I opened another bottle of alcohol as I leaned against the counter. She would be getting married today. Game over for me. No chances. Her anxiousness pulsed down the bond but I ignored it. She didn't want anything to do with me although I was the only one who could truly understand her pain. And that's why I'm going to get drunk as fuck with Cassian today. Because I can't ease her pain, or my own to be honest. I stood, taking a long swig of my drink before staggering towards the door.

Blinding panic had me reeling; I looked up, no longer seeing the doorway but Tamlin's hand reaching out for me. Guests stared at me expectantly as panic seized me, as it consumed me. I wasn't ready to get married. I didn't deserve to get married, to be happy. I had killed those fae… those innocent fae.

I growled, pushing out of her mind as she screamed down the bond for anyone to help her. To help her get out of this. I leaned against the doorway, trying to regain my breath as her terror rang through me, shaking me to the core.

Save me—please, save me. Get me out. End this

The bottle crashed to the floor as I straightened and sent a message to Cassian, telling him I couldn't make it.

No.

I stumbled outside, summoning my wings to fly. I couldn't though. The Spring Court was too far away. I shook my head, trying to speed my thoughts back up as the alcohol worked against me. I tucked my wings in as I started to step into shadow, fixing the cuffs of my jacket and running my hands through my hair, trying to make it look like I wasn't halfway to being drunk.

No…. No.

Wind roared around me as I traveled. I called for darkness to surround me as I made the world thunder. And suddenly, I was in the middle of the aisle, straightening the lapels of my jacket. My eyes landed on Feyre, at her thin body and her dreadful dress and her paleness. Anger roared through me as I tried to reign in my emotions, forcing myself to remember the person I was supposed to be.

"Hello Feyre Darling…" I purred.

My eyes zeroed in on Tamlin, at the rising anger in his eyes. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to kill him for letting her get so bad. I swallowed my anger as I noticed all of his sentries trying to form a plan of attack.

Bile rose in my throat as I raised a hand, freezing them all. Ianthe stumbled backwards, gasping as Ferye looked around in astonishment. My eyes scanned the crowd as I stuffed my hands in my pockets, "What a pretty little wedding."

I looked over Feyre again, my anger building. I wanted to unleash it onto everyone. Didn't they see the state she was in?! The ink on her left arm was missing, hidden by her gloves. I clicked my tongue, fighting against my disgust.

"Get the hell out," Tamlin growled as he walked towards us, claws beginning to unsheathe.

I narrowed my eyes at him, seething, "Oh, I don't think so. Not when I need to call in my bargain with Feyre darling."

She started shaking below me as I continued, "You try to break the bargain, and you know what will happen," I forced a dark chuckle, "I gave you three months of freedom. You could at least look happy to see me," I looked down at her, but she wouldn't meet my stare.

Annoyance pounded through me, she wanted this to end, yet she didn't want to come with me... I clenched my jaw and unclenched it, thinking about the lies they've probably told about me all these months. I turned back to Tamlin, "I'll be taking her now."

"Don't you dare."

He loved her. Even if he didn't see how much she changed he still loved her, still saw her as the human she was before she went under the mountain. Oh mother above! I wanted to scream at him. Look at her! Look at how she's suffering! Something pulled in my gut, "Was I interrupting? I thought it was over… At least, Feyre seemed to think so," I gave them the most vile smile I could muster.

"Let us finish the ceremony—"

"Your High Priestess… seems to think it's over too," I smirked as Tamlin spun, outraged that Ianthe dared leave.

He turned back towards me, claws gone as he looked at me, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop me from taking her, but he tried, "Rhysand–"

"I'm in no mood to bargain," I softly grabbed Feyre's arm as she flinched at my touch, "Let's go."

She looked up at Tamlin, fear filling her eyes and breathed out, "Tamlin..."

Tamlin kept his gaze on me, pleading as he walked towards me, "Name your price."

My patience reached its maximum, I wanted to grab her and winnow out of this foul court, escape the sickly smell of his manor. I tried to keep my face schooled into smugness, Don't bother," I linked my arm through Feyre's.

"Tamlin please."

My blood boiled, threatening to bubble over and unleashing all of my anger and my annoyance and my jealousy. My jealousy that no one loved me like she seemed to love him. "Such dramatics," I pulled her against my side as she squirmed beneath me.

Tamlin's lips pulled back into a snarl, "If you hurt her—"

"I know I know…" I smirked, "I'll return her in a week."

She went still beneath me as I wrapped my arm around her waist and leaned down to whisper into her ear, "Hold on."

And then we were surrounded by wind and darkness… and she clung to me. I looked down, flashing a grin at her as she squeezed her eyes shut into my chest. Just one time, I told myself. This would be the only time I called in the bargain… unless… unless she enjoyed it here. I cursed myself for thinking that she would like it. She would hate it. Just like she would always hate me. I already knew that.

The wind stopped as we faced the mountains from the view of the balcony. She stepped away from me, looking at the view with awe. I grinned a little as I stuffed my hands in my pockets, "Welcome to the Night Court."

She kept scanning the mountains before turning and looking around the room. There's no one screaming? She visibly relaxed a little at that thought. I inclined my head, "This is my private residence."

Her face contorted at the sight of me and she snapped, "How dare you—!"

I snorted, of course she would blame this on me. She wasn't happy I got her out of the

wedding she didn't want to be in, "I certainly missed that look on your face," I strode towards her, "You're welcome you know."

"For what?"

I raised an eyebrow, "For saving you when you asked," her mouth dropped as her whole body went stiff.

"I didn't ask for anything," her voice was venomous as I looked down at her gloved hand and anger roared through me.

I shot my hand out without warning, growling as I pulled off the first glove. She tried to get away but I tightened my grip, not letting go until both were off. I threw them onto the floor, shaking my head at them with disgust, "I heard you begging someone, anyone, to rescue you, to get you out. I heard you say no."

She stepped back another step, eyes wide but unrelenting, "I didn't say anything."

I turned her hand in mine looking at the pupil on her palm, "I heard you loud and clear," I tapped it.

She wrenched her hand back and got out of my range, "Take me back. Now. I didn't want to be stolen away."

I laughed cruelly, unable to restrain myself, "What better time to take you here? Maybe Tamlin didn't notice you were about to reject him in front of his entire court—maybe you can now simply blame it on me," I gave her a half hearted shrug.

She narrowed her eyes as she bared her teeth at me, "You're a bastard. You made it clear enough that I had … reservations."

I scoffed, looking over that dreadful dress again, "Such gratitude, as always."

"What do you want from me?"

I lost some of the control on my anger, "Want? I want you to say thank you, first of all. Then I want you to take off that hideous dress. You look … You look exactly like the doe-eyed damsel he and that simpering priestess want you to be," I said, sneering.

Her mouth dropped before she quickly shot back, "You don't know anything about me. Or us."

Did she really think I didn't know anything about her? I understood her better than anyone did. Her fucking dreams haunted me as much as my own. I couldn't keep the bitterness out of my words, or my venomous smile, "Does Tamlin? Does he ever ask you why you hurl your guts up every night, or why you can't go into certain rooms or see certain colors?"

She froze, realizing I saw everything she had been facing, realizing I had been in her mind. And I realized too late that I had gone too far, but I couldn't hold back, not now, not when she was being this insufferable, "Get the hell out my head."

I walked a couple of steps away, looking out towards the mountains, trying to calm myself, "Likewise, you think I enjoy being awoken every night by visions of you puking? You send everything right down that bond, and I don't appreciate having a front-row seat when I'm trying to sleep."

"Prick."

Her curiosity shot down the bond, I chucked, glancing at her, "As for what else I want from you … " I lifted a hand towards the house, "I'll tell you tomorrow at breakfast. For now, clean yourself up. Rest," I looked at the dress again before meeting her eyes. "Take the stairs on the right, one level down. Your room is the first door," I turned away.

A flicker of shock hit me, "Not a dungeon cell?"

I lifted my brows, surprise filling me, "You are not a prisoner, Feyre. You made a bargain, and I am calling it in. You will be my guest here, with the privileges of a member of my household. None of my subjects are going to touch you, hurt you, or so much as think ill of you here."

She meant too much to me to treat her poorly. Her curiosity got the best of her, "And where might those subjects be?"

I looked down towards the floor, as if I could see them, "Some dwell here—in the mountain beneath us. "They're forbidden to set foot in this residence. They know they'd be signing their death warrant," I met her gaze, feeling her panic I hastily added, "Amarantha wasn't very creative. My court beneath this mountain has long been feared, and she chose to replicate it by violating the space of Prythian's sacred mountain. So, yes: there's a court beneath this mountain—the court your Tamlin now expects me to be subjecting you to. I preside over it every now and then, but it mostly rules itself," I shrugged.

Despite my efforts to soothe her panic it increased, "When—when are you taking me there?"

My anger softened at her words, at her fear towards me, "I'm not. This is my home, and the court beneath it is my … occupation, as you mortals call it. I do not like for the two to overlap very often."

Her eyebrows shot up, the panic finally ebbing, "You mortals?" a snicker laced her words.

"Should I consider you something different?" amusement flickered through me for a second.

"And the other denizens of your court?"

I rolled my neck, bored of these tedious questions, "Scattered throughout, dwelling as they wish. Just as you are now free to roam where you wish."

She narrowed her eyes again, "I wish to roam home."

I laughed, her words completely catching me off guard as she clenched her fists at me. I turned, making my way towards the exit. I waved a hand idly, "I'm willing to accept your thanks at any time, you know," I smirked, sensing her beginning anger; good, it fueled mine.

Pure fury roared down the bond as I felt the presence of whatever she threw just as it hit me. My mouth dropped and I spun, raising a hand to the back of my head as she struggled to take off her other shoe. My hands shook as I snarled, "I dare you."

She kept her gaze on me for a second before lifting it and hurling it. I let it come close before I snatched it out of the air, already starting to mist it. I met her eyes before running them over the rest of her body as I dropped the remains of the shoe, "Interesting"

I turned entering the hallway as I heard her steps running out the opposite door. Mor smirked at me from her hiding spot, "So that went well."

I snarled, unable to keep any hold on my anger anymore as I stalked past her and towards the library.