A Court of Love and Healing {ACOTAR}

Head, Heart, Hand

Feyre gasps in horror and everyone else gapes. Elain flashes her teeth at Rhys, who simply blinks and rubs his face, loosing a sigh. Then his lips twitch with the makings of a grin.

"Elain, you're really coming into your gumption, aren't you? What have I done this time? Oh, wait, is it something I said to the fireling? Are we playing the protective mate now?"

Feyre storms over and Elain puts a hand up to her face. "You don't say a word. This is about you too. For you. So sit down and listen, little sister", she seethes.

She is speechless as she does as she's told, not wanting to test the tone in Elain's voice. She has never once seen her like this. Never once truly saw her angry.

Turning back to Rhys, she glares at him, a feral gleam in them. "YOU. You...have you ever told any of them what you did to my sister? Do they know, Rhys? Do they!?"

His face goes a ghastly white and suddenly he's stuttering on his words. "Wh-What? What is this—I..."

"So they don't know, then. Want me to tell them your dirty, disgusting little secrets, or shall I? Why my sister didn't tell them who you are is beyond my understanding, because if I had a mate as vile and as horrid as you, I would not still protect him, especially if it was me he had hurt, humiliated, and degraded for months on end."

"Elain! Stop this. It's not...it's long done with. I've forgiven him", Feyre interrupts, getting to her feet again.

"Oh no. It's not done, Feyre. And the fact that you don't see how fucking blind you have been astounds me. The same sister who took no shit from Tamlin, letting her mate do worse. Astounding. Mind-blowing. Groundbreaking."

"Don't you dare compare h—"

"Stop it!", Elain shouts at her, gently grabbing her forearms. "Stop it, stop it, stop it! There was no and is no excuse, Feyre! He was the only one with any power, and he chose to use it to hurt you instead of help you."

Feyre's eyes fill with tears and she chokes up. "He did help me."

"In ways that helped himself too. And never past that."

"Elain. It's done."

"Is it? What else has he done since you've been here?"

Nesta's eyebrows are up and she is gaping, a proud look of vindication on her face. "Tell us, Elain. Tell us Rhys's dirty secrets. He certainly had no qualms about airing out my personal business. I think it's time we all know that Mr. High Lord is not the perfect male our dear sis wants us to think he is. I'd like a reason to slap him too. Gods know I deserve it."

Cassian clenches his jaw and slips his fingers between Nesta's in an act of solidarity. Rhys swallows hard as he notes it.

Azriel's shadows swirl around and he looks disappointed as he wraps an arm around Gwyn, who looks nervously between all of them. "Rhys...what did you do? Does this have to do with all those outbursts when you first got back from Under the Mountain?

Feyre looks at her mate a helpless look of sadness on her face. Rhys goes over and takes her tattooed hand, kissing it.

"I made many, many terrible mistakes Under the Mountain. Feyre has forgiven me. She knew that I had to—"

Elain scoffs and shakes her head, her anger reaching the tipping point. "You asshole. You can't just admit you were a disgusting pig! 'mistakes'? 'had to'? Those are excuses because there is no reason, Rhysand. None! You had the power to choose other ways and you didn't! If you aren't going to tell them, I'll show them."

"Like Lucien showed you?", he growls, stalking towards her. Elain pushes his chest hard, and he staggers back just slightly.

"You won't touch him. That is your warning. I am very much a protective mate. But you would have no idea what real protection of a mate is if it fucking hit you right in the face. You're proving that clear as day right now. I will not be intimidated by you like the rest of your so-called family that you clearly keep in the dark and lie to constantly. I don't care if you try to secretly break me the way you did to Feyre, and to Nesta. I will not be broken like you, because I will not be forced to worship you. You would have to steal my mind to make me. And you've done that enough to Feyre."