"Morning," Rhys murmured, peppering my face with kisses.
"I'm not waking up," I murmured under my breath, my face still immersed in the pile of blankets.
"Feyre, darling," He purred, "As much as I would like to, we can't stay in bed forever. You're the High Lady of the Night Court, you share my duties now."
I rolled over to bury my face into his side. "Don't remind me." I groaned.
"I'll remind you every day," He said, flicking a strand of hair around my face. "After all, it means I get to do less work."
I made a face at him. "And if I interrupt your work with a trip to our favourite shop down the street? A very specific shop with very kind ladies who fit me into very beautiful clothes… or parts of clothes," I murmured, trailing my fingers down his bare chest.
He growled, a low reverberating sound and grabbed my wrist. I smiled back at him, a sly smile that spoke desire and mischief within it. He answered that smile with one his own before merging both together.
A loud knock on the front door startled me and I pulled away from Rhys who gave me a pout.
"Morning~" Mor's cheerful and muffled voice rang from downstairs. "Nesta's returned with Elain and Lucien and are at the House of Wind."
I snapped my gaze from where her voice was coming from and turned to Rhys, raising an eyebrow.
"Nesta? Seeing Elain with Lucien?" I pondered over it.
Rhys merely shrugged, watching me as I got out of bed.
"If an avalanche or eruption hadn't happened, I would be surprised," He added. "Has Nesta shown any sign of magic?"
I shook my head. If she even had some, she would most likely hide all signs of it from any of us. She would hide any signs that she was becoming more like the species she despised. Elain, on the other hand, was much different in this sense. She embraced her powers fully and had Spring magic, proven by the flower sprouting around the cabin, as said by Az.
Hurriedly, I put on my dressing gown and tossed another one to Rhys who was still on the bed. I barked at him to get moving and he merely laughed, lazily snapping his fingers and whisking away the torn clothes on the floor.
"Prick," I muttered and left the room.
I ran down the stairs and opened the door. Mor raised an eyebrow at my choice of clothing but said nothing about it, although I could tell she was silently chuckling about it.
"Come in," I said, smiling. "And Nesta? Did you send her to the cabin?"
Mor nodded. "Yes. Elain needed to know you were awake and Nesta needed to know who her sister was spending her time with," She explained, closing the door behind her. I could hear the distrust in her voice when she spoke with who Elain was spending her time with.
I was slightly upset at the fact that probably none of them trusted Lucien. He had betrayed me, yes, but he had still gone through suffering from both Tamlin and probably Ianthe. Ianthe. I had almost forgotten about her. Of course she would have been torturing Lucien with her failed advances. That was why he had seem so keen to get rid of her. He had been whipped by his supposed friend, for gods' sake. I suppose his predicament had been something like mines, where Tamlin utterly changed when he got his powers back. He had probably been afraid of Tamlin when he had his powers back. When he didn't, Tamlin had seemed more of an equal towards Lucien and that was why Lucien had seemed brave enough to talk with Tamlin and give him advice like a friend.
Putting those thoughts aside, I turned back to Mor. She had cast a look at Rhys who was on the balcony of the staircase, looking down at his cousin. She rolled her eyes when he gave her a lazy smile.
"Go change," She said. "The both of you. I'm not going anywhere, am I?"
"Commanding your High Lady and High Lord around now, Mor?" Rhys smirked.
Mor and I both rolled our eyes.
xXx
They were all eating breakfast when we got to the House of Wind. Elain caught sight of me and immediately rushed over, catching me in a hug. I laughed and hugged her back. It was times like this when our roles were reversed, when the lines between the roles of youngest and older sister were blurred.
Nesta sat stonily at the table, eyes darting between Elain and Lucien, only giving me and brief nod and small smile. She had seemed quite joyful when I awoke but it had quickly faded back to her usual demeanour, especially when she found out about Elain and Lucien. It didn't surprise me. Another line drawn between the Archeron sisters, although this one was much more clear and sharp.
Breakfast was exquisite. I had forgotten how I had missed the exotic spices that had made their home in the Night Court. The Spring Court had food that seemed fit for the people who thought themselves of a higher status than the rest, which fit the High Lord who ruled the court.
Our conversation was pleasant, with the occasional competitive spark between the Inner Circle. It took a dark turn when Az spoke of the Court of Nightmares.
"The Court of Nightmares requires a visit," He said. "To announce their new High Lady of the Night Court and for the imminent war against Hybern. And also to "listen" to your subjects' suggestions." He made quotation marks in the air when he said listen.
I stilled. Another to the Court of Nightmares, another mask to put on. Rhys's warmth and hand stroking my thigh was the only thing keeping me from snapping.
"And when do you think this visit will be?" Rhys asked Az.
"Whenever you and Feyre think so," He replied.
I was only surprised for a slight second. I was the High Lady of the Night Court now, equal to Rhys. We would both make the decisions that affected our court together, the decisions that affected our people and even ourselves.
"Tomorrow? Unless our court is in too much of a mess right now," I said dryly.
Az shook his head. "It's always chaotic down there but it holds. Your people haven't gone awry. Yet."
My people. I ran my tongue over those words. I still had yet gotten used to the prospect of me ruling over a court. Just a little over a year ago, I had been a mere human, still hunting for my human family. Now, I was a High Lady with the powers of the seven courts, having a different family but a family just as strong as blood ties. High Lady. Something tingled in the back of my mind.
"What will everyone call me, then?"
"Hmm?" he said.
"Is everyone just going to call me 'Tamlin's wife'? Do I get a … title?"
He lifted his head long enough to look at me. "Do you want a title?"
"No," I said. "But I don't want people … "
"I don't know if I can handle them calling me High Lady."
"They won't," he said. "There is no such thing as a High Lady."
"What do you mean, there's no such thing as a High Lady?"
"High Lords only take wives. Consorts. There has never been a High Lady."
"But Lucien's mother—"
"She's Lady of the Autumn Court. Not High Lady. Just as you will be Lady of the Spring Court. They will address you as they address her. They willrespectyou as theyrespect her."
I couldn't think what had happened whilst we had had that conversation. I shuddered inwardly as I remembered his heat and touch, distracting me from his lies. I felt Rhys's anger as he sensed my thoughts.
"How long has it been since there's been a High Lady?" I asked.
Rhys scowled. "Tamlin did tell you there was no such thing as a High Lady."
Cas laughed. "Another lie."
Of course it would be another lie. I had had a suspicion that he had lied to me because he didn't want me to get the idea that I could be his equal or have more power than him. I scowled at that.
"So what's the real story?" Surprisingly, it was Nesta who asked.
"When Prythian was first handed over to the fae, there were no courts. There was only a High Queen and High King. They ruled for three centuries before handing their rule over to their offspring. Traditions. Afterwards, a generation of the High Royalty felt that this ruling system was too controlling. They split Prythian into the seven courts, segregated by the powers the fae had. All fae had powers back then but it sort of diluted down the line," Mor explained.
She continued, "The High Royalty dispersed but they still needed a home. They created an island somewhere and made that their home. To this day, no one knows where it's located or if there are still descendants or the original High Royalty living there. However, before they left Prythian to the seven courts, the High Queen and King created spells and ensured there would always be a High Lord and High Lady ruling their courts, for equality and because the High Royalty wanted partners to rule the courts. A High Lord and High Lord pair or a High Lady and High Lady pair worked too. Everything went fine in the first few millennials. Then a tyranny rose in the kingdom. He was hungry for power and wanted to destroy the spells that made the High Lords and Ladies who they were and become High King after taking their power. He managed to break the High Ladies' spell but not the High Lords. He was killed before that happened.
Many tries were made to recreate the spells for the High Ladies but none were successful. They even tried to find the High Royalty to remake the spells but like I said, no one knows where they're located. There were no more High Ladies until now, which I think is because of your powers. They move past any spell meant for an original High Lady with powers from only one court."
So I was a miracle?
You're more than a miracle.
I smiled. "How do you know all that?"
Mor shrugged. "The Morrigans before me shared their history with me. Being the Truthteller counts for something, at least."
I sneaked a look at Az. He was listening and gazing intently as Mor explained. I wondered if either of them knew how the other felt. And then I wondered if they were mates but if they were, surely the bond would have snapped into place by now, especially because of the large amount of time they had spent together.
I put those thoughts aside for now.
"And so that's why everyone seemed so surprised when we announced Feyre as a High Lady," I mused.
"We've all heard rumours of the history of how there only came to have High Lords, but never the specifics," Rhys said.
"Wait, backtrack a bit. The Court of Nightmares? Is that what everyone is so afraid of in the Night Court?" Nesta asked.
We all nodded in unison.
"Do all of us have to go?" Elain asked.
"Only if you want to. No one's forcing you to come," I said gently.
Elain looked relieved at that. So did Lucien. To be honest, their presence would seem awkward in the Court. But for Nesta…
She wanted to go and see what this feared court looked like. It was shown clearly in her eyes.
Cas noticed too. "You don't have to go if you don't want to," He said softly.
"I'm not fragile, Cassian. I'll be going. I want to see for myself what all this talk on the Court of Nightmares is about," She announced.
Rhys nodded. "Very well. Now to go over the events of what we'll be doing tomorrow…"
xXx
We were heading for the Court of Nightmares tomorrow night. Rhys sent Az out to gain further information for the speech we would both make tomorrow. We were reading for anything, complains, protests, mere obedience.
It was now hours after we had discussed our plans for tomorrow. Rhys's head was in my lap, my hands gently stroking his hair.
"I'm sorry we have to go back- to see that part of us you fear," He said softly.
My hands continued their path in his hair. "No, it's fine. And I no longer fear that part of our court, Rhys. It's part of me now too. I no longer feel afraid towards the prospect of it."
"I have to say…" Rhys turned around, lifting himself into a sitting position. My hands dropped from his hair, only to find them in Rhys's soft grasp.
"You're not going to like this," He muttered.
I tightened my grip on his hands. "It's doesn't matter, Rhys. Tell me."
He took a deep breath before speaking. "The mortal queens- immortal now- and Ianthe. They weren't in the Spring Court when you were there."
I shook my head, confused He knew they hadn't been there.
"Az's spies have heard news. Rumours, more like."
"What rumours?" I asked.
"Rumours that the queens have returned to the mortal realm- in their immortal state and Ianthe has followed."
I stilled, thinking. "They're going to the mortal kingdoms to gain their support in bringing down the walls."
"I think so too," Rhys said, sighing.
"The mortals won't allow it- they'll chase the queens away once they hear of their transformation."
"Not if the queens have too much power over them. With the added power Ianthe has, she could use it properly in the mortal realm and keep the mortals in check," Rhys said.
"And we would have to deal with that after we deal with the Court of Nightmares," I concluded.
He nodded, looking slightly guilty.
"You said it before and I'll say it again. This is war."
