A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 12

I had no clue who these red haired women were but Azriel and Cassian seemed to, gods know how. 

I look to the women next to the one who called herself Amarantha--who I assume is her sister by their similar looks. She looks to me, eyes wide and she does not seem scared nor hateful--like her sister seems to be. I focus on her mind and quickly enter, I am there for a moment and when I feel nothing bad I quickly return to my own.

"It has been awhile, boys." Amarantha says with a terrifying smile, and then she turns her head towards me and stands from her chair and stalks over to me. Azriel tenses as she runs a finger down my face and takes my hair and places it behind my shoulders.

"What a beauty the High Lord has created, she would make a lovely bride for my King. Don't you think, Clythia?" She purrs, and my eyes widen. I look to her sister who is just staring quietly at the ground. 

"Stop spilling your bullshit, Amarantha, why are you here?" Cassian demands and she turns to face him but does not leave my side.

"I am not lying. Her father and my king are speaking right now. They sent me to come get her." She nods to me. My heart drops—if my father has an audience with the King of Hybern--

I imagine the palace again, Rhysand would be in the throne room with my father--I find his mind and tap on his shield. He drops it.

Rhys--

She is not lying, father sent her to retrieve you. I will not allow him to marry you to the King of Hybern, it was only mentioned once--

I close my shields and I know Rhys is going to be pissed at that, but I did not want to hear anymore, "She is telling the truth."

Cassian and Azriel both look at me, most likely assuming I went into her mind, not knowing it seemed so horrible that I did not even want to enter. She raises her eyebrows at me and smiles.

"Now she is a smart girl, and even more beautiful than her brother." Amarantha says and looks behind us at the man who was outside.

" He can winnow all of us--" Before Amarantha can finish, I grab both Cassian and Azriel's hands and winnow us into the palace, outside of the throne room--not in. I quickly use my powers to change my outfit into a deep red gown and a golden diadem. I also use my powers to change Cass and Az's into their full Illyrian armor, with all their siphons adorned on the two of them. They look at themselves, then at each other, then at me with raised eyebrows.

"It is the King of Hybern, we could potentially convince him not to go to war--"

"V, he will never willingly allow the humans to go free. He is just here to convince your father to join his side, not to negotiate surrendering the humans." Cass places a hand on my shoulder, and I shrug it off at his words. They both go to enter the throne room, but I place my hands out to stop them. I take a deep breath and close my eyes as I feel the minds of who are in the throne room--I feel my brother, mother, and fathers mind. Along with the familiar minds of the two Fae who were just at the camp with us. They must have winnowed into the throne room, thinking we winnowed to somewhere else. Two young fae are also in there.

Then I feel his mind, I did not think anyone's mind could be more cold and despicable than Amarantha's mind, but the mind of the King of Hybern is worse than I could have ever imagined. I reach out to touch his shield and yank back when I hear actual screams coming from the other side, something reaches back out for me, but I slam back into my body.

I stumble back and catch my breath as I adjust to what just happened, Az places a hand behind me so I do not fall back, and my eyes widen.

"What just happened?" Cass asks.

"Please do not tell me you went into the King of Hybern's mind." Az says quietly, and Cass looks at me with wide eyes.

"I did not need to." Is all I say before I open the throne room doors and walk in with my head held high. I know Az and Cass walk in sync next to each other, and I almost want to enter someone else's mind just to see how we all look together. I do not even acknowledge the King or Amarantha, I look to my father and bow low as Az and Cass follow my lead.

"Thank you for retrieving me, father. I apologize deeply and have learned my lesson." I say, still bowing. He just waves his hand in dismissal, and I step to the side to stand next to Rhys who gives me a knowing smile. I look to the King of Hybern--

He is already staring at me, with a terrifying grin on his face. A shiver goes down my back as he looks back to my father and they begin speaking again. A male and female who look a bit older than Rhys look quietly at the ground, I assume they are twins by their looks. 

"As I was saying, I know you do not have humans to use as your own. I do believe it to be in your best interest to not allow them to be free in Prythian. Would you want those filthy creatures running around free in your court?" The King asks.

I bite back my remark, and clench and unclench my fists at my side. The younger red head sister, Clythia, notices the motion and quickly looks away.

"As I have made myself clear with my letters, I could care less what happens to the humans. This war is hardly going to effect me or my court in anyway." My father actually speaks down to the King of Hybern, "So what do you have to offer that the High Lords of Prythian do not?"

I go utterly still, and am not even sure I am breathing as I wait for the King of Hybern's response. My father surely cannot be considering allying with him. I look to Rhys but he has no emotions written on his face and he does not even look to me.

"Not all the High Lords are fighting for the humans, the Spring Court has already made their choice and will be fighting alongside me." The King snickers, and now it is Rhysand's turn to go utterly still. I take his hand in mine and squeeze it. I know he is close to one of the High Lord's sons and will not wish to go against him on the battlefield.

"I will think about your offer. For now, as a token of good faith, I can offer you something better than humans to use as slaves--" I think my heart stops in my chest, my father motions for the guards to open the throne room doors. About twenty Illyrian women and girls walk in, looking curiously around the throne room, some of them even seem to be excited to be out of the camps. My father grins at the King.

"Will they not just fly away?" The King asks, with eyebrows raised.

"Their wings are already clipped for you," My father says, "They are also very useful to fulfil your other--needs."

I look to my mother, and she just is staring wide eyed at the females.

I cant.

I cannot just sit back and allow these women to be sold as slaves, our own people.

I take a step, and everyone turns to me, I open my mouth--

"Rhysand, take her and go." My mother orders.

"No--"

I feel Rhys's arms wrap around me and we are suddenly in my room.