A Court of Beasts and Shadows >ACOTAR Fanfic

Chapter Thirty-One

All the High Lords had gathered, all but one.

Tamlin still hadn't arrived.

Bryaxis sat on my left, holding my hand underneath the table. Azriel sat on my right, and he had his hand on my chair's armrest, and Truth-Teller laid on his lap. Rhys, Cassian, Feyre and Mor and Amren sat on the other side of the circular table.

I had met Helion, who had looked me up and down in a sensual way and then had smiled at me, all charms and flirting. Tarquin was quiet enough but had been rather talkative with me, and I had questioned his beliefs for the High and Lesser Fae. A High Lord who dreamed of a better world: A High Lord I respected.

Kallias, had embraced me, but had asked me how I fared. I had smiled, telling him everything was fine, and he had sat down before Eris came in.

I heard a crack and looked to my right and saw Azriel had gripped the armrest so tightly, it had cracked.

"Rhea, sweetheart, its been a while" Eris smirked at me and I raised an eyebrow. "Has been, Eris."

Thesan arrived with a sentry by his side. He nodded at Rhys, but that was all. He took a seat next to Amren and I wondered if he knew exactly who Amren was.

"Where is Tamlin?" asked Kallias, scanning all the faces around the table. "This meeting cannot start without all seven High Lords."

All eyes turned to the door as Tamlin, my mate, walked into the room.

***

Bryaxis nearly broke all the bones in my hand, he gripped it so tightly.

Tamlin immediately looked around the table, and when his eyes landed on me, his claws slid out of his knuckles and a growl slipped from him. His eyes flickered to Bryaxis, and his eyes narrowed at seeing an unfamiliar male sitting next to me.

Tamlin sat down in a chair next to Thesan's sentry, who I noticed stiffened. All the chairs were taken now around the table. Nowhere else for Tamlin to sit.

I was glad for Bryaxis and Azriel. I knew Bryaxis would kill Tamlin if he took one step towards me.

"What is the reason you called this meeting, Rhysand?" asked Thesan and Rhys looked to Thesan.

"I think its best my daughter explains. She knows what happens."

All eyes fell to me and I flushed. Shit.

"I may have released an ancient evil from its prison."

Silence.

Eris then sighed. "You always did have a pension for raising trouble."

Kallias straightened. "What exactly do you mean..."

"Rhea" said Rhys.

Kallias didn't acknowledge Rhysand's offer of my name. "Rhea, what do you mean?"

I swallowed, looking at Tamlin, who saw my gaze. "When I was...living at Tamlin's court, I accidently unleashed a Dark God, who had been imprisoned in a lake. His name is Savitr, he is the First. He...his power...I have never felt anything like it when I was in his presence. He told me that he plans to wipe out the human and Fae races, to remake this world."

"And how did you make contact with...Savitr?"

I looked over at Tarquin, and hesitated. "Since I was the one to release him, I share a bond with Savitr. I reached out to him and we had a talk. He cannot be reasoned with."