𝔸 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕎𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕙 (Book 2)

Twenty-Six

    I felt eyes on me and yet I ceased caring. Rhysand whispered beside me, "Do you like it?"

    All I could muster was an eager nod My words were barely anything more than a long breath as I spoke, "So what is there to see in this city?"

    When I faced him, his eyes had begun roaming over the land just as mine had, "Everything."

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

    He wasn't exaggerating.

    Everything. This city had and was everything. There were Tea shops with delicate tables and squares that I had to physically force myself not to run to out of desperation. Each place in the city was decorated with different people and families laughing, at some points it made me happy. That there was a small pocket of happiness tucked into the end of the word. In others it made me feel more alone than I had in a very long time.

    There were four main market squares Rhysand had taken me to, pointing things out like a professional tour guide every which way.

    The first market we entered, the Palace of Threads and Jewels, sold clothes, shoes, and supplies for making anything relating to either. Endless jewelers shops filled to the brim with expensive diamonds and gifts that likely cost more than my life.

    Rhysand had entered a few of the jewelry shops, looking for a gift for a friend, he'd said. I'd chosen to wait outside as he did so. Walking was enough. I'd be introduced to new people tonight and I feared I'd wear myself to exhaustion if I had to talk to any more than that.

    The second market, the Palace of Bone and Salt was one of the twin squares on that side of the river. The other one—the Palace of Hoof and Leaf across it.

People that spotted Rhysand at my side offered him warm smiles, sometimes stopping on the street to say hello like old friends. There had been a few times I'd been struck stupid by it. No one spat. No one leered. Everyone was...kind.

    But then I stopped entirely as vibrant colors assaulted me. Rhysand stopped as well, "This is what Velaris is known for; the artist's quarter. You'll find a hundred galleries, supply stores, potter's compounds, sculpture gardens, and anything in between." Feyre would have loved this place as a human. I wasn't so sure where she stood now. "They call it the Rainbow of Velaris. The performing artists—the musicians, the dancers, the actors—all dwell on that hill right across the Sidra. Do you see the bit of gold glinting near the top? That's one of the main theaters. There are five notable ones in the city, but that's the most famous. The amphitheater off the bright cliffs..." he trailed off.

    I thought my heart may have stopped beating altogether as I looked at the bright glittering theater. So close and yet the thought of it made me near sick to my stomach.

Music. Once something I loved and cherished. Something I lived for. Now It only reminded me of my losses. Of what I had become and how anything I would have created, and the light that I poured from my soul and into the sweet notes of the song would be ruined with taint.

"I'm tired." I managed to choke out.

A familiar weight settled back on my shoulders, more prominent together. The high that I'd felt as I looked at her city for the first time had vanished. Leaving be broken once more.

I could feel Rhys's gaze on me. I didn't particularly care if my shields were up or not. "We can come back another day, it's almost time for dinner anyway," he said.

I nodded absently, the void that filled my chest making me want to curl up into some dark little creature and never see anything beautiful again.

Rhysand and I started walking again, he lead me away from the artist's quarter—thank the mother.

I was tired. In so many ways. I'd said it so many times and yet it never ceased being true.

    His throat bobbed as though he'd heard me, "Tomorrow night, we'll go for a walk. Velaris is lovely in the day, but it was built to be viewed after dark.

    I didn't dain to reply.

    "Who exactly is going to be at this dinner?" I questioned.

"My inner circle," He replied, "I'd like you to meet them before you decide if this is a place you'd like to stay. If you'd like to work with me, thus work with them. Mor, you've met, but the three others—"

    "The ones from earlier."

    A nod. "Cassian, Azriel, and Amren." The names were familiar and I realized Rhysand had been talking about them in a conversation I'd overheard.    

    "Who are they?"

    "There are tiers," he said neutrally, "within our circle. Amren is my Second."

    I raised my brows. A female? The surprise must have been written on my face because Rhysand said, "Yes. And Mor is my Third. Only a fool would think my Illyrian warriors were the apex predators in our circle." Mor was a surprise. I knew she was a warrior of some sort, but she was so happy and cheerful. It was a shock. "You'll see what I mean when you meet Amren. She looks High Fae, but something different prowls beneath her skin." Rhys nodded to a passing couple who smiled at him, "She might be older than this city, but she's vain and likes to hoard her baubles and belongings like a firedrake in a cave. So...be on your guard. You both have tempers when provoked, and I don't want you to have any surprises tonight."

    "So if we get into a brawl and I undoubtedly do something to provoke her, she'll try to eat me?"

    He chuckled, "No—Amren would do far, far worse things than that. The last time Amren and Mor got into it, they left my favorite mountain retreat in cinders." he lifted a brow, "For what it worth, I'm the most powerful High Lord in Prythians history, and merely interrupting Amren is something I've only done once in the last century."

    Well, she sounded like a treat.

    The most powerful High Lord in history. The words clanged through me.

    In the countless millennia they'd existed here in Prythian, Rhys—Rhys with his smirk, sarcasm, and bedroom eyes.

    And Amren was worse. Five thousand years Velaris was safe and she was older.

    I waited for even a small pang of fear to at least hit for a moment. An ounce of weariness. But...nothing. Maybe it would be a mercy to be ended—

    A broad hand gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him, "Don't you ever think that," Rhysand hissed, his eyes livid, "Not for one damned moment."

The bond between us loosened, and for a moment. A split second, just as it had happened Under the Mountain in death, I looked through Rhysands eyes once more.

    Then I was back.

    Nausea rolled through me as though I'd just been twirled around so many times I was dizzy.

    Rhysand stopped. His eyes were a mirror of quiet shock, "How'd you do it? How'd you get through my shields?" His tone was curious, not angry.

    "Daemati abilities." he mused.

    Oh for cauldron's sake. Every damn time.

    I sighed and started walking off back towards where I'd marked the townhouse to be. Rhysand followed a step behind as he watched me.

    I was done. Done with everything, with these abilities that seemed to haunt me. With this darkness inside of me. I was a shard of glass, I could cut and maim, and yet I was so easily broken.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A/N: Longer one cause why not.