"So why are you hosting a dinner all of a sudden," Mor asked, walking with me through the garden.

"No reason."

She raised an eyebrow at the smooth reply, "Rhys."

"Mor," I replied, giving her a pointed look before letting out a sigh, "...I need a break from everything that's been going on. I just want to have a nice dinner with my—"

Blinding panic and absolute terror took hold of me. 'He trapped me! He trapped me! He trapped me! He trapped me!'

I grasped at my chest, trying to breathe again because if she was sending everything down to me that meant she couldn't breathe. She was in danger. "Rhys!?" Mor put a hand on my shoulder, and I realized I had fallen to my knees, "Rhys what happened!?"

I didn't answer, not as I broke through Feyre's shields, trying to see if she was in true danger, "Rhys!"

Why was she in a panic? Why was she terrified? What was happening?! I trifled through her mind, looking at what had happened in the last couple minutes before letting out a strangled yell. I would fucking kill him! Didn't he know what trapping her in that house would bring back? "Mor. I have to get her," my voice was thick with tears, when had I started crying?

"You can't, it would go against the book."

"Fuck the book!" I snarled, "He's trapped her! I don't care if it starts a damn war!"

Mor grabbed my arm, "We could do this without starting one. I could get her, all I need you to do is break through his wards and stay on the border."

I nodded, still feeling the pulsing terror she was sending, "We need to leave. Now."

"I know Rhys, but you need to keep your cool."

Again I nodded, wiping my face before taking a step. Wind and darkness swirled around me as I winnowed to the border.

vVv

I paced up and down the crest of the hill, trying to keep a reign on my emotions. Panic continued to pulse down the bond despite my efforts to calm her, but I doubt she heard me. I squeezed my eyes shut, Mor was getting her…she would be ok.

Mor was getting her, she would be ok.

Mor was getting her, she would be ok.

Another spike of terror, and it took everything I had in me to refrain from entering Mor's mind and seeing through her eyes. But I couldn't risk breaking the rules no matter how much I wanted to, couldn't allow another war on top of the inevitable one with Hybern.

Every panicked thought she had rammed into me. 'Amarantha. She was here to take me, to kill me at last.'

Amarantha? No, she was dead. She must be mistaking her for Mor. I let out another breath. How did Tamlin not realize how bad Feyre was doing? How did he not do anything to help!?

A faint voice started to echo down the tunnel, getting louder by the second, "You're free. You're free," Mor, "You're free, You're free. You're free."

She stepped into the light holding Feyre close to her, and I snarled at the sight of her; at her too thin body, at the circles under her eyes, at the cold sweat that clung to her skin, at the dark shadows of power that leaked out of her. Mor leveled her gaze at me, "I did everything by the book," she said as she transferred her into my arms; Feyre let out a hiccup, still trying to regain her breath… It broke my heart, her condition, how they were wasting this beautiful woman's potential.

"Then we're done here," I said before taking a step forward to winnow.

Feyre went still in my arms as wind and darkness surrounded us, and I used my own darkness to try and comfort and lull her into a steady sleep.

vVv

I gently put Feyre down on the bed and tucked her in tightly before sitting on an armchair. She had calmed down considerably by now, but I could still feel the remnants of her panic. Tamlin had done a shitty job of giving her the help she needed, that's all it came down to; it was why she couldn't see red or couldn't go into certain rooms. And then, instead of recognizing that she had tied so many things from everyday life to Amarantha, he trapped her and she had spiraled into a frenzied panic. A panic that had almost consumed her. I flexed my fingers, watching the darkness that swirled out of them, and shut my eyes.

vVv

I held my head up with my hand, still gazing at Feyre half heartedly as my eyes started to drift shut…. My head snapped up at the door opening. Mor walked in with a cup of tea, "Rhys, you should take a break. I could stay with her for a while so you could sleep a little. You've been at it all day."

I shook my head and drifted my gaze to the mountains. A sigh, "At least drink this then," she said, handing me the cup and giving me a pointed look before motioning me to drink. I did.

"They almost ruined her," I couldn't hide my anger, "I couldn't feel anything through the bond, and I thought it was because she had her shields up at all times…. But the truth was that she wasn't feeling at all. They were sucking the life out of her."

Mor nodded and sat on the couch adjacent to me, "I know," and of course she knew better than anybody could.

We sat another minute in silence before she got up, "Rhys… just try to get some rest for me," and then she winnowed away.

vVv

The moon was high when Feyre's breathing grew heavy and a soft whimper broke out of her. A nightmare. I watched her for a second, trying to figure out if it would be a momentary thing or not, but her breathing only grew heavier. I pulled the darkness from the corners of the room and covered her with it, making it as soothing as possible, and after a moment her breathing grew steady once more…

vVv

The sky turned rosy pink as the sun started to peak over the mountaintop. Beautiful, I wondered if Feyre would want to paint it. At that thought another flash of anger coursed through me, and I imagined the red paint splattered on the wall; the only time she let her shield drop in the last few months.

Tamlin must have already torn the manor into pieces, especially after realizing his servants let Mor take her. Feyre seemed to only be a husk of she was; that attitude I had come to love, her iron will, her fierceness, it had dulled each time I saw her. Being in the Spring Court was killing her.

I clenched my fist, would I be able to help her? She must hate me. I mean, if it was up to her she wouldn't come for that week, right? If she took the job opportunity with me… we could heal her. Cassian and Mor and Azriel and Amren… they've all had their traumas, and they've all gotten through it in different ways. We could-

She swallowed, and I whipped my head around to see if she was ok… and she was sitting up, looking at me with wide eyes. Relief coursed through me and I blinked at the sudden exhaustion that hit me. She was awake.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse, 'As if I've been screaming.'

"You were screaming," I said with a small shrug, "You almost managed to scare the shit out of every servant and sentry in Tamlin's manor when you wrapped yourself in darkness and they couldn't see you."

Her face fell, "Did I hurt any-"

"No," I interrupted, "Whatever you did, it was contained to you."

She had awoken her powers, all of them at once.

'Why did Mor get me and not him?' "You weren't-"

"By law and protocall," I stretched my legs and flexed my fingers slightly, "things would have become very complicated and very messy if I had been the one to walk into that house and take you. Smashing that shield was fine, but Mor had to go in on her own two feet, render the sentries unconscious through her own power, and carry you over the border to another court before I could bring you here. Or else Tamlin would have free rein to march his forces into my lands to reclaim you. And as I have no interest in an internal war, we had to do everything by the book."

She frowned for a moment, "But, when I go back-"

Another flare of anger, "As your presence here isn't a part of our monthly requirement, you are under no obligation to go back…. Unless you wish," I rubbed the side of my head, trying to get rid of the headache that was starting to form.

She swallowed again and whispered, "He locked me in that house."

I clenched my teeth, "I know. I felt you. Even with your shields up for once."

She looked at me again, "I have nowhere else to go."

She would always have a place at my court. Always. And it hurt that she hadn't yet realized it, hadn't yet realized that I cared for her. I waved my hand idly, "Stay here for however long you want. Stay here forever, if you feel like it."

"I… I need to go back at some point."

How could she want to go back? "Say the word and it's done."

If she wanted to… I would take her, but… it would mean getting even worse than she was now; living the rest of her life as a Tamlin's pet. We stared at each other for another moment before I shifted my position, moving my ankle onto my knee, "I made you an offer when you first came here: help me, and food, shelter, clothing … All of it is yours."

Contemplation flashed across her face, debating- "Work for me. I owe you anyway. And we'll figure out the rest day by day if need be," I shrugged.

She turned her gaze towards the mountains, the pink starting to fade into blue, "I'm not going back," I raised my eyebrows, "Not- not until I figure things out."

A wave of uneasiness shot down the bond as she absentmindedly rubbed her ring finger, as she thought about everything she's been through. I summoned a hot chocolate; I know it helped make me feel better sometimes, "Drink it," I said, handing it to her.

She eyed it for a moment before taking it, sighing softly at the heat, giving me a pointed look, sipping it, and gazing back at the mountains. I watched her the whole time.

And once she was half way done with the mug she asked, "The darkness- is that… part of the power you gave me?"

"One would assume so."

She tipped her head back, chugging the last of the chocolate, "No wings?"

I imagined her with a pair of Illyrian wings, beautiful and graceful. "If you inherited some of Tamlin's shape-shifting, perhaps you can make wings of your own."

She put the mug down looking at her hands, "And the other High Lords? Ice—that's Winter. That shield I once made of hardened wind—who did that come from? What might the others have given me? Is—is winnowing tied to any one of you in particular?"

Wind… who would wind be? Definitely not Tarquin or Kallias. Maybe Beron? No- the only thing he had was fire… "Wind? The Day Court, likely," she had also asked about winnowing, "And winnowing—it's not confined to any court. It's wholly dependent on your own reserve of power—and training," she had already used so many of her new powers without realizing it at times, "And as for the gifts you got from everyone else …That's for you to find out, I suppose."

She snorted, "I should have known your goodwill would wear off after a minute."

I chuckled, happy that some of her fire was still there, and got up before stretching the stiffness out of my joints. "Rest a day or two, Feyre. Then take on the task of figuring out everything else. I have business in another part of my lands; I'll be back by the end of the week."

Her eyes dimmed again, but she didn't say anything, so I made my way to the balcony, preparing to let my wings out, to fly. But then a sound in the silence, "Take me with you."

I stopped. She wanted to come with me? I turned back towards her, "You should rest."

"I've rested enough," she blurted before jumping to her feet, "Wherever you're going, whatever you're doing—take me along. I'll stay out of trouble. Just … Please."

Her face contorted at her begging, as if she hated herself. And I considered; if she was to work with me…. She would have to see Velaris and meet my I would be so happy if she wanted to do that, if my mate wanted to do that. But if she went back… and told Tamlin- No, she wouldn't not after what she did. And going might help her, might help if she sees an untouched city. A city that's still whole.

I strode towards her, "If you come with me, there is no going back. You will not be allowed to speak of what you see to anyone outside of my court. Because if you do, people will die —my people will die. So if you come, you will have to lie about it forever; if you return to the Spring Court, you cannot tell anyone there what you see, and who you meet, and what you will witness. If you would rather not have that between you and—your friends, then stay here."

She looked at me with wide eyes, accessing, thinking of what I could possibly be hiding, "Take me with you," she whispered, "I won't tell anything what I see. Even… them."

Truth. I knew she was telling the truth, and a blossom of joy filled my chest. She would see Velaris. She would see my home. I grinned a bit, "We leave in ten minutes," I looked her over, seeing the aftermath of yesterday before hastily adding, "If you want to freshen up, go ahead."

She gave me a quizzical look, "Where are we going?"

I smiled even wider, "To Velaris- the City of Starlight."

My home. Feyre Archeron was coming to Velaris. My home.