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nestavipers · 3 years

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Santa here 🎅 or Groucho 🥸 which you can call me if you want to avoid the acotar secret Santa tag! I think it’s fitting—we both wear glasses and have the same hideously bushy eyebrows. Thankfully, I do not share the mustache.

BINBONS ❤️❤️❤️ OMG. I love Shadow & Bone, books and the show. Were you around on tumblr before the show came out and the all the backstage interviews with the cast were used to create S&B reality tv show memes? They were SOOOO FUNNY, and I swear, everyone was passing them around! I used to have a blog (that I wound up deleting for reasons 🤷‍♀️) where I wrote Billy Russo imagines (mostly smut, if we’re being honest, because like…smut is just fun to write) and other Ben Barnes characters, and some Shadow & Bone. He and Charlie Hunnam are my two major weaknesses. 🤣 Don’t judge me but I really wouldn’t blame you if you did.

But I’m guessing you’re also a Shadow & Bone fan? Do you have a preference of books over the Netflix show? And the most important question—Mal or the Darkling? I’m all about the Darkling she says, surprising no one Also, if you’ve read the books, what do you think about the newer ones with Nikolai’s character? I haven’t read past the original trilogy and Six of Crows (which I personally couldn’t get into—I just couldn’t suspend my belief enough for a heist story where everyone is conveniently within a perfect teen age range and all the adults are like, WE HAVE NO ISSUES WITH TEENS IN THESE SITUATIONS AND IN FACT I TOTALLY SUPPORT KAZ BREKKER AND HIS GOONS WITH THESE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THINGS THAT COULD COST/PAY ME A LOT OF MONEY, and then I read These Violent Delights and I was physically pained by adult mafia bosses sending their teenage children out to be badass authority figures/track down information/I can only pretend so much, okay?), but I read that the Darkling comes back?

Okay, about the age gap between Feyre and Rhys. I am SO GLAD that it’s not just me that thinks it’s a little uncomfortable for Feyre to be with a 500-year-old I really shouldn’t say anything since I’m writing an age gap story myself and having a grand old time with it buuut is it me, though, or is a trend in YA or New Adult stories to pair young women up with older guys? Like, acotar has the obvious centuries age gap. FBAA is the same. There are all the vampire stories, of course, like Twilight or TVD. In fantasy, at least, it seems to be a thing?

ALSO, what do you mean “albeit minus the violent swordplay”? Your friendships don’t involve violent swordplay? 😅 That’s not normal?

A Shadow in the Ember—GIVE ME SPOILERS. I’m like 11th in line for the ebook from my library 😭😭😭😭 which is not the longest I’ve ever waited for a book, but still! Oh, oh, but here’s my theory for the next book (or whenever he shows back up in the story, BECAUSE I DEMAND SATISFACTION FOR THIS): Malik has not actually sided with Isbeth and is playing along the same way Ian was. I really want to see some Malik/Casteel interactions, even if only in flashbacks, and I want to see Malik get a cool storyline of some kind! Also, a little less plot exposition balanced with gratuitous smut (which felt like was the bulk of book 3) would be nice. I just want more intrigue and actual story to happen. The last one felt like it dragged through parts and JLA was balancing it out with odd domestic fluff or sex until the cliffhanger. 🤦‍♀️ how about you? Any predictions or hopes?

My pup is fine, btw—fine-ish. He had luxating patella, which is a fancy way of saying that his kneecap won’t stay in position (please don’t be offended if I’m assuming you don’t know about dogs and you do), which is typical of smaller breeds since smaller bones mean less space for kneecaps. So, his was out more than it was in, and on top of that he tore his ACL, so he could barely walk on that leg and it had to be surgically fixed. He’s still in pain, though, so he has to go back to the vet this week 😣 do you have any pets? Are you a cat or a dog person?

I know Bitten! I haven’t really read the books, but I have seen the TV show (which I’m sure is basically a separate thing with how many changes they made, because that’s how it always happens!), which I LOVE. Even though they have this weird fascination with showing off Clay’s bare ass every chance they get. 😂 Have you seen the show? Does it compare well, or is it a poor bastardization of the books?

I have a confession—I have not watched Bridgerton yet (although I love Alex Meyers commentary on it on YouTube, about how it’s a Gossip Girl story about the perils of being the only redhead in England 🤣 ) and I’m not an Outlander fan. I started the books and show for Outlander a while ago and I just couldn’t get into it (as much as the actors for the show are amazing), but I’m generally not too into time travel stories, anyway. Not sure why, it’s just not a thing I’ve enjoyed most of the time? 🤷‍♀️ But, so, IS Bridgerton worth the watch, or are the books better? Because I’ve heard of Lisa Kleypas, but I’ve never tried her books.

ALSO—ALSO. Oh hell, I’m just going to save your whole post so I can find all the book recs and then kiss any social life I have goodbye because there are too many books to read and I’m sure everyone will understand that right?

Also stole your notes hack and wrote this out completely there beforehand so I could just copy and paste 🤣 so thank you for that!

Okay, as a fellow BlindTM person and a fan of alliteration, I’m calling you ‘spectacle santa’ from here on in hahaha.

Yes, I’ve been an S&B book fan for a long time and was SO PUMPED to see how they incorporated the SOC lore and characters into the show. I was not part of the tumblr fandom for the show but I’ve been following the Grishaverse subreddit and most of the memes either got cross-posted there or my friend would text them to me later. I never watched The Punisher and tbh didn’t even realize Binbons was in it until your message (and me googling Billy Russo in confusion). I’ve been semi-following his career since Prince Caspian but other than Dorian Grey and Westworld muuuuuch later, I kind of lost track of what he was up to until S&B.

The only thing I’ve seen Charlie Hunnam in is Crimson Peak, but even just from that I can totally see the appeal. Also omg this is a judgement free zone in terms of fandom behaviour. I have truly seen it all and been part of my fair share of cringeworthy fandom stuff in the past (I can’t figure out to put the wincing emoji face here but just imagine it is).

I looooooooove show Mal (Archie was PERFECT casting) and I tolerate book Mal, but tbh I am ride or die for Nikolai. Like, when they announce the actors for season 2 I am going to pass out. He is my Nesta of the Grishaverse. Segueing into your next q, I’ve read KOS and ROW and while I really, really loved KOS, ROW felt like fan service and tbh kind of reminded me of ACOFAS in that I was like … am I on ao3 right now???? I don’t want to spoil you but there’s a plot line with a major character that made absolutely no sense to me and that I’m still scratching my head over. Anyway, would say KOS is worth it if you like Nikolai, otherwise don’t bother (though, yes, the Darkling does come back but in a weird, wattpad-esque way that I personally did not vibe with At All.)

And omggggg yes seriously the ages of the characters in SOC made absolutely no sense and I always mentally age them up to at least early twenties. I think of myself back when I was a dumbass 17 year old and like … sometimes I think it’s a miracle I survived to adulthood. I actually just picked up a copy of These Violent Delights as a Christmas gift for myself (it’s my first Christmas away from my family so I thought I’d buy a few things and wrap them up so I have something to open on the 25th like a total dork) so I will get back to you on that after I’ve read it.

In general, significant age gaps are one of my big No’s of fiction and unfortunately fantasy is full of them. Like, Bella and Edward was hard enough for me to swallow because he was literally (like, the literal version of literally) old enough to be her grandfather. I don’t care if Rhys/Cassian/Az are all physically young and hot still, they are mentally 500 freaking years old but somehow only possess the mental maturity levels of frat boys in their early 20s. SJM seems to have a real obsession with these gigantic age gaps in all of her books and I am just Not About It.

I haven’t actually gotten too far into ASITE yet (I’m racing against the clock to finish my pile of library books before they’re due) but I am really enjoying what I’ve read so far (more than I did the first Blood & Ash book actually but I am also meh about Casteel which didn't make his whole thing with Poppy very compelling for me).

I LOVE YOUR THEORY. I am super intrigued by Malik’s true allegiance and I looooove storylines about family feuds and strife and drama, so there’s so much juicy story potential I can’t wait to read about in the next book.

I also want more actual story earlier. The vast majority of her books is just ‘we walk and talk here, we walk and talk there, we sleep in this inn, we walk and talk somewhere new, oh look more sleeping somewhere else’ and THEN she’ll throw some giant plot twist in at the very end (which is actually not all that different from ACOSF but I actually enjoyed all the character development in that case because I want Nesta to marry me)

I’m so glad to hear your dog is fine! I had a friend in high school who had the same problem (her kneecaps kept moving around and she wore knee braces for years before eventually having surgery for it). I hope the vet is able to make the residual pain go away, poor pup :( I don’t currently have a pet but my roommate has a cat who I ADORE and I basically get all the benefits of pet ownership with none of the responsibilities, it’s a pretty sweet set up hahaha. I am equally a cat and dog person though! I fostered a dog about a year ago back when I was quarantining with my parents and it was such a great experience. I hope to eventually get my own dog.

Omg I could not get through Bitten the show, to me it was a terrible adaptation but I also hold the book in really high regard so my standards probably weren’t very fair. I highly, highly suggest giving the book a try because it’s just excellent and there’s this whole [note that I had to stop writing here to go pick up and cuddle my roommate’s cat who was crying for attention in the other room but who is now purring away next to me on my bed] fun supernatural world with all of these awesome characters over the span of like 13 books to explore. It’s one of my comfort series, for sure (though of course … there is an Age Gap romance in the last couple of books but I just cringe my way through it).

LOL at the Gossip Girl/perils of being a redhead thing re: Bridgerton. I enjoyed the show, it’s a lot of fun and a great watch over the holidays, but IMO the books were better. Book 2 is AMAZING so I’m so excited about season 2, and if we ever manage to get to book 6 I will be overjoyed because it’s the best in the series IMO.

Outlander definitely isn’t for everyone, that’s totally fair! I’ve been a fan for a very, very long time and it was one of my earliest fandoms (back when it was awkward teenage me and a bunch of middle aged women leaving comments on an old-school message board years before the show was ever a thing) so it will always have a big soft spot in my heart. I love time travel romance as a genre so if that genre doesn’t appeal to you, Outlander definitely isn’t the right fit.

I did the same thing as you and immediately filed away the books recs you gave on goodreads, I can’t wait to see how many of them are already available to borrow at the library!

And I’m going to go back and tag all of our chats with ‘spectacle santa’ so you can always find them that way later ;)

I HOPE YOUR WEEK IS OFF TO A BEAUTIFUL START, MY FELLOW BESPECTACLED FRIEND <3 Did you get up to anything exciting this weekend btw?

#spectacle santa #i will definitely keep you posted re: ASITE because i keep seeing memes on here about a character I don't think I've met yet #and I am Intrigued

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featherymalignancy · 4 years

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I live for literally all of your works but one of my favorite things so far is the incorporation of ToG characters in In Vino Veritas! Rowan and Cassian’s friendship is something I never knew I needed in my life

YAY! I was so nervous if the cross-over was going to work but I decided to go for it and I’m really pleased with the way it turned out. Also in conceiving how they all know each other, this insanely clear story about Rowaelin’s origin story went down, so see below to get a sneak peak! 🏐 🍺 ♥️

Rowaelin One-Shot: First Look

This story takes place four years before In Vino Veritas. It’s also my first TOG fic, though you’ll recognize a familiar ACOTAR face or two! It will be NSFW, and it will also be published ??? (aka sometime after the next chapter of LaLH!)

**also a quick note, I sometimes change physical details about characters because canon isn’t the boss of me. If a character’s appearance is slightly changed or they are coded as a person of color when they weren’t explictly denoted as such in canon, I assure you those are conscience choices. You’re been...warned? Advised? Idk, I just wanted to give you a heads-up, it’s all intentional! ♥️

The Eyes of Texas

Rowan Whitethorn—a Navel academy graduate and recently discharged second lieutenant—takes a break from studying of the police academy exam in Los Angeles to fly back to his native Hawaii and compete in a twos volleyball tournament with his ex, one of the best sand players on the amateur circuit.

Beyond Remy’s devious machinations to win Rowan back, the biggest impediment to victory is the so-called Ashryver twins, a pair of cousins from Miami with a reputation of their own. Rowan can’t help but admire the gorgeous and sharp-tongued Aelin Galathynius, who’s more than ready to give Remy a run for her money—both on the court and in the race for Rowan’s affection.

The Eyes of Texas SNEAK PEAK

“I can’t believe you voluntarily chose to play with her,” Fen said with distaste, watching as Remy stalked off, huffing. “She is a fucking nightmare.”

“Here, here,” Cash said, and Rowan rolled his eyes.

“We’ve been playing together forever,” he protested. “And Remy know we aren’t...seeing each other anymore.”

“Does she?” Lor drawled. “Just because you’re not banging her right now doesn’t mean she’d done with you, Whitethorn. Remelle St. James is not a girl you can just walk away from.”

“We’re twos partners, not soulmates,” Ro said. “And if playing with Remy means winning this tournament, I don’t really care what you jackasses think of it, or of her.”

“Her sets cannot be worth it,” Lorcan drawled, sounding bored.

“She’s the best amateur female player in this tournament,” Rowan snapped back.

“Please,” Fen said. “She’s barely top three.”

“And who’s number one, then?”

Fen grinned, dark eyes fiendish.

“You haven’t heard? There’s a chick here from the University of Texas, and apparently she’s—“

“Holy shit,” Cash interrupted, eyes skating over Rowan’s shoulder. “Who is that?”

Rowan turned in time to watch the hottest woman he’d even seen sauntering towards them. She was taller than average—easily pushing six feet—and corded with a sleek musculature that would have heralded her as a volleyball player even if they weren’t at a tournament. Her gorgeously tanned legs went on for an eternity, and he felt his mouth go dry at seeing the minuscule bikini bottoms she wore, the burnt orange Lycra hugging a toned ass that told him she probably had a damn good vertical. Her long blond hair was pulled into a high ponytail and braided in the popular style, and when she turned to smirk at him in a flash of pearly teeth and dazzling blue eyes, he felt a little weak.

“Goddamn,” Cash said, interrupting Rowan’s reverie. “She is gorgeous.”

“That’s her,” Fen said. “The Texas chick, Aelin Galathynius. Ro, I hope you and Remy can pull it together for this match. Otherwise this girl is gonna fuck you up.”

They all watched as she trotted onto the court, stretching in a way Rowan was afraid was going to make his board shorts too tight.

“Holy shit, I want to marry her,” Cash said, and Rowan felt a prickle of irritation.

Before he could address it, or—more realistically—dismiss it, Lor gave an unimpressed snort.

“She’s too tall.”

“I don’t understand how a guy pushing seven feet can have a maximum height restriction for the women he dates,” Fen said.

Lor only shrugged with a smirk, but Rowan was barely listening. He felt another twinge of displeasure zip down his spine as he watched a muscular blonde frat star stride onto the court towards the Galathynius girl, who beamed at seeing him.

“Who is that?” He asked, trying to sound bored. “Her boyfriend?”

“Cousin,” Lor said, expression gloriously bored. “Aedion Ashryver. I played him in a tournament in Miami last year. He’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen.”

“High praise, coming from you,” Fen said, earning only a sneer in response.

They watched as Ashryver took several exploratory swings, Aelin working our her wrists. Rowan admired her form as she gave her cousin a perfect set and he crushed the ball into a sand on a punishing downward trajectory.

“Nice hands,” Cash said, eyes alight with appreciation as she shot a quick set to Aedion to a similarly successful result.

“I can block him,” Rowan said, trying to read Aedion’s form for flaws. “He’s swinging hard, but he’s hit that same spot every time.“

“That’s not going to be enough on its own,” Lor said dryly. “Your best bet is to force Galynthius to receive first then shut her down on the block. I bet her swing is weak.”

Rowan nodded, trying to get his mind right as Remy headed back towards them, jerking her head towards the court to indicate they needed to to warm up as well.

“Good luck, champ,” Fen said. “Make sure you find out if she’s single for Cash.”

Rowan flipped him off and jogged onto the court, trying to ignore the way Aelin Galynthius’s eyes raked him appreciatively as he passed her.

YAY!! Can’t wait to hear what y’all think, and if this sounds good to you, please tell your friends! Look for The Eyes of Texas, coming soon!

#rowaelin #throne of glass #rowan x aelin #rowaelin modern AU #rowaelin smut #in vino veritas

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spaceshipkat · 5 years

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so i’m reading the sj/m tor interview, and here’s a couple highlights i wanted to share

Q: I want to talk a little bit about the jump from YA to adult. You’ve said in the past that you’d leave the shelving location up to your publishers, but did you know as you were writing that this was different from your previous work?

A: So it wasn’t a conscious choice to write adult, it was just—here is this story that I’m having an extremely awesome reaction to, this is the character that walked into my head. Moving to adult now just feels like the right move, this is the story that’s been so close to my heart for so many years. This is the next thing I’m dying to publish.

(hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

Q: What was the editorial process like, was it different?

A: Sometimes giant chunks of the story, or I’ll take out characters or add characters in, I do a lot of very intense revising. I really look forward to the editorial process because its that essential time for the book to become what it needs to be. It gives me time to figure out what I want this book to be. Whenever I turn in a first draft, I know that first draft is awful so I dump the book on my editors lap, and I’m like please help me make it better!

(oh please. i’m rolling my eyes again)

Q: You started on Throne of Glass when you were sixteen. Was it different to work on a series that hasn’t been with you for that long?

A: With Crescent City, I’ve really had to do a lot of planning for the second and third books. What are some of the big reveals that I can set up for in book one? With ToG and ACoTaR, I had the luxury of years of letting those books sit and figuring out what I wanted to do with them, so I could really plan the twists and turns and revelations. But with this one I don’t have all those years, I need to be smart and figure out what I really want to happen. So I’ve been heavily plotting book two and book three, and it’s actually really fun. Even if I’m not typing actual words for those books, it’s really fun to put on my headphones and daydream about what I want to happen next, and then see how I can be really sneaky in book one and put all those details in so that when something huge happens, readers can be surprised. I love writing those moments, my “mic drop” moments, and I love hearing from readers when they say “yeah, I was hoping that would happen” or “I didn’t see that coming but now I totally see that you were planting the seeds for that”.

(this is such bullshit)

Q: Crescent City is a decidedly urban setting, with modern technology alongside supernatural creatures. What was the world-building process like?

A: How can I have an old school fantasy world but give them indoor plumbing? Which, for ToG and ACoTaR—these are set in older times but they need to have toilets that run, and then I have to invent an aqueduct system for the city and explain how the water is carried, there’s a sewer network. But for Crescent City, toilet paper is a given, don’t need to explain that one.

A: There are a whole other set of questions that I’m still chipping away at. I love those world building details, and the world of Crescent City is populated by almost every magical, mythical creature you could think of and they all exist together side by side in this very complex hierarchy. Its kind of like the Roman Empire, and it’s been fun to say, a really hot vampire guy is trolling the clubs, so I can play on some of those tropes and have fun with them.

(well now we know why it has Roman columns so imma need someone to hold my beer. also, she didn’t explain once how the t0g world has indoor plumbling, so fuck that)

Q: And with technology, it doesn’t always work. Cellphones get stolen or lost or broken.

A: And I grew up in New York City, and so getting to write a character living in a city feels like I’m home again. Bryce, my main character, works at a magical antiquities gallery, and I spent one summer in college working at an antiquities gallery. Her job is a lot more exciting than mine ever was, I mostly sat at the reception desk in the gallery waiting for people to come in and if someone did I’d say, here’s the 2000 year old bust from Crete. I would give little tours of it. Bryce has magical artifacts in her gallery that could come alive and kill her so it’s a lot more exciting that my—oh, it’s 10:00AM, time for my yogurt and six almonds. I had a very regimented schedule to keep boredom at bay, I read the New York Times cover to cover every day. It isn’t an exciting market. I loved it because I love ancient art. It was amazing to go into a space every day and sit surrounded by things that were so ancient that were really expensive too. If I break it, I will be working here for the rest of my life. But it was really cool, so I kind of drew on that experience for Bryce—and being young and in the city. Bryce does things that I could not do, but I pulled from my experiences.

( @longsightmyth you’re gonna have to keep me chill while she uses this as an excuse to not do thorough research on how you properly handle ancient artifacts. we saw how she treats ancient books, so this is bullshit)

Q: It’s rare to find a fantasy series built on female friendship. Was that a conscious choice, to center the relationship between Bryce and her roommate, Dani?

A: Yeah, I’m lucky to have the most wonderful husband in the world and I’ve been with him for 15 years now—but so I’ve had this amazing and epic love with him that’s shaped my life. But I’ve also had my life shaped by the friendships I’ve had at different stages in my life.

(not to nitpick, but 1) why would you bring up your husband when asked about female friendships, 2) this is ridiculous bc she doesn’t write female friendships well, and 3) can we stop praising her for stuff like this? so many authors write female friendships much healthier than sj/m, so here we’re just stroking her already enormous ego)

#anti sjm #anti crescent city

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coeurvrai · 5 years

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Serefin, the idiot, panics that he’s lost his eyesight until he realises it’s night time, so of course he can’t see jack shit.

Apparently we have gone from the royal gardens to his BEDROOM, somehow! Talk about a hard fucking cut, like jfc

“This is scandalous, Żaneta,” he mumbled, resting his head back against the pillows.

“Definitely more scandalous than the prince being attacked in his own palace gardens,” she agreed.

Żaneta has her head screwed on, which is more than I can say about Serefin for the entirety of this book so far.

Apparently the assassin that Serefin “acrid sprayed” in the face survived and is in the palace’s dungeons, so that’s something; though bad news for Serefin, his father has heard about the whole thing. If the assassins aren’t ones sent by the king, you’d think he’d get better security by now.

Serefin muses that it’s probably not his father’s because they wouldn’t have failed to kill him if it was. I mean... probably not? Considering this whole thing has been that his dad has plans for his heir and those plans are murder plans. Also what’s happening with the Rawalyk? Also how much time is passing in between these chapters? How long has Serefin been back in the palace? Does time pass at the same rate in both POVs?

“My father is going to blame the Kalyazi,” he mused.

“Was it not them?” Żaneta asked, standing up.

“I . . . don’t know.” The Kalyazi did not train incompetent assassins; his eye was a tribute to that. This could have been the work of the Crimson Vulture. Perhaps his father was behind the attack and she had shifted the pieces so incompetent assassins were sent instead to give him a better chance. He hated living with a black cloud of doom hovering over his steps, certain that his future was bleak but not having any clear answers.

I mean, how do we know that? Lmao Those could’ve just been very competent assassins and these could’ve been very bad assassins, if they are Kalyazi.

Serefin makes Żaneta leave the room and Kacper comes in instead, and Kacper comments that Żaneta didn’t look too happy leaving. Kacper mentions that a Vulture is interrogating the remaining assassin.

What information did he have? An attack on his life, a plan to find a queen for Tranavia, and questions with no answers. Why was his father sending thousands upon thousands of prisoners to the Salt Mines? Why was his father working so closely with the Vultures? To what end? Why now?

What was happening?

Well apparently your dad wants you fucking dead and he’s trying to achieved godhood through blood magic and dead people, apparently, so y’know. Why the Vultures are going along with this when it’s been made explicitly clear that they only answer to the Black Vulture, their king, who knows? Maybe this is a play by the Vultures themselves to manipulate and control the king, I wouldn’t be surprised.

“Have you seen the current list of families participating in the Rawalyk?” Kacper asked.

“No, why?”

“It seems to be fluctuating,” he said. “Names of girls keep appearing then disappearing suddenly.”

“What do you mean?”

Kacper shook his head. “I’m not sure. I want to look into it, see if the girls are just getting nervous or if it’s something else.”

Serefin let out a breathless laugh. “We are so paranoid.”

I do hope that this fucking means something and isn’t a plot thread that’s going to be dropped later on in the book. I mean, that’s a futile hope considering @jefflion told me that the Rawalyk is pretty worthless. But oh boy, Serefin hasn’t looked at who he could hypothetically marry? Dude, why wouldn’t you?

Serefin decides that after nearly getting assassinated, it’s time to see his mum cause oh well, not the time to procrastinate.

He wasn’t sure she could help him, not with anything. But it was all he could do at this point. He was trapped in a cage of gold and iron with no door to escape from and had been given a dagger when he needed a saw to cut a hole in his prison.

Okay then, Serefin lmao Look, I’m all for that “a golden cage is still a cage” imagery, but like, chill. Being more edgy with it does not, in fact, make that allegory any more impactful.

Serefin nodded absently, before frowning and squinting up at Kacper. “Are you all right?”

Kacper blinked in surprise. “Me? Of course, why? They weren’t trying to kill me.”

Serefin eyed the other boy, taking in his dark hair and skin, the scar that cut across one of his eyebrows, and his sharp, brown eyes. He hadn’t grown up fighting off assassination attempts like Serefin and Ostyia. By all rights, Kacper should have been just another soldier in the king’s army; he was of low birth. His exceptional talent with blood magic and his sharp skills for espionage meant he had been shuffled around in the army until he was assigned to Serefin’s company. Their friendship had been struck a month into Serefin’s first tour of the front when he was sixteen. Kacper had gotten into a spitting fight with Ostyia. She broke his arm, he fractured three of her ribs, and it had taken Serefin knocking them both unconscious to get them apart.

Serefin still didn’t know what the fight was about. Neither would tell him. It had taken another week for Serefin to promote Kacper to his personal service after Kacper had nearly lost his other arm on Serefin’s behalf.

I get it, Kacper is brown, Kacper has dark skin, you don’t need to be Like That about it lmao Also that’s such a heavy-handed way to exposition your way through how the three of them met and became friends. Also Kacper is good at espionage and I’m trying to figure out whether he’s a more functional version of Azriel from ACOTAR or not...

But I mean, Azriel is a lowwwww fucking bar to clear, so I mean even if he is better than him, that doesn’t mean much tbh lol

But a “spitting fight”, fucking what? lmao Also if he’s so good at espionage, what is he doing as a common soldier in the army in the first place? Also I might just be being petty, but I still feel like rewarding a person for personal heroism and saving your life by assigning them as one of your personal bodyguards after your apparent childhood best friend got into an intense fight with them a week before is a bit of an overreaction but that might just be me.

Also, would like to know the circumstances of how and what Kacper saved Serefin’s life from but alas, we don’t get that important detail. A shame.

Anyways, Serefin and Kacper talk a bit more before Serefin leaves with Ostyia to see his mother. She seems like an utter delight.

“I have been in this blasted city for weeks now and my only son has just finally deigned to grace me with his presence.” The graceful lilt of his mother’s voice came floating down the hall. Lena shot Serefin a sympathetic look. Serefin had always found his mother to be a bit baffling. Both of his parents were larger than life, greater than reality. He had seen so little of them growing up.

His childhood had been spent with tutors and servants. His parents were figureheads who would move in and out of his life with little permanence. They sometimes appeared in the evening at mealtimes only to disappear once again at the start of a new day. Serefin had Ostyia—whose family had always lived in the palace—as well as a cousin on his mother’s side, but that was all. The cousin had left when they were still very young, off to the country for his health. His aunt and uncle were still seen around the palace, Serefin knew that much, but he had never seen his cousin again, and had eventually stopped inquiring.

Isn’t he your only child period? lol Also I’m sure this cousin was so important, as ED doesn’t bother to even give him a name. It’s also apparently the next fucking day, which is just a common theme in this book where we just jump from location to location or day to day, and expected to just follow along. I still don’t know how long he’s been at this palace, and how time passing in one POV relates to time passing in the other POV.

Serefin and Klarysa talk a little bit about the assassination attempt while Klarysa reinforces her apparent contempt for the city of Grazyk, and she’s not happy that he visited Pelageya before he visited her. I don’t know how egregious that is considering we don’t know how long it’s been since he visited her on his first day back in the palace.

Oh and Serefin describes the room as lavish, befitting of the Queen of Tranavia but we don’t get any description of its lavishness.

“Do you think I can turn the court to my side?” he asked.

She blinked, straightening in her chair. “Serefin?”

“Oh, I’m sure he knows anyway,” Serefin said, waving a hand. “I just need to know how many steps ahead of me he is.”

“Your father—” she put emphasis on the word ‘father’ as if it meant something to Serefin. Maybe once it had. Years ago when he thought he might win his father’s love. Not anymore.

“I found a cleric in Kalyazin. No one else seems to find that important. Doesn’t it strike you as a bit strange? They sent the Vultures after her, but she escaped.”

Serefin, our incompetent alcoholic prince, we’ve been over this a million times already; let’s not get into your blatant hypocrisy again. Also it’s kind of funny how this chapter just isn’t up to snuff compared to like, the last Serefin chapter. Like of course it’s better than any and all Nadya’s chapters so far, but like, oh boy.

His mum tells him that he should listen to Pelageya and her prophecies. I don’t get why, if his mum cares so much, that she isn’t doing that much to protect her only son. Like if his mum doesn’t really care about him, that’d be another thing, but we have no real reason to believe that she doesn’t so far.

“Listen to her, Serefin. I know you don’t want to. I know you think her mad. But listen to her. She could be the only thing that saves you.”

“Saves me? Yes, I’m clearly trying not to die here, but I don’t think the witch is going to help.”

“Not from your father, from the Vultures. From the gods. From everything.”

“Mother?”

“Pelageya knows what she speaks of.” His mother was speaking quickly, her voice low. She knew whatever they said would return to the king. She cast a suspicious glance toward where the wall met the ceiling, the likeliest of locations for eavesdropping spells. “I can’t help you, Serefin, you know that.”

Firstly, eavesdropping spells?! Can’t Serefin cast a spell to detect other spells or charms??? Also you’re telling me that Serefin, ultra talented general blood mage prodigy that he is, can’t cancel out any potential eavesdropping spells so he can have this conversation in peace??? WHY DON’T THEY JUST HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IN PELAGEYA’S TOWER SINCE NOBODY HAS FUCKED WITH THAT PLACE APPARENTLY.

It’s not like Pelageya cares! Pelageya apparently likes the Queen and the Queen likes Pelageya! She’s a companion of the queen!

Serefin felt cold. “What has he done?”

Klarysa shook her head. There was fear in her eyes.

She can’t tell me, he realized. If she tells me, he’ll kill her, too. What did she know that he had yet to figure out?

“Give me something,” he pleaded.

“Your father has always been a monster,” she said. “But at least he had his own mind, his decisions were his own.” She shook her head. “I fear he too has been taken by the Vultures.”

I swear to fucking god, if his dad is a fucking Valg, I will scream. I am not going through that shit again. FE: Fates already did it too and I am just, leave it be.

It was altogether likely there was discord amongst the Vultures as well. That the Crimson Vulture was working apart from her own king, the Black Vulture. But who was holding the strings?

Serefin still had no answers.

And so don’t we, about a lot of things. But that is the end of that chapter! We learn really nothing new on the whole “king is evil and corrupt” front, that he’s being manipulated and controlled by the Vultures is kind of a given. Not as interesting as this plot initially was. But still, I will take mediocrity over whatever the fuck is going on in Nadya’s chapter.

Which is up next!

#sarah reads ws

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nomattertheoceans · 6 years

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I don’t idolize Severus Snape

I think I might have already made this distinction in my post about Tamlin from ACOTAR, but I'll just do it again for good measure :) I'm here talking about Snape as a person. His character is very complex and really interesting to read about. But him as a person? Awful human being in my opinion.

I’ll try to make this post logical and not get too carried away hahaha I’m working off memory of my last reading here, and it’s been like a year and a half, so I might not get everything correct, feel free to correct me, and to let me know what you think.

So first, let’s take a look at his actions as a teenager

He was already extremely prejudiced before they even went to Hogwarts. You can see that he despises Petunia because she’s a muggle, and he’s only nice with Lily because he’s “in love with her” (I’ll come back to the love part a bit later)

We see in the flashbacks from their first year that when Lily and Severus meet with the Marauders in the train to Hogwarts, there’s instant hatred between them. But it’s mutual, it’s not just James and Sirius bullying him, it’s the three of them instantly despising each other. And may I remind you of another instant hatred relationship we get to see in the books: Harry & Draco.

Ok probably the biggest point that's brought up when people defend Snape’s actions: the flashback from the OWLs. We follow the Marauders, Harry discovers how arrogant his father was in school, and witnesses him hexing Snape. This scene alone is certainly good at presenting Snape as the poor guy that was bullied through school and couldn’t get out of it. I mean, James does attack Snape without any reason. But what do we learn later? That Snape used to hex the Marauders as much as they hexed him. We learn again that their hatred was very much mutual, and that it's his worst memory, not because of the bullying, but because his shit treatment of Lily got her to abandon any hope of friendship with him. Which leads me to my next point:

He insults someone who's supposed to be his best friend, with the worst possible insult in the Wizarding world. He humiliates her in front of an entire crowd. And even if the insult kind of comes out without him thinking about it, it shouldn't have, because a non-bigotted person wouldn't have had the reflex to use this word. And this comes from the fact that even when he was a teenager, he was already...

A Death Eater. That's right, in one of the flashbacks, he clearly states that he considers the use of an unforgivable curse on a muggleborn a joke.

Also,

Sectumsempra. Need I say more? He invented a potentially deadly curse in school, and didn't hesitate in using it, since we have an account of Remus saying it was his “signature move."

Granted, all of this happened when he was still in school, so somewhat immature. So let's take a look at everything he did afterwards, as an adult.

Working for Voldemort even though, once again, he was targeting primarily people similar to the woman he supposedly "loved."

Not hesitating in giving Voldemort the prophecy, knowing full well that he would kill any threat to his power, so giving away innocent people.

Only feeling remorse about the prophecy when he realized it concerned Lily

Being ready to let her husband and son, the people she loved, die, because he only cared about keeping her alive.

Begging Voldemort to keep her alive, again not caring about the people she loved.

Only turning on Voldemort's ideas because she was in danger, and then only starting to want redemption because she was dead.

Once Harry gets to Hogwarts and the books begin, a whole new lot of awful is in store. Snape is a professor at that time, he is supposed to help his students grow and be confident about themselves, he's supposed to teach them potions, but also be helpful to them (they're in a boarding school, so the kids don't have their parents with them and the teachers have a much bigger role to play in their education).

He is biased, he's deliberately advantaging his house by giving them unfair points, and unfairly taking points away from other students.

He destroys Remus' career out of spite, even though he knows damn well that Remus is not a danger to the kids, and actually a good and beloved teacher.

He's ready to let Sirius be kissed by the Dementors because of their old school hatred, even though he knows he's innocent (or at least suspects it).

He stops teaching Harry occlumency , once again out of spite. Harry doesn't want the lessons either, but he is a teenager, and it should be Snape’s responsibility to keep the lessons going.

And the biggest problem, he is a bully.

He bullies Hermione, calling her a know-it-all, and calling her out on a physical trait she's not comfortable with, when she's thirteen.

He bullies Neville all throughout his school years, treating him like he's worthless, becoming his worse fear by third year (and probably before). Snape actually tries to murder Neville's pet, and he's upset when the potion turns out not killing Trevor, actually taking points from Hermione because she helped him save his pet!!!!!

And finally, he bullies Harry from day one. Harry arrives at Hogwarts, it's the first time he's away from his abusive family, he's very eager to learn everything there is to learn and he's very humble. And what is the first thing Snape does? He asks him a bunch of trick questions to humiliate him in front of all his new comrades. Then, he spends the rest of Harry's school career bullying him, angering him into getting detentions and losing points, telling him his father was the most awful person to ever live when Harry never even got to meet him, and trying to get him expelled from Hogwarts.

And there's nothing to justify acting that way towards Harry. Yes, Snape holds a grudge against James, yes he never got over his feelings towards the Marauders, and yes, it angers him that Harry looks so much like his father. But these are no reasons to bully an innocent child. In comparison, could you imagine Neville (canonically teacher to the New Gen) treating Scorpius that way just because his father used to bully him?! No? Me neither. Because Neville is a good person.

His "love" for Lily

One last thing before we part. I don't think he was in love with Lily. I think he was obsessed with her. Because when you love someone, you don't treat them like crap just to please your new racist friends. When you love someone, you don't humiliate them in front of the whole school when you're hurt. When you love someone, if they find love and happiness somewhere else, you don't want their family to die.

He stole the photo and the letter that Lily sent to Sirius. He found a photo of her laughing at her family, and cut them out to keep the illusion she was smiling at him. He found the words of love that she'd sent willingly to a close friend of her, and stole them away, to keep the illusion that she was in love with him.

Again, I can't stress this one enough: Snape was fine with the idea of James and Harry dying, as long as Lily lived. He didn't care about her losing the man she loved, didn't care about her losing her child. That's not healthy, that's not love.

The quote "Always" is creepy. Because it's supposed to be this grand gesture of love, showing undying love even after years apart. But that's not undying love. That's unrequited, one-sided obsession.

Also, little bonus because I don't believe this scene is in the books, just in the movies. But who enters a room with a crying baby in it, and instead of trying to calm down the baby and hug him, goes to the corpse of the woman that's always been rejecting them? That is so creepy, I can't even emphasize it enough so here's the scene:

Anyway, all of this to say that while his character is one of the most well-constructed of the books, it makes me extremely uncomfortable to see that a lot of people see him a this white knight that couldn't do any wrong, whose bad actions were all redeemed by the sole fact that he was indeed working for the good side at the end. Working for the good side doesn't excuse racism. And it certainly doesn't excuse bullying.

If you want to read my other thoughts on stuff

#sorry i went a little overboard with this one!#but i have so many feelings about snape #hp #harry potter #snape #severus snape #the marauders #james potter #sirius black #remus lupin #voldemort #lily potter #lily evans #hermione #hermione granger #neville #neville longbottom #bullying #anti snape

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mmreadsbooks · 6 years

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A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3), Sarah J. Maas

5/5 stars

HOW DO I EVEN DESCRIBE MY FEELINGS?! I CAN'T!!!! I took my time reading this, relishing the story and the characters for the last "first" time. I'm so glad Sarah will be writing more stories in Prythian. Especially because I felt like there were a lot of stories we didn't see that were crucial to his final battle. (Lucien, Vassa, Mr. Archeron, Miryam and Drakon, Jurian, Tamlin.) I loved this book, though my greatest issues were some of the twists and plot points were anti-climatic and there were a lot of questions that remained. Hopefully to be answered in upcoming stories. Spoilers below! Questions: What about Nesta's powers once the Cauldron was broken? Why did she ignore Cassian after that semi-romantic scene with him and the King? What actually happened to her when she was in the Cauldron? Didn't her powers seem anti-climatic? I thought she was potentially a death-god? How will she deal with the death and PTSD following the battle/losing her father? What about that bloodline of that ancient Fae that runs through a human line? It was barely mentioned? I believe that was the Fae who bound the Carver and its siblings? Wasn't the ending too good to be true? Getting Rhys back the same way Feyre was revived at the end of ACOTAR and getting Amren back in a High Fae form? Papa Archeron finding Vassa and meeting up with Lucien and Miryam and Drakon running into them??? Also, not sensing that Miryam and Drakon had wards up on their island and they didn't think to tell Rhys?! After we discover Elain is a seer, she suddenly doesn't have any more visions and acts normal?! WHOA. The relationships: Feyre and Rhys: Awesome. Even though there wasn't a lot of tension since they were mates. The only tension-y portion was the beginning when Feyre was spying in the Spring Court. Nesta and Cassian: Played out exactly the way I wanted. Nesta is very closed off and definitely isn't good at expressing herself, even in dire moments. I definitely need more. Also, Rhys and Feyre wondering if their mates made me squeal. Mor and Azriel: What a truth bomb! Mor prefers females, which is awesome. And it makes so much sense about why she wouldn't hook up with Azriel after hundreds of years of pining on his end. I wish this relationship had seen more honesty and had a sort of climax or resolution. Elain and Lucien: LOL Elain's not into it, or at least would rather get to know him first. I would love to hear more about this. Elain and Azriel: Did anyone else sense romance here? Or at least a BROTP? I would love for them to be best friends. Truth-Teller ending the King was awesome. Definitely need more moments here. Elain's surprise at Azriel's rescue at the Hybern Camp and when he gave her Truth-Teller... Mor and Cassian: So are they into each other or not? Seems like they're just good friends but then there's still allusions to a love-triangle with Azriel in this book?? Friends, please. Lucien and Feyre: I really wanted to see more of the original BROTP in this book. They went through so much crap together Under the Mountain and even though Lucien was a shitty friend in ACOMAF, he and Feyre went through hell in the beginning of this book. Especially when she made Tamlin think they were in to each other. But ESPECIALLY when they were fighting his family for their lives. I wanted to see their friendship at the Night Court more. Tamlin and Feyre: I wanted more of a resolution than the note. He's hurt, but he loves her so much. Tamlin was the love interest throughout the entire first book. I felt that he deserved more page time, even if I don't like him. He was a huge part of Feyre's journey. Lucien and Helion: Can you meet?!?!?!?!?! I thought Sarah might kill Helion and then Lucien would inherit his powers, but I guess we shall see. Lucien and Eris: Eris clearly has regrets, thought clearly not a good dude. There seems to be more to his story with Mor and with Lucien, which I would really like to see. Especially if he kills Beron. Feyre and Azriel: Flying lessons, so sweet. Plus when they went to save Elain. And when he saved her from the Autumn Court and defended her at the meeting at Dawn Court. Ugh, Court of Dreams! Feyre and Cassian: Serious BROTP. Could be great brother and sister-in-laws, just saying. Definitely love them training together. When Cassian was pissed that she didn't tell him she was High Lady, I thought it was kind of weird and a little late out of the gate. Feyre and Vassa: I like how Feyre was like, girl, I'm a queen, too, okay. Definitely want more of the story here. Rhys and Elain and Nesta: He's literally their brother-in-law and they spent almost zero time together. They were with Rhys in the Night Court for months!!! No bonding or experiences to speak of? It made me laugh when Rhys flew with Nesta and she threw up and he just yelled, "sorry!" Amren and Varian: OKAY!! OKAY!! OKAY!! Gimme more! Elain and Greyson: Definitely need her to get over this a-hole. Glad she seems to be coming around though. And I'm glad humans fought in the battle. Miryan and Drakon and Jurian: Please tell me more. I really liked this book, but after ACOMAF I just felt it could have been done better. There a lot of threads that still need to be answered, and hopefully will be, but as I've said, I never really thought our characters would lose. So it felt anticlimatic. When Rhys died I was like, WTF SARAH. But all is well. I felt like the last hundred pages were seriously rushed, especially with all of the stories converging into one big battle. I don't think that was plausible, even in a fantasy world. Amren is second in command and she felt like an outsider the entire time. Her betrayal was not totally unexpected to me and seemed like such a big deal and then a page later Feyre's like "Oh, okay, nbd Amren." And I'm like ????????? That Jurian twist didn't have me convinced. Again, too good to be true, I thought. Nesta and Cassian's showdown with the King was awesome, loved their dynamic there. And I totally forgot about Elain until she freakin' stabs the King with Truth-Teller, and finally shows the bit of spine I was hoping she would. I still have so many thoughts and questions that I can't even piece them together. But I love Prythian, I love Sarah's writing, I love these characters, and I'm so glad we'll be back for more. I need to find out what happens next and see the evolution of these characters' relationships. I want to see Nesta, Elain and Lucien integrated into the Court of Dreams. (And perhaps Varian?) Also, love me some Tarquin. We definitely need to know what happened with Papa Archeron, especially after his story was cut off so quickly. Which has completely destroyed Nesta. He had a large turn-around. Also, the story with the Queens confuses me. The Queens rule one land below the wall on the Continent? Is that it? I can't wait to see what kind of Treaty Prythian reinstates between Fae and humans. SO MUCH MORE STORY TO TELL! And Feyre and Rhysand and the Court of Dreams better be a large part of it! Nesta is my favorite character.

#a court of wings and ruin #a court of thorns and roses #acowar #acotar #feyre #rhys #nesta archeron #ya #young adult #sarah j maas #sjm #book review #book blog #review #mmreads

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aelin-and-feyre · 7 years

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A School of Fire and Shadow (Part 4)

This is one of the last chapters in Year 1, but please remember that at the moment, these characters are eleven or twelve years old and may not react to situations in the same way their much more mature characters in the books might. Thank you!

Tagging: @starzablaze @hannahnosretep @runesandfaes@mayhemories@illyrian-queen @bluephoenix222 @carolineherr15@rugrat-mama@rowanismybae @themajorindianfangirl @a-courtof-fangirls-and-fanfics @rhysand-and-rowan @notjustanyoldfangirl@gcarroll @illyrianinterrasen @helloprinceling @peachyyymeg (let me know if you want to be tagged in future parts!)

TOG x ACOTAR Crossover - Hogwarts au

House Key

Last Part Next Part coming Tuesday August 8

“Just look at him,” Aelin sneered, stabbing her grape with a fork. Juice went flying in all directions, but the witch didn’t even notice. Her gaze remained on the Gryffindor table and the white-haired boy sitting there laughing. “Plotting his prank. Making us wait like the mastermind he is.”

Rhysand didn’t even bother following her gaze. She talked about Rowan Whitethorn enough that he knew who she was talking about already. “I’m pretty sure he’s just eating lunch,” he said.

Aelin turned from her fierce stare to scowl at him. “That’s what he wants us to think. He’s just waiting for us to let our guard down,” she retorted, popping a grape into her mouth and chewing it angrily. It had been months since their last prank on Whitethorn - a jinx on his broom that made him hover just above the Whomping Willow for half an hour while the fourth years watched. Aelin waited restlessly for the retaliation she knew would be coming.

Rhysand, however, figured that perhaps the wizard was over the prank war. After all, now that the boy had been spending so much time in Mistress Maeve’s classroom, he could very well have more pressing matters.

“Leave the poor bloke to his food,” Azriel was the one who spoke this time. Aelin whipped her head around to stare at him. “You shouldn’t be wasting your time with him.” The girl sputtered, and Rhys raised an eyebrow at his friend.

Manon ceased her eating to comment, “Az is right. The way I hear it, you should be paying more attention to the Havilliard boy.”

Aelin crinkled her nose as all four of them turned to the Ravenclaw table, where Dorian Havilliard daintily munched on his sandwich. Rhys snorted at the way he used a knife and fork. “Not my type,” Aelin decreed. She shared a look with Rhysand that he could only describe as annoyance.

Manon scoffed. “Well he seems to think you're his. Besides, you’re eleven and you’ve never had a boyfriend, how do you know what your ‘type’ is?”

Aelin crossed her arms with a pout, both Rhys and Azriel laughing a bit at the action. “Eleven and three quarters,” the witch corrected, “and Dorian can try all he wants but I’ve sworn to myself that I am not dating anyone until at least third year. First and second year relationships are stupid anyway.”

Rhys’ eyes flicked to the Gryffindor table once, just glimpsing the back of a golden-brown head before looking back at his friends. “Yeah, that’s very smart of you, Aelin. Best not to get involved too young.” He nudged Azriel beside him. “Isn’t that right Az?”

The wizard didn’t even bother to avert his gaze from the Ravenclaw table as he replied absently, “Yeah, totally.” Rhysand rolled his eyes. It’s like Azriel didn’t even try to hide his feelings for Mor, Rhys’ cousin.

Turning back to the females, Rhys continues, “Besides, I don’t like Dorian.” Manon raised an eyebrow in question. Rhysand shrugged. “His father works with mine at the Ministry. Like, they work together.” He shared a meaningful look with Aelin. He’d confided in her a few weeks ago of his father’s shifty dealings that he’s been privy to. Although his father doesn’t directly discriminate against muggles and muggle-borns, many of his colleagues do. Including Mr Havilliard.

Aelin reached across the table and set her hand on top of his. “We can’t judge people by who their father is, now can we?” She soothed. Rhys grumbled a few times before nodding.

Suddenly, the second year witch who Rhys had been introduced to as Kaltain leaned over to talk to them. The girl had an uncanny talent for overhearing conversations concerning the Havilliard boy, Rhys had noticed. “So, you aren’t in the market for dating anyone right now?” Kaltain asked nonchalantly.

Aelin raised an eyebrow, “Are you offering?”

The witch scoffed. “Of course not. You know Helion though? Second year, Ravenclaw?”

“Vaguely,” Aelin replied. Rhysand looked over to the Ravenclaw table, easily spotting the wizard who had his nose buried in a book. He had seen Helion go through an entire ancient tome in less than two hours, and still have enough time to charm every person he passed. Rhys had to give the guy credit; he knew how to flirt.

Kaltain leaned in close as she spoke the next words, as if they were this deep, dark secret. “Rumor is that him and Dorian have a bet going to see who can get you on a date first.”

Manon burst out laughing, drawing many eyes as she exclaimed, “Seriously? A date - with Aelin?” The witch paused as another bout of laughter overtook her.

Rhysand felt it was his duty as a best friend to stand up for the girl. “Shut up Manon, you’re just jealous because they didn’t place a bet on you.”

Manon feigned wiping her eyes as she recovered from her fit. “I’m just saying, she’s not exactly a prize.” Abruptly, Aelin stood, gathering the attention of the tables around them. She did not have to act as she wiped her own eyes of the tears threatening to fall. Manon’s expression immediately dropped. “Oh, Aelin. I didn’t mean -” But the witch was already running off.

Rhys and Azriel exchanged a quick glance before both standing and sprinting after her. “I hope you’re happy,” Az shot towards the white-haired witch. Rhys noticed that the whole room was watching them as they skidded out into the hall. He was surprised to see that his cousin and Lysandra had followed them. He knew that Aelin had gotten closer to them over the past couple months, but he was proud to hold the position of her best friend. Rhysand couldn’t help but feel protective of her and their friendship. He didn’t want Mor jeopardizing that.

However, when it was clear that Aelin had run to the bathroom, Rhys was incredibly glad that the girls had tagged along. “Before we go in, we need the story,” Mor stopped them outside the entrance to the girl’s lavatory. Rhysand quickly filled them in on what had happened at the table, Lysandra damned the stupid bet before her and Mor entered.

Azriel and Rhys waited outside the bathroom for a couple minutes, and then Az spoke up. “I noticed that the kitchen is serving chocolate cake for dessert tonight...” He commented.

Rhysand already understood, grabbing his friend’s arm and racing downstairs.

...

Aelin’s eyes were blurry as she stumbled into the lavatory. Thus, she wasn’t sure if she was seeing clearly when she noticed the floating gray mass above one of the sinks. The witch quickly wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe, sniffling, and the blob turned toward her.

It ended up being two ghosts, one with thin braids clinking softly with gold and kind eyes, the other with silver hair and an incredibly beautiful face. One, Aelin recognized as Nehemia, the Ghost of Ravenclaw. The other disappeared through the wall before she could figure out who they were.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Aelin apologized through a cracking voice. She hated crying. It always made her throat sore and her eyes sting. She knew she had made a scene back in the Great Hall, but at the moment, she really didn’t care. Aelin just wanted to be alone. It seemed, however, that Nehemia would not allow that.

“Why are you crying?” The ghost asked, halting Aelin in her steps as she once again broke down.

Her legs wobbled a bit so she crouched, turning away from Nehemia as she attempted to regain her composure. Stupid Manon Blackbeak. Stupid Dorian. Stupid bet. “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

The ghost scoffed, floating closer to Aelin. “You most certainly are not. What is wrong, girl?”

Just then, the door slammed open. Aelin looked up to see Mor and Lysandra come bursting through. They spotted Aelin on the floor and rushed to her, only giving Nehemia a sparing glance. “They’re idiots, honey,” Lysandra soothed.

“Rhysand will beat them up for you if you want,” Mor suggested as she rubbed Aelin’s back comfortingly.

Nehemia sported a perplexed expression. “Who are we beating up?” she asked, seeming on board with it but just wanting to know all the facts. Aelin couldn’t help the small chuckle at the ghost’s tone.

“Dorian and Helion,” Lysandra explained.

“Ah, the bet.” Nehemia nodded along. “I told them it was an idiotic idea. Told them about how they would hurt you and now look what they’ve done.” She placed a vacant, cool hand on Aelin’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I should have worked harder to talk them out of it.”

The cold tiles under her knees were beginning to become uncomfortable. Her tears started to dry out and Aelin dragged her hand under her nose as she stood. “It’s not your fault. Boys are idiots.” The three other females nodded in agreement. “I just need to tell them that neither of them are going to win the bet. And inform them that they should never do something like this again.”

“Or,” Nehemia interjected, “You could make them regret ever messing with you in the first place.” The three eleven year olds looked up at the ghost, a question in their eyes. “You could lead them on, make them work for a goal they will never achieve. You might as well benefit from having two boys desperately trying to win your favor.”

Aelin played with a lock of her hair thoughtfully. Lysandra and Mor met her gaze, both of the girls smiling encouragingly. “Why not?” She finally agreed. “Whitethorn is boring me anyways, best to move on to a new bloke - or two.”

Nehemia smiled widely, retreating from them and glancing towards the door. “Good, good. You seem to have a couple boys waiting in the hallway for you.” The three of them looked towards the door. “Meet me in Ravenclaw Tower to form a plan when you’re ready.” The fleeting voice of the ghost struck Aelin’s ears and when she looked back, the female was gone.

“I hate when she does that,” Mor muttered. “Are you okay?” She asked, grasping Aelin’s hand in her own and meeting her eyes. Lysandra grabbed a towel that Aelin could wipe her eyes with.

The witch nodded solemnly. “I’ll be fine, I was overreacting to Manon.”

“Don’t let her get under your skin,” Lysandra reminded, gesturing towards the door. Aelin glanced back once at where Nehemia and the other ghost had disappeared, shaking off the feeling of someone watching her.

Rhys and Azriel abruptly stood up from their position against the wall. The latter held a plate of chocolate cake in his hands, which Aelin immediately zeroed in on. She noticed the look Mor and Rhys shared, to which Mor nodded once resolutely, and Rhysand seemed to relax. “You guys are the best,” she said around a mouthful of deliciousness.

Azriel shrugged, a small blush on his face as he tucked his hands into his pockets. Rhys, however, took the compliment. He slung his arm around Aelin’s shoulders comfortingly. “We know,” he said with a smug smile.

Just then, students began to flood the hallways, signaling the end of lunch. Aelin quickly hid her chocolate cake from view, scarfing it down like her life depended on it. Mor and Lysandra waved goodbye after informing Aelin that they would come get her for the meeting with Nehemia. She thanked them for being there for her and then they were off to their next class.

Azriel nudged her shoulder to see Aedion and Feyre sprinting towards them. Done with her cake, Aelin used her wand to send it back down to the kitchens and then turned to accept her cousin’s hug.

“Are you alright Aelin?” Aedion asked worriedly, examining her up and down for any injuries.

She placed her hand on Aedion’s shoulder, looking him in the eye so that he would believe her. “I’m fine. I got a little overemotional about some stuff said at lunch, but my friends helped me.”

For the first time, Aedion looked to Azriel and Rhys, nodding to them in thanks. Aelin rolled her eyes and turned to Feyre, who was waiting patiently for her turn to talk.

“You missed the chocolate snaps that appeared after lunch.” Feyre opened her hand to display about a dozen treats resting in her palm. “I thought they might work to cheer you up.”

Aelin couldn’t help but laugh. Perhaps she had been a bit too vocal about her love for chocolate. “I’m that transparent, aren’t I?” Feyre’s perplexed expression made Aelin wave her hand, collecting the candies and popping them into her mouth without thinking. She was about to thank Feyre for thinking of her but when she opened her mouth, instead of words, flames came out.

They did not burn her, but they sure did startle. Quickly, Aelin shut her lips just as riotous laughter came from around the corner. Rowan Whitethorn sauntered over to them, slipping an arm around Feyre’s shoulders who was covering her mouth trying to hide her smile.

Aelin opened her mouth again to ask what was happening and once more, a burst of fire flickered from her tongue. Rhys, Azriel, and Aedion finally noticed what was happening, beginning to quickly try and figure out how to stop it. She stared at the silver-haired wizard in front of her, daggers gleaming in her eyes.

Her guard had been down. He’d taken his chance. And he’d used chocolate to do it.

“You have a real problem there, Aelin,” he chuckled. Rowan tossed a chocolate snap into the air and caught it again. The males around her turned now to stare at him. “Calm down, bat boys and wolfie, she’s fine. It’s a concoction of my own making,” his eyes met hers, “so that her words reflect the fire in her heart. It will wear off in a couple hours.”

“This is a stupid prank, Whitethorn, and you know it,” Rhys growled. Azriel had to grab his arm to keep him from punching the wizard. Aedion didn’t look like he would be apposed to a new bruise of Rowan’s face either.

Rowan cocked an eyebrow. “Was it? Feyre didn’t seem to think so.” Rhys’ gaze shifted to the witch whose responding smirk made his fierce expression waver. Aelin didn’t dare try to talk, but everyone could see the fire that blazed in her eyes - rhetorical flames this time, but burning none the less.

The hallway had emptied considerably, as students rushed to class, and so the sound of a cane against stone drew all of their attention as the Suriel came entered the area. Rowan suddenly paled and Aelin couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of him getting reprimanded by the terrifying divination teacher.

“Whitethorn!” The Suriel snapped, even though it was still at the other end of the hallway. It seemed to already know what had happened. “Apologize to your...” It seemed to think for a moment. “To your Fireheart.”

Rowan was taken aback, his arm slipping from Feyre’s shoulders. “I-I’m sorry, Aelin.” He said, slightly shaking with fear. None of the other students were much better, all scared of the teacher that continued to hobble closer.

“Good, now get to class!” It barked. Rowan didn’t need to be told twice, quickly grabbing Feyre’s wrist and dragging her with him. “Aelin, let’s get you to Alis,” The Suriel’s tone considerably softened as she spoke to the witch. “The rest of you may also leave for your studies.”

Aelin shared a terrified look with Rhysand, silently begging him not to leave her with the creature, even if it was taking to the nurse. He just slightly shook his head in response. “Let’s go, little girl.” The Suriel commanded, and Aelin had no choice but to follow.

...

That night, Rowan walked into Maeve’s office just a half hour before curfew. She looked up from her desk after a few minutes of him waiting by the door. “Did you give her the chocolates?” Was the first thing she said. Rowan nodded, knowing by now that it was not wise to speak unless it was absolutely necessary. Maeve nodded in approval. “Good. Then you have completed my first task.”

Rowan beamed. If feeding some fiery candies to an annoying girl was the only thing he had to do to win Maeve’s favor, he would gladly do it. Even if it meant that scary teachers like the Suriel would then corner him and demand that he be nice to said girl in the future. The divination teacher seemed to think that Rowan must like the girl, or have some claim on her, the way it kept calling Aelin ‘his Fireheart’. The wizard slightly shivered, remembering the way the Suriel had put it’s bony hand on his shoulder and stared at him with those milky white orbs.

He watched silently as Maeve leaned back in her chair, assessing him. “Are you prepared for my next task?” Rowan nodded again. “Make Aelin hate you.”

Masterlist

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tntwme · 7 years

Text

Girls’ Night

Absolutely none of this is my work - I read this little scene in another favorite series of mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward and her spin-off series Black Dagger Legacy - I cannot recommend them enough!) and thought it would be great if our favorite characters from ACOTAR (by Sarah J Maas) were in it. This part is specifically from JR Ward’s book, Blood Kiss. I hope you laughed as much as I did when I read this scene, and enjoy it with the ACOTAR characters!

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

Nesta looked over at the archway from the library desk she had been stuck at for the past two weeks. She never realized being the Emissary of Prythian for the Human Realm would entail so much work. Standing together in the archway were Feyre, Elain, and Amren, glasses of wine and plumed pens in their hands.

“We’re prepared to scribe up and help with the invitations,” Feyre said. “And then we’ve asked for dinner on special service, because we’re doing girls’ night with a movie upstairs in the theater.”

“Magic Mike XXL just came out on DVD,” Amren chimed in. “We have a moral obligation to support the arts, even if they’re just the human ones.”

“I haven’t seen the first one,” Elain murmured. “They tell me his pelvis is double-jointed. Is that true?”

Amren came forward and took the paperwork out of Nesta’s hands. “Come on, you look like you need a girls’ night. Cresseida and Mor are joining us. So are Viviane and Nuan. We’re getting all of us together - it’s about time.”

For a split second, Nesta felt guilty about easing into the friendship that was being offered. It seemed….too frivolous when she thought about all she wasn’t able to do for everyone else.

Feyre leaned in. “We’ve told the males that they can’t come in. Mostly because if they see that Channing guy up on the big screen - “

Amren finished, “ -we’re going to need to do a remodel after they’re done with things.”

“Back to the double-jointed business,” Elain kicked in. “I mean, how does he walk?”

“Very well, sister.” As Feyre answered, she put an arm around Nesta’s shoulders. “Very, very well.”

Then they began setting down ink jars and papers and handed Nesta a glass of wine, who began to blink fast. Part of the emotion was relief at a break from all the work she had been buried under. The other half was a gratitude so great, her chest could barely contain the emotion.

“Ladies,” she said, putting her arm around Feyre’s waist. “Let’s do the addressing quickly - so we can get to the undressing.”

****

“I’m sorry….they’re doing WHAT?”

As Cassian spoke, he looked at the males-only group sitting around the mansion’s dining room table. Not one of his brothers or any of the other males were laughing or talking loudly. The bunch of sad sack losers was just sitting in front of half-eaten plates and untouched glasses of vodkas, bourbon and whiskey like a roll call of basset hounds who’d lost their anti-depressants.

Not what he’d expected to find as he came late to dinner.

When Nesta had texted him and told him she was working with the females on something, it had seemed like a good idea to take care of some trainee stuff.

He hadn’t banked on this funeral thing just because the ladies were doing a project.

“Hello?” he demanded. “You guys lost your hearing along with your sac or something?”

Rhys inhaled like he was about to break the news of a death in the family. “They’re having a movie night.”

Cassian rolled his eyes and went over to his chair. Yeah, it was a little weird to sit down without his Nesta by his side, but for Cauldron’s sake, it was nothing to go Prozac over. Besides, he was glad his female had friends in the house-

“They’re watching Magic Mike,” someone said.

“Is that a children’s show?” He started filling his plate with heaping piles of lamb. “Varian, pass the salt over here, would-“

Cassian stopped talking as he realized the entire table of males was looking at him. “What?”

“You haven’t heard of Magic Mike?” Lucien demanded.

“No.” He leaned back again as Azriel handed him a drink. “Thanks. Is it like Barney?”

“It’s about strippers,” Lucien countered.

Cassian frowned and lowered his glass from his lips. “I’m sorry?”

Kallias came in from the pantry with a scowl like somebody had shot his favorite fox courier.

“Naked,” Kallias muttered as he sat where Nesta should have been. “Buck-ass naked. And they’re humans. Cauldron, it’s like being shown up by a pack of dogs.”

“In thongs,” someone else bitched. “Dogs in thongs.”

Cassian followed through on taking a drink this time, swallowing the burn, welcoming the heat in his gut. Okay, fine, it was a bit of a surprise to find that he kept going until the glass was empty, but hey, he had a lot to think about. On one level, the fact that his mate was watching a movie with her buddies, even if it did involve some nakey, really wasn’t a big deal.

On another level, he wanted to find the electrical box and cut the power to that part of the mansion.

Then torch the DVD. And the screen.

And take his mate to bed just to show her all the tricks he had over some actor in a - oh, Cauldron, a thong?

“It’s fine,” he heard himself say as he motioned to Az for a refill. “I mean, first of all, they love us - and second, it’s not like it’s an X rated -“

“They show a cock pump,” Helion said with a wide smile, like he was helping. “And in action. You know, it’s on a cock and it’s pumping-“

Kallias unsheathed a dagger from somewhere and pointed the thing a Helion’s head. “You keep talking like that and I’ma trim your hair. With my eyes closed.”

Helion laughed. “Yeah, whatever, big boy. I thought you had more mojo than to get worked up over something like this. You really that insecure?”

“You want insecure,” Kallias said. “I’ll make you-“

“Okay, okay,” Cassian cut in. “Leave it, Kallias. It’s fine, it’s great - they’re just enjoying themselves. What’s wrong with that? It’s not like they’re sleeping with the guy.”

“You sure about that?” Helion smiles. “You don’t think they’re fantasizing about-“

The collective growl that rose up from the males was so loud, it managed to agitate the crystals in the enormous chandelier hanging over the table. And the Lord of Day Court was an idiot, but he wasn’t stupid.

Moving slowly, like there were multiple guns pointed at him, he put his hands up in submission. “Sorry. Whatever. I’ll stop before all this lame-ass uncomfortability you bunch of morons are sporting kills me.”

“Wise choice,” Cassian said dryly. “Not that I wouldn’t mind hitting you right now. Although that’s not specific to this sitch.”

Helion went back to eating, shoving food in his face.

The other males weren’t so quick to do a reset on things, those narrowed eyes still trained on the male with the big mouth.

“Come on, boys, it’s fine.” Cassian said. He cut a piece of lamb off and put it in his mouth. “Mmmm. Delish.”

In reality, the stuff tasted like cardboard, but he made a show of the yummies. He couldn’t keep it up, though.

Two minutes later, he was shoving a full plate away and nursing his second whiskey. “Really. They should have a little independence. They don’t need to be locked at our hips. It’s about time they do something just for them. This is great.”

Next to him, Kallias glared. “Is it. You like the idea of Nesta looking at some other male’s junk?”

“It’s not X-rated-“ As his voice squeaked, he cleared his throat. “I mean, it couldn’t be…no, it’s not-“

“I already checked,” Lucien muttered. “They have the DVDs - they’re probably watching the extended, uncut versions.”

“So the strippers aren’t circumcised?” Helion put his palms up again before the growling got even worse. “Cauldron, you guys are SO damn touchy.”

Cassian shook his head and decided the prick was on his own. “So, yeah, I mean, a little gyrating - a pec pump or two. It’s nothing to get worked up over.” Gesturing to a servant by the door, he said, “Can I have a refill over here?”

“Of course. Would anyone care for dessert?”

Cassian glanced at Varian. “What do you say there, Vari?”

When Varian just swished his ginger ale around in his glass, Cassian cursed and said to the servant, “This one here will have some even if no one else does.”

“Bring me the dessert,” Varian spoke up.

The servant bowed. “But of course, sire. I shall fix you a plate-“

“No. I want the whole dessert. All of the cake and all of the ice cream.”

Annnnnnnnnnndd that was how Varian ended up with a morose audience of however many playing witness to his consuming fifteen small chocolate cakes and two gallons of vanilla ice cream.

It was like watching paint dry, except there was no chemical smell and the room was the same color before and after.

The good news was that the booze was doing its job, fuzzing out Cassian’s mind, making his body both numb and horny. “May I have another?” he asked a passing servant who was removing the final chocolate-smudged plate. “Thank you very much.”

When his glass came back, he pushed his chair away from the table. “I’m out. I’ve got some work to do.”

And no offense to any of them, but hanging around their vibe was just making him more depressed. Any more of this and he was going to start braiding the noose.

Walking out, he paused in the grand foyer. Looked up the stairs. Tried to imagine his Nesta ogling some actor in his underwear.

“Really, it’s fine. Good for her.”

He took his phone out and called up their text string. Hesitating, he thought he’d just send her something, you know, to remind her that….

Wow.

In years past, he would never have given a shit about something like this. Nesta wasn’t only the love of his life; she was a female of worth who would never cheat on him. And hello, it wasn’t like she’d checked into a seedy motel with the guy, for fuck’s sake. She was hanging with her friends just like he hung out with his.

This was ridiculous.

He was NOT the jealous type-

The sound of boots approaching had him glancing over his shoulder. It was Varian, and the male had a frothy glass of Alka-Seltzer in his hand.

Varian looked up the stairs. And dollars for dipshits, he was thinking exactly what Cassian was.

“I’m going up,” the male announced.

“Now wait, wait, wait.” Cassian grabbed that males huge forearm and squeezed. “It’s not like you can just burst in there.”

“Why not?”

“It’s girls’ night.”

“So I’ll put on a dress.”

“Fucking hell, Varian. REALLY?”

Next out were Kallias, Lucien and Azriel. And then everyone else, including Rhys and Thesan, who, in spite of not being officially mated, was right there along the hound-faced rest of them.

“We are NOT going up there,” Cassian announced. “We’re going to go play some pool, and get drunk, and talk about all the training we accomplished at the camps. We’re going to have a great fucking day - night, whatever the fuck it is. Now pick your balls up off the floor and let’s start behaving like men.”

*****

“He has skills. I’m just saying.”

As Viviane spoke up, the captivated audience that was focused on the big screen was in total, very unmuted agreement.

Nuan let out another of her now-trademark wolf whistles.

Amren cursed and threw more Milk Duds at the image, yelling, “Damn, son, you get that shit! You get it!”

Nesta just laughed again. She couldn’t decide what was more amusing, the movies or the company - probably the company. Although the humans were not hard on the eyes, she had to admit.

And then it was time for another round of hooting and hollering.

Cauldron, she couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed this hard. There was something about being with the girls that made the jokes both worse and better at the same time, and the giggling louder, and the silliness more stupid.

All of which was a very beautiful thing, as it turned out.

It also reminded her of how great it was to be accepted for exactly who she was, no external expectations laid on her, no shortfalls she hadn’t volunteered cutting her down. No judgement, just love.

Plus a number of naked guys who were almost as hot as her male? Not a hardship.

When the final scene was over and the credits started to roll, they clapped like the actors could hear them all the way out in California.

“Can you teach me how to whistle like that?” someone asked Nuan.

“You just put two lips around your fingers and blow,” the female replied.

“Isn’t that a line from a movie?” somebody else chimed in.

“Are they doing a third one-“

“Magic Mike Ginormous-“

“We need to watch one and two again first as prep - we’ve got a tradition to uphold-“

“Anybody see Nine and a Half Weeks lately-“

“What’s that-“

One by one, they stood up from the padded leather recliners and stretched in the dim, windowless room, backs cracking, shoulders unknotting. And it was funny - Nesta felt the urge to cut through the conversation and say something profound and meaningful, just to acknowledge the space they’d been in. But the right words didn’t come.

Instead, she said, “Hey, can we do this again?”

Then again, maybe that was exactly what she meant.

Well, what do you know, the peanut gallery was so on board: The rousing cheer was as loud as the hoots at the dance scenes, and the idea that this special time wasn’t a one-off made her feel a piercing kind of relief.

“I think we need a Chris Pratt marathon next. Guardians of the Galaxy,” Feyre said.

“Is that the guy with the brother?” Elain asked.

“That’s Hemsworth,” someone answered.

Starting the line for the departure up the middle aisle, Nesta wadded her empty Milk Duds box and made a rim shot with it into the trash. Abruptly, she realized that she couldn’t wait to see Cassian - and not because of all the scenes of half-naked bodies. She missed him - which was ridiculous, considering neither one of them had gone anywhere.

Heading for the door by the glass display of candy bars, she was smiling as she pushed open the -

“Dear…..God,” she blurted as she recoiled.

The hallway beyond was filled with the males of the house, all sitting on the floor with their backs to the bare walls, their legs stretched out, propped up, crossed at the knees or crossed at the ankles.

Apparently there had been quite a bit of drinking going on, empty bottles of vodka and whiskey littered around them, glasses in hands or on thighs.

“This is NOT as pathetic as it looks,” her Cassian pointed out.

“Liar,” Kallias muttered. “It so fucking is. I think I’m going to start knitting for reals.”

As the females emerged with her, each one of them registered shock, disbelief, and then wry amusement.

“Is it me,” one of the males groaned, “or did we just perform our own mass castration out here?”

“I think that just about sums this shit up,” somebody agreed. “I’m wearing panties under my leathers from now on. Anyone joining me?”

“Helion already does,” Kallias said as he got to his feet and went to Viviane. “Hey.”

While the other pairs found one another, Cassian smiled as Nesta came over to him and put out her hand to help him off the floor. As they embraced, he kissed her on the side of the neck.

“Are you out of love with me now?” he murmured. “Cuz I’m pussy-whipped?”

She leaned back in his arms. “Why? Because you pinned after me while I was watching a dirty movie with my girls that wasn’t all that dirty? I think it’s actually - and brace yourself - really pretty cute.”

“I’m still all male.”

As she rolled her body against him, she let out a mmmmmm as she felt his erection. “Yes, I can tell.”

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

Thank you, @sparkleywonderful and @feysandsmut for the advice!

#feyre #rhysand #nesta #cassian #amren #varian #kallias #viviane #Morrigan #cresseida #nuan #lucien #Azriel #helion #elain #acotar #acomaf #acowar #fanfic

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theladyofdeath · 4 years

Text

City of Starlight {1}

An A Court of Thorns and Roses & Throne of Glass Crossover, Modern AU fanfiction.

Based on a prompt sent in for the 5k follower contest {winner}, from Anonymous: “Competitive arts school tog x acotar crossover”

Summary: Velaris School of the Arts is the most prestigious school of talent on the continent. Whoever wants to be someone wants to get in. As her senior year of high school is coming to an end, all Aelin Galathynius wants is to go to the city of starlight and play music. Feyre Archeron, however, longs to paint for the rich and famous. Painters, singers, dancers, actors, and filmmakers come together in friendship, love, and lust, and find that they have a lot more in common than they thought.

A/N: Shoutout to @throne-of-ashes-and-beauty for writing chapter one with me! Ugh, I’m so excited to write this story, y’all don’t even know. Read, enjoy, & let me know what you think!

Warnings: language

Links:

Fanfic Masterlist

Ask me ANYTHING!

City of Starlight {ACOTAR/TOG crossover}

> Characters Detail Sheet <

Aelin and Aedion stepped out into the late afternoon sun. The drive had taken a little bit longer than intended, but that was only because they stopped to sight-see anything that sounded interesting, including the world’s largest pumpkin. Although ginormous, it was rotted and horrible, but there had been a sign just before the exit and they couldn’t resist. It was also at that exit that they stopped by a little hole-in-the-wall bakery and Aelin got two dozen chocolate donuts.

She’d eaten nearly half of them between there and the entrance of the city.

Velaris was beautiful, just as Aelin suspected it would be, but she really couldn’t wait until nightfall to see the famous starlight. They had a few hours before that, though, which meant that they had to find their apartments. Instead of traditional dorms, since Velaris was a smaller school, they had a huddle of apartments and townhouses. They were all cluttered close together, though, and it was a bit overwhelming trying to decipher which building was which.

“Fuck,” Aedion muttered, looking around the square. They were standing in the middle of four different apartment buildings, all of which looked exactly the same. “What’s your building?”

Aelin dug through her bag to find the envelope with all of her information in it, which took a solid two minutes, and once she opened it up, it took another two to find the right piece of paper.

Aedion just watched her, shaking his head. “How have you made it this far in life being so disorganized?”

She gave him a vulgar gesture as she read, “I’m in building B.” She blinked. “They’re alphabetized?”

Aedion looked around to find the nearest sign, then groaned. “Well, this is building Q, so if that’s the case, we’re pretty far off. I’m in B, too.”

With a dramatic sigh, Aelin said, “And here I was hoping to finally get some distance from you.”

Aedion nudged her in the ribs before climbing back up behind the wheel of his truck. They rode around for nearly forty-five minutes, slowly, reading every sign they passed with frustration. At one point, they thought they were close, because they came upon building C, only to be met at the next building with a sign that said “Apartment Building L”. Aelin swore it was a test of will - one she definitely didn’t care for.

But, alas, when they finally found Apartment Building B, it was a glorious feeling, and once Aedion pulled into a parking spot, Aelin jumped out of the car and yelled, “Finally!”

She expected Aedion to make a profound exclamation, too, but when she looked over the hood of the car at him, he was looking elsewhere.

On the other side of the courtyard was a girl with long, brown hair, a black tank top, and a pair of ripped skinny jeans. Aedion was staring at her, his lips parted.

“Aed,” Aelin snapped, voice loud, and he jerked around to meet her gaze.

After clearing his throat, he muttered an apology and went around back to open the truck bed. He kept glancing across the courtyard every few seconds, though. Aelin wanted to pick on him, but he seemed to be quite smitten and she actually thought it was sweet.

“You should go talk to her,” Aelin said, at last, helping him carry their bags and shit to the sidewalk.

Aedion shook his head. “I’m too busy helping my cousin move in.”

Aelin rolled her eyes at the excuse as she grabbed a box of pillows and began walking backwards toward the sidewalk, keeping her eyes on Aedion, who was looking over his shoulder, once again. “I’m just saying. I’ve seen that look before, and I- shit!”

Aelin nearly dropped the box as her back ran into a tall, hard body. She quickly turned around to meet the narrowed, green eyes of her acquaintance.

“Watch where you’re going, freshman,” he warned, his voice low.

Aelin opened her mouth to tell him off, but Aedion must have seen her shift in body language because he was instantly at her back, saying, “It was an accident, calm down.”

“I’m just saying,” he began, repeating what Aelin had just said, still looking down at her, “that she needs to watch where she’s going. There’s a lot of people around here, and if she’s walking backwards, I won’t be the only person she runs into. The next one may not be so pleasant.”

Aelin snorted. “This is you being pleasant? Gods.”

The newcomer’s lips tightened into a straight line as he went to take a step around Aelin, at last. She let him go, but Aedion wasn’t as forgiving. He blocked the silvery-haired stranger’s path and met his hard gaze with one of his own. Aedion was maybe half an inch shorter than he was, a little less broad, but other than that, they were close in stature. In a fight, they would be fairly evenly matched.

“You owe my cousin an apology,” Aedion said, head cocked slightly to the left.

A light danced in the stranger’s green eyes as he met Aedion with a cocky grin. “You’ve only been here for five minutes and you’re already trying to get your ass kicked?”

“This is ridiculous,” Aelin muttered, stepping in between the two, even though they both stood a head taller than she. “We have shit to get done, knock it off. Unless you want to help us move our shit into 21 and 32, move on with your day.”

The newcomer tensed as he breathed a curse. Then, he looked to Aedion. “You’re in 21? Ashryver?”

Aedion’s hard eyes slid from his cousin’s to the man. “Depends who’s asking.”

“Rowan Whitethorn.” His arms were crossed, clearly not offering a handshake. “I won’t be helping you move, but looks like we’ll be spending a lot of quality time together.”

“Shit,” Aedion breathed.

Rowan turned, his pine green eyes pinning her in place. “And you are?”

Big brother mode kicked in and Aedion grabbed her arm. “None of your concern. Come on, Ace.”

The two began to walk towards the lobby, but Aelin glanced back over her shoulder at Aedion’s surly new roommate. Rowan’s eyes narrowed, as if he were studying her.

With her back straight and her chin held high, Aelin met his stare with one of her own. His shoulders tensed before turning his back to her and walking away.

“Considering you have way more shit than me,” Aedion began, snapping Aelin back to the present, “why don’t you go see where your room is? I’ll come find you after I find my room and bring my bags in, and I’ll start bringing your stuff up.”

Aelin held a hand over her heart. “What would I ever do without you?”

Aedion blinked. “Everything? Stuff for yourself, for once?” He suggested.

With pursed lips, Aelin shoved him in the shoulder, then he laughed as they took to the stairs. She left him on the second floor before trailing up to the third.

Students were hurrying in and out of every room, the excitement of move in day as strong for the older students as it was for the freshman. As she passed each room, it was like a glimpse into a different world. She could hear instruments being tuned and found people sharing designs on tablets and laptops. She heard clear voices and bass driven beats. She felt like she was home.

She finally found the door marked 32 and took a deep breath. She had been an only child her entire life, Aedion the closest thing to a sibling she’d had, so the idea of having roommates was completely foreign to her. She took a deep breath and sighed, twisting the door knob.

To find that it was...locked.

Aelin glanced down the hall again, on both sides. There wasn’t a single door shut on her floor, save for hers. She assumed she must have been the first of her roommates to arrive.

She dug through her bag until she found the key they’d given her, on a VSOTA lanyard and slid the key into the lock.

She had assumed wrong.

Sprawled out on the couch, tangled in each other’s arms, were two women lost in an intimate embrace, and Aelin was most definitely interrupting.

“Shit, sorry!” She yelled, quickly turning away, attempting to give them privacy while also feeling horribly embarrassed. “I should’ve knocked!”

There was a shuffling on the leather couch then soft laughter flooded into the room.

“Knock?” A light voice said. “It’s your house, if you’re Aelin, which I hope you are, because if you’re not this is a very strange situation.”

Aelin hesitated before slowly turning back around, where she was met with a grin from the young woman with long, blonde hair. She was brushing through it with her fingers when Aelin said, “I suppose that’s one way to break the ice in front of your new roommates, right?”

The blonde’s grin widened. “I’m Mor. This is my girlfriend, Nehemia. I live here, she doesn’t. Our other roommate should be here soon, but I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow!”

Nehemia gave Aelin a gentle smile before pulling her hoodie on over her tank top. Her long braids were pulled back into a low ponytail. “I’m glad you came, actually, brought me back to reality. Elide was expecting me ten minutes ago to help put up flyers for the block party tomorrow night.”

Mor clicked her tongue. “How dare you let me distract you? Elide will have my ass.”

Nehemia chuckled as she kissed Mor on the cheek, then smiled once again at Aelin. “It was nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” she smiled.

The door clicked shut behind her and Mor said, “And how is Velaris treating you so far?”

Aelin chuckled and said, “Velaris is kicking my ass. It took us over forty-five minutes to find our building.”

Mor laughed. “Yeah, it can be a bit of a maze sometimes. But you said us? You brought someone?”

Aelin caught the glint in Mor’s rich, brown eyes. “No, no, not like that. I mean, I didn’t bring him. He's studying film, but he’s my cousin. Practically my older brother.”

Mor nodded. “My cousin is here, too, right beneath us.” She stomped a few times for good measure. “Over-protective prick.”

Aelin laughed. “Is it your first year?

“Technically, yes, but I’m from Velaris.” Mor made her way into the kitchen and grabbed a bottled water out of the fridge. “Rhys and Az have been here for two years, so I basically have, too.”

Aelin hesitated.

“Oh, right,” Mor said, after taking a sip from her bottle. “You have no idea who they are. Rhys is the prick, my cousin, and Azriel is the only good one in our group.” She winked as Aelin chuckled. “It’ll all be a lot to take in, but you’ll get used to it. Starting with the party tomorrow night, and the party that follows the party.”

Aelin just nodded, but she wasn’t following at all. Instead of asking more questions, Mor showed Aelin to the two unoccupied bedrooms and Aelin chose the one that looked out at a massive oak tree, the branches within arms reach out the window. Her and Mor made “get-to-know-you” small talk as she waited for Aedion to bring up her belongings.

Aelin wasn’t sure what she was expecting from her roommates, but Mor seemed nice and funny and Aelin assumed they wouldn’t have any problems.

She couldn’t say the same for Aedion, though.

Rowan Whitethorn seemed like a serious piece of work.

Feyre sat in Rhysand’s lap with her arms around his neck in the middle of the quad, Cassian and Azriel sprawled out on the grass beside them.

“This is it, then?” Cassian asked. “And here I thought we’d actually have to work our asses off at this beautiful institution.”

Azriel opened his eyes just to roll them. “Classes haven’t started yet, idiot.”

“Call me idiot one more time,” Cassian muttered, but he was grinning.

Feyre just shook her head before turning her face back to Rhysand’s, planting her mouth on his.

Cassian said, “Must you? Get a fucking room, gods.” Rhys lifted his foot where it laid near Cassian’s head and kicked him. He mumbled, “Prick”.

Feyre laughed. “Speaking of rooms, I do have one of my own now.”

“Should we go test out the bed, darling?” Rhysand’s violet eyes were brilliant in the August sun as he smirked.

“That’s not what I was suggesting, but maybe, later,” she said, with a wink.

Cassian and Azriel groaned. Az had never been so happier than the day that Feyre received her acceptance letter to VSOTA. It meant she’d have her own place, and he wouldn't have to hear she and Rhys until all hours of the night. No wonder their roommate hated them.

“I should go check on my sisters though,” she sighed. “Nesta is all the way across campus now.”

Cassian muttered, “Good.”

Feyre shot him a look, but she didn’t blame him. He and Nesta had a drunken one night stand at a party in high school, when he was a sophomore and she was a senior, and after that every time the two ran into one another it was...tense, to say the least.

“It’s been years,” Azriel said, his eyes still closed. “You two should get the fuck over it.”

Cassian's brow lifted as he looked sideways at Azriel. “Damn. What's up your ass?”

“He’s just pissed because Whitethorn drank one of his beers this morning,” Rhysand chimed.

Feyre scrunched her nose. “I never understood how people can drink beer when they’re not already drunk. The taste is awful.”

But Azriel was throwing his hands in the air. “They’re hard to find and I specifically told everyone to keep their hands off!”

“If you’d drink regular beer like the rest of us, you wouldn’t have this problem,” Cassian said. “And if you two would have requested me as your roommate like you were supposed to, you’d have one less person tell not to drink your Cafe Coco Coffee stout or whatever the fuck.”

“You didn’t turn in your registration until after the semester ended! It’s hard to request someone who isn’t a student.” Azriel laid back down and closed his eyes again. “And it's an IPA called Coffee Del. If you’re gonna make fun of me, at least do it right.”

“Sounds gross either way,” Cassian mumbled.

Feyre was laughing uncontrollably. “My gods, I never knew you were so boujee, Az.”

The side of Azriel’s lips quirked upward. “I’m heading to Elain’s in a little bit to help put together her bookshelf, if you wanna go with me.”

“I can do that,” Feyre said, “as long as Nesta’s not there, we haven’t spoken in a year and I don’t plan to start today. To do that, I will need beer in me, and not Azriel’s fancy shit, but the crap kind that tastes like junk but gets you real drunk, real fast.”

Rhysand just shook his head, slowly. “You’re so sexy.”

Feyre’s grin widened as she took his face into her hands and pulled his mouth back against hers. Cassian groaned as Azriel took off his beanie and threw it at them.

“Fuck off,” Rhysand muttered, against Feyre’s lips. “And I’m keeping your hat, so thank you.”

Azriel chuckled quietly as he closed his eyes, once again. Cassian stood up and announced his departure. “I have to go meet my roommates.”

He was in the building across from the others, which he had made sure they all knew he was pissed about. After pulling the sheet of wadded up paper out of his pocket, he read, “Fenrys, Lorcan, and Dorian.” He stared at the paper for another minute before sighing, dramatically. “You two assholes have fun with your new roommates while I go make new friends.”

“Your dramatic ass should have gone into acting, Cass,” Rhysand said, his arm around Feyre’s waist tightening.

Cassian just grinned as he shoved his hands into his pockets and began walking backwards, away from the center of the quad. “I would have, but I was gifted with the voice of an angel.”

“You’re no angel,” Feyre muttered, and he held his middle finger up high as he turned his back to them and walked away.

“Fuck,” Azriel breathed. “Now I have to watch you two suck each other’s faces alone.”

And that’s exactly what they did.

———

Nesta Archeron fell onto the couch, having finally carried her last bag up from the car. She deserved the chilled glass of wine she was going to pour herself, just as soon as she could breathe again.

The door opened and Amren groaned as she carried a tub towards her bedroom. “Why exactly do we have to move during the hottest season of the year?”

“I say you and I just buy a little house in the city so that we can stay there year round,” Nesta said, slowly making her way toward the fridge. “And then we wouldn’t have to have any other roommates, either.”

Their previous roommate had graduated the year before, so a new one had been appointed to them, one that Nesta was dreading to be in the same room as, much less living alongside her. She didn’t know Manon Blackbeak all that well, but the dancer certainly had a reputation.

Amren knew her a little bit. They’d had a few classes together, both being dancers at the same school for a few years now, but the two had never really talked.

When Nesta and Amren found out that Manon would be their new roommate, they debated on leaving VSOTA altogether and moving to the other side of the country, but no, they had worked too hard to get where they were, and they wouldn’t let Manon ruin their ongoing success.

“You know, you could help me,” Amren scowled.

Nesta shrugged as she popped the cork from her wine bottle and filled a glass. “That’s your last tub, you’ve got it.”

Leaving the door open, Amren rolled her eyes as she pushed the tote into her room before going back to the living room and falling down on the couch. “Just pour me a glass and we’ll call it even.”

“Deal.” Nesta poured a second glass before re-corking the bottle, returning it to the fridge and carrying the glasses to the other room. She handed Amren a glass and sat in the oversized chair in the corner.

“It’s the least you could do after you took the good room, you bitch,” Amren muttered, the glass to her lips.

Nesta scoffed and threw her a vulgar gesture. “I wasn’t up all night at Varian’s.”

“I’d hope not,” Amren smirked. “Since we were up all night fucking.”

A throat was cleared from the open doorway and Nesta and Amren turned to find Manon standing there with a leather messenger back over her shoulder. “Hey.”

Nesta’s oncoming good mood was instantly fading. “Blackbeak.”

Neither Nesta or Amren moved to welcome their new roommate, but Manon didn’t seem to mind. She walked through the open door, her chin held high. “Which room is mine? I assume you’ve already chosen, given how comfortable and smug you look.”

Amren nodded to the door in the corner.

“Thanks,” Manon muttered, and began to walk that direction.

“Wait,” Nesta said, taking a long sip from her glass before setting it on the side table and rising to her feet. “Since you’re being forced to live with us, there’s a few ground rules.”

Manon snorted, but faced Nesta, nonetheless. “Fine.”

“First of all,” Nesta began, slowly walking to where Manon stood in the middle of the room. “If you decide to have a late night booty call, let us know. We have no interest in sharing the breakfast table with whatever fuckboy warms your bed that night.”

Manon lifted a perfectly sculpted brow. “Fair. And second?”

“Keep your space clean,” Nesta went on, stopping a good foot away from where Manon stood. “I don’t do well with messes.”

Manon sighed, looking at her long, black-painted nails, seemingly bored. “I’m not a fucking slob, shouldn’t be an issue. Anything else?”

Nesta looked over her shoulder at Amren, who was watching them both with a deadly, feline smile.

“We hear you got kicked out of your last apartment for being a bitch,” Nesta went on, at last. “So, keep to yourself as much as possible and realize that the school assigned you to live here, we didn’t ask for it.”

Nesta wasn’t sure what kind of reaction she was going to get, but it certainly wasn’t the grin that spread across Manon’s lips. She surely wasn’t expecting Manon to close the distance between them and get up in her face. Her voice was low, amused, when she said, “I don’t mind keeping to myself, because I came here to dance, not to make friends with bitches like you.”

———

Setting her phone down on top of the stack of flyers, Elide flipped her head upside down and gathered her hair into a messy bun. Being a member of the student council, she’d been on campus for over a week. While everyone else was moving in, she’d been mingling, giving tours, helping new students and, currently, putting up and handing out flyers for the block party she’d been planning for two months.

And, gods, it was so hot.

She picked her flyers up, tucking them against her chest. She’d already hit the East and South sides of campus. Nehemia, though she was late and Elide had given her a look which she blushed at, was heading to the North side. She decided to get to West campus through the Quad, where most students today were gathering.

As she crossed campus, many people she knew called out to Elide. She was waving to one of the girls she’d taken Geology with the year before when she ran into a wall.

Which turned out to be a rock solid chest of muscles.

Her flyers flew from her arms and Elide swore under her breath.

She was immediately down on her hands and knees, trying to gather the flyers before the breeze took them away. When it was clear the wall she’d run into wasn’t going to help, her eyes snapped up to meet the one and only Lorcan Salvaterre’s.

She didn’t know Lorcan, at least not well, only by reputation. He was a loner, kept mostly to himself. Some say he did jail time before he began at VSOTA, in high school, and looking at him now, Elide didn’t doubt it.

He was just staring at her when she scoffed, “Mind giving me a hand?”

“Here, I’ll help.” Elide looked over her shoulder to find Cassian, a freshman who she had met a few days before and had instantly clicked with, hurrying to where she knelt in the grass. Cassian leaned down to help, but not before giving Lorcan a distasteful look. “Fuck, you knock her down and don’t help her out? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“I didn’t knock her down, she ran into me.” Elide could have sworn a snarl left Lorcan’s lips, but he did squat down and begin helping the two of them scoop the papers up. Once they had gathered what hadn’t blown away, he stood and held the stack out. “Maybe she should look where she’s going.”

Elide snatched the stack back and narrowed her eyes at him.

Lorcan’s expression didn’t change as he reached and took the flyer from the top to read it. “The block party? As if that’s the party people will be at that night.”

She took it back from him. “It’s before the other party even starts. It’s a way for new students to make friends, not get trashed.”

“Fuck that,” Lorcan mumbled. “It’s a waste of time.”

“How about you keep your negativity to yourself, huh?” Cassian asked, taking a step forward in Lorcan’s direction.

Lorcan blinked, as if just remembering that Cassian was there, too. “Who the hell are you? Is this your little boyfriend?”

The question was directed at Elide, but she didn’t answer. Instead, Cassian said, “I’m the only guy here that knows how to act in front of a woman, apparently.”

Lorcan laughed, loudly and humorlessly. “You may want to watch how you speak in front of me. Haven’t you heard? I’m a criminal.”

Cassian snorted. “Is that your idea of a threat? Pretty weak ass threat to me. I don’t know who the fuck you are, and I don’t care, but Elide doesn’t need your shit, so go do whatever it is criminals do, and leave her alone.”

Lorcan’s shoulders tensed as he asked, “Excuse me?”

Elide was suddenly there, in between the two men. “Let it go, Lorcan. Cassian,” she turned and handed him a flyer. “I’ll see you there?”

He grinned. “I’ll be there.”

Lorcan scoffed, but Elide ignored him. “Anything I can help you with? You’re good?”

“Nope, just headed to D.” He picked up the duffle he’d dropped when he rushed over to help Elide gather her flyers. “Time to meet my roommates.”

Lorcan snorted and said, “Good luck to them.”

Cassian stilled, and looked over to where Lorcan was standing. “Sorry?”

“I’m just saying,” Lorcan mumbled. “I’d hate to be stuck living in an apartment with your ego.”

“You’re a dick,” Cassian said, voice low.

“Do you really think that’s the worst insult I’ve ever gotten?” Lorcan asked, then took a look at Elide. “You going to let your little boyfriend insult me like that?”

Cassian was anything but little. In fact, he and Lorcan were pretty evenly matched.

“Leave Elide alone,” Cassian warned. “Seriously, stop talking to her like that-.”

“Or what?” Lorcan interrupted, humored. “I’m sure her little interaction with me has been the most excitement she’s had this week in her perfect little world.”

Elide wanted to tell them both to just walk away, but Cassian was pissed now, could see it in the way he clenched his fists at his side, could see it in the way the vein in his neck popped.

“How the hell did you get into this school?” Cassian asked, his voice low. “You fuck your way to the top?”

“I don’t think you want to do this,” Lorcan breathed. “My face doesn’t have to be pretty. I’m sure yours does.”

Cassian’s jaw ticked and he tilted his head to the side. “That’s sweet. You think I’m pretty.”

Elide froze and she swallowed. Everyone had heard stories about Lorcan. Everyone but Cassian, it seemed.

“What’s your name?” He breathed.

Cassian very casually tied his hair back in a short knot at the back of his head. “Why? You wanna follow my instagram? It’s pretty impressive, I’ve got about nine-hundred followers.”

“I won’t beat the ass of someone who’s name I don’t know.”

Cassian’s lips pursed. Elide watched the wheels in Cassian's head turning. Lorcan’s pride may not have let him kick the ass of someone who’s name he didn’t know, but apparently Cassian held no such reservations.

Elide wanted to scream at him, to call Cassian Nazari the world's biggest idiot, because he crossed the space between he and Lorcan, swinging his fist and knocking Lorcan Salvaterre square in the jaw.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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