Dance of Fate

Chapter Thirty

The next few days were uneventful. We were all waiting- for word to come back from the Summer Court, and also from the mortal queens. And also waiting to see what Azriel's plan was to infiltrate the queen's castle, which, so far, was nothing. Not that he had let me help him in any way whatsoever. I deserved that much at least, and didn't say anything about it. In fact, I hadn't spoken much to Azriel at all since he had demanded I give him the Faebane.

Which I hadn't. I hadn't taken any either, which had not been easy. But I was still hesitant to give it to him. He hadn't said anything about it, though. And he hadn't told Rhys. In fact, he seemed to want to speak to me even less than I did to him.

I spent all day every day trying to train my magic in secret. I hadn't progressed much, to my frustration. I still couldn't control how much of it I let out- there was now a patch in the forest that was completely barren, thanks to me.

When I wasn't training, which was only really at night,  we went to Rita's. The first two nights, Cassian, Rhys, Azriel, and even Feyre had gone with us. Though I knew the latter had had no choice in the matter. 

Rhys had called all of us to the House of Wind to give us news on a particularly warm afternoon. It wasn't too hard to guess what that news might be, but I went anyway. If my assumptions were correct, I wouldn't see my brother for a while.

He had asked me if I wanted to go to the Summer Court, but I'd declined. Partially because I probably wasn't needed, and Rhys was likely asking me for my sake. But also because I would have no way of escaping to release my magic everyday. And now was certainly not the time to tell Rhysand about that little issue.

"Look who finally showed up," Cassian said as I walked through the doors of the House and onto the sunny yard. "Where have you been these days?"

I shrugged, leaning against the wall. "Busy." I sighed. 

"Doing what, exactly?" The male pressed. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Why exactly do my activities interest you so much?" I snapped at him. Cassian surveyed me, but then shrugged. 

"You haven't told Az either." He added in a faked casual tone. It was an effort not to punch him. Judging by the look on Feyre's face, who was standing next to Cassian, she noticed the tenseness in the conversation. 

Cassian gave Feyre a look, but she only shrugged and set down her daggers. I wondered if Cassian or Rhys had told her something- not that there was much to tell. Cassian must have seen the question on my face, because he just shrugged and looked away. Feyre avoided my gaze- so she did know something. God's, I was going to murder Cassian.

"Why, exactly," Cassian said, also ignoring my gaze now, "are you ladies here?"

Mor tipped her face back, bathing it in the shining sun. "Rhys is coming in a few moments to give us some news, apparently. Didn't Amren tell you?"

"I forgot," Amren said from where she lounged on a chaise, picking her sharp nails. "I was having too much fun watching Feyre evade Cassian's tried and true techniques to get people to do what he wants."

Cassian's nostrils flared, his brows raising. "You've been here for an hour."

Amren smiled. "Oops."

"Get off your ass and give me twenty lunges-"

An animalistic snarl cut him off, and I was just about to start praying as Rhys strolled out. "Sorry to interrupt while things were getting interesting." He said as he took in the scene. 

"Fortunately for Cassian's balls, you arrived at just the right time." Amren said. Cassian snarled at her in response. 

Rhys laughed. "Ready to go on a summer holiday?" He asked. Just as I had suspected, then.