Holy shit.

When I woke up this morning, I had no idea I was going to do this.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love SJM and all her books still. But not to the point of aggressively writing fanfics and reading them, y'know? So when this idea popped up ... I didn't expect it at all.

Really, you have two people to thank for this:

1) Shivanginovelslife - they were commenting on my rotted, crappy ACOTAR/TOG fic that I wrote in middle school and I was kinda sucked back in to looking at my old fics.

2) JessEvans13 - she had an old comment on the first "Past Lives" I posted asking me to write another one. The idea just sparked. I'm telling you guys, your comments do a lot for us fanfiction writers.

Look ... I know it's been a long time. And I know there are several other unfinished fics that you guys have been waiting for, but at least now you get to see if my writing has improved any, yeah?

I've also come to the realization that I have a lot of drafts. Like, a lot. And unposted/unfinished chapters and stuff. I'll be looking at those and finishing them sometime.

Please continue commenting. Thoughts, feels, the whole shebang. Thanks for bothering to come back 😂.

It's been a long time since I've written and SJM fic, so I might be a little rusty ... Forgive me.

IMPORTANT INFO FOR THE STORY: THE FORMER "PAST LIVES" HAVE NOT TAKEN PLACE AT ALL IN THIS FIC. THANK YOU.

Also: Pre-KoA. I'm still pre-KoA here. (Yes, I've read it. RIP 13 & Uncle Kitty-Cat.) I have my own opinions on KoA, but I have a feeling that they're pretty unpopular. 😬🤷🏻‍♀️ Just know my overall rating is a 3.5/5 ⭐️ . If you really care about my intake, just comment, I suppose. This one TAKES PLACE IN QUEEN OF SHADOWS.

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HER clothes smelled like she'd run seven miles and set herself on fire.

Knowing Aelin, Rowan knew that assessment probably wasn't too far from the truth.The only problem is for her to do that and survive, she'd need her magic. And since there was no magic in Erilea, Aelin wouldn't be innocently making tea at the crack-ass of dawn if that had actually happened. On the contrary, she'd be ash on the wind right now—cold as his blood went at the thought.

Rowan's jaw clenched. What the hell was she thinking? What the hell had she been doing?

What was she hiding?

Magic or no magic, Rowan's enhanced Fae senses were still infallible. The reek of Rifthold's slums from even Aelin's clean warehouse apartment never failed to remind him of that. Nevertheless, that didn't stop him from examining her leather suit further for any signs of possible injury from her or someone else she might've left in pieces.

"Territorial Fae bastard" be damned.

Once he was assured that his queen had not gotten into any sort of conflict over the night, he restored the suit to its place on the chair.

Rowan let out an annoyed breath. He was going to need to have a talk with her about keeping secrets—he was sure Aedion would agree.

He was just about to go do exactly that when he heard it: a low thrumming from Aelin's nightstand. He whirled to find Damaris ... glowing?

Rowan quickly made his way over to the ancient sword. It seemed that it hadn't been moved from where Aelin had set both it and Goldryn against the wall, but this was the first time he had ever even heard of it glowing like this. It wasn't impossible that it was magically enhanced in some way, but why was it doing this now?

Cautiously, Rowan laid his hand on the hilt.

- - - - - - - -

IT was like a hand had instantly reached out and grabbed his magic by the throat and propelled him forward.

Next he knew, he was on his ass like the centuries-old Fae warrior he was.

He leapt to his feet, years of honed experience allowing him to take in every detail and possible threat of the setting.

The first thing that occurred to him was that he was no longer in Aelin's apartment. Rather, he was in the sewers, judging by not only the grimy walls and—gods, you get the idea—but the putrid smell. What was most troublesome of all was that he seemed to be completely alone in the sewers of Rifthold, which meant that he had no idea what had happened to Aelin.

His heart was now frantically beating his insides to anxious mush at this realization. Had him touching Damaris affected her as well as him? Had his own stupidity put his queen in danger?

"Aelin?" he asked, praying to every god he knew that she was there.

No answer.

"Aelin," he growled, his breathing becoming increasingly fast.

- - - - - - - -

To be continued ....

Maybe ....

Idk, I just got extremely lazy all of a sudden, like it was sucked out of me. Just wanted you guys to know that I AM ALIVE. And that I wasn't joking when I was toying with a new fanfic idea. I WAS FOR REAL.

But seriously .... do I still have the SJM writing down?? It's been sooo lonnggg...