*TRIGGER WARNING: some content within hints at sexual abuse, and the rest of the story might hint at it too for future reference*
Eblis blinked against sharp light, the surprise of being let in so easily evident. Her mouth was agape as her gray eyes adjusted, and she flipped around to gaze at the mammoth granite wall she had just passed through. When she faced the city, she truly let herself inhale it all in.
A lemon-verbena and salt breeze replaced the tang of magic, filling her lungs like she had never breathed before, like everything before Velaris were a smog. If people noticed the fae woman gaping in the middle of the street, they didn't say anything. Because the City of Starlight was in full swing beneath the twisting dark sky.
Marble buildings with green copper roofs, classically and delicately decorated restaurants open to the mild night, sparkling bridges rolling over a river—she couldn't drink it in fast enough. A tear rolled down her sharp cheek.
This—this was home. Eblis was filled with the thought, so thoroughly swept away by it she could've fallen to the cobbled streets. She had forgotten what it was and what it looked like after so many centuries in the dark, an ocean away. Hadn't let herself remember it to the point where moments like this were fever dreams that woke her in the middle of the night.
Any tire had been wiped away, her gray eyes bright as she slowly took her first step into Velaris. She felt it a burden to wear shoes. It separated her bare feet from gracing the softly cobbled streets and the paved floors of the restaurants and the parquet of storefronts, from stepping through the river that was the heart of the city, that split it in two.
Eblis had forgotten what it was to see smiling and laughing faces full of mirth instead of evil intent, of hearing shop owners shouting their wares instead of their kills. No, for tonight, Eblis left the dark smudge of her past behind and stepped into a new canvas.
The fae woman tugged off the make-shift shoes of leather straps from her feet, toes gripping each cold stone as she launched into Velaris. Her hood fell back, blonde hair feeling weightless despite the weeks of grime and sweat that plastered it to her head, eyes vibrant in the carefully carved lanterns and beautifully swirled latticework of street lamps. The open doors of buildings released the scent of roasting meat, of spices upon spices she hadn't tasted in years. Centuries.
Her stomach gurgled, mouth watering as her fae nose caught the distant scent of hazelnuts, fatty meat juices, lemony accents.
But she stopped her floating around at a wide bridge that arched over the river. The Sidra, she warmly recalled, tracing the path it carefully wove to the distant horizon and further beyond to the ocean. If she listened close enough, she almost imagined she could hear the waves crash against each other, clawing at distant cliffs. The Sidra was what separated Velaris into quarters—the Palace of Hoof and Leaf, the Palace of Thread and Jewels, the Rainbow of Velaris, and where she had begun; the Palace of Bone and Salt, which harbored all the foods she could ever imagine. She surveyed all of these from her wide view atop the marble bridge spanning the Sidra before her eyes swept to the horizon.
The first fingers of sunlight gripped the night and bled into it, making the marble bridges and buildings glitter as if lit from within. Eblis rested her arms on the rails, staring into the calm water that reflected the sky. And she realized she was happy.
Truly happy.
***
The female floated between shop fronts and stalls, ignoring the bits of gleaming jewelry and finely crafted weapons from the Palace of Thread and Jewels before moving back to where she started. Each different scent of food from the Palace of Bone and Salt sent her stomach growling, mouth watering, and eyes rolling. One such stall was manned by a spindly fae male, skin an iridescent lapis color, the spokes of scales poking from him. He noticed her hungry stare and offered a roasted fish for free, holding it out to her with a warm smile.
This—this she could get used to. She sighed as much to the man before taking the food and thanking him profusely. Eblis made sure to take a bite and exclaim how wonderful it was, just to express her gratitude. Though, as the juices from the meat rolled over her tongue, she couldn't help the slight groan of pleasure.
The man merely smiled and nodded his head, moving on to the next person in line; another beautiful blue skinned female, this one with a slightly spotted pattern. Eblis marveled at the thin ebony marks that wrapped over her joints, as if cobwebs were etched into her skin. She continued to nibble on the fish, the salt and lemony zest warming her stomach almost as much as the stones beneath her feet.
Shoes dangling from one hand and the other occupied by the fish, she continued to dance amongst the other fae. The sun beat down, shimmering over the marble bridges and copper roofs, accepting the loose outerwear most of the people wore. Potted palms lined the railing of the bridges, the large fronds leaning over the sparkling Sidra as if reaching for the cool relief of water. Other people passed her by, ignoring the bare-footed, grimy, and torn up woman who walked over their pristine bridges.
Easy chatter followed her as Eblis strode past all the beautifully painted buildings, birds chirping and the Sidra rushing past as she visited the Rainbow of Velaris. Somewhere in the folds of the people, music drifted through. She felt a tug towards those notes, but made a plan to circle back around and enjoy the melody later.
The Artist's Quarter rose before her, and she couldn't help but gaze at the gorgeous paintings depicting still-life's that weren't so still and spindly woven cloths being fed through the loom. Eblis came to a stop in front of an ongoing painter's class, watching as a beautiful woman with brown-gold hair peered over several people's shoulders, patting some on the arm and offering others a mirthful laugh.
Eblis stiffened as the artist turned to her, as her soft lips spread into a wide and open smile. Eblis didn't realize the stones beneath her feet were burning the soles of her feet until she stepped into the cool parquet of the building, the shade it offered a pleasant relief to the sudden heat of the day.
The building was opened up, allowing the smell of acrylic and watercolor paints to escape. Each window was tall, framed with curling latticework and green-flecked paint. The walls inside were carefully painted with spindly trees during the bleak of winter. Though, it faded into vibrant spring, into cheerful summer, and into ocher fall after the winter scene, leaves tumbling from branches. Each variation held a version of it during the day and night, and each panel of wall held a different framed picture on it. Most pictures were dark, some splattered with blood-red paint, others a soft blue that held a somber tone. And Eblis knew.
This painting class was not only for enjoyment, but also for healing, for telling the stories of those who couldn't anymore. Eblis felt her heart turn molten at the thought of being able to pour herself onto a canvas with her minimal art skills, to entrap herself within the beats of music even if she had never been able to play before. The faded gray of her eyes offered some inner light, something like stars winking into existence.
The woman who Eblis presumed the teacher watched her carefully as she surveyed the room, something fragile in the blue-gray gaze she used. Once Eblis met her eyes, the female approached, tear-drop stones shimmering from her ears and a smudge of black smeared across her sharp cheeks. Eblis froze, noticing the bedraggled state of herself compared to the simple gray sweater and black pants, an artist's smock thrown over it. If the other female noticed, she didn't show it.
Instead, she reached a tattooed hand forward. "I am Feyre, the owner of this building and teacher. Do you...need anything?" Though warm, the woman's features were curious and testing, searching the dirtied planes of her face.
“I—no,” she murmured, voice rough with disuse. Yet, Eblis's eyes were glued onto the hand held out to her, the tattoos that inked her arm from her fingertips to her elbow, almost like a lace sleeve.
The calm room fell away from her, and she looked up into Feyre's face, the coiffed brown of her hair shimmering.
"High Lady," Eblis whispered, the words like a stone in her gut as she realized what the tattoos meant. Eblis finally felt it, the ebb and flow of intense power from this woman. She even felt some of her own dark magic emanating from her. Feyre's hand dropped, but she didn't hide it behind the paint-splattered apron, didn't try to hide who she was. She merely nodded, smiling wider at the stars that glittered within Eblis's gray eyes.
"Indeed," she responded, light reflecting within her depth-less gaze.
Eblis's eyes found the pale wedding band on her finger, the ring she recognized as her mother's. The star sapphire gleamed in the sunlight, as if it were a Starfall spirit trapped inside. Rhysand had found someone. Someone strong enough and brave enough to brave an ancient death god to get that ring.
As Feyre turned gracefully to help someone briefly, Eblis smelled it. Stark within the paint and lilac scent, something like lemon and mist was snuggled inside her very soul. A mating bond.
She didn't care if Feyre saw the tears threading through the grime on her face, or that she trembled so much she thought she might collapse. Eblis's breaths shook, but she could do nothing as a dark form filled up the entrance of the room, blocking sunlight.
"Cassian—" Feyre started, but not before a heavy hand landed on her shoulder.
She became impossibly still as something thick and membranous shrouded the sun's entrance, making the gathered artists look up from their paintings. Yet their gazes held no fear for the man towering behind her, only respect.
The hand on Eblis's shoulder sent shivers down her spine, the press and weight of the strong, callused fingers making something within her churn. Her clothes were ripped, men were laughing and pawing at her, grabbing in the wrong places—
Eblis was breathing heavily, staring wide-eyed at Feyre, begging silently.
Feyre frowned, asking in a wary tone, "What is going on?"
Eblis trembled, shrinking under the firm grip as she blanched a color so pale, she might've been out in the Illyrian Steppes, dying of hypothermia among others. So cold—she felt so cold, even as she went somewhere far away from herself and let go of her body entirely.
"Shit," the male behind her hissed, that other hand wrapping beneath her arm to hold her up. He was gonna take off her shirt, plow her with those strong hands, force her—
"Cassian, let me," someone far off whispered. Her vision was blank, and a hand—a hand was brushing against her arm. Feminine, lightly callused, yet so terribly wrong. Eblis had escaped, she reminded herself, she was out.
But no matter how many times she told herself, she still awaited the blow to hit her head, for her legs to be spread for those terrible males. She couldn’t stop the images from rolling forward. Everything felt cold and distant.
"Cassian, stay back. Give her a moment." The voice was far away, Eblis too wrapped up in her inner turmoil to care. She could...hear, somewhat, the murmuring voices of people, took notice of the slight tremors through the floor as people stepped on it. And then they were alone.
"Cassian," Feyre bit, placing a thin hand on Eblis's chest and pushing her away from the male. Eblis stumbled, gray eyes flaring open as she was forced into awareness before she fell. She trembled, soul raw and trembling as a newborn fawn. But the male was glowering and looking into Feyre's eyes like he was trying to explain something.
Despite herself, Eblis slowly slipped into a balanced stance, noticing how Cassian appeared ready to fight as well. His feet were braced apart, arms folded across a broad chest, and two siphons gleamed on either arm. She took him in, slowly at first, and then with growing speed.
"I'm sorry I am not in the habit of catering to our enemy," he replied to something Eblis didn't hear. And—and—
Eblis was melting, tears lining her eyes in silver as she took in the adult male before her. Cassian—so tall and strong, dark and powerful, a renewed male from when she had last seen him five centuries ago. She had forgotten how he had looked, with his short locks of midnight black hair and his mirthful hazel eyes. No matter how much she had been told that he was cruel—that they were cruel, she couldn't contain the tears that fell.
“Cassian!” she gasped involuntarily, and the male frowned down at her. She curled the flaps of her cloak around her shoulders tighter as he observed her harshly. He didn’t recognize her, she realized. Her stomach dropped but:
"Where is my High Lord?" she asked before she could stop herself, looking around the towering form as if she would see the High Lord of Night materialize out of nowhere. They were always together, Cassian and Rhysand, so she figured he would be there then as well. Yet, Cassian frowned even harder at her.
He stepped close, a step that Eblis matched with one backwards. Siphons of glittering red power glistened on his wrists as his hands curled into threatening fists. "What do you want with him?" His eyes glinted a dangerously dark color. Prey—she was prey to him, not a threat, only hindrance. She was going to be interrogated, she knew it. Something within her shriveled under that hard gaze, and she instantly went on the defense.
"I am not the enemy, please. I will tell you all you want to know willingly, just don't—don't get close to me, please," she said softly, meekly. Cassian threw a bullshit glance to his High Lady, who only shook her head, mouth a thin line.
The shop had been emptied out, and now the trio stood in an enclosed room, Cassian and Feyre bracketing Eblis. Both tracked her movements, watching as she nervously glanced between them. Eblis remained silent, unsure of what came next.
Cassian’s lip curled, a hand resting on a blade at his hip. "Feyre, this female came from the wall around the Palace of Bone and Salt. However, reports show she mysteriously appeared within our court borders and traveled through to here." Cassian reported her movements while staring darkly at Eblis, as if puzzling her out. Before she could respond, he stepped over to Feyre and gripped her hand. He was showing her what happened mind to mind, she realized, conveying everything secretly. Eblis’s High Lady was a daemati, then—an ability the strongest of high fae acquire that allows them to interact with others’ minds. She, herself, was one, but she preferred not to use it. So she waited, trying not to pay too much attention to whatever they were conversing.
The longer the sun-drenched silence went on, the more nervous Eblis became. She began biting the inside of her mouth, scratching the nape of her neck with a finger. Cassian watched with sharp hazel eyes despite being distracted by the story he was telling. Feyre's face grew tighter and tighter, until—
"What is your name, girl?" Cassian's eyes flashed to his High Lady's, but he was duly ignored.
Her mouth struggled to work for a second. "My name is Eblis...High Lady." She noted as Cassian seemed to withdraw, face growing serious at the name. Does he recognize me now? she thought hopefully. If Cassian did, then a whole lot of what she didn’t like might not happen. However, Feyre frowned, a finger tapping against her elbow as she folded her arms. Her soft eyes narrowed into thin slits. The mask of a High Lady. She blanched under the gaze, scrubbing the spot where Cassian had held her subconsciously.
"Do you hail from Hybern?" Bone-chilling words, though addled with curiosity.
"I do not."
"And how did you break through the wards?" Feyre simply asked, coldness suddenly dripping from her every word.
"The High Lord, Rhysand. I—hail from his bloodline. I suspect that’s how I got through," Eblis whispered her words, hesitant to say them out loud.
Cassian’s chin dipped down, eyes piercing into her as he scanned her again. "You mean to say that you're—" He bit off his words, uncertain.
She nodded as Feyre looked from one to the other.
"I...I am Eblis,” she said slowly, “sister of Rhysand and...and Daughter of Velaris."
***
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