A Dark Heart - Rhysand's Sister Fanfic AU

N I N E

feel the moment

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"Nothing is so painful to the human 

mind as a great and sudden change."

―Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein, 1817

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+cassian

"Do you have the markings?" Amren asked Eralyn as if it were completely normal that she was alive. I inwardly scoffed.

While I was out, one of the things I wondered was how Amren knew about our sister all this time but did not say anything. Albeit Eralyn probably told her not to, but still, it was our right as her brothers to know. I don't what I would have done if I had found out about Eralyn's existence earlier, but I'm sure as hell clueless right now.

I thought about what Eralyn might be feeling. This entire time she hasn't looked at us, really looked at us, once, refusing to let us see what dwells inside her eyes, but I know what that means. I've repeatedly seen Nesta do it. Eralyn is trying to hide what she really feels because she feels like if she does, it'll give false hope. It took me a while to figure that out about Nesta, but when I finally did, it made so much more sense to me about her moods and habits. She didn't want to give herself hope that this new life for her and sisters would work out and that she'd receive the happy ending she deserved.

Eralyn's voice brought me back to the present. "Yes, I do. Give me a moment." She walked toward the front door of her townhouse and drew a small, elegant blade as she did so. Previously seeing Amren open a portal, I knew this process required fresh blood and didn't worry as much as I should have. When she exited, both Az and I looked to each other before we looked to Amren. We trapped her with our eyes and stances and with the murderous look on her face, I knew she knew we did.

Az was first. "So, when did you make the executive decision on your own to keep this a secret?"

Amren's nostrils flared but she made no move to attack and humored us for a moment. "Eralyn asked me not to say a word."

Az tensed. "Rhysand is your High Lord and he appointed you his Second because he trusts you. We are a family, we do not hide things as big as this from each other." He swallowed and looked away as his eyes glazed over. "I understand the concept of personal space, but not about this." He shook his head and looked down.

Amren was burning then, her eyes fiercely ablaze. "Are you done?" she said, her tone brutal. I knew Az was not going to answer, but Amren did not even give him a chance if he decided to. "How dare you say Rhysand is High Lord and use that to show his superiority over me?! I am not a child that needs to be put in place! And you think of Rhysand's word higher than that of his sister's? Does her word mean nothing to you? She asked me to do her a favor, and because she is my High Lord's sister, I obeyed her. I don't give a horse's shit about what you think about my decision." She turned away and faced the large bay windows that overlooked the twinkling city. It was definitely much bigger than Velaris.

The conversation paused and Eralyn beckoned us from outside. I have no idea if she heard what had been said, but it didn't matter. We needed to have this conversation with her at some point, but perhaps that would be when we saw Velaris again. When Rhysand would be present.

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+eralyn

It was around the warmer time of the year in Terrasen, but as soon as Amren asked me for the marks, my blood froze in my body and I felt the hair on my arms stick up like needles in cushions.