Aedion had been ignoring Lysandra, now wearing the skin of Aelin, the entirety of the journey to Terrasen and even after. And it was driving her crazy. She had loved Aedion. She still did. Very much. And now he was hell bent on ignoring her whenever not around people. This was just so unsettling.

So the next opportunity she got, she grabbed it. She and Aedion had been discussing matters with Galan. After the meeting was over, before Aedion could run off to some work which didn't even require his assistance at all, Lysandra called after him.

"Cousin, I need to talk to you. Come to my room please." Lysandra said it loudly enough that the other people in the room heard it. Now Aedion couldn't refuse his Queen's order.

"Yes, Aelin." she could feel the aggression pouring out of him. Feel his rage increasing with dizzying speed.

Throughout the short walk to Aelin's room they didn't speak a word. But that was expected.

Once inside the room and the door shut, Lysandra shifted back to her own form. Black hair instead of honey gold. Green eyes instead of turquoise ones. She hadn't spent much time, none actually, in her own form. She didn't even shed Aelin's form during bathing.

"What?" he demanded. He wanted to get out as soon as possible.

"Why are you doing this?" her voice broke.

"You already know."

"Aedion, I serve Aelin as you do. She ordered me not to spill a word. And even if she hadn't, it wasn't my secret to share. And I am not sorry for not telling you or anyone else anything about our plan."

"Is that what you wanted to say? I already know that. Good bye." with that he turned on his heel.

"Please." she rasped out. "Please."

He halted with his hand on the doorknob. Then looked over his shoulder.

"Aedion, I cant do this without you. I need you. Not just during the court meetings, but even now." tears rolled down her cheeks. "But you don't even look at me. I was a whore." he flinched at the word whore, "but I have never felt this small than when you refuse to acknowledge my presence at all."

He turned fully towards her now.

"I need you." she repeated. "Even after Rowan finds Aelin and brings her back, I will need you. Always. And when you ignore me, Aedion, it breaks me apart. Bit by bit. One day, I will shatter. Because you hate me so much."

"I don't hate you, Lysandra." he said while looking at the floor.

"Yeah, well, you don't anything to me. That's worse."

"No," he looked up and met her gaze, "I was angry at you, I still am. But I dont hate you. It was just, I knew Aelin wouldn't share her plans, her ideas with us, but I didn't think you would follow her. And I get it, she asked you not to say a word, but still. She is my cousin, Lysandra, but we're closer than siblings. And when Maeve" he spat her name, "took her away, it broke me. It broke all of us. And I couldn't get out of it. I couldn't heal myself. I still am trying to get out of it. The grief. The shock. The anger."

"So you forgive me?"

"There is nothing to be forgiven. You are faultless mostly."

"Will you at least talk to me besides during meetings?" cold sweat covered her body.

"Of course." he said with half smile.

She extended her hand to him, which he joined, fingers linking, "We'll face this together, Aedion. We'll get out of it, help each other get out of the grief together. Promise?"

He stepped closer. Lysandra's heart would likely stop due to the high speed at which it was thrumming. " Promise." he said and kissed her brow.