𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ! [ rhysand ]

𝐢𝐢. welcome to velaris !

Ana smiled, no ounce of embarrassment on her beautiful face. "Hi, I'm Ana. It's really nice to meet you, especially after the things Rhys has told me about you." She then turned her attention to Cass. "Longer hair and an obvious idiot. You must be Cassian."

Cass gaped at her while Mor laughed. "What lies has he been telling people?"

Rhys rolled his eyes. "Stop being dramatic. I only told her the truth."

"Obviously not if she thinks I'm an idiot." He crossed his arms and looked at Ana, who was holding back a laugh. "I'm not an idiot."

Ana leaned toward Rhys. "You got the 'baby' part right, too." She then clapped her hands. "So, where are the other two? After everything you've told me about Amren, I'm really excited to meet her."

Mor blinked. "That's a first." She then approached Ana and looped her arm with hers. "Come on. I'll show you around this house before you see the real show-stopper."

The blonde frowned. "Show-stopper? You mean⎯"

Yes, darling. Velaris.

Ana's smile grew, almost brightening the room with the light of a million stars. 

Cassian chuckled. "Someone's excited."

"Why wouldn't I be excited?" Ana spun around to face him as they began to walk. "A beautiful city where everyone is at peace? Those people sure are lucky. I mean, if I'd grown up there . . ." She got a distant look in her eyes. Rhys watched as they lost their light for a split second before she snapped out of it. "By the Angel, I don't know if I'd ever want to leave."

Rhys tried to push his worry away for the time being. Ana was there, with him and his family. He'd ask her about everything else later in the week. After all, they had two weeks together. There was no need to rush. 

"Well then, I'll make this tour extra short just so we can go and see Velaris," Mor said, matching Ana's excitement. "Come on! I need to find out everything about you that I can before we get to the townhouse and I lose you to Amren or Azriel. Or worse . . . Cassian."

The Illyrian beside Rhys gaped at the blonde. He didn't have a chance to argue as Mor dragged a giggling Ana away from them and further into the house. Rhys didn't bother with following after them, even if it was all his heart wished to do. Instead, he hung back with Cassian and waited for the teasing to commence.

"So . . ." Cassian draped an arm over Rhys's shoulders, giving him a roguish grin. "How badly did you wanna slam her against the wall and kiss her just then?" Rhys rolled his eyes and whacked his brother upside the head. "Come on! Like you weren't totally thinking about it!"

Despite the annoyed expression Rhys wore, he did find himself agreeing with him. The moment Ana's body had been pressed against his, he'd felt his heart leap from his chest. Just having her close to him made his blood rush and his body tingle.

"Shut up."

Cassian beamed. "Oh, you so were."

"I said shut up." He forced his blush down. "Come on. Let's go find them before Mor does something Mor like."

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

To say Ana was amazed by the Night Court would be an understatement.

Rhys was proud to see that her smile never faltered throughout the entire tour of his palace above the Court of Nightmares. Her grin shone as bright as a million stars and her eyes twinkled with wonder at everything and anything. Every turn of a corner, every room, every floor made her gasp with delight. And the sight alone made Rhys's heart melt.