Hello! Since I write this AN before the story itself, I cannot accurately say when this will be posted, but at the time of writing it, I am on a roll with writing this story! I just finished the last chapter yesterday, and here I am, writing another. So, either way, you don't want to read me ranting. On to the story! Enjoy!
Feyre:
After Rhysand finally realized where I had been, and told me that he understood why I had done it, we all reconvened, taking our seats around the living room.
Amren took over the huge armchair, which made her look more than a little ridiculous considering she was a quarter of its size. Cassian, Mor, and Azriel took the couch, all squishing in together, even with the wings, as was their fashion, and I was sitting on Rhysands lap on the other, smaller, loveseat.
"So…" Cassian began, trying to soothe the tension in the room coming from each of us as we tried to figure out what had been so important that Tamlin would have messaged Rhys.
My mate just chuckled before his face settled into a more serious position. "So, Tamlin sent me a letter, and it's not good. In fact, it's very, very bad," Rhysand told us all, making my chest clench as every cell in me began assuming the worst, and then what could be even worse than that. "Tamlin addressed a part of his letter to you, Feyre," Rhysand said more softly.
I just nodded, silently conveying that he should say it out loud. "He told me that you would know what it meant. He said that 'the blight has returned'" my husband quoted, and the gears in my head began churning. "That was all he said though. Other than that it was worse than before. He didn't specify what it was though, and he seemed… paranoid. More so than usual," Rhysand added, seeing the grimace on my face.
"Want to shed some light on this Feyre?" Azriel asked quietly, but not weakly. I wasn't surprised that it was the shadowsinger who had been the first one to directly ask about the meaning of Tamlin's message, since it was in his nature to know things.
I closed my eyes, steeling myself for the more probing questions that my answer would raise. "The masks. It has to mean that the masks the Spring Court was once trapped in have returned," I whispered, the horror setting in as I realized the ramifications of this new development.
Everyone was silent, waiting for me to shed more light on the situation. I heaved out a sigh and continued. "When I was first in the Spring Court, I was not aloud to know anything of Amarantha," I began, cursing myself for saying the name when everyone flinched. "But," I continued, "Tamlin tried to give me hints as to what was happening. He called her the blight, and told me that it was making magic malfunction, providing an explanation for his weaker magic, and for the masks.
"For him to say that the blight has returned, he has to mean the masks have returned. Otherwise he simply would have said that magic is growing strange," I finish, my brain already racing for answers as to why and how the masks that had plagued Tamlin and his court had returned.
Everyone was silent, each contemplating the information I had just shared. Rhysand's hand had found my own, and he squeezed it as he stood up, bringing me up with him, as I had been on his lap.
"I think this calls for a visit to the Spring Court," my mate announced. I waited for the joke about how we should bring along a painter this time to capture Tamlin with a mask stuck to his face again, but it didn't come, further emphasizing how serious this was.
"Agreed," Amren stated, making for the door where we could winnow to the Spring Court.
Everyone took that as a confirmation of our travel plan, even though it was late in the night, and followed the short Fae out the door of the townhouse.
Once outside, Mor grabbed Azriel and Cassian, Rhysand took Amren by the arm, and we all winnowed. I winnowed alone, as I wasn't strong enough yet to carry multiple people that far of a distance.
As it was, I was breathing a little heavily when we landed right outside of the wardings Tamlin had strengthened around his manor house. Nonetheless, I stepped up and put my hand on the much stronger shield, sending the powers that I had gained from Helion Spellcleaver through my fingers.
It didn't shatter the shields, as that would be pointless, considering that they were there for a reason, only carving a hole large enough for us to get through.
Once we did just that though, we made straight for the manor, the process all the easier considering that Tamlin still hadn't managed to get back most of his sentries.
Soon the whole procession of us were in the manor, everyone save for me fanning out to look for any sign of something off. No, I just strode right for the stairs, ignoring all of the terrible memories that arose at the sight of the interior of this house.
I made right for the study, where I knew Tamlin would be, no doubt feeling sorry for himself and doing absolutely nothing to stop it.
I was right. Tamlin was sitting in the large chair behind the desk, his head held between his hands. His hair was in front of his face, a golden curtain keeping me from seeing if the mask was truly back.
"Tamlin," I said, as softly as I could make myself. He looked up, and even though I had been prepared for it, it still struck something in my heart when I saw him with the mask on.
Someone, he looked more like the person I had fallen in love with that way, but not even a single piece of my heart felt that way about him anymore. The mask though, it was the exact same one that he had been wearing in the weeks before Under the Mountain, even though that shouldn't have been possible.
Just as Tamlin opened his mouth to speak, my family came into the room, making themselves comfortable amid the chairs and walls.
"It seems we have a lot to talk about," Rhysand said, no humor in his voice.
Tamlin just nodded.
Hi! I literally finished this a day after I wrote the author's note in the beginning, although I don't know when it will be posted. I'm still proud of myself though! Till next time! Bye!
