𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ! [ rhysand ]

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢. upwards and onwards !

𝐂 𝐎 𝐒 𝐌 𝐈 𝐂   𝐋 𝐎 𝐕 𝐄   !

𝙲 𝙷 𝙰 𝙿 𝚃 𝙴 𝚁   𝚃 𝚆 𝙴 𝙽 𝚃 𝚈   𝚃 𝚆 𝙾   !

( 𝔲𝔭𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔫𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔰 ! )

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

          𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐑𝐇𝐘𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐊, 𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐘. The door was hanging open, swaying softly in the cool wind that often snuck into the mountain. He checked for any signs of struggle, wondering if the guards had snatched her for some reason, but he found nothing.

Ana darling, he spoke, where are you? Your cell is empty. Are you okay?

He waited a moment. Then another. And another. No response.

Ana? he tried again. Ana? No response. Anastasia?

Worry turned to panic. Rhys spun on his heel and marched out of the dungeons, intent on searching all of the mountain until he found her. It was unlike Ana to ignore him, even when she was stressed or exhausted. She always responded with something. But getting complete silence from her end was something that never happened, and it had Rhys's heart beating out of his chest in panic. 

He made it through the entire dungeon before a guard stopped him. "Her Majesty requests your attendance of the last task."

Rhys had to bite down a retort. Instead, he steeled his expression, replacing the panic with his usual High Lord of the Night Court facade. "Of course."

He followed the guard to the throne room, which was full of anxious High Fae and curious faeries. Amarantha was seated in her self-proclaimed throne, dressed in bloodred. Her preferred color. The wicked queen gave him a serpentine smile. It made a chill run down his back. She knew something.

"And where is our halfling?" she crooned, eyes glimmering in the torchlight.

Rhys gave a casual shrug. "No clue. Her cell was empty. Either she escaped or was killed. I say good riddance."

Amarantha cackled. "Oh, yes. Either option is possible. Well then, shame she won't be here to see the fall of her friend."

"Yes, shame." Rhys took his usual spot within the crowd, his mind reeling. What had Amarantha done with his mate?

He had no time to wonder as the doors were flung open, the room falling into a heavy silence. Feyre was escorted into the room by guards, dressed in her old tunic and pants. Her eyes scanned the faces of the faeries, bracing for their jeers but receiving nothing. Rhys knew why. The world was resting on this mortal's shoulders, and everyone was unsure how to feel about that. Rhys himself was unsure how to feel. While Ana had been confident, Rhys didn't know Feyre as well. For all he knew, she could give up now when faced with something truly horrid.