A Court Of Shadow and Blood

☆ Bargain for Trust ☆

“A bargain.” 

She nodded and walked to her brother, standing a hairs’ breadth away from him. The Night Court gathered at his shoulders, facing her in warning. Eblis forced casualty into herself as she waved a hand towards them, even as her heart beat wildly. This bargain would fix everything, or at least lead to it. She just hoped she wouldn’t have to give too much.

She stared into her brother’s eyes. No. She didn’t have to worry about being tricked. Not by him, or any of them. They may not trust her entirely, but they would not go back on their word.

“Rhysand?” she said. Her brother blinked, their stare severed. 

“We will help you save Hybern, but only if you pledge your loyalty to Prythian and it’s inhabitants. You will not be allowed to plan, kill, or deceive any of us. That is all I ask.” Magic laced his words, making them strong and enchanting even to her ears. 

She nodded. “Then it is agreed.” A tingling gathered right between her breasts, and she raised a brow at Rhysand before pulling the collar of her shirt down to reveal it. She’d forgotten Night Court tradition often marked bargains by inking the participants' skin. There, just visible above her undershirt, was what appeared to be a crown of thorns tilted over that of a crescent moon. A crown for Madalyn, and the moon for loyalty to the Night Court.

There was a tight sigh of relief from them all, and their angered gazes became only wary. Eblis herself released a pent up breath before smiling at her brother. 

“Now, how about some corrections on battle plans?”

***

“The Daemati council is composed of fifteen people, not ten. However,” Eblis continued at their frustrated frowns, “ten of the fifteen are entirely loyal to me. The other five are the Queen’s personal guard.” 

Cassian sighed, writing down the information on his paper. He was correcting everything they knew about the armies from her. They’d already discussed where the armies were; the attors forming a tight ring around the entire continent of Prythian, the foot soldiers in hiding among the courts by the spies placed by Eblis herself. She’d spilled all the secrets of Hybern she knew into the dim light of the living room where they’d settled. Nesta had returned to Elain to alert her as to what was happening, but the rest sat precariously forward in their seats, watching note after note after note being added or scratched out on the wide span of paper settled in the center of the room. The windows were still closed, the faelights a glaring cast of light in the otherwise dark Townhouse. 

“Why would she separate her council?” Feyre asked, continuing the conversation with a frown. “Wouldn’t that make her more vulnerable than having all of you with her?”

“Loyalty.” Eblis rested her elbow on her knee and her chin on her palm. A small amount of sweat gathered at her nape. The room had become stuffy in the heat, and the wraiths set about opening small vents in the walls that were spelled to not let any sound out. “She values loyalty above all else; she protects it better than she does her own daughter, and when it is broken, there will be hell to pay.”

Rhysand’s eyes jumped up. “Eblis, you are breaking her loyalty,” he said, almost in warning.

“Rhysand,” she echoed back, “I’ve been dealing with her for the last two centuries.” She didn’t even bother softening her tone. She realized what she was doing; what it meant. Eblis had come to terms with the price long ago. 

She stretched out her legs, fanning herself as she looked at the next sentence on the list. She blinked. “Did I say the Queen was capable of taking the magic from the whole castle?”