A Court of Death || ACOTAR

82

Rhys and Astryn talked for a long few hours. Rhys wasn't the least bit surprised when he returned to the area designated for the Night Court and found Azriel awake and waiting.

"I wasn't sure if you would still be here or if I would return and find that you had snuck away to kill Beron Vanserra," Rhys commented, because the thought truly had crossed his mind earlier.

"I considered it," Azriel replied dryly, "I didn't think Astryn would appreciate the sentiment."

Rhys snorted and rolled his eyes before he said, "I don't think she would either. The only person she truly wants dead is the King of Hybern."

"I'm terrified," Azriel confessed, staring off into space, "of her in battle. Of her near enough to him for her to kill him. I know she's capable, that she has more power than any of us. But I'm terrified."

"So am I," Rhys agreed, "for her and for Feyre. For all of us, really, but with them...they've never lived this before. Feyre has been training with Cassian at least but Astryn...I'm worried about her on a battlefield. She did well in Adriata but still."

"And we can't ask her not to fight. We can't ask her to stay home."

"We can't. And even if we did, she wouldn't listen. You and Cassian both asked her to do that when Adriata was under siege and she just showed up alone anyway. I'm certain she still likes Cassian better than the rest of us, so if he couldn't convince her to stay home, we certainly couldn't."

Azriel nodded and it was quiet for a few moments before he finally spoke again, "I think things are improving, but I'm not entirely sure where she and I stand."

"If it's any consolation, I don't think she's sure yet either," Rhys reasoned, and Azriel shrugged. "Get some sleep. It will most certainly be another long day tomorrow."

Azriel nodded, but he no move to get up and go to bed. Rhys left him on his own, knowing there was nothing more for either of them to say.

Back in her chambers, Astryn could not rest either. She busied herself with exploring the entirety of the space she had been given. It was massive, on par with what each of the High Lords and their entourages had been provided with. A handful of bedrooms, a sitting area, some bathing rooms, and a small kitchen.

She finally returned to the room she had selected for the night and froze at the sight of someone standing, looking out the window. Even just looking at his back, she knew who it was.

The King of Hybern stood in her bedroom. He turned and faced her, offering up a broad smile. It took her only a few moments to calm down just the slightest bit as she realized something.

"This isn't real," she murmured, "you're not really here." The King tipped his head in confirmation.

"You realized that far more quickly than your brother did when I spoke to him in Adriata," the King told her, and then seemed to read something on her face, "ah, I suppose I can't be too surprised he didn't tell you. He never did respect you, did he? Not enough to be honest."

"He didn't get much of a chance to tell me," she didn't fall for the attempt at causing a divide, "if you're aiming to shake my confidence in the Night Court, you'll be sorely disappointed."

"I find that I'm already disappointed. Not in you, of course, but in myself, really," he admitted, looking her up and down, "I underestimated you, Astryn. I got far too taken with wanting you in my bed, that I forgot about what other purposes you could serve. When I was told about the way you wiped out my legions...when that power of death showed itself in you, all I could think of was how I could have had you on my side if I had played my cards better. I acted too fast, trying to torture you into compliance. I should have tried more civil ways of winning you over. It's not as though you had any loyalty to your mate by the time you showed up on my shores. I could have charmed you onto my side."

"That would require you to have any ounce of charm," she retorted, "you're lacking in that."

"Oh, how you wound me," he crooned, "pretty females and their cruel words. Some things never change. Next time I get you, I won't settle for half a surrender. I won't settle for your body and not your mind. Next time, I won't have to chain you to my bed because you'll believe you want to be there."

"There will be no next time," she snapped, her entire body trembling with rage, "you will never touch me again."

"Do you know what I told your brother? When I win this war, I'm going to take you again, and I'm going to take his mate too. Maybe even her sisters. I might return pretty Feyre to Tamlin when I get bored with her. And I doubt I'll be interested in her sisters for too long, but you? After those decades you spent denying me...you, I'll keep forever. Marry you, put a crown on your head. A little ornamental queen to bring some beauty to the realm I'll rule over. You sit at my side and you will give me heirs and you will watch as I rule over this realm and kill anyone who tries to defy me."

"I would sooner die," she hissed, and he smiled.

"Would you? Even if I had leverage? Perhaps I'd let your mate live, or even your friend Cassian," he mused, "you could withstand the torture yourself, but if I made you watch them suffer? I think you would give me anything I wanted. I think you would beg me to let my daemati reshape your mind into something I can control. You wouldn't just sit back and let me torture your mate or Cassian. You'd surrender for either of them, so I will make sure at least one of them survives this war, and then I'll take them when I take you, and what happens then is up to you. I can grant them a quick, merciful death, or there can be torture. But I will not lose. I will not spend decades being denied again."

"I'm going to kill you. I'm going to find you and kill you. You will not live to rule anything."

"It's cute, Astryn, that you truly seem to believe you have a chance."