Two things were becoming increasingly apparent: the first being that Rhys wouldn't be the only one to coddle me for the duration of my pregnancy, and the second being that my adverse symptoms wouldn't be alleviating any time soon.

I had a full week of reprieve where I was beginning to gain back some of my energy, and I was able to fall into a new work routine with Rhys; one where he insisted we work together in my office so he wouldn't have to leave my side, before the waves of nausea and extreme fatigue returned. My vivid and violent nightmares also reappeared with a vengeance, and there was a night I awoke with quite possibly the worst I have ever had and spent the rest of the night in the bathing room. The next day I couldn't leave the bed or lift my head without being overcome with a terrible dizzying spell, and barely managed to hold down the broth Rhys tried feeding me.

It took hours of negotiation to convince him not to summon Madja after I insisted that this was all, unfortunately, part of early pregnancy I would have to endure for the time being. Seeing me in such a state left him feeling anxious for my health, and I knew the same was true for the rest of our family as well. When I had confined myself to our suite after my symptoms flared up, the Illyrian males would take turns poking their heads in the door to check on me before Rhys eventually shooed them away—trying his hardest not to snap at them. At one point, when Rhys had a meeting with a palace lord that he couldn't reschedule and begrudgingly attended, Cassian was the one to hold my hair back and comfort me during a particularly brutal wave of nausea.

Even Mor and Amren wanted to ease my burdens; both going so far as to take over my paperwork duties. Their reasoning being that as my second and third in command, they could sort through "frivolous" desk work. Elain, aside from Rhys, fussed over me the most. She was up earlier than normal in the mornings, brewing plain broths and my prenatal herbal teas that Nuala and Cerridwen taught her to make in the kitchen. Throughout the day she delivered my meals to either my bedroom, which I couldn't leave until the day before last, or my office—where I now worked exclusively from my loveseat. Once I had the energy to resume my work, Rhys rejoined me in my office; picking up on his own work he had abandoned in order to tend to me. There were times when even Nesta would join Elain on her frequent visits, sometimes just surveying me from the doorway. I didn't mind her distance, however, and gratefully drank the anti-nausea teas she acquired for me from Madja's clinic.

I sipped on it now as I lounged in my office with Rhys, both of us going over our annual reports as he ran a finger along my calves that I draped over his lap. Every few seconds I felt his glances over in my direction, checking my overall well-being and ready to nurse away any sudden ailment. After what seemed to be his hundredth glance, I finally set my stack of papers down.

"Rhys," I warned.

"Yes, darling?" he asked innocently.

I rolled my eyes, "Will you stop? I'm fine. I actually feel a little better today," I promised.

"That's your second mug of that anti-nausea brew today, you're not fine," he said simply.

I sighed, settling back into the lounge pillows as I took another sip. "Just because I'm a little nauseous doesn't mean I'm not alright," I reasoned. "You don't need to sit in here and babysit me."

"I'm not babysitting you, I'm babysitting my son." He said nonchalantly, a hand coming to sneak under my lightweight sweater in order to rest on my bare stomach.

"You can't babysit a baby that hasn't been born yet." I deadpanned, only mildly annoyed.

"Are you trying to kick me out of your office, Feyre darling?" He teased.

"Maybe. This is my personal space, after all."

"Ah, but you know what a fan I am of your personal space."

I tried not to smile at his remark and set my mug and paperwork aside, relaxing again and inviting him to lay beside me—which he happily obliged to as he settled in beside me, placing his own work aside as his mighty wings curled over us easily. His hand resumed its position on my stomach, pushing my sweater up in order to admire the ghost of an outward curve that resembled more of a full belly than an actual baby bump.

I placed a hand on his cheek, but before I could say anything, he stiffened and growled darkly with his wings flared as we both heard a set of voices on the other side of my office door. Cassian had been about to knock on it when Nesta stopped him with a sharp slap on his hand.

"Don't bother. She and that High Lord of yours have been in there since breakfast, she's fine," Nesta scolded.

"Ow! I just wanted to say hi," Cassian complained.

"There's no need. One insufferable Illyrian is enough for a pregnant female," she retorted.

"You're one to complain about insufferable Illyrians," he taunted, and I could practically see the pompous grin on his face as Nesta shushed him fiercely.

I couldn't hear her comeback as she presumably pushed him down the hall and away from my door. I returned my gaze back up to Rhys, who instantly started to relax as their voices drifted away.

"Mating bond chafing a bit, Rhys?" I teased, repeating the same words Cassian had taunted him with after we first mated.

He barked a laugh, despite being feral just seconds before. "I can't help it, Feyre darling," he admitted. "Just the thought of another male coming near you sets me off."

I stroked the hard plane of his cheekbone with my thumb, "I know, but it wouldn't hurt to release some of that aggression, like you've done before," I suggested.

He shook his head, "I don't want to be that kind of male; one who can't control himself or his temper."

I frowned, knowing who he was referring to and cupped both sides of his face, "You aren't that kind of male Rhys. You never have been, and never will be. Working off some steam doesn't mean you can't control yourself," I promised.

He further relaxed into my touch, his brow coming to rest against mine as he breathed in my new scent—the baby added the smell of jasmine to my normal lilac and pear that he previously described to me.

"I can't bring myself to leave your side," he said quietly. "Every second I'm away is agonizing. Not just in an intimate sense like before, but...I feel a sense of danger that grows stronger the longer I'm away."

I kissed the tip of his nose, wrapping my arms around his neck loosely—silently reassuring him of my understanding. The mating bond was stretched tight for the both of us. Just as harrowing as it was for him every second we were apart, my own instincts left me completely and irrationally distraught. I made a mental note to mention it to Madja at our next appointment in a couple of days, but I chalked it up to our bond being hypersensitive thanks to the new life I was growing. That new life that also had every one of our friends and family doing their best to cater to my needs.

It was odd, but strangely comforting seeing their concern and their willingness to help. Apart from my sisters, I still worried that they only offered said help due to their sworn oaths to me as their High Lady and the child I was carrying.

"They're not," Rhys quietly interjected. I sighed, knowing my mental shields were left wide open again since I didn't have the energy to build them back up. "They help and check on you because they genuinely care and worry about you, and the baby."

I nodded, "You're right. I guess I just know that even if they absolutely hated me, they still would."

Rhys snorted, running a hand along my spine lightly as he contemplated. "I'm starting to worry, Feyre. I know Madja said to expect some nausea and fatigue, but your symptoms are well beyond that. I don't know how much longer I can watch you suffer before I override your decision to call her," he explained.

"I told you before, this is all a part of the process. If it makes you feel any better, we'll bring it up to her at the next visit," I reasoned.

He sighed deeply but reluctantly agreed, "We'll wait until then, but if you try to underestimate any of your symptoms, I'll be sure to set her straight. There must be something she can do."

I giggled and nuzzled into him further, breathing in his salt-and-citrus scent as I closed my eyes, "Someone's still being bossy," I teased.

"Forgive me for not loving the sight of my pregnant mate hurling her guts up and having to take seven naps a day," he retorted softly, still rubbing my back.

"But you said I'm cute when I'm sleeping," I complained quietly, on the edge of unconsciousness.

"You're even cuter when I'm assured that you and our son are healthy," he said.

"You're cute when you're quiet and let me sleep," I yawned.

A soft chuckle was his only response as he buried his nose in my hair, taking this opportunity to join me in a nap he rarely took. After a week of nightmares that left me restless at night, I knew he wasn't getting any more sleep than I was. Any nap he took was just as well deserved as mine, and I relished in falling asleep to the sound of his even breaths.

"Your lingering fatigue and nausea are a bit concerning," Madja began after her routine examination. I made good on my word and informed her of the extent of the symptoms I was experiencing. Despite feeling a little silly and worried that I would end up sounding like I was whining about the things she already warned me to expect, Rhys insisted we emphasize just how severely I was being impacted by them.

"In another two weeks, you'll officially be in the second stage of your pregnancy—which is presumably when your early symptoms should be mitigating," she continued. "That's not to say they won't, a lot can change in a couple of weeks, but most females tend to experience these symptoms until giving birth."

I squeezed Rhys's hand reassuringly, "See? I told you this is normal," I said as I glanced up at him from my spot on our bed, and he helped me sit upright—noting my strain.

"Even the nightmares?" He asked with a frown.

The healer nodded, "Even the nightmares. I'm afraid pregnant females frequently experience more lively dreams—horrible as they may be."

"I'm concerned with her stamina as well," Rhys added. "She's been practically bedridden this week."

I sighed and reluctantly admitted, "I do get dizzy from regular activities now, like walking from one end of the estate to the other."

Madja acquiesced, "That is common as well, and I assure you both that these are not signs of an unhealthy pregnancy, but rather a taxing one. You are both substantial high fae," she said and motioned to Rhys and then to me respectfully, "As you are the most powerful High Lord in Prythian, and as you were resurrected with the combined abilities of all seven High Lords, your child will be a powerful high fae—perhaps more so than you both. It is likely that your developing youngling is draining your energy as your body attempts to keep up."

"Is that dangerous?" I asked before Rhys had the chance to.

The healer shook her head, "No. In fact, this is a good sign. It means you are able to maintain a pregnancy this extraordinary. Odds are, as the youngling progresses into further stages of development, your body will continue to accommodate and you'll begin to gain back some of your energy."

I gulped, not exactly relieved. Rhys cleared his throat as he spoke up, his hand coming to rest on my back, "We don't have anything to worry about then?"

"Not at all," Madja reassured, touching my knee gently. "It will be a long journey, but you will carry to term and deliver a healthy baby. So long as you keep resting, eating well, and limit any stress on your physical and mental health I see no cause for concern. I will change some of the dosages in your prenatal and anti-nausea brews, so that you are able to stave off the queasiness better and hold down your meals. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, your desire to eat will increase."

"Are there any other alarming symptoms we should be aware of? Any warning signs we need to look for?" Rhys asked.

"Of course, and I have created a list of normal and abnormal symptoms, some I've mentioned before and some yet to come as things progress," the older female replied, handing my mate said list. "As of right now, I'm confident you and your youngling are both in top condition."

I nodded, still a bit tense as I asked, "Should we be worried about our mating bond? Both of our instincts have been a little...intense."

Madja chuckled, the skin at the corner of her eyes crinkling in amusement, "I did warn you the mating bond would heighten your instincts now with a little one to consider," she said.

"It's normal then, to feel a sense of...panic, when we're apart?" Rhys asked.

"And to feel overprotective, and desperate," the healer said, as if she were reading my mates mind. "You two are soon going to be parents to a beautiful, strong, and healthy baby. Given this is your first child, and considering your positions of power, you are going to be anxious—rightfully so. I want you both to realize your anxieties are normal, so long as you don't allow them to cause you to live in fear," she explained, taking our hands and squeezing them warmly with her own small wrinkled ones.

Her short speech caused my eyes to burn and without warning I burst into tears, a sob tearing through my throat as Rhys instantly wrapped me in his arms to console me. "I'm guessing this reaction is normal as well?" He asked, albeit sympathetically as he rubbed my back soothingly.

A warm smile graced the healer's wrinkled lips as she nodded, "Yes. Expect more changes in mood from your pregnant mate, my lord. If she wasn't prone to tears before, happy or sad, she will be now."

I sniffed as I composed myself, willing the tears to stop, "I'm just...grateful. You've assured us on every front, and eased our concerns, and I'm so grateful to you." I said, sniffling a bit pathetically.

"That is what I'm here for, my lady. And for you as well, my lord." She said to both of us.

Rhys nodded appreciatively, "Thank you."

She bowed her head and began gathering her things as Rhys turned back to me, taking a step back to kneel in front of my spot on the bed. "You were right. This is all normal," he said as his hands came to rest on either side of my thighs.

I nodded, wiping at my tears, "Just exhausting."

We both nodded in earnest at Madja as she excused herself from the room; Rhys coming to sit beside me on the bed.

"Maybe it's time we hire an assistant, just to lighten your workload a little," he suggested.

"I suggested an assistant for both of us, not just me." I reminded him.

His returning grin was wicked as he shrugged casually, "I wouldn't mind having an assistant."

I sighed tiredly and moved my head to perch on his shoulder, a hand resting on the small curve of my stomach. It was barely noticeable through my wool sweater, further hidden by the leggings I wore around the estate, but since noticing the small swell in my abdomen, we both couldn't resist caressing it.

"Having an assistant would give us more time together, especially when the baby comes," I said.

Rhys's hand came to cover mine, squeezing gently, but when I turned to smile at him, I was met with a furrowed brow as he stared at my stomach. "What's wrong?" I asked hesitantly.

"So small and already giving his mother a hard time," he said softly, and I could hear the concern laced behind his words.

"Well he is his father's son," I tried to joke in an attempt to ease back into our relief after Madja's exam, but his frown remained.

"His power is going to surpass both of ours," he said, a sense of alarm gathering behind those violet star-flecked eyes—the same I had experienced after the healer first confirmed my pregnancy.

"I once warned you what it meant to marry me, to carry my offspring. A life with a target on your back. I wasn't worried so much about you because I knew how strong you were, especially once you came into your powers, but now—with our child…" his voice trailed off as I moved to straddle his hips, wrapping both my arms around him as my hands tangled in his hair. I brought his head to rest against my chest in an effort to calm him.

He sighed deeply, closing his eyes as he breathed in my scent, his own arms encircling my waist and relaxed as he kept his brow pressed between my breasts. "He's going to be okay," I whispered after a couple of minutes. "We have alliances with all but two courts now. Our world isn't what it was before the war. Things have changed, even with the Mortal Lands," I explained quietly as I stroked through his hair lightly.

I was glad that much was true. In the decade since the end of the war with Hybern, our alliances with the Summer, Winter, Day and Dawn Courts had solidified. As the years went by, we had been able to strengthen our relationships with Tarquin, Thesan and Kallias—more so with the latter since Viviane and I had developed a closer friendship. She was now the first High Lady of the Winter Court, just as much Kallias's equal as I was Rhys's, and we both held our heads high among the males surrounding us.

Once a year, we made a tradition of gathering all the High Lords—and Ladies, of Prythian as we had before the war began and met at the Dawn Court Palace. Lucien, Jurian and Vassa also attended those meetings; Vassa and Jurian representing and speaking on behalf of the Mortal Lands, with Vassa having taken over as the sole ruling Queen thanks to Jurian's help at overthrowing the other traitorous queens. Collectively, we thought it best to let the human forces work together during that conflict—offering assistance if the humans needed it, but allowing them a chance at rallying their territory before we officially created a new alliance without the need for a wall.

At our new meetings, high fae and human finally together as one, we made it a point to keep each other in check—although no one had the urge to try and overthrow the other or expand their lands, but in recent years our main concerns were with the Autumn and Spring Court.

After his losses in the war, our alliance with Beron remained tentative, and it was Eris who appeared at our yearly meeting on behalf of the Autumn Court. Since he wasn't a High Lord, however, and continued to have little sway on his father, the eldest son of the Autumn Court only attended to inform and assure us that Beron wasn't making any advances on expanding into the Mortal Lands or staging any kind of uprising against the other courts. Still, with his cruel facade ever-present and his occasional visits to Keir in the Court of Nightmares, it was hard for the rest of us to completely trust him. Rhys, Mor and I made it a habit to pop into the Hewn City unannounced whenever Eris was there; making sure to send a clear message that we wouldn't allow any secret negotiations to take place between the heir to the Autumn Court and the steward of our throne.

Tamlin was a separate issue. After reluctantly agreeing to allow Tarquin's forces into his territory and reinforcing his borders, he was slowly able to rebuild his own army—some of his old sentries returning to serve him, appreciative of his assistance during the war and the attempts to bolster the Spring Court lands. The rest I wasn't sure of, and the little I did know of had been gathered from what Lucien told us. It was no secret things were still, and would probably always be, strained with Tamlin and his court, and neither he nor any representative to speak on his behalf attended our meetings. At first, Rhys would occasionally visit on Tarquin's behalf, checking on the warriors he supplied, but as the years went by and things seemingly improved, he stopped when Tamlin hadn't bothered to greet him anymore.

However provisional things seemed to be with the Sprint and Autumn Courts, I knew our friends in the others would be happy to hear that we were expecting—especially Viviane and Kallias, who were also due to expect their first child in a couple of months. I made a mental note to contact Viviane and ask for advice on how she was coping with her pregnancy.

"Something isn't sitting right with me," Rhys finally admitted after a couple of minutes of silence passed between us.

I pulled back to meet his eyes, my hands coming to rest on his shoulders, "Tell me what's on your mind."

Just as he was about to speak, his shoulders tensed and his wings flared as a hard knock was heard on our door. It was Azriel's voice that came from the other side as he said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have news from the Illryian war camps."

I climbed off of Rhys as we both moved to stand, Rhys answering the door before I could reach it. "Kallon?" He asked Azriel, who nodded grimly in return.

Rhys swore under his breath, "Get Cassian. We'll meet in my office in two minutes," he ordered the shadowsinger. Azriel nodded and left to do as he was instructed.

I frowned, "This is more than just Kallon spreading dissent, isn't it? What if he's planning something, an uprising of some sort?" I asked.

It was a possibility we hadn't wanted to face, but after Azriel began to gather more and more intel on the camp lord's resistance since their presence at the Blood Rite, it was now something we couldn't ignore.

"It's likely. The bastard has always hated us, and this is something he would try to pull after years of silence," Rhys growled as he went to the desk we held in the corner of our room, searching for Az's previous reports.

"He wanted us to think he wasn't a problem," I said as I went to help him look.

He grabbed my hand gently, "Let me handle this, please. Madja said you shouldn't be under any stress," he pleaded.

I stared back at him, my eyes hard, "I am High Lady of the Night Court, that includes the Illyrians as well. We handle this together."

He chuckled humorlessly and only nodded in return without a second thought. He found the reports and we left together to meet Cassian and Azriel in his office. The two Illyrian warriors were in a fierce conversation as we walked in and Cassian immediately turned to face us as he growled,

"The bastard is planning a coup."