A Court of Death and Retribution

chapter 7

—
Feyre
—

The Sun looked eager to rise over the mountains this morning. I suppose it was always eager to start the day, even if it didn't know what would happen when it was laid to rest at the end of the day.

Lately I've been attempting to be as brave as the Sun. Especially with the threat of the Death Gods wandering about. They haven't attacked yet, which makes me think they're banding together and forming a plan to take control of Prythian.

Killing one Death God, I could do that. Rhys and Nyx could do that. Nesta and her long sword, Ataraxia, could do that. Hell, the two Valkyrie Generals and our Illyrian General could do that. But an entire group of them? The eight of us will need a lot more help.

Hopefully Belladonna will be willing to help.

I groan and roll my head to the side to see that Rhys is already awake. Him and Helion made plans to fix the wards around the Prison this morning and count up how many have escaped. If they could figure out how this happened in the first place, that would be helpful.

My job was to teach Belladonna how to fly better. I remember watching her on Starfall flap her wings erratically away from Azriel. A few people snickered at her desperate attempt to leave, and I shot them a glare, then told Azriel to come back.

He would have caught her, but then what would we do, trap her in the house?

I took a quick bath and got ready for the day, donning my leathers and sweeping my hair into a ponytail.

My nerves were getting the best of me. I was truly excited to help her get better at flying. The last person I helped teach was Nyx, but even then I was never teaching him alone.

I grabbed a biscuit on my way out the door and used the Spring Court's power flowing through me to form my wings.

The house was empty, so I assumed everyone was off training. Belladonna must still be sleeping, and I wanted her to rest because she looked like she needed it, but we are on a tight schedule.

I knocked on the door a few times, but when there was no reply, no shuffling sheets, I carefully opened the door.

Light from the hallway flooded through the crack in the open doorway. The yellow ray seemed to direct itself straight to Belladonna, who wasn't on the bed. My chest tightened and I looked down to see her on the floor.

She was curled up underneath a blanket and the pillow resided under her head, leading me to assume she didn't fall off in the middle of the night—she wanted to be there.

I gently woke her up and left the room to allow her to get ready. When she was, I took her to the same spot where Azriel once taught me and where we all eventually taught Nyx.

She was strong for her height and weight. It was clear that she was malnourished, and my mind stung with the memory of my sunken belly and protruding ribs. But Belladonna, Bella as she made me call her, still had incredible strength. Perhaps it was from constantly holding up her wings, or maybe she forced herself to stay in shape. Either way, it was astonishing.

After about an hour of strengthening the skills she already knows, we took a water break by the edge of a river. Bella let her wings fan and droop behind her. She was glistening under the beating Sun and closed her eyes to soak in the heat. When we first got here, I could tell she was shy—kind, but completely shy towards me. Now, she seemed comfortable and maybe content. Her long legs stretched out in front of her and her palms held her body up on the patch of grass we found. Tendrils of green snaking through the pale white of her right hand.