Cursebreaker and Fireheart

Chapter 12: The Middle

The moment we winnowed into The Middle, I felt guilty. We weren't very far from the Weaver's cottage. I knew she was a monster who slaughtered dozens of people, but I still felt slightly guilty about her and her brother's deaths. However, that guilt was nothing compared to the Suriel.

I shook off the feelings. I had other things to think about. We needed to find another Suriel. Hopefully a helpful one. 

"So. Where should we look first?" Mor asked, crossing her arms. She looked perfectly at ease in her Illyrian leathers. "Maybe we should have asked Elain to help us find one." 

"I get the feeling Nesta would have bitten your head off if you'd asked." Rhys said. 

"Probably," Mor admitted. "But it still would have made this job easier." 

"Would you rather be crammed in a library with the two brutes?" Amren asked, walking ahead of us. "Come on, we'll set one of Feyre's traps this way. You two-" She pointed at me and Rhys- "Go that way and set another. We're bound to catch one." With that, she stomped away. Mor glanced back at us, her expression saying Mother help me as she followed the tiny, angry form that was Amren. 

Rhys and I walked about a mile into the forest, then he let me set up the trap. He watched me work, which I found annoying. I blew some stray hair out of my face and turned to look at him. 

"Are you going to help, or not?" I asked. He simply grinned at me. 

"I figured you wouldn't want any help. You know what you're doing." 

"That may be true-"

"It is true. You don't need my help. Or really want it, I'd wager." His grin only widened when I scowled at him. 

"Oh... just get over here, you prick," I said. "You have the bait, remember?" 

Rhys chuckled, pulling the long red cloak out of his bag. He placed it in my now-finished trap. 

"Do you really think this will work? I've only ever met a few Suriels, and none of them were nearly as nice as yours." He said, stepping back. I shrugged. 

"Unless you feel like waiting for me to go to sleep again, we've got no other options. We need to know what's going on, and this way is quicker." 

"And safer. I don't trust this Aelin woman." Rhys said, grin vanishing. "Her saving you could have kindness, but more likely a trap to get you to trust her." 

"Considering the fact that she attacked me not two minutes later, I'd say that trap failed," I replied. "Now come on, let's go find Amren and Mor. We can check how badly they set up that trap." 

Rhys laughed, offering an arm to me. I gladly took it, and we started the walk back towards our friends. While we walked, I began to get the sense that something was bothering Rhys. He wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings. He was holding branches back for me and wasn't tripping on roots, but I could tell his mind was in another place. And he kept glancing at me. 

After the fifth side-eye glance, I stopped him and made him look me in the eyes. 

"Why do you keep doing that?" I asked. Rhys' eyebrows scrunched together. 

"Doing what?" He asked innocently. I saw right through him. 

"Rhys, you keep looking at me like I'm about to shatter into tiny pieces in front of you. Do you... can you see something I can't?" My mind circled back to my suspicions from earlier. I knew that Fae could sometimes sense these things before it was possible to know. The past few days, I'd almost wished I was still human. It would be much easier to tell. 

I knew next to nothing about Fae pregnancies. They are so rare, and precious, I'd never really had the courage to ask anyone. All I knew was that it was a difficult thing to happen.

"Feyre, darling, there are many things I can see that you can't," Rhys said, his tone light. I scowled. 

"Don't change the subject, Rhysand. I would very much like to know if you're thinking the same thing I am." 

I often am. Rhys' voice filled my head. 

Then tell me what you're thinking. I pleaded. Silence. Just when I was about to open my mouth, he finally responded. 

The infuriating thing is, Feyre... I can't tell. Sometimes I can sense it... a life. 

My heart swooped. But other times?

Other times, it will flicker, like it's hiding somehow. I have no idea if that's normal, or if... 

"Or if something's wrong." I breathed. Rhys nodded. He laced one of his hands through mine and put his other arm around me. 

"I didn't want to tell you. I didn't want to worry you. But Feyre... I believe you are pregnant. And I could not be happier." 

I was terrified. I was scared for myself, for Rhys, and for this life that I was responsible for. But all of that fear was drowned by a light that had awoken in my chest. I felt a grin split my face, despite everything. 

"We're going to have a baby?" I whispered, just to make it real. Rhys laughed softly and kissed my forehead. 

"Yes, we are, Feyre, darling." 

Feysand art by Charlie Bowater!! 

It almost feels wrong writing this bit of the story since the series definitely isn't done yet, and I feel like this'll happen in a future book. But I just really, REALLY want Feyre and Rhys to have a kid. They deserve that happiness, and I just couldn't wait for Sarah J Maas to write it. So... yaaaaay for Feyre and Rhys!! XD

And side note: YA'LL JUST YESTERDAY I WAS SCREAMIN ABOUT 500 VIEWS AND NOW WE'RE AT 600??? WAT??? 😄 😁 😆