YOUNG GOD | RHYSAND [ON HOLD]

2.06 | LAST DAY OF THE WEEK

How long has it been since she flied? Could she even do it now?

"Winnowing in would be easier," Mor said, following the High Lord's gaze.

"Tell the pricks I'll be there in a few hours," he merely said.

Mor turned to her with a small, but apologetic grin which Aadya just waved off before Mor vanished.

"Who's Azriel and Cassian?" Aadya voiced her question to Rhys who took his place next to her left and leaned back casually against the couch.

"They are part of the Night Court," his vague answer didn't suffice Aadya but she didn't push it.

"I'm sorry about the temple-- and the priestesses."

The wrath still glimmered in his eyes as he turne to her. "Plenty more people are going to die soon enough, anyway."

"What are Illyrian war-bands?"

"Arrogant bastards, that's what," he muttered.

Aadya just crossed her arms, waiting.

Rhys stretched his wings, the sunlight setting the leathery texture glowing with subtle colour. "They're a warrior-race within my lands. And general pains in my ass."

"Some of them supported Amarantha?"

Darkness dances in the hall as the distant storm grew close enough to another the sun. "Some. But me and mine have enjoyed ourselves hunting them down these past few months. And ending them."

"As you should. Slowly."

They both remained silent for a small moment, before Rhys squeezed her hand three times as he stood up from beside her, as a form of goodbye. But before he could take off, Aadya's teasing voice stopped him.

"Are you going to meet this Azriel and Cassian person, in the mysterious place you are hiding from me?"

Rhys huffed at her tone as he turned back to her, with a stern look, "I'm not hiding it."

Aadya shrugged, "Could have fooled me."

"Aadya--"

She raised her hands to stop him, "Calm down, I'm just messing with you." He looked like he wanted to say,  more but just nodded instead. He walked away and stood in front of the open window, ready to take off, when Aadya's stopped him, again.

"Are you going to fly?"

Her voice held such hidden pain, that Rhys turned back and gave her a suspicious look, before he hesitantly nodded yes as an answer to her question. "Can you fly with wings?" He had seen her fly before but he never saw any wings, so he just assumed her magic worked that way, but now that he thought about it, anytime she drew her brother's sketches, he always had wings. Did she have wings too?

"No. Not anymore."

With that Aadya walked away and Rhys sighed knowing he wont anymore out of her, before he took off into the night, completely distracted at what Aadya's statement meant.

♚✭♛

Aadya was sprawled in the usual chair, in the same clothes as yesterday, as she scribbled out spells in her almost torn book. Neither Rhys nor Mor were back from wherever they went yesterday and boredom made Aadya practice control. That was until, Feyre marched into the sitting area.

"It's been a week," Feyre said by the way of greeting. "Take me home."

Aadya took a long sip of tea, and rubbed her sleepless eyes. "Good morning, Feyre."

"Take me home."

Feyre received a amused look from Aadya at her statement, before she was steeled with a heavy gaze. "Home?" Aadya mocked, challenging her. Feyre ignored her insinuation as she replied with a question of her own. "Do you want me to say please? Is that it?"

"I want you to talk to me like a person. Start with a 'good morning' let's see where it gets us."

"Good morning."

A faint smile pulled onto Aadya's face. "Are you ready to face the consequences of your departure?"

Feyre straightened. She hadn't thought about the wedding. All week, the woman in front of her kept her mind away from the spring court, making her read and write for hours with no end.  Putting up shields and bringing it down has been the only thing on her mind. She felt like she is betraying Tamlin, but with the thought her High Lord came the thought of him locking her up.

"It's none of your buisness."

"Right. You'll probably ignore it, anyway. Sweep it under the rug, like everything else."

"That's very hypocritical of you, Aadya."

Aadya just shrugged in response. She was never said she was fair. "I help you attain one week of freedom, and get called a hypocrite. Ouch."

"I didn't ask to be here, or to be given that week."

"And yet look at you. Your face has some colour--and those maths under your eyes are almost gone. You're mental shield is passable."

"Please take me home."

Aadya shrugged and rose. "I'll tell Mor and Rhys you said good-bye."

"I barely saw them all week." Feyre pointed out.

"Mor was waiting for an invitation-- she didn't want to pester you. Me and her had great time, drinking and just talking. As for Rhys, he was just busy, I guess."

"No one told me about Mor." She turned and searched for the High Lord of the Night Court. "Where is Rhysand?"

"Let me check his calendar." She closed her note book, and mocking lifted a paper and gasped. "Nope. Not his wife." And smirked at Feyre's annoyed face. Great, she was still drunk. 

"As for Mor, you didn't ask. And why bother? Better to be miserable and alone." Aadya took a long sip of her tea, trying to get her head clear to winnow to the Spring Court before approaching Feyre. "Have you thought about my offer?"

"I'll let you know next month."

Aadya rolled her eyes in annoyance, as she stopped a hand's breadth away from Feyre, her pale face tight. "I will tell this once, and however many times you want to hear it," she said. "I am not your enemy, Feyre. But I'm no one's friend."

"What about Rhysand or Mor?" Feyre challenged.

Aadya raised a condescending brow. "Now that's none of your buisness, is it?"

Feyre huffed. "You said you are not my enemy," completely ignoring the second part of the sentence. "Then free me from my bargain."

"I can't do that."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Won't." Aadya extended her hand to Feyre. "Shall we go?"

Feyre nodded, as Aadya winnowed them both out of the Night Court into the border of the Spring Court, she didn't want to go in, and have an awkward meeting with Tamlin or Lucien.

"Good luck." Aadya mockingly waved at Feyre as she let go of her hand. But before she could go Aadya got hold of her arm, her face was serious. "If Ianthe is there, tell her to hide." Feyre's brow scrunched but nodded anyway.

"Oh and Feyre," Aadya placed a paper on Feyre's palm, that was in her hold. "Do write, how you feel about Tamlin, when the first thing he asks you as soon as you step into the Court, is what you saw in the Night Court." A saccharine smile appeared in Aadya's face. "This is your homework for the month. Feel free to get creative on the words."

"Get your hand off me."

Aadya chuckled, letting go.

"I'll see you next month," she said, before vanishing out of Feyre's sight.

♚✭♛