Throne of Glass and ACOTAR Crossover (complete)

Chapter 18 - Feyre

Feyre again. Sorry Aelin lovers, she will return in the next chapter!

The room is silent when I return. Everybody is still there, minus Aelin, but nobody is speaking. I'm glad. The silence buys me a little time to breath before I have to interact again. My father's words are still ringing in my ears, "You will burn my daughter, and I will light the match." Even when I hated my father, resented him, even after he abandoned me, I always knew that when push came to shove he would be on my side. But now, now he's broken, utterly destroyed. 

I don't notice that I'm shaking until Rhys catches my eye. He doesn't say anything, out loud or through our bond, but concern is evident in his eyes. I take a deep breath, then nod to let him know that I'm alright. I don't think he fully believes me, I don't fully believe me, but he drops it. I'm grateful. I'll fill him in later, but not right now, not in front of all these people. 

The room once again descends into silence. I can tell that Graysen wants to say something, but for now he's holding his tongue. It isn't until Mor yawns that I realize that between my escape, the court of nightmare, and the mortals, none of us has slept for days. This is the first quiet moment that we've had, and I think all of us are starting to feel the effects. I stand up. "I am going to bed" I announce. 

There are sighs of relief around the room. It's as if my statement has broken a spell that was holding everybody here. Everyone but Graysen gets up and begins to move around, preparing to depart to wherever it is that they are going to spend the night. The boy, however, is still sitting in exactly the same place he was, looking around at us with huge, terrified eyes. I sigh internally. Something will have to be done with him, it isn't like he can just sit there all night!

"Graysen," I say, resigned to finding him somewhere to stay before going to bed, but before I can continue, a small voice interrupts me from the doorway. 

"It's okay Feyre, I'll show him somewhere he can stay" Elain says "And I'll fill him in on the basics, but you'll have to tell him the parts I don't know tomorrow."

I stare at my sister for a moment, along with everybody else. The flurry of motion from moments before stopped as soon as my sister opened her mouth. Graysen's eyes, when they fix on Elain, are wide and a little bit frightened, but he doesn't protest. 

"Elain," Nesta breaths her voice full of sympathy, but Elain shakes her head. 

"It's all right Nesta. I'm alright." Then she fixes her eyes on Graysen. "You coming?" Then she walks out the door.

After a moment confused hesitation Graysen follows her. I cast Nesta a look. She's biting her lip, the most uncertain, the most human I've seen her look for as long as I can remember. Of course as soon as she notices my eyes on her she schools her expression into one of cold indifference. I sigh and turn away. Had it been another day, any other day, I might have stayed, tried to comfort her, but not tonight. Right now, I need sleep, and I need to speak with my mate alone.

I walk silently out of the room, Rhys beside me. 

Once we reach his, our, room I slump against the wall. Everything that has happened over the last few days, the weight of it all, seems to hit me all at once. It's all I can do to remain on my feet. 

I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up into Rhys' face. His violet eyes are staring straight into mine, and that's all I need to know that he understands, that he feels the same weight. Without thinking I reach up and brush my lips against his. He kisses me back for a moment, then pulls away. I sigh and let him. There are things that need to be dealt with.

"When I took my father back" I begin, at the same moment when he says "We need to talk about Aelin,"

We both laugh a softly, exhaustion leaving us without enough energy to do more. With a smile on his lips Rhys bows and gestures for me to go first. I take a deep breath and say, "My father, when I took him home just now, he said some things ... I don't think that we've seen the last of him Rhys. And you know how it is on the other side of the wall, if he wanted to build an army he wouldn't find it difficult to find enough people who hate us. I don't want to be fighting Hybern and the mortals. We need them on our side. I think it's time that we reach out, try to at least make it so that they know our side of the story."

Rhys nods thoughtfully. "You're probably right." he says, "We know we don't have the support of the queens, but we should try to think of ways that we could let the people know what we, what they, are up against."

"Perhaps," I say softly "It's time that your emissary to the human realms started doing her job?"

 I hear Rhys' sharp inhale, and I know what's going through his head. I just got back, we just get each other back. But he knows that I'm right, that the only way to avoid a second war is to placate the humans, to make sure they know the whole truth. He shakes his head, "Let's discuss it with the others in the morning" he says. 

I nod my agreement. This is not a decision that we can make alone, and it is not one that I want to make alone. 

Rhys sighs. "Now for the last order of business before we can sleep." His voice on the last word is filled with longing. "Aelin, or Celaena, or whatever."

I bite my lip. I knew this discussion was coming. "We need to figure out what to do with her." Rhys insists. 

I laugh a little, "I get the feeling, Rhys, that we don't do anything with her - she does what she wants with herself." I shake my head a little "She's a damn force of nature."

Rhys is grinning with me now. "You're right," he says "But she can't just run around the city, forces of nature tend to leave destruction in their wake and that's one thing we don't need right now."

I think for a minute, then say "Ask her for her help. She said she was a queen where she comes from, maybe she knows how to fight a war. I think, I think that we can trust her. Amren seems to at least."

Rhys shakes his head a little, "That is one thing that will take some getting used to. Amren knows her. And seems to know her well judging from the little scene back there. I wonder who Elide is, or was I suppose."

"I don't know," I say "and there is no possible scenario where I would dare ask Amren."

At that Rhys laughs, the first true, heartfelt laugh I've heard from him since returning, with no trace of exhaustion or cruelty or anger behind it. It is the most glorious sound I've ever heard. 

With our conversations done we both change and climb into bed. I pull the blanket over the two of us and feel his hand fall to rest on my arm. And at that moment, that exact moment, a few tears fall down my cheeks. 

Because now, here, lying beside my mate, I am finally home.  

Hello all!

As always I hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to vote and comment below.

Now, one little thing, exams are coming up (cue freak out) so I may not be able to update quite as frequently. I will try my best, and I will be back to regular update at the least by February. I'm sorry!!!!