Eblis survived years of torment in the hands of Hybern, an enemy continent disrupting the peace of Prythian and the Human Realms below it. She suffered things many wouldn't be able to handle, and lived in the shadow of it's king for five fear-filled...
Eblis stayed rooted to her spot in the shadows, hidden behind a corner of wall. Even if Azriel had found her almost instantly, she still felt safer in the darkness. She watched as Azriel left, something stirring within her gut that almost made her puke again. It wasn't that he scared her, or that he made her sick. It was just the way he looked at her. As if he saw everything she was within and hated it. Every single part. He hadn't even given her a chance before that mistrust was there. She didn't get to fight for herself, though she didn't know why it bothered now after centuries of not being able to.
She'd taken the hint from his sweeping glare earlier that he wanted her gone, and quick. So Eblis had extricated herself from the conversation, saying she wanted some more food. But the last thing she had wanted was to feed her nauseous stomach, to give it any more fuel. Cerridwen had had different ideas.
Eblis had pecked and nibbled at the food the wraith offered before racing to her old bedroom and to the bathroom beyond. Everything she'd eaten, including the delightful fish from the stall, had come up.
She shook her head, dispelling the thoughts as she watched as everyone filed out of the house. Whatever Azriel had told them hadn't changed their demeanor towards her in any way. No, they were still kind and smiled and offered pleasantries, Mor being chirpier than them when she'd finally learned the whole truth. But their eyes belied them.
Eblis could tell by the way they kept passing her sidelong glances, kept staring and watching as if she were about to burst into flames. Feyre had been all too kind, Rhys falling back into the smirk and drawl that he'd always had.
Perhaps she was imagining things. Too much time spent on her own was making her see things that weren't there. She was on edge, she decided. It was the first time in a while that she'd had any sort of companionship besides Madalyn, and so she was just unused to it.
Rhys stopped in front of her. "Cerridwen is to stay with you, make sure you're okay here. We'll try to get a room for you in the estate ready." He slipped out the door before she could say anything.
“Feyre?” Eblis snagged onto Feyre before she could exit. The female turned, pausing on the threshold. “Why did Azriel...react that way? Did something happen?” She sounded small and pitiful, she knew. But she also wanted to know if there was any chance she might fix it.
Feyre offered a kind smile. “He just returned from somewhere and he is not too happy about it. I’m sure he’ll be cooled off soon,” she assured. Eblis nodded slowly, and Feyre closed the door behind her.
She sighed, the house suddenly quiet and still. Turning in place, she studied the familiar surroundings with eyes that burned somewhat. A part of her was very nearly swallowed by the enormity of the situation—of the distrust and yet achingly fond faces. How was she to go about befriending them again?
Cerridwen appeared through a wall, smiling at her as if she hadn't just seen her run away to throw up minutes earlier. Eblis sighed, following after the wraith as she beckoned her and left her troubled thoughts behind.
She was led upstairs and down a hall, past other doors and rooms that a peek into would be like a peek into the Mother's land itself. When she entered what was to be her living quarters, she was hit with an earthly and yet floral scent, like a freshly tilled garden waiting to be planted in. The room was all soft periwinkles and lavenders, flowers set at every corner and on the nightstands next to the single-wide bed. The sheets were a calming creamy-white, almost matching the borrowed sweater she wore. One wall faced outward, and it was covered with floor-to-ceiling windows and tasteful curtains which led out to an even more flower-bedecked balcony.
Cerridwen smiled slightly. "Lady Elain is still transferring her plants to the new house. This room will be empty for your decorating soon," she assured, before she straightened and disappeared through a wall.
Eblis spared no thought for the wraith, and instead marveled at the bright and colorful room. She couldn't help the need to make it dark with rich blues and splashes of white, like the ocean during a storm. Or the black and white of a pianos' ivory keys. Maybe even just a dark room, after she was so accustomed to the pale grays and bone-whites of Hybern.
The armoire was similarly coated in potted plants, however the drawers and hangers were empty and ready for use. And the bed—
A soft groan escaped her as she plopped onto it, her back aching and relaxing into the plushness that met her. She'd slept on stone and wood and hay for so long, she couldn't remember what an actual downy bed felt like. It was like the immortal land oftenly used in prayers of the dead, a prayer she hadn't whispered in a long time. Eblis felt her eyes drift closed, and her mind wander.
The door swung open, but Eblis stayed laying down as Cerridwen entered. There was a soft, "Oh," from someone, the words warm and sweet as nectar. Eblis pushed herself up, only to see a pretty fae female, her hair the same golden brown as Feyre's yet the eyes a molten caramel color.
Eblis stood. "Sorry, I am Eblis. You must be—"
"Elain, nice to meet you." Her voice was rich and soft, refreshing almost. Yet Eblis couldn't see how this female had helped slain the king.
Elain offered a hand, smiling. "Cerridwen tried to stop me from coming up, and I can see that you are the reason. Sorry for disrupting your sleep." She retracted her hand when Eblis left it hanging, and quickly began to leave the room, the tip of her delicately pointed ears becoming a bright fuchsia with embarrassment.
"I wasn't sleeping, only thinking," Eblis quickly said. "Please stay and do whatever you were here for, Lady Elain." She used her most courteous voice, remembering how Cerridwen had referred to the female. Elain blushed even further, however, her perfect skin turning a pretty rose color.
"Elain is fine," she said, stopping on the threshold. "From what I heard, you were going to be cooped up here all day, and I find that rather unpleasant. Would you help me with my plants, instead?" Something unknown to Eblis flashed across her face, some old memory haunting her. But she nodded quickly, eager for something to do and ultimately honored to help her savior.
Elain's fair face brightened, and she motioned to the plants littering every surface of the room. "If you couldn't tell, I have a little habit of gardening, but I need to move the flowers elsewhere since this isn't my room anymore."
Cerridwen had said that she had to move the plants to the estate, if Eblis remembered correctly, but she didn't comment on it, not wanting to sound like a stalker to the fair lady. Instead, she thought of polite conversation as she gathered several hydrangeas and poppies within her arms.
"I wouldn't say it is a habit, it seems you are rather skilled to grow such beautiful flowers." Elain smiled broadly, nothing restraining the happiness that oozed out of her at the praise. Nowhere within the sweet gardener could Eblis see a killer, and she thought that perhaps everyone had been mistaken in their claim.
But she could still see the muscle in her arms from gardening, the tan cast to her skin from being out in the sun all day, the wedding band on her finger made of iron. She still remembered that this female had been forced into the life of an immortal against her will.
And she could only guess what happened for someone so kind to want to kill.
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