A Court of Dreams and Nightmares

Chapter 7

Feyre

I stiffened in my chair. Why would Rhys come for me? Something awful must have happened if he had decided to get me out before I had learned anything of use to us. I let my subconscious search the house and then the grounds, for his familiar darkness, but nothing. Why couldn't I sense him?

I sent a trickle of worry down the bond. An answering caress glided along the bond, calm, but quizzical, as if asking me why I suddenly worried for him. I took in Tamlin again, his rigid body, that familiar restrained anger, but also a glimmer of guilt and resignation.

Not Rhys, I realised. Had it been my mate, Tamlin would have been furious. He would have fought, tooth and nail. But who... my mind blanked. The king. The king was here, or would be soon. I gulped down air, scrambling to gather myself. Tamlin stretched his hand towards me, and heaved me from the chair.

"The king" I whispered, not able to hide the tang of true fear that ran through me. Tamlin nodded, and before I could react, he grabbed a hold of my chin and placed a light kiss on my lips.
 "I will protect you." He murmured as he pulled away and looked at me. I had to restrain myself as the need to slap him hit me. He was the one who had gotten us into this mess. He was a damned fool if he believed he could do anything to protect me from the king. Silently, Tamlin led me to my rooms and once he had closed the door behind us, I looked at him, expectantly.

"Feyre, we need to talk before he arrives and we only have a few minutes." He took my hand, stroking it with his callused thumb. "I love you so much." His voice became thick with emotion "and I would do... have done everything to get you back – to save you from Rhysand and his cronies. I had no choice; you have to know that, Feyre. The letter he made you write convinced me that you were completely under his control and I couldn't get you out."
 I almost let out a hiss at his words. The disgust that coated his words when talking about Rhysand and the sheer arrogance of him not considering my feelings at all was enough to ignite my temper.
He continued, "I made a choice, to aid the king. I promised him access to my lands, to use them as a base." I nodded slowly, the king had said as much at Hybern. Tamlin's eyes filled with pain and regret "and I promised him your services, Feyre." I stiffened, giving him an incredulous look, and he hurried on, "he is intrigued by your powers and wants your help to convince the remaining high lords to support him in tearing down the wall. I know it's not... Its's not what you want. What we want, but..." I stared at him, trying to understand his reasoning, but failed miserably. He had sold me to the king. And in doing so, had also agreed to help in removing the wall. Bastard! The power within me surged, ready to strike and I had to tuck hard to reign it in.

"There is... more." His eyes flickered from my face to the room we stood in, my room, "but that will have to wait. He is almost here. Please, just let me handle it and don't speak to him, unless he speaks to you." An order. I was to play the docile female, still broken from her trials this past year.
I nearly bared my teeth at him – at the world, but didn't. I had a role to play, I reminded myself. I was in love with him, and grateful for being freed from the night court, from Rhys. But I had also lost my sisters because of the king and him.
 I grasped his cheek in a steely grip, and forced myself to stroke a finger down his hard jawline. "We will get through this. And we will talk. Later." If I were to meet the king, my façade had to be perfect. He had to believe that I was truly freed from Rhys and that I posed no direct threat to his plans.

He caught my hand and kissed the palm. "Feyre." He murmured his voice husky. I ground my teeth at his obvious desire and flashbacks from this morning threatened to drown me. I would deal with that later too.
 I gave him a small smile, before taking a step away from him, towards my dressing room. "I need to freshen up. Two minutes." I said, retreating into the cool silence of the adjoining room