Chapter 10

Nesta plugged her nose the second they got to the bog. She almost threw up but held it back.

"Gods, this is terrible." She huffed. Cassian hated putting her in this danger. Neither one of them knew what was out there. Or what would happen to either of them if they made the wrong move. Why Rhys only sent them two was beyond him. There was no way in hell either of them were going to make it out of here alive. Azriel wasn't healed enough to come. No way would Rhys send Feyre with them.

Sure, Nesta had gifts but neither of them knew how to use them. And Cassian was the only one of them who could fly them out of here if something were to happen.

"I don't want to do this." She whispered. She had no idea where to start looking. Or even if she could somehow just summon it. Cassian turned to look towards the trees while she looked at the midnight black water in front of her. Neither of them had a second to react when Nesta was dragged under water.

She screamed right before her head went under.

"Nesta!" Cassian screamed, reaching for her hand. He couldn't see anything. She was dragged under the water so fast that there was no way he would be able to follow and find her without risking his life too. "Nesta!" He couldn't think straight. She was going to die and he was just standing here like a helpless fool. "Fuck!" He screamed, wading in the water. He couldn't tell how deep it was.

Bubbles surfaced 10 feet away from him.

"Nesta!" He screamed, trying to get closer to her. When she emerged from the water, she was holding the head of the creature who dragged her under. And she was wearing a mask. "Nes." Cassian breathed and helped her get back to the shore. "What the fuck just happened?"

The mask fell from her face and she quickly grabbed it.

"We need to get out of here." She breathed. Cassian quickly scooped her into his arms and traveled back to the River House.

He fell face first onto the front lawn, breathing hard. Nesta was quiet laying beside him, clutching the mask to her chest.

"What the fuck was that!" Cassian shouted. "What the fuck just happened?!"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Like fuck we're not talking about it!" The front door opened just as Cassian was getting to his feet.

"What are you doing?" Feyre asked, looking at her sister who was still laying down, dirty beyond belief and wet. And Cassian, just as wet and dirty, looking pissed off.

"I have a bone to pick with your mate!" Cassian roared. Feyre's eyes widened as she looked at them both.

"What happened?" Cassian stormed past Feyre and into the house, heading straight to Rhys's study. Feyre nearly gagged from the smell that came off him. Nesta did not move.

"Nesta?" Feyre asked, stepping off the front step. "Are you alright?" Feyre moved closer, but stayed far enough away that she couldn't smell her. "Why don't you come inside? Take a bath." Nesta couldn't move. She didn't know what was wrong but she did not feel okay. Rhys came outside, Cassian flipping out behind him.

"Look at her!" Cassian roared at Rhys. "Look at what you did to her." Cassian quickly moved over to help Nesta sit up.

"What happened?" Rhys asked, glancing down at the mask in Nesta's arms. "You found it?"

"Yeah. And it nearly killed her." Cassian helped Nesta to her feet, starting to head towards the house. Nesta stopped her feet the second she got beside Rhys and handed him the mask. Her face was blank. Her stare looked right down to his very soul. He was terrified. He couldn't actually believe that they found it. He didn't think that it would ever be possible.

Cassian helped Nesta up to the room that was deemed hers. He had destroyed it and the new furniture wasn't back yet so it was empty. He got her into the bathroom and started the bath. She stood still, watching him move around the room.

"Are we done?" She whispered.

"I will never put you in any type of danger like that again." He answered. She nodded, grabbing his hand as he helped her step out of her pants. Once she was undressed, he helped her into the tub. She settled back, resting in the water. She was so sore. She watched Cassian undress. She hadn't seen him fully naked yet but he got her attention for sure. His back was turned to her as she stepped out of his pants. She briefly glanced at his back muscles but her main focus was on his ass. He had a perfectly round butt. She wanted to sink her teeth into it. He chuckled, watching her in the mirror. "Like what you see?"

"Very much." She answered, keeping her eyes on his face the second he turned around. She knew they would never make it out of this bathroom if she glanced down. He strolled toward her, clearly having no problem if she got a look at his goods. He motioned for her to move forward and he sank down in the water behind her. She rested against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry." He commented, kissing her neck. He had never been so terrified. He would have never been able to live with himself if he had lost her. In the moment, in the panic of losing her, he didn't even think about what he would say to Feyre. How would he explain to Feyre that her sister was dead? That he didn't protect her enough?

"It's not your fault." She answered. No way was she going to let him take the blame for that. He had no idea that that was going to happen. He was not the one who put her in danger. "Please don't blame yourself for that happening."

"I could kill Rhys."

"Feyre would kill you." Nesta started. "And then I would kill her. Then someone would kill me and so forth. So no."

"He can't keep treating you like that?"

"Yes he can." Cassian was taken back by that. She never allowed anyone to treat her like that. "Everyone has made it clear that I am to respect him. Even if he doesn't respect me." She explained. "He's always going to do stuff like that to me. We both know it. My gifts are too powerful. No way will he let that go to waste." He knew that she was right. Rhys would use Nesta and her powers until her body gave out.

No one knew just how deadly her powers were. Cassian hated that they used her to get things that they wanted. Cassian knew that they used the guilt that Nesta felt against her. They knew that they could easily guilt trip her. To make a few comments to make her feel terrible about herself and she would do it. They used her childhood against her. Claimed that she was a terrible sister to Feyre. And maybe that was true but it wasn't up to Nesta to take care of Feyre. They had parents who neglected them.

"You respect who respects you." Nesta knew that it didn't matter. Rhys would always use his High Lord status to control her. That's why she was locked in the house of wind. He was trying to control her. He would stop at nothing until she submitted to him. He didn't care if she died in the process.

"He would kill me if I ever disrespect him again." She commented, resting further against his chest. "We both know it." She didn't think that anyone would stop him. Cassian would try. It was like she could see her future right in front of her. If she didn't give him the respect that he wanted, he would kill her. In cold blood. She had to submit to him and do whatever he wanted or she would end up 6 feet under.

"If he wants to kill you, he has to go through me first." It was such a cliche but she knew that he was being honest. He would never allow anyone else to ever hurt her. Him included.

Nesta wasn't sure what it went from them each protecting themselves to protecting each other. She would go to war for Cassian. She wanted to take care of him. Wanted him to come home to her after a long day of training to a homecooked meal that she made him. To cuddle in bed reading a book together. To fall asleep in each other's arms every night and wake up every morning with him beside her. She wanted those things. But knew she would never have it.

His family would stop it. She knew that there would never be a celebration for them. Knew that no one would show even if there was one.

"This is a very lonely life, huh?" She asked. She wasn't sure if he had ever felt like that. Totally alone. He was right here with her. Holding her. But she felt alone. Something deep in her soul told her not to settle. That things would never be normal. She would never have a family. One that she craved for. A normal life where she could marry Cassian, have a few kids, be happy. She would never have those things.

"I'm right here."

"And yet you're so far." She answered. He had no idea what that meant. He would never let her be alone again. How could she possibly be so in love with him and think that he didn't love her the exact same way? Because he did! He loved her! He wanted to scream it from the rooftop's that they were mates and he loved her.

"I'm not going anywhere." He whispered, holding her tighter. "You'll have to kill me if you want me to go away." She chuckled, turning around to look at him. "I love you. Even if you don't believe me. I love you." He rested his forehead against hers. "I don't care what they think. I love you."

"I love you." She whispered. "From the first time I saw you." She smiled at him. "I knew you were it. You just didn't like me." He laughed.

"I had never been so attracted to someone before. I knew you were it." He repeated her words. "When you were willing to kill all of us for Elain, I knew."

She gently pressed her lips to his.

"Did you know we were mates then?" She asked.

"Yes." She fully turned so he could see her breasts. He took a quick glance before looking back up at her face. "I knew." She smiled, pressing her body into his and kissing him. Everything else didn't matter in that moment. All that matters was that they were both safe. And that he was oh so in love with her. He would chew off his own arm if she asked him to.

He was going to fight for her because no one else ever has.