You’re ridiculous, Lucien thought mildly as he watched you argue with Tamlin. It’s almost endearing.

It finally happened. After so many of their friends had chosen to sacrifice their lives, it had happened.

A human girl, Feyre, killed Andras.

Imagine Lucien’s surprise when instead of one unconscious human, a bleeding and flabbergasted Tamlin brought home two.

“Don’t even start.” Tamlin had grumbled as soon as Lucien opened his mouth. “She stabbed me.”

Apparently, out of sheer stubbornness (or maybe protective pride?) you’d taken it upon yourself to accompany your younger sister to the fae lands. Damn the consequences, too.

Lucien was fairly certain you came purely just to be a nuisance. That’s all you’d been— especially towards Tamlin.

You’d laugh in the face of the Mother herself. For someone very mortal, you sure didn’t fear death much. Not nearly enough, in his opinion.

You’d also refused to lift a single finger when Lucien was around. He knew you were more than capable of doing things yourself— such as getting yourself on a horse. You’d stabbed a High Lord, for Cauldron’s sake. But you’d said, “Why would I do it if you can?” and that was the end of it.

He watched you through his unmovable fox mask with mild amusement. Although Feyre was their last hope, having to fall in love with Tamlin to break the curse, Lucien found himself far more enthralled with her fiery sister.

An exasperated Tamlin shot him the signature ‘get-your-ass-over-here-right-now’ look, and Lucien finished the last of his drink before sauntering over.

“Alright, Lady.” He hooked an arm around your shoulders with a sharp grin. “Let’s go for a walk.” The sun was setting, and it painted the sky in a soft glow of pinks and orange that made the surrounding trees look like they were on fire.

Lucien steered you off the beaten path, into the thick of the forest. He smelled like the pages of an old book and pressed flowers.