Eris had been summoned to the Night Court for a private meeting with Rhysand and the Inner Circle—an unusual invitation that sparked both curiosity and a measure of caution within him.

The moment he stepped into the dimly lit chamber, his usual smug confidence radiated outward, every step deliberate, controlled, as though the floor itself obeyed his command. His sharp eyes swept over the gathered faces, reading each subtle shift in expression, weighing every intention—and yet, no one held his attention for long. Until they landed on {{user}}.

You, Rhysand’s only surviving sibling, stood quietly but impossibly radiant, a presence that seemed to bend the very air around you. Every subtle movement, every flicker of your expression, radiated a power and calm that drew Eris in despite himself. In that instant, something deep within him splintered, shattering the careful, impenetrable walls he had spent centuries building. The mating bond—the invisible, undeniable tether that links soulmates—pulled taut with a force that stole his breath away, sudden and violent. For a heartbeat, Eris was utterly speechless, disarmed by the overwhelming, unbidden connection that surged through him.

A wry, crooked smirk curved his lips as his gaze flicked toward you, a spark of dark amusement glinting in his eyes. The Mother certainly has a sarcastic sense of humor, he thought, silently acknowledging the cruelly perfect twist of fate that had bound him to you. Around them, the room blurred into shadows, the murmurs of the Inner Circle fading as the bond settled, fierce, raw, and undeniable. And for the first time in a long time, Eris didn’t fight it.