4

Cassian had been left stunned, when after breakfast, Nesta stood, palm outstretched and began to dry the dishes once he finished washing them. Together they made quick work of it.

Cassian had offered to walk her back to the barracks afterwards, but they opened the door to find a new wave of snow falling.

He left Nesta bundled up against the fire, dressing himself and stepping out into the mountainous tundra. He had told her he was gathering more wood for the fire, which was true enough. Mostly he needed to clear his head.

Rhys had been sending him inconspicuous messages. Barely waiting long enough for Cassian to scrawl a reply before he summoned the paper and pen back in that impatient way of his.

Stepping into one of the more heavily wooded patches of the camp he was able to witness Rhys winnowing in with a faint woosh.

"This isn't summer camp, Cassian." His feet had barely touched ground when he set in.

"It isn't?"

"You're not helping her by coddling her. She won't learn a thing if you don't let her fend for herself. She's not going to try when she knows damn good and well she's got you as a safety net."

"She-She's struggling. The way they treat her…" Cassian stumbled over his words.

"What fond memories do you have of this place, Cassian? No one has an easy time of it. That's the point." Rhys said.

"It's deeper than all of that," Cassian rose his voice to the Lord of the Nightcourt. "She needs help. Real help. Perhaps a healer...or some sort of tonic for her nerves…"

"And how much is that going to cost me-" Rhys almost didn't get to finish barking that demand when Cassian took a swing at him, knocking him in the jaw with his fist hard enough that his teeth sang.

And then Cassian was on his ass. Half buried in a snow drift. Rhys had unspooled a single vein of power. A sweeping thunderclap of adamant that had hit Cassian so forcefully in the gut that he lay panting for a moment.

"Don't...don't talk about her like that." The general pleaded. "She's mine...you know that...I can't."

"What you will do, Cassian, is that you will put her back where I had her. You will do it swiftly and without excuses, or you will be stationed in Velaris." Rhy said threateningly.

"She needs me." Cassian retorted. "We're so close. She's acknowledged our bond. My mate...that's all she needs. As soon as everything snaps into place she'll be ready to go back. To start over."

"She's playing you for a sap!" Rhys bellowed. Cassian looked livid, but he remained silent.

"She will say whatever she has to to get out of this place."

"No."

"And she'll go right back to her old ways. Just as you found her. Another drunk lush sprawled in the dens by the river. Interesting, isn't it? That you're so certain that it's you she needs. You've been there this whole time, Cassian. You're the only one she hasn't invited to her bed."

If Rhys wasn't clamping down on Cassian with his own power...Wasn't holding him there and silencing him, Cassian would have flown into his face.

As it was, he shook with rage as Rhys bent to crouch in front of him.

"I'm not saying this to be cruel. She isn't ready. If you don't believe me, ask her yourself."

And then he was gone.