A Court of Bastards [ACOTAR]

Chapter 37

~ ERIS POV ~

The Forest House was quiet that late afternoon. Though the sun shone stronger than the Autumn court was accustomed to, the toweringly tall windows along the drawing room let in little of its light. Perhaps it was the heavy emerald drapes hung at their sides - or perhaps it was simply that the house held too much darkness within to be dispelled by the weak autumnal sun. 

The endless snaking corridors both above ground and beneath were still and silent but for the groaning of the Old Oak in the Hall. Someone must have left the patio doors open, Eris thought dismally, setting down the book he had been perusing. The oak only made that awful moaning noise when a breeze picked up against the bough.

"Doran." Eris gestured to the manservant hovering over his shoulder. "Would you go and close the patio doors?"

"Right away, my Lord."

He was half-way across the drawing room before Eris called him to a halt, rising suddenly from his chair. The other servants froze instinctively as their High Lord fell silent, feeling for something beyond the confines of his home that the others could not sense, listening for whispers on the wind.

Eris lowered slowly to his seat, returning to the book he had been reading with stiff shoulders. "Out." His command was quiet, almost muttered. "Everyone out."

The servants scuttled off into the shadows and then he was alone, with nothing but his racing thoughts to keep him company. Eris was well practiced at steadying his heartbeat, masking his scent - all the things that a fae could pick use to detect weakness, to spot fear. But his mind was all his own, and inside it he was pacing.

What in Prythian could have possibly drawn him back here, when Eris had refused him so firmly? Did he know about the meeting with Rhysand? Did he know...did he know?

He didn't have much longer to ponder, and set his eyes fixedly on the page in front of him as he felt that ominous presence enter the House, prickling at the back of his neck. It came pulsing up the stairs, along the corridor and then - 

Eris held his breath.

- only it didn't enter. There was no knock at the door, no sudden, dramatic entry. The intruder breezed right past the drawing room, heading down the corridor towards...where was he going?

Now more irritable than anxious, Eris rose from his seat and discarded his prop, striding through the doors and out into the hallway. Just as he'd suspected, that blonde head of hair was bobbing its way past the library, walking calmly through his home without a care in the world. The impudence made his blood boil.

"Keir!" Eris' call was like thunder, the fury of a High Lord affronted and ignored. He caught the steward flinching ever-so-slightly, and the sight of it calmed his anger a little. 

Keir turned his head, already wearing that slimy smile as he retraced his steps back toward Eris, arms spread wide in preparation of a bow. "My Lord," he ducked his greasy head, golden locks swaying as he came to a halt. "Always a pleasure to see you again."

"In my own house?" Eris tipped his chin, trying to hide behind his straight back and sneer. "I suppose I should give you more credit - I didn't think you would be bold enough to return. You must know you're being watched." A sharp smile exposed his teeth, glinting in the sunlight. "I hear Rhysand wants his lapdog back where it belongs."

Keir's nostrils flared at the insult, though that wretched smile remained glued to his pallid face.

"Good," he hummed, playing with the sound. "If my Lord is looking for me then he must be afraid. I'd like for Rhysand to be afraid, for once." He must have seen the look of bewilderment flash across Eris' countenance, because Keir added quickly, "Have you reconsidered my offer?"