A Court of Beasts and Shadows >ACOTAR Fanfic

Chapter Two

Rhea

The shadows curled around my hand, like a glove, constantly moving, the coldness of the shadows harsh against my warm skin. I focused on the shadows, willing them to draw away, trying to control them but they suddenly lashed out against me and I put all my willpower into controlling them.

"Don't tire yourself, Rhea" warned Eris from the far side of the room, watching me intently and my eyes flickered over to him and a smile grew on his lips. "Well it seems I'm a necessity here."

I looked back at the shadows. They had formed into a black rose, the shape I had wanted them to take. Shadows writhed against my hands and I flung them out and the shadow-rose was shredded apart.

"It's getting easier, but I have no experienced teacher" I said, standing up and going over to the fountain and with a flick of my hand, the shadows formed a small glass and I held the glass under the fountain and then drank the cool water, not impressed by what I had managed today.

Hands on my waist, warm breath against my cheek. "You did brilliantly" murmured Eris and kissed my cheek and I leaned back into his touch. "I still can't control the shadow, it's getting too hard...I need a trained shadow-singer to train me."

Eris turned me around, those amber eyes fixed on me. Only a few days ago had he become High Lord and he was still trying to convince me into marrying him.

I was only twenty years old. Did I really want to get married so young? I knew Eris also had reasons for marrying me. He wanted the Night, Winter and Autumn Court to join in alliance. My mother, who had been of the Winter Court and had been with my father, Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court.

"The only shadow-singers I have heard of" said Eris, stroking my black-blue hair gently, looking into my ice blue eyes, eyes that came from the Winter Court, "is of Azriel, your father's shadow-singer and you. Shadow-singers are very rare but when they are found" Eris kissed me softly, "they are treasured and coveted by their High Lords."

I pulled away, not in the mood for his display of affection. Eris had only become more affectionate after he killed his father, not needing to keep up the merciless bastard act. But I knew he was desperate to set down an alliance between my family courts as I was High Fae.

"My lord?"

Eris turned around, a servant standing at the door, her head bowed. "What is it?" he snapped, and the girl answered, "the High Lord of the Night Court is here, requesting your presence and that of...Miss Rhea."

I took a step forward, but Eris grabbed me by the arm. "You're not going out there" he hissed and winced when his hand started to ice over. "Rhea, he will try to take you away from me...Rhea, love, your hurting me."

"I want to see my father" I demanded, eyes flashing as my power defended me. Eris frowned, anger in his amber eyes, "he will take you away from me. You are going to be my wife, you can't leave."

I pulled out of his grip, shadows dancing around me, "you can't tell me what to do!" I snarled, desperate to see my father and I walked away, ignoring Eris ordering me to stop.

I haven't heard my father's voice in over three years. I wanted to see him, I needed to. The questions I had for him, what happened to my mother, why he never looked for me, why I had the powers I did and didn't have an idea on how to control them.

If he had a shadow-singer in his court...maybe he could teach me. The amount of people I nearly hurt with my monstrous powers. I hadn't felt them in the dark room Amarantha had kept me in. The chains she had kept me in had robbed me of all magic.

"Where is he?" I asked the servant who pointed towards a room, looking scared of the shadows around me. I didn't blame her. I was equally as scared shitless as she was of them.

I went into the room and stopped.

Three males and three females stood there, one of them, I knew from the pictures he had put into my mind for years, so I wouldn't forget his face.

A male of blue-black hair and violet eyes. Handsome, lean built with muscles, dressed in the Night Court attire. He turned to look at me and I froze at seeing his eyes widen, emotions flicker across his face as he said my name.

"Rhea."

I turned into shadows, flying across the room and tackled my father, transforming back into my Fae form as I wrapped my arms around him, never wanting to let him go.