Her fae & His fairy

Chapter 9

"Madja, thank you for coming in such a hurry," He says to me, as he walks to stand in front of me.

"Is this regarding the High Lady?" I inquire, my mind lingering on her current state. Nothing has drastically changed for the worse, but her fatigue and exhaustion has continued to build up over time. This has caused me to visit every three days in order to assess and monitor her health, although Rhysand had begged me to come an extra time here and there out of concern. Despite our best efforts, we were still no closer to uncovering what was causing this anomaly.

"It is not," He says, while shaking his head. He looks to Amren, who simply nods to whatever unspoken conversation the two share.

"Come, it would be better if I showed you," He speaks softly as he extends his arm, motioning for me to go back down the hallway. As I take a step forward, I am faced with Cassian who silently stands in front of us with a determined expression on his face and arms crossed firmly as he stares menacingly at Rhysand who is standing behind me. His rigid body language speaks louder than words; it's clear that he does not approve of Rhysand's words.

"Brother, I think you should stay here," Cassian says, while sending Rhysand a warning look.

"Nonsense, move Cassian," Rhysand says, but Cassian does not.

"Do not start a fight, Rhysand," Cassian says as he squares up against his brother. As this tense exchange is going on, I feel an unfamiliar sensation wash over my hand. Startled by the suddenness of it, I look down to see what could have caused it. There is a dark shadow that drifts across my fingers and appears as if it were pulling on them gently. So the Shadowsinger is here too.

Cassian watches this happens, until he sighs out: "Sorry, he is having some issues with them,"

I simply shake my hand at him, the shadow hurrying away, probably back to its master.

"Come on," Cassian calls from over his shoulder as he picks up the pace and begins his ascent. His footfalls echo loudly in the dark void we'd been travelling through, up a staircase that seems to stretch on forever. The shadows become more dense with each step we take, tightening around us like an oppressive fog. But as soon as I move my foot onto the next stair they part like a curtain, giving me enough space to comfortably pass through - if I hurry.

Behind me I can hear someone huffing out, and I turn on the stairs to look down at Rhysand. A wall of shadows has formed in front of him, blocking him from stepping on the stairs.

"Tell him to make this stop," Rhysand warns Cassian, who simply nods in response.

"Why does the Shadowsinger, not want the High Lord up here?" I inquire with the Commander, wondering what is going on between the brothers.

"There was an argument, and now the shadows do not allow Rhysand up here. When he tried to winnow up here, they bound themselves to his eyes, blinding him," Cassian explains as we walk down the hallway of doors, all of them hiding different bedrooms.

We stop at the end, where two doors sit in front of each other, Cassian walks to the one on the right. The door is already open, and as we walk in the first that greets me are the many shadows covering the floors and walls. Which means that they also hide their master, who stands directly to the left of the wall, pressed up against it and hidden in his shadows.

"Oh boy!" I say, lifting my hand to my heart beating heart, as I take in the male - or at least what I can see of him. The area around his eyes are purple, the scruff of his beard long and so is his hair. While most of his body is covered in shadows, I observe how his leathers fits loosely on his body and his cheeks are sunken in.

"What has happened to you?" I ask, concerned for the male before me, that I have now known for so many centuries, and cared for more than I can count.

Instead of answering me, he nods towards the bed, where I take notice of a motionless figure lying beneath the sheets. As I move closer, it becomes clear that it is a young woman laid out before me. She is wearing what looks to be a long white tunic that covers her from head to toe. From what I can tell, she seems far too small for the average female fae. Her beauty is undeniable; her features are delicate and different type of beauty over her features. However, what truly captures my attention is the wings that lie beneath her. Folded tightly against her back, they take on a blurry shape, yet the colour is still clear - a shining translucence with intricate black veining. It's an uncharacteristic sight for any fae creature, and I can't help but be fascinated by them.