𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑

𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩

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╰┈˚ · ° .   THERE HE WAS. Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court, darkness leaking from him like ink in water. He was all dark nights and shining stars.

Rhys angled his head, his black hair reflecting the sun shining with blue undertone. Those violet eyes sparkled in the golden faelight as they fixed on Tamlin with a predatory glint. His stare pointed derisively at the half-drawn swords of the guards that had followed their High lord example.

Those swords would not do anything against him. Everyone knew that.

"What a pretty little wedding." Rhysand said, stuffing his hands into his pockets looking comfortable, casual, as if he had stumbled on an accident at the wedding. The remaining crowd pressed back, some climbing over seats to get away. No one wanted to be in the aim of the dread-inducing High Lord, the one that rules over nightmares.

"Get the hell out," growled Tamlin, claws ripping from his knuckles in his anger.

Rhys clicked his tongue again, not bothered by the show of power. "Oh, I don't think so. Not when I need to call in my bargain with Feyre darling. You try to break the bargain, and you know what will happen," Rhys went on, chuckling a bit at the crowd still falling over themselves to get away from him. He jerked his chin toward Feyre. "I gave you three months of freedom. You could at least look happy to see me." Rhys faced Tamlin again then. "I'll be taking her now."

"Don't you dare," Tamlin snarled. Behind him, the dais was empty, Ianthe had vanished entirely along with most of those in attendance.

"Was I interrupting? I thought it was over." Rhys gave Feyre a smile dripping with venom. "At least, Feyre seemed to think so."

Tamlin snarled again, furious at the words of pure truth uttered, "Let us finish the ceremony—"

"Can't." I said, a bit too happy, motioning with my chin at the empty dais.

"Your High Priestess seems to think it's over, too." Rhys added.

Tamlin stiffened as he looked over his shoulder to find the altar empty. And he faced us again, the claws had eased halfway back into his hands. He knew that he couldn't win a fight against Rhys, and definitely not a fight where a bargain was included. "Rhysand—"

"I'm in no mood to bargain," Rhys said boredly, "even though I could work it to my advantage, I'm sure." He turned to my twin and said, "Let's go."

"Tamlin," Feyre breathed out, fear coating her tone.

The blond High Lord took a single step forward, his golden face turning sallow, he remained focused on Rhys and only him. "Name your price," he said.

"Don't bother," Rhys crooned, linking elbows with Feyre ready to take her away from there.

"Tamlin, please."

"Such dramatics," Rhysand said, tugging her closer.

But Tamlin didn't move—and those claws were wholly replaced by smooth skin. He fixed his gaze on Rhys, his lips pulling back in a snarl. "If you hurt her—"

"I know, I know," Rhysand drawled. "I'll return her in a week."

"Wait!" I shouted, "Take me with you too." I made a show of clenching my jaw and glare through narrowed eyes at the High Lord, when in reality, all I wanted to do was smirk widely and let out a sigh of relief.

I needed the stars of the Night Court.

Rhysand raised an eyebrow and nodded his head. "Such a good actress." He chuckled through the bond, slyly smirking. "As you wish." He said out loud, offering his free hand for me to grab.

Tamlin stopped me, teeth gritted, jaw clenched, "Make sure that she is safe." It almost felt like that phrase was missing a threat. When I didn't reply after a second, he sneakily passed me a knife.

"Of course I will." I said with more bite than I had anticipated. "Let's get this over with." I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth, accepting his hand.

Then familiar darkness roared and the ground fell away beneath our feet as Rhysand winnowed us through the space.

When it vanished, it left the place for the sea of stars flickering beyond to be seen. They glowed behind pillars of moonstone that framed the sweeping view of endless snowcapped mountains.

"Welcome to the Night Court." Rhys said, proudly displaying his smirk. "This is my private residence," he started to explain.

"How dare you—" Feyre started.

I rolled my eyes, hearing the mate pair fight against each other, or more so Feyre yell at Rhys, was not something that I wished to have a first row view of. Sp I walked to one of the little seating that dotted the hall, deciding to leave the two to talk alone.

My feet were killing me.

A shoe twirling in the air directly at Rhysand's head made me snap back to attention.

Maybe this was going to be funnier than I had expected— I thought as I slapped a hand on my mouth to contain the uncontrolled laugh that was begging to be left out.

Rhys whirled on his feet, a hand rising to the back of his head, eyes wide with disbelief at the girl's action. Feyre already had the other shoe in her hand.

Rhys's lip pulled back from his teeth. "I dare you."

She flung her other shoe right at his head, as swift and hard as the first one. His hand snatched up, grabbing the shoe mere inches from his face.

Rhys hissed and lowered the shoe, the silk dissolved to glittering black dust in his fist. His fingers unfurled, the last of the sparkling ashes blowing into oblivion, and he surveyed her hand, her body, her face.

"Interesting," he murmured, before dismissing his thought and turning towards me. "Maiven I need to speak with you." He then said without glancing in my direction.

Feyre snapped her head towards me, perhaps just now remembering that I was there too. "What do you want from her?" She snarled at the High Lord. I was sure if she had another shoe to spare, at that moment it would have been launched at the high lord too.

"It's okay, Feyre. Go to your room. I will be there soon, alright?" I said, rising from the seat.

My twin didn't move from her spot until I gave her a reassuring nod. Still unsure though, Feyre stalled for another second, but eventually, she turned toward the doorway Rhys had indicated, heading for the dim stairwell beyond.

It was only when Feyre had disappeared that Mor made her presence known."So, that went well." Mor commented with an amused tilt of her red coated lips.

Rhysand snarled at his cousin but didn't say anything to that.

The laugh that I had contained finally bursted out. "She threw her shoes at you." I commented through stickers as I tried to breathe between the hysterical laughs.

"Yeah, thanks for the help by the way." Rhysand snarked, eyebrows raised.

I simply rolled my eyes still having the lingering smile on my lips. "Why would I help you?"

"The dress is terrible by the way. You look horrible." Pettily Rhysand commented with a saccharine smile.

Mor let out a snicker that immediately covered with a cough as she took in the glare that I sent in her direction.

In a quick motion the hidden knife that Tamlin had so kindly given to me to 'protect' Feyre, was flying directly at Rhys.

The High Lord crouched down in time for it to fly past him and embed into the wall, just like I knew he would have done.

"That is a courtesy of the High Lord of masks and flowers" I said, matching Rhysand's previously saccharin smile. "Now I'm going to change because you are absolutely right. This dress is hideous."

I pivoted on my heels, giving a last smile ar Mor, I walked away ignoring how Rhys sweared under his breath.

Before going to my room, I decided to see Feyre first.

I reached her sister's assigned bedroom and knocked on the door waiting to be invited in. But no answer came.

"Fey, can I come in?" I asked, but still, my twin didn't answer. Thanks to the Fae hearing I knew very well that she was inside, "Feyre?" again I spoke, hoping to hear my twin's voice. My heart tightened in my chest painfully enough to make me place a hand on it trying to sooth it . "It will get better, Feyre." I whispered, "I know it will."

──── ⋅⋅•☽⟡☾•⋅⋅ ────

╰┈˚ · ° .  The familiarity of my personal room in the Moonstone palace never failed to make a sigh of relief escape my lips. It was a safe space, that much I knew.

Peeling from my skin the horrendous dress shouldn't have felt that good, but it was a weight less on my soul. I changed my clothes, switching it up from a more practical one. They were made with the design of the League's uniform in mind adding to the design some hints of the Illiryans' leathers.

Made with Illyrian steel, the knives that Cassian had gifted me for my birthday had quickly become part of my dressing routine. The craftsmanship was particularly impressive, from the design to the sharpness of the metal itself. Other than the new knives, with a wave of my hand my magic awoke. My former blades— or what remained of them— materialized on my body.

Another spark of magic and the always present jewelry appeared, becoming visible as the glamour fell away. The red crystal necklace that was the gift from Rhys, the two-moons ring from Mor that I kept safely on a chain around my neck, and finally, the sword pendant that I had received from Azriel.

I found myself walking to the roof of the Moonstone Palace. The sun was starting to set behind the snow-capped mountains, leaving the sky in red and orange hues with just a few stars to already be seen.

I sat on the ledge, my feet dangling in the emptiness as the biting wind nipped at my skin, blowing my crimson-hair behind my shoulders that showed their real color as the glamour had fallen away.

The familiar footprint of Rhysand's own magic awakened in the air, it was the only acknowledgement I had of the High lord soon appearing next to me.

"I know that I would have found you here." He said, he leaned forward, resting his elbow on the ledge where I sat.

"I've never been here at dusk. Just sometimes at dawn." I admitted, smiling with a serene peace as the sun slowly set.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes." I breathed out.

Everything here was so beautiful that sometimes I couldn't grasp the idea that any of it was real. But even the view couldn't help me from the train of thoughts that was currently eating my insides.

"She didn't want to see me." I said, "I knocked on her door and she didn't answer. I knew she was awake, she just didn't want to see me." It was the sad truth, maybe I wasn't the first person that she wanted anymore. For someone that had always been each other's first, losing that part felt like another chunk of myself was slowly fading away, "I want to help her but I don't know what to do."

"I know, Vee. I know." Rhys whispered back, words almost lost to the wind, "But Feyre will be fine. We will help her."

I nodded my head trying to believe wholeheartedly that that would be the truth.

"There is something that I want to show you." Rhysand suddenly said, moving until he was in a more upright position. "But you have to promise me that you will not utter a word about it to anyone."

"You can trust me, Rhys." I said seriously. It was clear that whatever he wanted to show me was important.

"I do." The sincerity behind those three words almost threatened to make tears appear in my eyes, "That's why if you promise, I know that you will keep it."

"I promise. I will not say a word about it." I said after swallowing the unnecessary emotions down, "What do you want to show me?" I asked jumping from the ledge and onto the moonstone-made floor.

A grin so typical of him bloomed on Rhysand's face. "You will see" He answered, extending one of his hands for me to grab.

I raised an eyebrow, challenging his grin with one of my own as I grabbed his hand.

The night and stars engulfed us both as Rhysand winnowed us away. Snow cladded the ground was where we landed on. The only things visible from my perspective were some of the mountain tops. Different from the previous view, but nevertheless, still in the Night Court. I knew we were still there.

"Where are we?" I asked with confusion.

Rhysand grin widened even more as with his arm he gestured for me to go forward.

It took only a couple of steps forward from my breath to be stopped in my lungs at the sight that awaited me.

I was sure that I was dreaming again. It wasn't possible. It wasn't supposed to be possible.

"This is-" Rhys started only to be cut off by me because I knew where we were.

"Velaris." I whispered the words out, astonishment coating my tone. "The City of Starlight."

It couldn't be real.

The night was quickly approaching, bringing with it more and more stars to fill the sky. It only made everything much more real.

My blood and magic roared in my veins as the scent of the sea arrived in my nostrils. The city that I had dreamed of was real. It was in front of me, as real as the snow I was walking on, as real as my heartbeat or the scars on my skin.

"It's real." I mumbled "How is it real?" My head snapped towards Rhysand searching for an answer only to find him with curiosity shining in his violet eyes. "I dreamt of it. Since I can remember I had dreams about Velaris." I explained to the High Lord clearing the slight confusion from him.

"I told you already that Bloodsinger's magic is connected to the Night Court, but here, their blood, your blood, runs though the city." He said eyes locking on the city below, "Velaris is protected by wards and spells that keep the city hidden and a secret. Those who trade here are unable to say anything about the city and grant them adept skills at lying in order to keep the origin of their goods, their ships, hidden from the rest of the world. The High Lord who created Velaris added the first spells, but it was his Bloodsinger who gave her life to make sure that the city would be kept a secret. To make sure that their vision would've been real."

"What vision?" I waited for the answer with bated breath.

"The Court of Dreams." Rhysand replied, his amethyst eyes filled with hope and warmth as they never left the sight from above of his city, that was wide awake at the beginning of the night. "Do you feel it?" He asked, interlacing his fingers with mine.

I didn't need any explanation for his words. I could feel it. I could feel more than my own blood.

"Yes." I replied with disbelief, squeezing his hand as a single tear traveled down my cheeks.

Rhys' turned towards me, his Eardreor, eyes glistening like stars from his with unshed tears.

He said one word. A single one. And it was enough.

"Home." 

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone!

Ngl the end made me tear up a bit.

MaiveN, I love you and you deserve the world.

To anyone, I want to make this slightly more clear. This is the first time that Maiven felt at home, like she belonged somewhere.

The lore behind the Bloodsinger is such an interesting fact, I honestly have no idea how I came up with it, but I love it and I really hope that it fascinates you guys too.

I wanted a character that wasn't only Feyre's sister or Ariel's mate. I wanted someone to have her own place in the court, to make a name for herself without anyone. To be her own person.

Rhysand and Maiven have one of my fav relationships. It's pure, sibling-like, It's so much different from anything I have ever written before. Their end is to heal one another, the bond helps with that too.

Tamlin I hate you.

Anyways, thank you for reading this chapter, I'll see you on Thursday!

˚ · ° . 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 . ° · ˚

𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾