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CHAPTER XXX
COWARDS
RHYSAND walked through the stairwell dressed in his usual elegant clothes with Callaghan in tow. They had arrived just in time to stop a possible brawl between Amren and Cassian. "Sorry to interrupt when things were getting interesting."
"Fortunately for Cassian's balls," Amren stated, leaning back on her lounge chair, "You arrived at the right time."
Cal on the other hand, was in her usual green cloak despite the sun. She walked behind Amren's chaise and rested her elbows on it, ignoring Amren's glares toward her.
For Feyre, she had barely seen Cal these past few days. She was like Azriel, going around and gathering information from their spies. And Cal preferred going to her spies directly, meeting with them face to face. Through these meetings, Cal could easily pick out any lies that couldn't be seen when written on paper.
Rhys went on telling them about how Summer had invited them to their court. Though Cassian seemed to dislike the idea since he wasn't going. Callaghan was entertained at hearing Amren and Cassian exchange words. Anyone brave enough to argue with the silver eyed female is certainly a fool.
"It could easily be a trap," Cas said, "Who's to say the delay in replying wasn't because they're contacting our enemies to ambush you?"
"It's not a trap, Cassian," Cal butted in, "My spies would've reported to me if it was."
The General turned to her, "How reliable are your spies, huh?"
"Very."
"That is also why Amren is coming," Rhys said simply.
Then he spoke to the said female, convincing her to come with them to the Summer court. Cal saw how Amren's eyes twinkled at the mention of jewels and treasures. That was enough to get her going.
Cassian wanted to object, but Rhys told him, "I need you — not Amren — in the human realm. The Summer Court has you banned for eternity, and though your presence would be a good distraction while Feyre does what she has to, it could lead to more trouble than it's worth."
Her smile faltered when she remembered what Feyre had to do. The girl was to steal from a High Lord, albeit young and inexperienced, Tarquin is still a High Lord. Feyre had a heavy task on her shoulders.
But Cas kept on going with his point, almost arguing with Rhysand. Until Rhys had enough and left with Amren and Feyre. Mor had to stop Cassian from lurching to the High Lord. One word from the golden haired female made the General obey.
"Calm down, Cas," the female spy laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You're the one to talk, Callaghan. I never said anything when you sulked around about not going to missions," Cas glared at her and shrugged her hand away as he walked into the house.
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"HE'S PISSY THIS MORNING," Cal heard Amren tell Feyre while they readied to leave for Adriata.
Rhys took Amren's hand and held out the other to Feyre. "Why?" the girl asked the short female.
"Because," Rhysand answered, "I stayed out late with Cassian and Azriel, and they took me for all I was worth in cards."
"Sore loser?"
"I am when my brothers tag-team me."
"Shame," Feyre turned to see Callaghan walking towards them. "I would have paid to see the look on your face as you lost."
The spy places a palm on Rhys' shoulder and together, all four vanished in the air.
When they arrived in Adriata, where the Cursebreaker last saw Callaghan was now a blank space and the spy was nowhere in sight.
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HIS STARK WHITE HAIR AND ORANGE EYES welcomed her as she appeared before him, "Hello ma'am, welcome to Adriata."
"Killian," she took his outstretched hand and shook it firmly, "How many times do I have to say to just call me Callaghan."
They were in his home court. He had once told her that Adriata was a sight to behold. True enough, it was no Velaris but it sure was beautiful. Tall structures, white marble, the glittering sea. Beautiful. The perfect summer getaway.
After a few hours of sight-seeing and chit-chatting, dusk soon fell. Cal looked around, "It's time."
Together, Callaghan and her spy stood on the shore, sharp eyes barely seeing Hybern. Even from afar, she could feel the wards on the island. "Heavily warded and guards all around the island," Killian uttered, voice gruff and hoarse.
"Do you swim?" Cal asked him.
He shook his head, "I prefer not to, salt water ruins my hair."
Callaghan hid her laugh with a single cough. "Too bad, I might have to winnow us in the water. The wards are strong but if we get close enough, I could look for a weak spot."
She didn't even let Killian start his protest when she winnowed them both. The cold sea shocked them to the core as they dropped in. Gasping for air, they broke out of the water. "A little warning would've been nice," the white haired spy complained.
When they finally got the hang of treading the waters, Cal let her magic roam, looking for the weak spot. Her eyes opened, grabbing onto Killian and winnowed away once again.
They got to the island and appeared right beside a patrol guard. As the man was about to shout for help, Killian was quick to snap his neck. Cal looked at the corpse at their feet then back to her spy, "Good reflexes."
"Next time," he breathed heavily, water dripping down his face, "Winnow somewhere better."
"Cut me some slack, it's my first time here, Killian."
The two removed their wet boots, chucking them into the sea. It made so much noise and was not applicable for spying. They kept their steps light as they walked around. There were tents everywhere. All for their soldiers. There were many of them, but Callaghan was sure this was just a sliver on their armada. The weaponry was extraordinary as well, the sharpness of the blades were glimmering as the moon light hit them.
Everything was going smoothly, until she felt it. The pointed claws that wanted to enter her mind. It wasn't Rhys, she knew that, it was another daemati. Cal and Killian looked at each other, they were found. Soon enough, the hounds of Hybern came howling, alerting the guards.
Within a blink of an eye, the two spies were surrounded. Pulling out her twin swords, Cal assessed their environment. They were not that far from the cliffs, they could jump off and winnow back to Adriata in no time. Sharing a look with her spy, he seemed to get the same idea too.
"Now," Callaghan whispered, swinging her swords. The two fought their hardest to clear a path for them to run through. When they reached the cliffs, they didn't waste their time and jumped in. Just as she was about to winnow them away, she suddenly couldn't move.
Looking up at the island, she saw the daemati with his outstretched hand. He was holding her mind, keeping her below the surface. Slowly, she felt herself start to sink deeper, water entering her lungs as she struggled to breathe. "Callaghan!" Killian panicked, swimming towards her.
Killian dove down into the ocean to grab onto Callaghan. He held onto her shoulders and used his powers over the water to push them both back to Adriata. The moment Cal felt the pull of the daemati leave her, she winnowed them quickly over to the shores.
They spluttered out sea water from their systems and slumped to the ground. "Are you alright?" Callaghan asked through a series of gasps and breaths, "Are you hurt?"
"I'm alright," Killian answered, equally breathless. "Ma'am."
"Good," she pushed herself off the sand, "Sorry about your hair."
The white haired spy let out a laugh, "I'm going to remember that."
Cal pats his broad shoulder, "Rest, Killian. You've done well."
Her spy slumps back to the sands, "Thanks."
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SHE SLIPS right in Rhysand's room. Easily tiptoeing around the guards in the palace.
"What did you see?" was Rhys' greeting.
"A growing army," she rubs off some sand left on her suit. "More are coming, I'm sure. Their daemati friend got me drowning a bit but Killian got us far away fast."
"Are you alright?" Rhysand, her friend not the High Lord, asked. His eyes on her damp clothes. With a wave of his hand, a pair of fresh boots were on her feet and her body was completely dry.
"Nothing I can't handle, my lord," Cal sits on his bed, "You know if I knew where that book was, we could be on our way home by now."
"But that's not the plan, is it?" he leaned comfortably on the dresser. These types of conversations briefly reminded him of their times in the Mountain. Away from peering eyes and only the two of them in the room.
"I know," she sighs, "Can I meet Tarquin, though? I want to see his beauty up close. Maybe we could play matchmaker and introduce him to Vik? They're near the same age, I think. I love Nalu, but imagine Vik with a High Lord. That would be beautiful."
"Go home, Callaghan," Rhys cracks a smile.
She stands and walks to the door, but pauses, "Will you three be alright here?"
"We will," he lightly pushed her with his invisible hands, "Go home, get some rest."
"Wish me luck, Rhysand."
"For what?"
"I'm going to deal with a pissed Azriel, that never ends well."
"Then," Rhys smirks, "Good luck."
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SHE LETS OUT a soft groan as she lands on her sprained ankle. She had stepped the wrong way while running from the hounds while in Hybern. Cal stumbles to her vanity, removing her gloves, "What do you want?"
She didn't even have to turn to see Azriel in the corner of her room. She just knew he was there.
"You never mentioned you had a mission in Summer," he steps out of the darkness. "Oh wait, I meant Hybern."
She began to feel irritable, her annoyance building up, "You don't have to know everything I do, Az."
"You went to Hybern, Callaghan," he hissed at her, baring his teeth, "What if you got taken? Or died?"
She backed away from him in disbelief, "Do you think I'm that weak? Powerless? Azriel, I am not a child nor am I made of glass."
A slight limp was visible as she walked to her bathroom, preparing herself a warm bath to get the feeling of salt off her skin and to soothe her aching muscles. The shadowsinger was hot on her heels as he followed her, "I know that, Cal. I'm just saying you shouldn't go and do things blindly. You should think, have a plan."
"I did have a plan," she snapped her head so quickly that Azriel recoiled a bit, "I had help. And we got out without dying, end of discussion."
He clenched his jaw and turned to leave, but she held onto his arm, "Tell me. Tell me why you're angry."
He was quiet, he didn't even turn to face her.
"Tell me, Azriel."
Silence, only the running water making a sound in the room.
"Coward," she pushed him out and slammed the door in his face.
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[ notes! ]
ok so,,, i imagined killian as henry cavill in his geralt of rivia look,, i mean,, just imagine,, a hunk of a man ,,but holds needles and sews like a god
its very contradicting i love it
anyway,,,oh no mom and dad r fighting djdjdjdj
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