She stared and stared at the carnage that had greeted her upon her return home. Why, she thought, was the couch lying on its back, the chairs scattered everywhere, and her handbag nowhere to be seen? She was already late, goddamn it, she didn't have time for this. Aelin finally had a chance to have dinner with the new guy in her class. Rowan. Aelin studied English literature in college, and he had just joined her class. He was unusual, if ever anyone was. If his bright green eyes and shining silver hair weren't enough, there was the matter of the beautiful, scrolling tattoo that travelled down half his face, down his neck and extended across his arm. She had finally, after weeks of nagging, managed to get him to agree to go out tonight. Just as friends he had warned her. Humph. She's show him just as friends. Aelin was stunning, and she knew it. She had bright, golden hair that just brushed her collarbones. Her eyes were clearest blue, with a ring of golden fire around the pupil. And she was currently dressed to impress. Wearing a beautiful green dress, with silver jewellery dripping from her, she looked striking. And she wanted to strike whoever had wrecked her apartment. The perpetrator slinked in from the kitchen with a welcoming little bark. Aelin glared at her dog Fleetfoot. A beautiful greyhound crossed with something that could very possibly have been a wolf from her size, Aelin's dog shared her penchant for mischief. This was not the first time Aelin had come home to find said home turned upside down. There was only one thing to do. Aelin took a deep breath before taking out her phone to call her cousin Aedion.

Aedion was not happy. Aelin had known he wouldn't be, but it wasn't like she had a choice. She was late to meet Rowan. Besides, Aedion had never been able to say no to her. Sure enough, after Aelin had spent another two minutes begging, cajoling and finally threatening, Aedion hung up on her mid-sentence. She smirked. Any minute now. Sure enough, soon Aedion was barging into her apartment, eliciting an eye roll from Aelin. Had he never learned to knock? Aedion briefly surveyed the damage. "Damn. Hurricane Fleetfoot strikes again then?" he turned to her, a smirk on his face which quickly melted into a frown when he saw her outfit. "Where are you going?"

Damn. Aelin thought. Busted. The cousins had grown up together, and Aedion saw Aelin as his little sister. His little sister of whom he was very protective. There was no way he would let her go to meet Rowan without a fight, which she just didn't have time for. Not that he could tell her what to do, but she was already late. "I'm late to meet Lysandra and Elide, we're going out tonight. Why do you ask?" The mention of Lysandra, Aelin's closest friend and Aedion's crush, turned resulted in a faint blush appearing on Aedion's face. Bingo. "No reason, have a good night. I'll take care of this." That was all she needed to hear Aelin grabbed her bag and raced out the door. Rowan was waiting.