I found myself trudging towards the familiar throne room grumbling along the way. It had been 3 years since that dreadful woman had drained us high fae of our powers and locked us in her mountain court. A shitty attempt at duplicating our own court of night mares. I glanced to the high lord at my right knowing he hated these summoning's even worse than I did. Rhysand actually had to tear through the minds of those captured by Her forces while I only had to watch as they tortured them so. Most people though he loved torturing those poor souls. Though he'd been playing that game ever since he became the high lord, never showing the others what he was really like.

My head snapped back into focus as soon as we passed through the throne room doors. I immediately started scanning the batch of prisoners kneeling in the center of the room when I suddenly felt my breathe catch. It took all my strength to continue moving through the room and to keep my usual calm un-impressed demeanor. No one took notice to my brief slip except for the High Lord I'd sworn to protect.

His gaze drifted to what had made my blood run cold and found her in the front row of the kneeling figures. The one person I had hoped to never see in this court, Kalien. I could feel him tense through the bond we had that bound his life to mine.

Stay calm Nemira. He whispered through that bond. Don't let anyone see you react. We'll figure out a way through this.

I know that. I hissed back at him, keeping my actions filled with the same uncaring boredom that I had developed in the years here.

Seeing that everyone had arrived She began.

"Who is the leader amongst you?" Her voiced dropped the temperature in the room causing some to shiver.

I prayed that Kalien wouldn't stand up and cringed internally when she did.

"I speak as leader amongst us." Her voice remaining even as she struggles to stand.

I can see that they had already roughed them up before coming here. I have to bite down on the urge to run to her and hold her. Then I see Her motioning to Rys, knowing what he'll be expected to do I step out in front of him. I hear him curse behind me but I don't back down from the plan formulating in my head.

"If I may my Lady," I start with a slight bow. "My Lord Rysand has not been feeling his best lately so I don't recommend using his powers. Rather I can take his place this time since I possess similar magic." I finish risking a glance up to the dais.

"You dare belittle your high lord's power?" She drawls.

I stand up straight and look into her eyes.

"My duty is to look after my Lords health and given the frequency and lengths of your recent tasks…" I dare a glance towards Rys before looking back into her eyes "he seems to be a little tired and could do with a slight rest from his powers."

She holds my gaze considering my words. "Well if Rhysand believes you are an adequate replacement then I see no problem with giving my favorite interrogator a rest this time."

We both look toward Rysand who his standing at his usual spot next to the dais.

"Nemira is certainly over qualified for a simple interrogation and I could use a break from all those dreadfully boring minds." He replied giving a wave of consent.

Thank you.

I hope you know what you're doing.

So do I.

Our silent exchanged did little to help calm the nerves I had as I walked to the spot they had deposited Kalien. She looked up at me as I walked over to stand beside her. I could see the bruises forming on the side of her face and the crack she had in her lip. Her once glowing skin had dimmed and paled showing older bruises that had yet to disappear. I had to fight to look up from her battered body and face the woman who had caused all of pain.

"What do you need to know?" I ask, my voice sounding oddly cool as my insides boiled with rage.

She looked bored as she responded "the usual. What their plans are, how many there are and if the know of where any other rebels are camped out. "

I nodded looking back down at the woman I loved slipping through her mental walls as easily as sliding into a stream.

Sorry.

It's ok. I'm glad I found you.

I forced myself to ignore her words as I shifted through her memory going back far enough only to see when she joined the rebels. It was worse than I had hoped. She was in fact one of the leaders that had been at the camp and had been in contact with other groups but thankfully hadn't known where. I shifted through all the information already forming a story I could tell in order to save her life hopefully.

A few seconds later I had my story and I started withdrawing from her mind.

Please just trust me and stay silent.

I stayed linked to her mind so I could stop her from talking if it came to it. I then flowed into the other's minds so I could make them remember my story as the truth.

I lifted my gaze to the dais and began telling what I had 'seen' in Kalien's mind.

"Her name is Kalien. She is a travelling healer that was moving through whatever encampments she could find after the Night Court fell."

I could feel her confusion starting to build and press on our link but I pressed on.

"She found herself in the rebel camp by accident as she was sheltering from the recent storm. She was planning on moving on as soon as she could."

I kept bits of truth wound into my story to make it believable, like the storm that had their camp hiding for a few days. That was why Her forces were able to catch them unaware.

"Your forces attacked the morning she planned on leaving. I didn't see anything important pertaining to the rebels' plans in her memories. She kept to herself and only assisted a few of the lesser fae who sought out the rebels for protection after their towns had been destroyed."

As I finished I could feel her pushing against my hold but I didn't allow her to speak or move.

I felt Her eyes rake over me trying to see if I'm lying or not.

"If she is simply a traveling healer then why did she volunteer as their leader?"

I had been waiting for that question as I glanced over to where Rysand was watching me with feigned amusement as I spun my story.

"It appears she did it to repay the kindness the others had shown her by taking her in. Their leader was killed by your forces in the raid and those remaining are simply those who were running from destruction as opposed to trying to fight."

I had switched my gaze to Her as I had finished my explanation and held it after as she pondered my lies.

"If I may make a suggestion, we could use another healer considering how the old one of the Night Court died not too long ago."

I felt Rys' gaze but I did not remove my eyes from the red haired devil lounging on the throne. I silently prayed to the cauldron that somehow she would be reasonable today and for once show mercy.

"You think she is talented enough to service us. "

A challenge and a dare. She suspects I might know something else and wants me to slip up.

"I can feel that her magic is quite strong and from her past she seems quite skilled as well."

"So be it. She'll be your responsibility. "She growled out finally.

Relief flooded my body but I kept my face plain and simply bowed my head in gratitude.

"Send her to Nemira's chambers and have her wait there until we are done with her companions out here."

I could feel Kalien's panic as she realized she would be the only one spared but I quickly knocked her out before she could slip out of my control. I felt Rysand come stand beside me as they took Kalien out of the room.

She's going to hate you for that.

I know but it's better than her being dead.

Facing the dais again I prepared myself for what I was about to do. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to spare these ones but it was the only way to survive down here.