumbles" She grinned, Shaera saw the power crawling up the step towards the High lady. Feyre pounced, three gasps choked through the murmuring as she slammed talon-sharp magic down onto the three tendrils. 

"Do you wish to have this back?" the Archeron asked quietly to no one in particular. Shaera saw Keir scowling as someone in the back of the room whimpered 

"Don't you know that it's not polite to touch a lady without her permission" Rhysand purred, she saw Feyre dig the magical talons in deeper...shit that must hurt. 

"Play nice" she crooned and let the three tendrils of magic go. One person winnowed, another fainted and the last clutched onto the person beside them. Shaera would give it to the girl she knew how to play the role. Amren and Nesta approached the foot of the dais. The grey-eyed woman bowed her head

"By your leave, High lord" Rhysand waved his hand dismissively 

"Go. Enjoy yourselves-" he then jerked his chin towards the crowd 

"Food and Music. Now" they obeyed. Oh Shaera was enjoying this too much, she went to slip from Azriel's grasp but his hold tightened 

"It's not safe"

"Azriel, this is my forte, let me get a drink" the ghost of a frown appeared across his features 

"One drink" his tone was flat. Shaera slipped from his grasp 

"One drink" She sent a grin towards him before strutting across the room. She was hungry, where was the food. 

"The council room, 10 minutes" Rhysand voice echoed in her skull for the second time today, she flickered her violet eyes over to him and nodded slightly. Shaera moved across the room and latched her grip around a glass.

"How's the drink, gorgeous?" a voice whispered beside her, violet met green

"Do I know you?" She flickered her eyes up and down the man. He was pale, blonde and muscular. Thought not Azriel muscular. He smirked at her, his hands ran down her arm 

"We could get to know each other" Shaera chuckled dryly. Azriel's stare pierced into the back of her skull. 

"How would he like to become acquainted with the end of my sword" Azriel growled 

"Oh please, he's a boy and harmless, stop worrying"

"It's a hard pass" Shaera downed the drink the blonde-haired man smirked at her 

"That's a shame" his eyes looked serpentine, the ex-commander sighed 

"A shame indeed" Shaera mused before walking away

******************
Rhysand was at one end of the table in the council room and Feyre at the other, Azriel and Mor filled up one side... which left her on Keir's side, an empty seat next to her. Azriel was always watching her from the corner of his eye, it was rather sweet now she thought about it. 

"I know why you're here" Keir stated to the room disdain lingering on his face 

"Oh?" Rhys's eyebrow arched

"Hybern is swarming. Your legions are gathering-" the blonde man intertwined his fingers and rested them on the dark glass table 

"- You mean to ask for my Darkbringers to join your army" Rhys sipped from his wine 

"Well, at least you've spared me the effort of dancing around the subject" Keir held his gaze without blinking 

"I will confess that I feel myself. Sympathetic to Hybern'd cause" Mor shifted slightly in her seat, Azriel's icy gaze settled on the man. She wasn't meant to speak at the meeting... but gods this man was already grinding on her nerves. Shaera picked up her goblet and downed the contents. Her mouth had grown dry and they really did have excellent wine. 

"You would not be the only one" the High Lord countered cooly. Keir frowned up at the obsidian chandelier, fashioned after a wreath of night-blooming flowers- the centre of each a twinkling silver fae light 

"There are many similarities between Hybern's people and my own. Both are trapped— stagnant"  Rhys eyes flickered over to her own for a moment, Shaera shrugged and poured more wine from the decanter and into her goblet, she didn't exactly know what he wanted her to say 'you're nothing like Hybern', 'Hybern's people are far worse off, that would change little to nothing in the man's plans, except perhaps give him hints about her past. 

"Last I checked, you have been free to do as you wish for centuries... Perhaps Longer" Keir didn't look at Mor. She felt Azriel's rage bubble 

"Ah, but are we free here? Not even the entirety of this mountain belongs to us— not with your palace atop it" 

"All of this belongs to me, I'll remind you" Rhysand spoke warily 

"It's that mentality that allows me to find Hybern's stifled people to be... kindred spirits" Shaera took a deep breath to control her laughter, it was so hard. The way he was glorifying Hybern and comparing this place to the island, the blonde fae had no idea what Hybern was like, maybe she'd drag him there someday and leave him to it. He wouldn't last long

"You want the palace upstairs, Keir, then it's yours-" Rhys crossed his legs 

"-I didn't know you were lusting after it for so long"  Keir's face stretched into a serpentine smile 

"You must need my army rather desperately,-Rhysand." He sent a hateful glance at Azriel. 

"Are the overgrown bats not up to snuff anymore" Shaera bristled. 

"Come train with them, and you'll learn for yourself," Azriel said softly. Keir sneered at him. Shaera would give it to the man, he was quite skilled at the expression. Morrigan gritted her teeth. Shaera quite admired their friendship. Well, what she concluded was a friendship.
The ex-commander downed another glass and then quickly filled it again. She couldn't quench her thirst

"I have no doubt, that you've already decided upon your asking price" The high lord sounded bored as he peered across the table at his uncle. Keir hummed and moved his gaze to Feyre. The chandelier swayed  slightly 

"Tread carefully Keir." The man smiled at Feyre then at Rhysand. Shaera stilled.

"What would you give me for a shot at this war, Rhysand? You whored yourself to Amarantha— but what about your mate?" He paused and his eyes past the rest of the occupants sat around the table and rested on Shaera 

"What about your sister? Though I'm surprised she's alive... Would you whore her off for the sake of the war?" He smiled at her

"I know many who'd pay a pretty price to fuck you" Shaera snorted and sipped her goblet, amusement danced in her eyes. Keir frowned, obviously not the reaction he expected. Rhysand's face darkened. She'd love to know the price, the male population were fascinating, how they'd part with coin for the touch of a woman. 

"The bargain our ancestors struck grants you the right to choose how and when your armies assist my own. But it does not grant you the right to keep your life, Keir, when I grow tired of your existence" invisible claws gouged deep marks in the table, the glass shrieked. Shaera gritted her teeth, she kept the glass swirling in her hand lazily, Keir stared down at the lines. 

"I thought you might be... hesitant to assist me" The high lord paused, icy rage pooled in his eyes. Rhys snapped his fingers 

"Bring him in" The doors opened with the wind. Then. She felt him. The violet-eyed woman placed her goblet down the contact made a small twang echo around the room. Mor paled, Azriel reached for his knife. She turned her head lazily towards the door. And there he was. Eris. The man she'd sliced real good, her smirk grew.

"Welcome back, Eris-" Rhysand drawled.

"It's been what— five centuries since you last set foot in here?" Shaera saw the hurt in Morrigan's eyes. Hurt and Betrayal. 

"It has indeed been a while" he moved across the room and behind Shaera's seat, his hand touching the back of her neck and face lowered next to her own. She kept her gaze forward as his lips moved next to her ear

"Hello pretty little thing" He hummed 

"Firecracker-" she responded quietly and bluntly

"-how's the wound" Eris chuckled next to her his breath hitting the side of her face. 

"It's healing well" he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

"I've been thinking about you a lot" he whispered 

"Oh?" She hummed, his hand moved down onto her shoulder he squeezed it gently. Azriel shifted in his seat

"Eris" Rhysand cut the man off, the heir of Autumn court pulled the chair out, his touch lingered on her shoulder before he took a seat. The Highlord turned to Keir 

"You once tried to build ties to Autumn, Keir-" said Rhys picking up his goblet and staring into its swirling contents.

"Well, here's your chance, Eris is willing to offer you a formal alliance— in exchange for your services in this war" Keir sat back in his chair and paused for a moment 

"It's not enough" Eris snorted, pouring himself a goblet of wine from the decanter, Shaera held her goblet out, Eris didn't even bat an eyelid as he filled hers as well. Men were so funny. 

"I'd forgotten why I was so relieved when our bargain fell apart last time" Rhys sent the heir a warning look. Eris clinked his goblet with Shaera's. They both drank deeply.

"What is it that you want then, Keir?" Rhysand purred. Shaera wanted the man to mention Feyre again just so she could see her brother tear him apart but alas she wasn't that lucky. 

"I want out. I want space. I want me, people, to be free of this mountain" Shaera was pretty sure he was referring to Velaris... but the ex-commander didn't even know if he know about the city. So assuming he did. Then that's the route he was trying to go down. 

"You have every comfort, and yet it's not enough" Feyre spoke up in disbelief, Keir ignored her and kept his focus on Rhysand 

"You've been keeping secrets, High Lord," Keir said with a hateful smile, his hands resting over the deep scratches. 

"He wants free reign of Velaris" she cut off the man's dull and overly dragged out waffle. Keir's head snapped to face her 

"You always were a rude child" he sneered at her, Shaera chuckled and shook her head in amusement.
"Sahriel is right, I want access to the city, for me and all my court" Everyone stilled, the request resonating around the room.

"No" Mor spoke bluntly, the words echoed every surface insight 

"There would be conditions" Rhysand spoke bluntly. Mor opened her mouth but Azriel laid a scarred hand atop of hers. Shaera honed in on the gesture, he cared for the woman. Gods she was being an insecure child. But now she thought about it, Azriel and her didn't exactly know a lot about one another. Shaera didn't know why his hand was scarred, he didn't even know she had been married. Mor snatched her hand away. 

"500 years of loving a woman that'd never love him back" Eris spoke more to himself. Shaera heard... why'd she had to hear that, unless. Violet eyes flickered to Amber, Eris raised his goblet to her. She'd just confirmed his suspicions. With both her being a Daemati and well her interest in Azriel. He couldn't have possibly guessed they were mates. 

"How'd you guess?" she asked Eris, the man remained watching her 

"An entire court doesn't just fall to their knees" She could feel Azriel staring across the table at her. Shaera hummed 

"Indeed they do not" she turned away, hazel briefly met violet.

"Done" The ex-commander blinked... done, done what. She was too busy talking to the redhead beside her. From the look on Morrigans face, Shaera was able to guess what was done. 

"There's one more thing, one more request" Feyre spoke up, squaring her shoulders ever so slightly.

"Oh?" Keir finally turned to acknowledge the High lady 

"I have need of the Ouroboros mirror... immediately" Shaera's frowned deeply...why the hell would they need the Ourorbos mirror, no one should have that thing, it should be buried indefinitely inside this godforsaken mountain. 

"Who told you that I have it?" Keir asked quietly 

"Does it matter? I want it." Shaera scanned Feyre's face... no one ever wants that thing.

"Do you even know what the Ouroboros is?"

"Consider your tone Keir," Rhysand warned the blonde man, Keir leaned forward, bracing his forearms on the table.

"The mirror, consider it my mating present... if you can take it" venom slipped from the last words, Shaera turned to look at the man, 

"What do you mean?" The middle Archeron asked, Keir, stood to his feet 

"To take the Ouroboros, to claim it, you must first look into it-" he moved towards the door as he spoke

"And everyone who has ever attempted to do so has either gone mad or been broken beyond repair. Even a High Lord or two, if the legend is true... So it is yours if you dare face it." He shrugged and paused by the doors 

"Lord Thanatos is having... difficulties with his daughter again. He requires my assistance" Rhys waves his hand. Mor's eyes were blazing with unsheathed flame. Keir turned to Eris
"I will wish to speak with you—soon." The heir of Autumn just nodded before the blonde fae left. Silence. Shaera and Eris sipped their wine.  The amber-eyed man placed his goblet down and turned to Mor

"You look well, Mor" 

"You don't speak to her" Azriel spoke softly, rage rippling off every word. Eris sat back and turned his head towards Shaera 

"What's it like fawning after a man how will never return the favour" the ex-commander snorted and met his gaze

"Seeing as he's my mate, Eris, I believe it's safe to say the attraction is mutual" she swirled the goblet, The heir of Autumn didn't so much as attempt to hide his shock

"... but, you haven't mated?" Shaera shrugged 

"No" Eris let out a bellowing laugh he turned to look at Azriel 

"500 years of chasing after Morrigan, and now you have to chase after your mate too! Oh, the irony" the ex-commander didn't like that, the way he spoke to Azriel. Shaera slammed into his mind, Eris choked 

"I assume Rhysands arrangement relies solely upon you keeping your mouth shut" she moved from his mind and went back to sipping her goblet.

"And I've done an excelling job of it. Not even my father suspected when I left tonight"

"How did this come about?" Feyre spoke up staring intently at Eris 

"You didn't think that I wouldn't know your shadow singer would come sniffing around to see if I'd told my father about your... powers? Especially after my brothers so mysteriously forgot about them, too. I knew it was a matter of time before one of you arrived to take care of my memory as well" Eris paused 

"Though now I wished it would've been the prettier Daemati that was sent to me" She saw the man in the corner of her eye turn to her briefly and lick his lips. Azriel's eyes blazed. Eris grinned and eyed the Illyrian 

"Did you know we were promised to one another before you disappeared but then I was given Morrigan instead" Mor froze, Azriel gripped his knife and growled? Shaera picked up her glass and sipped again. Her throat was so dry. 

"Good thing I disappeared then" She spoke lowly. Her head started to ache, her vision suddenly hazy. She waved her hand in dismissal and Eris turned away 

"I didn't tell my father, why waste that sort of information on the bastard? His answer would be to hunt you down and kill you— not realising how much shit we're in with Hybern and that you might be the key to stopping it" Eris finished and took another sip from his goblet 

"So you plan to join us, then," Feyre asked, the red-haired man smirked 

"Not if my father learns about your little secret" Azriel was watching her now. Shaera was blinking rapidly, she hadn't drank that much more than her usual alcohol consumption, so she wasn't drunk.

"So what's your asking price, Eris?-" Mor demanded 

"-Another little bride for you to torture" the blonde fae flickered her eyes to the violet-eyed woman. Shaera was too busy racking her mind over what was happening. She'd squeezed her hands together to stop the shaking, a constant chill ran up and down her spine. 

"I don't know who fed you those lies, to begin with, Morrigan, likely the bastards you surround yourself with" Eris stated, sneering at Azriel. Shaera would've attacked him again but she couldn't focus at all, and the ache in her skull had started to grow 

"You never gave any evidence, on the contrary, Certainly not when you left me in those woods" Eris scoffed 

"There were forces at work that you have never considered... and I'm not going to waste my breath explaining them to you. Believe what you want about me"

"You hunted me down like an animal, I think we'll choose to believe the worse" Feyre snapped at the heir of autumn, Eris's pale face flushed 

"I was given an order. And sent to do it with two of my...brothers"

"And what about the brother you hunted down alongside me? The one whose lover you helped execute before his eyes?" Feyre's eyes gleamed as Eris placed his hand on the table 

"You know nothing about what happened that day. Nothing" Shaera zoned out, she'd listened to them spit poisons at each other for far too long. Her mouth was dry, her hands were shaking, her head throbbing. The ex-commander went to reach for the decanter but stopped. Her hand was shaking too much, she couldn't possibly grip the thing. Shit. The dark haired woman racked her mind... the drink... the fucking weasel green-eyed fae from the hall 

'How's the drink, gorgeous'. She hissed quietly to herself in realisation. Her eyes flickered up to Azriel's, his face was shrouded in concern 

"Wha... the..... m" Shaera frowned... she didn't hear a word of what he said. Her face dropped in realisation. Valerian Root. She knew it well, it practically left Daemati powerless once it kicked in. Shaera stood from her chair and turned towards the door 

"Shaera where are you going?" Rhysand questioned from the head of the table, the violet-eyed woman placed her unsettled gaze upon him.

"To kill someone" she practically growled before stalking out the room.

*******************

She stumbled down the corridors until she finally reached the hall. Her violet eyes honed in on the green-eyed man. She blinked and steadied herself before marching in. . People turned as the dark-haired woman descended into the room like a beast from the depths. The fae man turned and grinned

"Finally more applicable to get to know each other" he joked, some other fae laughed around him. Shaera stood still in front of him. 

"Oh look she's starstruck" Shaera grabbed the man's hand and led him from the hall, twists and turns until they reached a small darker corner. Her brain had cleared slightly enough to gain the man's name. The fae was already gripping her hips, his lips secured onto her neck. Violet eyes seeped into black. Her mind had cleared.

"Why Valerian root Aeld" she whispered into his ear, he kissed down to her collar bone 

"Someone told me you were a Daemati, would make you easier to deal with" the green-eyed man mumbled against her skin. Someone. Keir didn't know she was alive until today. It didn't make sense. Nothing was making sense anymore. Who wanted her. One thing remained certain at that moment. Her rage. She wouldn't kill the boy, just scare the shit out of him. 

" Do you ponder finality, Aeld" Shaera whispered, everything stilled. 

"One should live in the present, I don't think about death" He looked down at her lust engulfing him 

"Maybe you ought to" Calm. Stillness, Shaera's hand snapped forward and gripped the man's throat, her nails piercing the skin. He choked. She slammed him into the wall. He clawed at her hands. It only fuelled her. The ex-commander stared into the man's green eyes. Then something shifted... a euphoric warmth seeped through her palm, and up her arm, finding settlement in her chest. Shaera blinked and looked at her arm... black veins spiralled along her flesh... dark eyes moved back to the boy... the boy, his eyes had clouded over like a soft jaded mist. The once youthful face sunken with age. Aeld looked 100 years old if compared to a human of that age. Shaera released her hold and stumbled back...

Wielder of death.

 She released his neck and let the body drop to the floor. Shaera didn't know what she'd done. When she told Rhysand she was off to kill someone, the ex-commander didn't mean it. She wanted to scare the boy, stop him from being a sex-hungry monster. But now he was dead... Shaera crouched down next to the body and closed Aeld's eyes. 

"I'm sorry" her dark eyes faded back to violet as she stood from the boy's body. She let out a shuddered breath before turning and walking down the hall. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Shaera walked back to the throne room to find the rest of the group congregated outside.

"Did you kill that someone?" Rhysand mused his arm secured around his mate 

"Yes..." she replied bluntly and went to stand by the group. Feyre looked up at Rhysand briefly, a frown etched onto her brow. From the corner of her eye, Shaera saw Amren looking down at the fading veins that had retreated to her wrist.

The grey-eyed woman looked like she'd seen a ghost.

They winnowed home.

——————————————————
4096
The sex, spice or insinuation vote will end on Friday the 12th.

Edit Update: spelling corrections, and dialogue fixes.
I think that's all for today :)
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vote and comment! ;)

Edited May 14th 2022:  Funny because I still haven't written a sex scene 0.0, soon lads soon. xoxo