A Court of Shadows and Love [Continued]

Chapter 22

I counted how long it took for one of them to come up. They only left me alone for about five minutes. There was a knock at the door, I didn't bother telling them to come in, I knew they would anyway.

"Ivy?" Rhys's voice said quietly.

Well this was shit.

"What?" I asked, not turning from my spot at the window, it would be him here.

"Az told me what you said, we definitely need to talk." I could hear him getting closer.

"There is nothing to talk about and even if there was, I would not be talking to you." I snarled, I wasn't sure why his presence made me so uncomfortable.

'Why does she hate me so much?'

"I don't hate you," I said with a small sigh, turning so he could see me properly, I didn't mean to offend him, he was trying.

"Now we definitely need to talk because you shouldn't have been able to hear that." He said, arms crossed.

"Now you aren't even making sense!" I exclaimed.

"You're a daementi Ivy, I am too, it means you can read other's thoughts, go into their minds." He explained, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

I stared at him in shock, this was not happening, mind reading?

"Ivy?" He questioned, coming a little closer.

"So I can just go into people's heads?" I asked, trying to wrap my own head around the concept.

"Yes, you can read their thoughts, see their memories and also wipe away their sense of self, it's why mental shields are so important." He said.

"Why is this happening, why can't I just be normal?" I asked in frustration, I didn't want any special powers and I definitely didn't want wings!

"Look, I know you didn't ask for any of this, but I can teach you how to block out people's thoughts and anything else you want to know about this, Cassian also thinks you should learn how to use those wings of yours." He said with a tight smile.

"Yes, to the training, no to the flying, not yet." I replied and he dipped his chin.

He went to leave but I suddenly felt overly home sick, I just wanted to go back to the cabin, see my families things one last time, maybe take some things back here so I could always remember them.

"Rhys?" I said just as he got to the door.

"Do you think someone could take me to the cabin?" I asked quietly when he turned back to me.

"Of course, I think Feyre was questioning what to do today, why don't you come down with me?" He said with a small smile.

I stood and we walked back down the stairs.

"Feyre, would you take Ivy to her cabin?" Rhys asked as we got to the living room.

"Sure, where is it?" She asked as she stood.

"It's actually near your old village," I replied as I looked at the floor.

"Ok, if I take us there will you know the way?" She questioned.

I just nodded and took her outstretched hand. Darkness gathered us up before we were set down once more. I quickly scanned the area and worked out where I was.

we were at the edge of the market, from the lack of people staring I knew we were invisible to them. I watched as the usual people sold their where's, I would have been here today if I was still living my life before all of this craziness. 

Without a word I began to walk to the cabin. I wondered what I would see, it had been a long time since anyone had been inside, so I was expecting it to be covered in dust and full of cobwebs, but I hoped nothing was broken.

the route was so familiar I could have walked it with my eyes closed although my wings made things a little more difficult.

When I saw it through the trees, I couldn't stop my small smile. It looked no different, there was a little ivy climbing up one side but other than that the outside looked the same.

I paused outside to the door, my hand on the handle.

"You, ok?" Feyre asked softly from next to me.

"Yeah, I just don't know what to expect." I whispered.

"Whatever it is like inside it will be ok," she said with a tight smile.

I took a couple of breaths before gripping the handle tighter and pushing the door open. 

the stench hit me first, the whole house stank of rotten meat. I cautiously walked inside, wondering what was making the smell. the sitting room and kitchen were both just as empty as the day we had been taken to Hybern. 

I pushed open the door to my sister's room. it was still immaculate despite the layer of dust coating every surface. 

I walked over to the chest of draws at the side of the room. our pictures were still there. before mother died she made us a picture frame out of some wood and put in a picture of all three of us. 

I picked it up and stared down at it, we were all so young then, and we were happy, all smiling brightly. 

I sighed as I put it down again, those times were simple and we all got along while dad didn't drink. 

I heard Feyre scram and I ran towards her voice. 

"No Ivy, don't go in there!" she tried to hold me back from father's room.

I struggled against her grip and she eventually let me go. I ran in and my eyes fell on the source of the smell. 

his body was lying in his drinking chair, a broken glass on the floor next to him. he had obviously been used as fox meat and was now mostly a skeleton with some areas of rotting flesh. 

Feyre stepped in front of me, blocking my view of his body. 

"You shouldn't have to see that." she said softly but I felt a small tug drawing me towards his bed. 

I walked around her and knelt down. my hand followed the tug until my fingers latched on a box. It felt like it had magic inside so I carried it to the table, closing the door to my father's room behind me. 

I set the small box down and sat, staring at it for a long time. 

"It feels like it is surrounded by magic," Feyre said as she sat next to me. 

"I know, it was like it was pulling me over," I whispered as I flipped back the latch.

I lifted the lid, inside was a letter and a couple of objects. I opened the letter and began to read.