A Court Of Shadow and Blood

☆ Patrasche of the Spring Court ☆

“She was Made from faebane—Made by one of the King’s many clever spells. She can deaden an area and make magic disappear.” Eblis spoke, words soft with fear, “She has been able to silence a whole castle of its power. She is beautiful, but still has the thin blood of the fae. However, she was able to conceive months after being created. She was married to the King soon after and had yet to have another child as far as I know.” 

“What does that make the daughter?” Feyre asked, frowning. 

Her throat closed. Did she really want to betray her only friend? “A mixture. She has to strike you with her power to cancel your magic. But she is not part of the scheme. She will have no part in taking over Prythian, and is a much better successor than the Queen herself. I want her on the throne.” Her priorities had shifted. The Queen was no longer who she served. 

“You don’t get to choose who is on the throne or not, girl,” Helion said, voice sharp. 

"It's getting late, let's end the meeting here," Eris said before anyone could react to the words. He nodded a molten head towards Rhysand and the silent figure of shadows behind him.

Tarquin was the first to stand, his garland of roses bobbing with the movement. The two sea-foam siblings behind him stood to his shoulder as he did, Varian casting a glance towards Amren.

"We didn't plan on more than one day. Our cities need us." Tarquin dipped a dark chin to Rhysand and Feyre, and to Eris. "Congratulations, High Lord," he said, and then he strode from the room, retinue close behind.

***

Eblis admired the thick ice walls decorated with snowflake patterns, the little designs shimmering in the lantern light. The sun had already set behind what she had remembered were called the Samiun mountains, and now all the blues and whites were cast with a warm glow. The floors, while still ice, were blanketed with thick, cozy rugs even in front of a fireplace made of hoarfrost.

The fireplace and rugs—while indeed cozy and inviting—were more for decoration given the steady temperature inside Miroff. Eblis still admired the craftsmanship of the colorful rugs and enjoyed their presence—otherwise she would've had to wear slippers for the entire stay.

The furnishments of the room were sharp like the ice walls with rudimentary shapings, but the fabrics were lush and well-designed. Eblis plopped on one of the beds—this one with floral patterns of lilies in the Winter—and eyed the second bed.

The door opened, and the person she was sharing the room with came in.

Eblis smiled weakly. "It's been awhile, Amren."

The female clicked her tongue, folding her arms over her chest as she paused. Silver upswept eyes surveyed the room disinterestedly before settling on Eblis.

"Your story was very interesting," she said, and walked to the door connecting their room to another.

The door opened and closed, but not before Eblis heard Cassian say something that made Azriel laugh softly.

And she was alone.

Eblis sighed, laying back on her bed. She knew Amren had a right to be...suspicious. Maybe even a little annoyed. Her and Amren had barely gotten along before, so it shouldn't have surprised Eblis now. They'd always been bickering fools who fought over everything, something about their personalities not meshing properly. Who was to say Amren wouldn't hate her more now that she'd changed?

She sighed again before standing and making her way to the balcony. She slipped through the glass-like-ice doors and found the wind to be vicious as they were in the Illyrian Steppes—the night dark with the howling sound. It seemed to echo from between the peaks of the mountains, the flakes of snow more stinging as it struck her cheeks. Her dress whipped around her legs until she was shivering with the cold air making its way through, but she still stepped up to the artfully engraved ice balustrade and stared out over Miroff.