A whole new world (ToG/ACOTAR crossover)

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: The incredible art displayed above was not created by me, and all credit goes to Charlie Bowater (the artist who made it). 

Feyre

Cassian paced back and forth in the elegant foyer, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. His boots were tracking mud all over the carpet near the entryway, but I barely noticed, too deep in thought. It had already been several hours since that...burst of foreboding power, and yet the city of Velaris, specifically the River House, had not completely calmed down. The first thirty minutes following it had been upheaval, with panicked citizens emerging from their homes, a select few baring makeshift weapons and a snarl. Me and Elain had been startled awake as well, hastily soothing a wailing Xhaiden and hurrying out into the streets to join them. Rhys had winnowed in, giving me a concerned once-over and planting a quick kiss on my cheek before disappearing again, likely to placate the people he could. A couple of seconds later, he'd speared a thought down the bond, nothing more than a brief message, leader-to-leader.

Az is on it. Looking for source.

It hadn't been much reassurance, but I'd sent a nod of affirmation back and told Elain to watch Xhaiden. Then I'd spent the next few hours winnowing along Velaris, checking in with everyone Rhys had missed.

Azriel had yet to locate any sort of cause of the blast – in fact, Rhys had sent a message saying the two were completely perplexed. All traces of the power had vanished, as if it had never been there. Each court had reported the emanation coming in from a different direction; Winter had felt it from the south, Dawn had sworn that it swooped in from the east, Autumn was cursing and saying it was most likely the devils in the north who had sent it (namely, them), and Day and Summer both agreed the source was bound to be in the west. There had been no word from Spring.

All in all, the carefully orchestrated, fragile sense of peace Prythian possessed had shattered in the course of a few hours. They were practically back to square one – courts had hauled up defenses, Fae were on their guards once again, and the High Lords were already pointing fingers.

Well, the last one might be just Beron, I mused. Rhys had left for the Autumn Court just moments before, saying the High Lords were all converging there to hold yet another meeting, this time of a more urgent manner. Plus someone needed to control the Lord of Autumn, who was reportedly steaming and blaming multiple people for the "attack", although everyone had felt it and no one was hurt yet.

Now, with the people of Velaris alert but somewhat appeased, I slumped against the banister of the grand staircase and rested a tired head in my hands. Nyx was in his nursery, well protected by a series of new shields I had put up just in case, and Elain was somewhere in the house with Nuala and Cerridwen. That left me, Mor, and a pissy Cassian to wait for Rhys and Azriel's return.

"Mother above, Cassian," Mor groaned, lifting her head and rolling her eyes up at the ceiling. "Quit the pacing, it's driving me nuts."

"This whole situation's driving me nuts," snapped Cassian, kicking a nearby wall. I winced and he looked over, half-realizing the owner of said wall was here. "Sorry, Feyre."

"It would help if you could sit down," I offered dryly, shifting and patting the spot next to me. "Here, I've made it all warm for you." He shot me an incredulous look before shaking his head and resuming his circle around the carpet. I sighed and made a mental note to get someone to clean it later.

"Rhys left without us," he continued, as if I hadn't said anything. "This stupid power is making everyone panic, Nes is gone checking on Gwyn and the other acolytes, and Az won't even let me help him look for the damn source."