Rhysand
I gave scream as Feyre was snatched by Devlon, being winnowed away to whoever knows where. I felt more than saw Cassian and Azriel turn at my scream and cries tore out their own throats. All the Illyrians in the room were blasted back into the wall, knocked unconscious while Azriel summoned some trusted Illyrians to tie them up and feed them Faebane.
Mor stumbled over to me, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry!" she cried, "I'm so sorry Rhys!"
But I wasn't listening. Something had gone dark. The bond had gone dark! I slammed against it desperately. Nothing.
"Rhys?!"
"The bond," I croaked, "It's gone."
"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Cassian cried and I whirled on him, causing him to take a step back.
"What do you think GONE MEANS!" I roared, shadows swirling around me.
"Like the time she fled from the spring court?" Azriel asked quietly from my side. I nodded sharply.
"Could she have been fed Faebane?"
"That's possible," I rasped. My mate was gone. She was gone! Tears slid down my face but I didn't care. I had failed them and this is what I got. I had lost my mate and baby.
"Rhys, don't worry, we'll get them back," Cassian said whilst Mor wrapped her arms around me.
"We'll find her, I promise," she whispered.
It had been two days. TWO DAYS! I swooped over the mountains, continuing my relentless search. I hadn't rested properly ever since she had gone missing, let alone sleep. I only ate whilst I flew, scanning any place she could be. Cassian and Azriel were helping but Azriel's spies for the first time he could remember, had failed him. I could've sworn he had left the room crying that night.
I tried getting through the bond again but still nothing. Just a huge black wall. I blinked back tears at that and went back to scanning, desperate to find anything that could lead me to her. A sudden glimmer jolted through me and I stopped, almost falling out of mid-air. The baby. I tried clinging to the bond but it vanished too quickly. I clenched my fist in frustration. So close. The glimmer than came back, just as quick but I was ready. I clung onto the glimmer and winnowed, using it to pull me to my baby.
I appeared in a tent and immediately was overwhelmed by the stench of blood. Feyre lay chained in the corner, slumped while blood dripped off her. I froze as he noticed the torn black dress she had worn lying across her, not on her. I shot over and pulled it off, sick as I stared at my mate chained up, in her underwear.
Cassian! Azriel! I found her! Get Madja now and then winnow to – I paused before sending an image of the place, to panicked to remember where I was in the night court.
Cassian appeared beside me in a matter of moments, Azriel next with Madja. Both immediately laid eyes on Feyre and whitened, looking sick. Madja hurried forward and did a swift diagnosis before starting to heal her wounds. "The baby's okay," she said while she worked, "How I don't know, the Illyrians clearly raped her and that should really have caused her to miscarry immediately. She'll be fine but as soon as she's back home I want her on bedrest. The chance she'll miscarry now is incredibly high so I want her to be on bedrest or at least she has to stay in the house until that time is past which will be when she's about twenty weeks, so in about two months."
"But the summit's in three weeks," Cassian said worriedly. "We can't leave her."
"Can't Amren or her sisters look after her?" Madja said but got a growl from me. I would never leave my mate's side again. I had once and she'd been captured and raped and now I'd put the baby at risk.
"I'm not leaving her," I snarled and she sighed, wrapping Feyre gently in a blanket.
"Let's go back," she said and we winnowed back to Velaris.
Velaris was gloomy as we landed, the whole city having fallen into mourning when they heard of the High Lady being captured. I took her from Madja and carried her to our bedroom before laying her on the bed. Her skin was so pale, too pale and her brunette hair lay spread about the pillow, limp and matted. Madja did a few more checks before leaving me some medication to give Feyre and chasing Azriel and Cassian from the room, closing the door.
I took Feyre's hairbrush from the nightstand, gently brushing her hair. It was soothing as I did so and it was now I let the tears fall. I cried for what my mate had had to go through, the terror I'd put her through. I cried for my baby, praying he or she would survive. I cried angrily at myself, furious I had pledged to protect her and yet failed at the first hurdle. She was going to hate me. She couldn't forgive me for what I'd done. Heck, I wouldn't forgive myself for what I'd done.
"Rhys?" Feyre rasped, her blue eyes fluttering open. Oh, how I loved those eyes.
"Feyre darling," I said softly, resting a hand on her stomach. Her eyes flickered there and panic filled them.
"The baby!" she gasped, "They, the, the Illyrians –" It was then she started to cry and I cocooned her, wrapping herself up in me, murmuring to her soothingly.
"I'm so sorry," she cried, hiccupping, having calmed down a little.
"What?" I stammered, looking at her, confused. What did she have to be sorry for?
"I couldn't defend myself," fresh tears started to slide down her cheeks. "I tried but it made me so weak! I blasted some shadows at them and then could barely stand. It was why I called for you."
"Feyre darling, don't be sorry," I murmured softly, "I should've been there to protect you, I shouldn't have left you."
The pain I'd been holding in ever since her kidnapping spilled out. Feyre looked at me gently and kissed me, "Keir insulted me and threatened our child, you thought – you were protecting me from him."
"Not well enough, I should've knocked him out immediately, then what happened next…" I struggled to find the words.
There came a knocking at the door and I stiffened until the person called out, "I've been alerted that my Lady has woken up, if I could please come in to see how she's doing?"
I unlocked the door, laying Feyre back on our bed. She was watching Madja warily, her thoughts fluttering down the bond, her shields too weak to block them from me.
I hope the baby's okay, Rhys said he was but – I bet I'm going to miscarry now, he's going to be so disappointed if I do, at least he's not mad I couldn't defend myself. I hope he doesn't go hunt down Devlon, I don't want him to leave.
I shifted at that last part, having been planning to do that when she had been missing but now she was here… there was no way I could leave her, especially if she didn't want me to. I didn't mention to her that her shields were down, selfishly revelling in getting to know her thoughts again, even for a little while. Once Madja was gone, I'd tell her.
"So my Lady, you'll be glad to know your baby is absolutely fine after your….. ordeal," Madja said carefully and I schooled my face when a few horrific images flashed down the bond at that, squeezing her hand tightly, getting a glimmer of thankfulness down the bond in return. "However, you will be on bedrest for now as I don't want anything to risk a miscarriage now as the chance is unfortunately much higher which was likely their plan. Thankfully you are a very resilient young lady. Now, Rhysand has got your medication which you'll need to take when he says."
"Oh, Madja?" I interrupted and she turned to me.
"Yes Rhysand?"
"Is stress bad for the baby?" I asked innocently, almost laughing at the dramatic sigh Feyre gave.
"Yes actually, which is why she'll need to avoid doing anything stressful. No more than two visitors at a time and certainly no work."
"But what about the summit?" Feyre asked, frowning.
"We'll see how you go," Madja replied kindly, "If I think you are fit enough then you can go but you must rest over the next three weeks before then."
Feyre nodded, looking disappointed and I knew she wanted to be up and about, carrying on with her duties but I would refuse to allow that.
Madja then hesitated and glanced at the door before looking at us, "I know they won't be very happy with this but….. the only visitors you can have are Mor, Amren or your sisters. Lucien, Azriel and Cassian will be forbidden from you room for at least a week. Then Lucien can visit and if that goes well Cassian and Azriel can."
"Why?!" I cried, outraged on their behalf, "They'll want to see Feyre to!"
"Rhys is right, that's not fair to them, especially to put Lucien over them as they'll be insulted you think he's closer to me," Feyre interjected, looking in confusion at Madja.
"Rhysand is your mate, meaning you instinctively trust him. However, I don't want to jeopardise your recovery by letting you see other males to soon."
Both Feyre and I stiffened at that, now realising exactly why they were to be forbidden.
"Lucien can then visit first as he isn't Illyrian and if that goes well, we can try Cassian and Azriel. But, my Lady, I implore you to do as I say, I don't want you to freak out or get bad memories from seeing them. Wait a little until your stronger, not just for the baby's sake but yours as well."
She then ran some checks over Feyre but everything seemed fine so she left, saying it would be best if I delivered the bad news to Azriel and Cassian. I however wasn't so sure. I felt a soft pressure on my hand and looked down to see Feyre stroking it softly.
"Isn't it my job to be comforting you, not the other way around?" I tried to joke but tears in my eyes spoiled it, causing her to sit back up slowly before cuddling me.
"It's okay Rhys, I'm here, I'm fine, the baby's fine," she said soothingly but I couldn't stop the tears from falling.
"I'm so scared, I so scared I'm going to lose you again," I cried.
"Look at me," she said softly and I did, staring at her through silky wet lashes. "If you want to help me then," she hesitated, "How much would you mind not leaving for a few days?"
I buried my head in her shoulder, mumbling back "I'm not leaving you ever again."
She didn't reply to that but instead said down the bond a minute later, could you tell Azriel and Cassian through your mind?
Of course I could, but how come you want to use to the bond?
Oh, I, um, I'm kind of tired
The minute she admitted that I laid her down and curled up around her, running a finger gently down her back, murmuring to her until she fell asleep. Then, with a deep breath, I called Cassian and Azriel, mind to mind.
Rhys, is she okay! Cassian immediately screamed into my mind.
How's she doing? Came Azriel's calmer voice, only a hint of worry showing through.
She's fine, the baby's fine but Madja's got some strict rules on visitors.
Can I visit first?! Cassian called through and I felt awful having to tell him my news.
Sorry by no, neither you nor Azriel are allowed to see her for at least this week, maybe longer.
Silence. I could feel Cassian's confusion but then Azriel spoke up, Madja's worried we'll give her a relapse isn't she?
Yes, only Mor, Amren and her sisters are allowed to visit, and no more than two at a time.
Azriel and Cassian then raised their shields again and I withdrew from their minds. Exhausted from all the flying and no rest, everything very quickly vanished into oblivion as I fell asleep.