Eris Vanserra Fanfiction-A Land Of Lavender And Thistle-Book One

CHAPTER V

Eris

Fixing my crimson waistcoat, I plastered on a cynic smile and winnowed.

The regular meeting room in which we would gather didn't change an inch since the last time I was here. Which was two weeks ago. Still, I had to admit, if only to myself, that this privacy was better than the attention of the entire court of the Hewn City.

The typical band was already on their seats, their eyes steady on me as I placed my hands in my pockets.

"Congratulations. I hear you gave birth to a son." I said, looking at Rhysand and Feyre who wore their typical Hewn attire.

The wintry light from the chandeliers high above glinted over their crowns. Feyre was being her usual self, staring at me like she would rather be eaten alive than sit in my presence. Rhysand carried his normal mask of arrogance and pride as his mouth curved into a malicious smile.

Not waiting for permission, I sat myself down in the chair farthest from Cassian, Azriel and, the apparently newest member of the Night Court, Nesta Archeron. The Made female watched me with calculative stillness I appreciated and returned gladly.

I had to admit, there was still something tempting in the coldness of her eyes, the strict posture of her slim body. Although, her refusal had been amusing and frustrating all the same.

I glanced between the Illyrian General and the Queen of Death, perched at each other's sides. I escaped the merciless eyes of the shadowsinger, pushing away the memory from the first meeting of the High Lords, and looking back to Rhysand.

The quietness expanding over the room was starting to itch me, and I was almost thankful when Feyre spoke. "You aren't here to look around, Eris. We wanted to discuss the matter of the bodies found in the Autumn Court."

"Our source claims that your people whisper about strange sightings in the woods." Rhysand dropped in.

I beamed. "I am delighted you mentioned it. Because, correct me if I'm wrong, aren't the reeking and dark things famous for inhabiting these areas?"

Nesta's attention was almost palpable in the air, so I met her eyes, now empty of her flames. "You mean like monstrous and selfish males who are famous for inhabiting your areas?" she said sweetly.

"You humour me, Nesta Archeron."

"This," Rhysand said pointedly, lounging in his chair at one end of the table, "involves not just the Autumn Court. The Night and the Summer Court subjects are coming across more and more mutilated corpses."

"Could it be another piece of Koschei's game?" Cassian suggested and I restrained from tensing at the name.

"Whatever it is, it likes timberlands and areas less populated. At least that's what appears to be the case." Feyre stated.

It has been four days since those first two males were found in the woods. In just such a small amount of time, my court got nearly a dozen reports from various areas around the Autumn Court about people seeing things, shadowy apparitions and sensing a wicked force in the woods.

Now that the thing I felt that day in the grove was spreading its talons across Prythian, this was no longer just my problem. Not to forget it made the discovery of who was behind it even harder.

"Did your source tell you if anyone managed to kill anything of this kind?" I asked, leaning back in the chair and lazily shifting my gaze between the High Lord and the High Lady at each end of the table.

"Not yet." Feyre replied, her voice toneless. Her eyes told a different story, though.

For some reason, Cassian's words from less than two weeks ago replayed in my head. I grew up surrounded by monsters. I've spent my existence fighting them. And I see you, Eris. You're not one of them. Not even close. I think you might even be a good male. You're just too much of a coward to act like one.

I didn't want to hear them. I didn't need to hear them. I didn't want to remember them.

I hated the bastard all the more for those words.

"Is this all?" I drawled and stretched my legs beneath the table. "I came all the way here just to hear what I already know?"

"You mean to tell me the matter of this thing spreading was familiar to you?" Rhysand probed.

I met the High Lord's star-kissed violet eyes and grinned, matching his arrogance. "Just because my spies don't play in the shadows doesn't mean I don't have any to begin with." Glancing at the five of them, I braced my hands on the sides of the chair. "Well, if this is all-"

I immediately paused in my department, plopping back down when a babe appeared in my lap. Wide-eyed, I watched the pretty child od black hair, delicate wings and a tanned, chubby face as it surveyed me with its twinkling eyes. I smiled softly, and, to my surprise, the baby boy grinned back.

Feyre stood up and began to saunter toward me, everyone else watching perplexed as the boy clapped his hands and giggled. When she was just steps away, I took him under his little arms and lifted him off my lap.

"Yours, I presume?" I said, handing her the child who kept gazing at me. I smiled a moment longer at the boy, then faced Rhysand with a slight frown. "He looks like you."

Rhysand stared at his son for a few seconds, pride and wonder stark in his eyes before they flitted over to me. All the warmth vanished and strictness darkened his gaze. It was nothing I didn't expect.

Yet, his voice contained a portion of amusement I wasn't quite familiar with when he said, "I am not certain if I should feel offended or flattered, Eris."

I rolled my eyes and rose from my seat. Skewing the child a look, now in his mother's lap and soundless, I casted him a small smile before winnowing away.

Fixing my crimson waistcoat, I dropped my smile and sighed into the wicked silence of my quarters.