Chapter 7: RITA'S

We continued walking down the street, chatting. Cassian was funny, and clever, and easy to talk to. And when I was with him, it did feel like he could have been my friend, in another life, if he'd been human.

Cassian and I approached the end of a street, when a familiar blonde faerie appeared at the corner. "Cass, Dellia!" Morrigan said, her brown eyes bright. "Amren and I were just about to go to Rita's, would you like to join?" She pointed to the restaurant across the street, a loud, music filled space emanating with delicious smells.

Cassian looked at me. "Up to you, I can take you back if you'd rather rest."

I knew I didn't want to eat the fae food, although it smelled amazing. But I also was having a good time, and I didn't really want to go back to The House of Wind just to sit around and wait for Rhysand to let me do something.

"I'd like to stay," I said. And Morrigan smiled big, and so did Cassian.

"Alright!" He said, clasping me on the back. "I knew you would have fun."

Morrigan looped her arm around mine, and said, "Rita's has great food, and I promise you it won't be enchanted. But if you don't want to eat, don't worry. Amren doesn't eat anything here either, so you won't be the only one."

We walked inside, and Morrigan immediately spied Amren sitting at a booth by herself. She already had a drink when we sat down with her. "Dellia," Amren said, her smokey silver eyes analyzing me. "This is a surprise."

"She's seeing what Velaris has to offer," Cassian said, poking Amren with his wings as he squished next to her. "So don't scare her away." Amren pushed back against him, just as a waiter came over.

Morrigan immediately took over ordering, getting about three times more food than a table of four should get, especially considering only two were going to eat. She also asked for wine, which the faerie waiter pulled out of thin air, along with glasses for each of us—minus Amren.

"The steak here is absolutely killer," Morrigan said to me. "And the roasted chicken," her eyes shut and she made a kiss gesture with her fingers.

"I hope Rhysand, Feyre and Azriel are coming," Cassian said to Morrigan. "You ordered half menu."

"They should be. And all that food is for me, I don't know what you guys are planning on getting." Amren laughed, and Cassian took a big gulp of his wine, which I saw immediately, magically refilled.

The waiter levitated the food out to the table, about a dozen dishes, and Morrigan quickly gathered her favorites onto her own plate.

Cassian held out his glass, "Before Mor and I dig in, a toast to Dellia for her first time in Velaris."

Mor and Amren lifted their glasses, and I did as well. "To something new, and something fun," Morrigan said, and clinked her glass against mine. They all did.

It was like being back around the campfire with my friends when we'd travel from place to place. How we'd spend all our time together, and end the nights eating and laughing and drinking. We'd make silly toasts, something different depending on what they day had held. Fast horses and slow consequences. Pretty village girls. Princesses that never liked the palace much anyways. Toasts for anything and everything.

And so I wasn't really in the Velaris restaurant with the faeries when I took a sip from my glass. I was in my head, with my friends, back before everything went to hell.

The wine was the smoothest, sweetest drink I'd ever tasted. Rich, like each grape had been blessed by a Queen. When I pulled myself out of my own thoughts, the faeries were looking at me curiously. "It's good," I said.

Cassian burst out laughing. "Of course it's good!"

He clinked his glass against mine again, and then grabbed my plate and put some food on it. "If you're throwing caution to the wind here, you should eat too," he said.

I realized what I'd done with a little bit of fear, but I tried to brush it aside. It was already done, and I didn't think I'd been tricked. I took another sip, and the flavor was still as magnificent as the first, and I watched as the liquid in the glass rose up back to it's original level again. "Are you sure there's nothing enchanted about this?" I asked Morrigan tentatively.

"It's the glass that's enchanted, so that your drink is never empty," she explained. "There's nothing magical about the wine itself."

I guess that made sense, if there was anything that made sense about magic at all.

Cassian dug into his chicken, and so I took a few bites of mine too. And a few bites turned into a whole plate. "It's not fair," I said, "Fae food is so good."

"Rita's food is so good," Morrigan corrected. "Trust me, there's some fae food that is not good. We go out to eat a lot, and some of them," she shook her head. "I was sick in bed for days."

"Are you talking about that street vendor?" Cassian said. "You should have seen that one coming."

"I wasn't in my right mind that night," she said. "Amren and I kept playing that drinking game with the cups, and I had terrible luck. I drank half the bar. I couldn't even find the House of Wind, I was winnowing down all the wrong streets. I had to sober up, and the street vendor was the only thing I could successfully find."

Amren's silver eyes sparkled at the memory. "You kept winnowing away from me, I would have helped you find something less suspicious."

Morrigan finished her plate of food and stood up. "I'm going to dance. Who's joining me?"

"Not to this music," Ameren said.

Morrigan wiggled her fingers at me, trying to convince me to join her.

"Don't look her in the eye," Cassian whispered to me, but loud enough for us all to hear. "She's the second most powerful among us, and she uses her magic to get unsuspecting men and women to dance the night away with her."

Morrigan rolled her eyes. Cassian continued, "First she uses those huge brown eyes to just suck you in, and then she flips her hair," Morrigan played along and brushed her long blonde hair over her shoulder and bat her eyelashes. "And then she leans over the table to show off her-"

"You are absolutely foul, Cassian!" Morrigan snapped at him, and he burst out laughing again.

She turned her attention back to Amren. "I'm going to change the music and then you'll have no excuse," she said, and turned and walked off to the dance floor.

Amren quickly drank the rest of her glass, and pointed at Cassian, "You come and relieve me after three songs or I will be very unhappy with you."

Cassian gave her a noncommittal wave, and as soon as she left, I saw Rhysand, Feyre and Azriel entering the restaurant. "Perfect timing," he said. "I hate having to squish us all in one booth. It's not good for the wings," he said, hitting me with his wing like he had with Amren.

"You are annoying," I told him.

"Dellia," Feyre said with surprise, when she saw my empty plate. "You're eating!"

"Morrigan swore that it was unenchanted," I said. They slid into the booth around us, and started eating all the food that was left. Azriel sat next to me, and Rhysand and Feyre sat next to Cassian, on my other side.

I took another sip of my wine, as Azriel asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Good," I said. "Cassian showed me around, and it's been nice, we've been having fun." I looked at him, and could tell that wasn't what he meant. "Why?"

He tapped the glass in my hand. "How much of this have you had?" He asked.

"I— a half a glass, maybe?" How do you keep track of something like that in a refillable glass?

A look flashed across Azriel's face when his intense gaze turned to Cassian. It was too fast for me to decipher, but Cassian quickly said, "She's fine, I'm watching her."

Now I was suspicious. "Watching me, what?"

Azriel looked back at me. "It's alright. The wine here just has a stronger effect on humans than you're used to. One glass may feel like two or three. And probably three for you, considering your body is still recovering from starvation."

I didn't feel drunk, yet. But I did eat a lot, that probably helped.

"How do you like the city?" Rhysand asked me.

I was still a little irked by him for denying me going back to The Wall today but I tried to smother that feeling when I was having an otherwise good night. "It's beautiful, you should be very proud."

I'm sorry, Rhysand said in my head, About earlier today. You were making a reasonable request, and I should have made more of an effort to compromise. I pushed you into a corner and then was mad when you left. And I'm sorry for being in your head again. It's just very loud in here.

I sighed. That's alright, this time. Thank you. Does that mean you'll let me go to The Wall?

I don't see why we can't go tomorrow, if you will agree to stay and meet with Your Queen in two days.

I smiled, feeling lighter already. I hadn't even realized all the weight of the guilt I carried. But knowing that I was going to be doing something helped me lighten the load, a little. I picked up my glass. "To unlikely friendships."

Rhysand grinned and grabbed his glass, so did the others at the booth. "Cheers to that."

We weren't chatting for too long when Morrigan danced back over to the table. "Come on Feyre, Dellia, let's do something with just the girls."

Feyre looked at me to make sure I was alright, and seeing no objection, she stood up with a grin. "And what's that?"

Azriel got up to let me pass him, and Morrigan looped her arms with mine and Feyre's, bringing us over to the bar. I started to have second thoughts. In fact, just standing up, I knew why Azriel was asking how I was feeling. My head was lighter, my limbs looser. Damn that fae wine wasn't messing around.

"This isn't that drinking game you were just talking about, is it?" I asked when I saw a bunch of cups along the bar counter, and Amren waiting nearby.

"Yes!" Morrigan said, a big smile on her face. "It's very easy, you will pick it up quick."

I wasn't sure I could afford to pick up a faerie drinking game.

"OK, you and Feyre will be on one team, and Amren and I will be on the other. Basically we take turns throwing this ball against the wall and trying to get it into these glasses." She held out a little ball. "We each play at the same time, so if you and I are playing and you get it in before me, than I take a drink. And whoever's team drinks all their drinks first loses!"

"I hope you are good at this," I said to Feyre, and she blinked at me.

"I've never played this game before."

We were screwed. Feyre went first against Amren, and immediately Amren got the ball in the glass, even before Feyre's ball hit the wall. Morrigan at least let me try. I missed, of course, and she got her ball in my cup on the first attempt. I took the shot of alcohol, which was not as sweet as the wine, and it instantly warmed the back of my throat.

Nope, I couldn't do this again, I realized as things started to get just a hair blurry around the edge of my vision. I knew it would continue to hit me as the night continued.

Feyre lost again, very quickly. This time, my ball bounced off the rim of a glass at least before Morgan sank another ball in one of our cups. I picked up my glass and looked over my shoulder to make sure the coast was clear. Then, when I 'took my shot' I threw it behind me.

"What. In. The. Cauldron," I heard someone hiss quietly over the music from right behind me— right where no one was supposed to be. I spun around, and saw Cassian was drenched in whatever alcohol was supposed to be in my stomach.

I covered my mouth in shock and also to keep from laughing. I saw Rhysand was also fighting to eat a laugh, and even Azriel's normally mute expression seemed a little bit wide-eyed. I didn't think the girls noticed what happened.

"Cassian," I said, blocking their view, and speaking just loud enough to be heard above the music "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"I hope not," he said, glaring down at his tunic that was all wet.

"You shouldn't sneak up behind people!" I said.

"I was coming to check on you!"

"I'm fine, I've got it."

Feyre lost against Amren while I was talking to Cassian, and took the last shot for us. When she turned to check on me, she instantly saw the spill. "What happened?"

"Are you drunk?" I asked Cassian, as if I too were seeing it for the first time. That immediately caused the faerie's brown eyes to cut a glare towards me. I thought it was funny.

"Just clumsy I guess," He said through gritted teeth, covering for me.

Morrigan waved her hand by Cassian's tunic and it magically cleaned itself. "So who's next?"

"I think I'm out," I said, and Feyre nodded, obviously not any good at this game herself.

Rhysand wrapped his arms around Feyre's waist and whispered something to her that made her laugh.

"Rhysand and Cassian then," Morrigan decided, "Against Amren and I."

Cassian pointed at Azriel, "The drunk princess is your responsibility now."

The game started, and Rhysand and Cassian were putting up a much better fight than Feyre and I had. I was pretty sure there was some magic cheating happening when Rhysand and Morrigan battled each other, because their balls were bouncing wildly off the cups in ways that seemingly defied gravity.

"Still feeling alright?" Azriel asked me while Cassain took a shot.

"He's right, I am drunk," I groaned. "No wonder I was so bad at that game."

"It's just practice," Azriel said. "And Mor has a lot of practice."

"I think I want some fresh air," I said, and turned towards the exit.

Azriel held out his hand, the black shadows that followed him constantly flowing over his palm. "I'll go with you."

I put my hand in his, and watched as the dark cloud swirled around us, blocking out the bar entirely from my view. When it cleared a moment later, we were outside, across the street. There was an empty bench, and I sat down. "That's really interesting," I said, about the shadows. "You said having this shadow powers is rare?"

Azriel nodded, still standing in front of me.

"Have you ever met anyone else who could do this before?"

He shook his head. "Historically, babies born with the shadowsinger gift were killed. The shadows scare people. But I developed my powers later in my childhood."

I frowned. "Lots of people are scared of the dark, I guess, but it's terrible that they would kill a child for something they can't control." I looked around the dark street, and despite the hour of night, it was still bustling with faeries, and bright with street lights and shop windows and stars. "But I find it hard to believe Nightcourt faeries would be scared of the dark."

"Are you scared?" Azriel asked.

"Of the dark?" I replied, turning my eyes back to the faerie. "Not usually. I've spent lots of nights outside camping, and traveling at night on land and at sea." I shrugged. "But I guess there's a difference between being in the dark with your friends, and being alone."

I felt my heart tighten a little bit, remembering my friends. Realizing for the hundredth time, I didn't have friends anymore.

Azriel sat down on the bench next to me. "I upset you," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

I gave him a small, sad smile. "It's not your fault." I looked back towards the bar, where the rest of the faeries I knew were. "You're lucky you have such good friends."

He nodded. "I know."

Azriel let me sit there quietly for a few long moments, his hazel eyes resting on me while I looked towards the river at the end of the street. "Would you like to go back inside?" He asked, "Or if you want to retire for the night, I can take you back to the House of Wind."

"I think I should go to bed," I said with a sigh, still feeling light headed. I saw the shadows around Azriel begin to swell out and around us, so I quickly turned to him with a thought. "But I think we should fly," I said. "I want to see the lights from the sky."

His eyes glimmered a little, I think with surprise, but the shadows regressed to their normal swirl behind Azriel as he stood up. "I like that idea," he said. He waited for me to get to my feet before he gently scooped me in his arms, and those large wings extended behind him, flapping powerfully a few times in rapid succession, before we were about a hundred feet up.

The city was even prettier at night than when I'd seen it with Cassian at dusk. All the different colorful lights from he businesses and homes dancing across the winding river, and the moon and stars above glowed bright white, it was like we were flying through space itself. I just wished my vision wasn't so blurry. A laugh escaped my lips and Azriel asked, "What's funny?"

"I wish I wasn't drunk for this," I said. "We'll have to do it again tomorrow."

He chuckled, "Alright."

Flying with Azriel felt different than with Cassian. Cassian was all about power and speed, and his little tricks. Azriel was smooth and deliberate, even the breeze around us was calm and cool like the faerie. And he smelled nice, like a crisp pine woods drenched in moonlight.

We ascended higher and higher into the sky as we approached the House of Wind, and I looked towards the moon which as about half-full tonight. I bet the full moon in Nightcourt would be something to see. It seemed so large here, like it hung just out of reach.

Azriel curved into one of the windows, and landed just as gently as he'd flown, tucking his long wings behind him quickly once we were inside. He set me back down on my feet, and I wobbled a little. He didn't let go of me.

"I'm good," I said. "I know it looks like I've never had a drink in my life, but I can handle myself."

The faerie nodded and dropped his hand from my arm. "Of course."

"Thank you for the ride," I said, "That was beautiful."

"My pleasure," he replied in that low, calm voice. I turned to head towards my rooms, but then I remembered something.

"Oh, are you coming to The Wall tomorrow?" I asked Azriel, who turned. "Rhysand said we could go tomorrow."

Azriel's head tilted a little, like he was considering me. "I can come, if you want."

"Great," I said with a smile. "See you tomorrow."