Chapter Text
They joined us for dinner in our family dining room that evening. To my pleasure, she had worn the black diamond necklace, which suited her just as well as I thought it would. I swore I heard Varian make a choked noise when she walked in. Cresseida, to my surprise, eyed her appraisingly. “It suits you,” she said almost kindly. “That piece didn't fit here anyway.” Feyre bowed her head in thanks, but didn't take the unintentional bait. Varian watched Amren with curiosity, as though she were a riddle he needed the satisfaction of unraveling. However, she paid him no attention whatsoever as she debated with Cresseida over some ancient text.
Feyre had been chatting amicably with me, her smiles easy and relaxed. Rhysand was keeping close to her, though she didn't seem to be bothered by what was bordering on an invasion of personal space.
“You ate it right there,” I said with disbelief, raising my eyebrows as she told me about her day at dockside.
She shrugged. “They fried it with the other fishermen’s lunches. Didn't charge me extra for it.”
I let out a laugh, impressed. “I can't say I’ve ever done that—sailor or no.”
“You should,” she said earnestly. “It was delicious.”
“Well, maybe I’ll go tomorrow. If you’ll join me.”
She gave me a grin. “I’d like that. Perhaps we could go for a walk in the morning down the causeway when the tide is out. There's a little building along the way—it looks fascinating.”
Cresseida went silent suddenly, but Feyre, seemingly unaware, kept speaking. “I figure since I’ve seen most of the city now, I could see it on my way to visit some of the mainland, too.”
The question seemed innocent enough, but I still glanced at Cresseida. If this wasn't handled delicately—and quickly—we would be in very deep water.
“It's a temple ruin,” I said blandly, the lie coming to my lips easier than I liked. “Just mud and seaweed at this point. We’ve been meaning to repair it for years.” I still remembered the sick feeling I got from handling that evil metal box that now lay in the catacombs beneath the docks of Adriata, under the enchantments that now only I could break. The Book of Breathings. The unintelligible whispers that came from that metal box had snaked into my ears, so much that it made my very blood run cold just to think about it.
“Maybe we’ll take the bridge then,” she suggested, oblivious to my attempts to change the conversation. “I’ve had enough of mud for a while.”
I looked her in the eye. Why did she ask about the temple? Of all the things to bring up…
Another thought crossed my mind. Why did they want to come here so badly? Why ask about my trove? There were pieces of information, pieces of a puzzle that were all right there in front of me. All I needed to do was put—
She’s harmless. A small voice in my head said. My better judgement. She is kind, and sad, and broken. You saw her with your people—you saw how she treated them. How she treats you. Amarantha did not break that kindness.
It was true. She had given me no reason to distrust her.
Take her to the mainland tomorrow. That'll keep her from asking about the temple. She saved Prythian. She is your friend.
My worries faded away, until I couldn't even remember what I had been worried about in the first place. I could take Feyre to the mainland for a tour in the morning.
I smiled at her. “We’ll meet after breakfast. Unless Rhysand wants me for more meetings.” I turned to the bored High Lord and he waved a hand at me lazily.
“By all means, Tarquin, spend the day with my lady.” The possessiveness in those last two words was clear. Feyre braced her arms on the wooden table and gave me an easy smile. There was a flicker of distress in her eyes, but before I could ask her what was the matter, it was gone. “Tell me what there is to see on the mainland,” she said.
~~~
We left the palace early in the morning, just as the sun was coming up over the water. Feyre came out with a smile, but that inexplicable unhappiness in her eyes from the night before had still been there when met her at the door to her rooms. She also seemed to be very tired, and I wondered if we should have postponed it by a day or two. When I offered, she declined, the distress becoming determination, and we set off for the mainland.
It was nice speaking to anyone who was nearby. I loved that they were not afraid to walk up to us and start a conversation, though their warm greetings were nervous—guarded even—when they realized who my companion was. I wasn't surprised—they had survived so much here, and while they were grateful, they also wanted to distance themselves from the memories as much as possible and move forward. It was no fault of Feyre's, and I hoped that she understood that.
But as the day went on, she looked more and more tired. We stopped for a fried fish at the docks, which was indeed as delicious as Feyre had said. By the time the sun was sliding into the horizon, she finally admitted that she was tired and hungry, and so I bought her a baked fish pie as we headed back towards the palace.
Evening fell over the island all too soon, and we gathered in the dining room.
I turned to Feyre. “I know there are other places on the mainland to visit. Or we could always—”
“Unfortunately, we need to return home, by the afternoon at the latest,” Rhysand interrupted smoothly. “I have court matters to attend to, and we have been away long enough.” Feyre sat next to him, not saying a word. I felt a pang of disappointment at his words. Dinner with the Night Court had become somewhat of a normalcy now. I expected to see them there, to engage in conversation with someone other than Varian, Cresseida, or my other advisors. Dinner was quiet after that, with no one really sure what to say.
I walked them to their rooms, each step that took us closer to this final night with visitors making me sadder.
I kissed Feyre's cheek, fully aware of Rhysand’s watchful gaze. “I wish it wasn't your last evening. But perhaps I will see about visiting the Night Court soon.”
Rhysand placed his hand at the small of Feyre's back, not saying a word as she bid me good night.
~~~
I walked into my study to find Cresseida sitting at my desk. I stopped in the doorway.
“There you are,” she said. “I’ve been looking for you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here, Cresseida?”
“When were you going to tell me about this?” she asked without preamble, holding a folded paper in her hand. I could tell it was Tamlin's letter—the one that Varian had argued with me about a few days before.
“Where did you get that?” I asked harshly.
“I’ll be the one asking the questions, Tarquin,” she snapped. “You would put your entire court all in danger over a girl?”
I bristled at her tone. “I know what I'm doing.”
“Do you though?” She unfolded the letter. “Tarquin,” she read aloud, “I write this letter as an urgent request for your help. Feyre was taken from my lands under duress by the Night Court, and I believe is being held against her will. If you should come into contact with her, or she should pass through your lands, please let her know I am working tirelessly to find her, and if you are able—”
“Cresseida,” I interrupted.
“—please send word and we shall retrieve her in the safest manner possible.” She folded the letter back up. “That doesn't sound like someone who respects her decisions.”
“I confirmed—”
“I don't care what you confirmed! The Spring Court has specifically requested her return if she enters our borders.” She sighed. “I’ve sent a return letter stating she's here. Someone from the Spring Court should be here to collect her before they depart in the afternoon.” I stared incredulously at her, not quite believing what I was hearing. She almost looked sorry. “It's what's best, Tarquin. For everyone involved.”
“Being Princess of Adriata does not give you the right to act like you rule my court, Cresseida.”
“Your judgement has clearly been clouded—”
“He locked her up!” I snapped. “The Night Court rescued her, and—”
“That is not our concern, Tarquin,” she replied simply. “We sometimes have to make hard decisions, ones we may not like or even agree with, because they are what is right. She was entered into a bargain as a mortal that she should have been released from when she died for Prythian. She stayed, was engaged to Tamlin, and stolen from him.” She shook her head. “I do this not out of any animosity for her, or even Rhysand. I do this because I don't want to see my city wrested away from us again because we didn't do as the law demands.”
“The law,” I said hotly, “is what keeps Tamlin from going after her now. Do you really think, after all we’ve seen of them during this visit, that Rhysand would be so stupid to leave a loophole so simple for Tamlin to take her back? That's why Tamlin is trying to get the other High Lords to do his work for him. If Feyre didn't want to be in the Night Court, she wouldn't be.”
“Do you really believe that?” she asked quietly. I nodded.
“I do.” I walked back towards the door.
“Where are you going?”
I stopped and turned back towards her. “To get them out of here and hope we don't end up in the middle of a war between two courts.”
~~~
I rushed down the hallway as the sun began to rise over the horizon. If I could just warn them, maybe they could leave before word reached Tamlin. I thanked the Mother that Cresseida hadn't thought to give the message to anyone who could winnow. I knocked frantically.
No answer.
I knocked again, but still nothing. I couldn't hear anything. I opened the door to Rhysand’s room.
The room was empty.
Well, his things were still there. Packed for their departure, and the bed untouched. As though he never went to sleep last night. I opened the connecting door to Feyre's door. The same thing.
A sparkle in my peripheral vision made me turn towards the dresser. Lying there neatly on the top was the black diamond necklace I had given Feyre. The one she had been wearing just last night.
“Tarquin!” I turned around and found Varian standing in the doorway, panting, his eyes wild with panic.
“We have a problem.”
~~~
“And so we came here immediately to let you know,” the guard finished. I felt sick to my stomach. The Book of Breathings. Stolen from right under our noses, my guards assaulted, and my court in absolute chaos. Many of the guards were currently in the healer’s wing, though none of their injuries were life threatening.
I couldn't even begin to imagine how they had managed it. The enchantments were keyed to me—to the Summer Court itself. And to have it stolen by people we had welcomed in as our guests…
Though I knew that it hadn't been confirmed, there was just too much evidence to ignore.
I felt anger at myself for falling for their act, betrayed that they would do such a thing to us after the hospitality we had shown them… especially by Feyre. The guilt in her eyes now made perfect sense. She had known exactly what they were going to do. I wondered idly if she had been in on this plan since they arrived, or if she had been involved after they got here.
“Tarquin.” I turned to look at Varian, who seemed uncharacteristically nervous. “The water.”
I looked to the bay outside the window to the dining room and found the sea choppy and dangerous—a mirror of my own feelings. I no longer cared how much they had charmed me, or if any of them had been genuine with me. The sea called for vengeance at this betrayal, and as it’s High Lord, I would give it what it asked.
“Lord Tarquin?” I looked up at the courtier who stood nervously at the table. “An emissary from the Spring Court is here to see you in the throne room.” I let out a curse. As if my morning couldn't possibly get any worse. I turned to Varian, who nodded.
“Send him in here,” he told the man. With a bow, the man left. Varian turned to me.
“Did Cresseida…?” His voice trailed off. I nodded, and he cursed under his breath as the door creaked open. The red haired man in fine clothes and a clearly well used sword that stood in the doorway before me was one I hadn't seen in a few months. His gaze, mismatched golden and russet, shifted between Varian and I before settling on me.
“Lucien,” I greeted him. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” I knew exactly why he was here, but I wanted to hear it from him.
He walked up to the other end of the table and gave me a small bow. “Lord Tarquin, we received word from your court that the Night Court was here, along with our missing Lady Feyre. We hoped to be able to intercept them before they got away from us again.” The hope in his eyes made me hate to tell him.
“Yes, Cresseida unfortunately sent word without informing me. I am afraid that you have just missed them. They left in the middle of the night.”
Lucien's shoulders sagged, his expression weary and his eyes almost haunted. I wondered how long he had been searching for her, and what had happened since she had left the Spring Court.
“Should you come into contact with her again—”
“Lucien,” I said gravely. “If I come into contact with Lady Feyre again, she will be answering for crimes against the Summer Court.” He looked stunned.
“Crimes?” he asked incredulously. “What did she do?”
“That is Summer Court business, of no importance to the Spring Court,” I said flatly. I did not need another Court knowing that we had lost the Fae half of the Book of Breathings.
“Whatever happened, I can assure you that she was not a willing participant,” Lucien insisted. “She was kidnapped from the Spring Court by—”
“Yes, I heard about that.” An idea crossed my mind. “Tell me, Lucien,” I asked, “are the rumors true that Tamlin locked Lady Feyre up in the Spring Court?”
His posture stiffened. “No.” The clear lie wasn't even dressed up with an explanation. Likely less story to keep track of as he went to each court. “We received this letter not long ago from the Night Court,” Lucien said, changing the subject abruptly. He pulled a piece of paper from the inner pocket of his waistcoat and held it out to me. I looked to the Varian, who walked over to Lucien and took the paper from his hand.
I left of my own free will.
I am cared for and safe. I am grateful for all that you did for me, all that you gave.
Please don’t come looking for me. I’m not coming back.
“I mean, who would believe that she actually wrote this?” Lucien said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the realm. “She is illiterate.”
If that were the case, then Feyre's panic during the Second Trial suddenly made sense. I had never seen Feyre's handwriting, but I knew without a doubt this wasn't Rhysand's. Not that the handwriting was bad, but his penmanship was far more polished than this. Feyre had said that Tamlin respected her decisions, but I wondered if that was truly the case.
“Even if that is true, it does not change the fact that she has committed a crime.”
“But you know she would never do anything like that if she were herself,” Lucien argued, having not noticed that I had tuned him out. I felt pity for him. I wondered if he, or even his High Lord, knew Feyre completely. I wondered again if I had.
“I do not know that Lucien,” I said harshly. “Who can say who Lady Feyre truly is? We have only Under the Mountain and our own interactions to draw from, which clearly were different.” Lucien looked like he was about to say something, but thought better of it.
“I can promise her a chance to explain, and nothing more,” I continued as I rose from my chair. “Princess Cresseida will see to it that you and your men have a place to stay for the night so that you may be on your way home tomorrow.” Lucien looked surprised at my blunt dismissal, but bowed his head.
“Thank you, for your generosity,” he said, though I could tell from his expression that this had not gone at all how he had envisioned.
“If there is nothing else, I must take my leave. I have business to attend to.” Without waiting for Lucien to agree, I walked past him, Varian close on my heels.
“Tarquin, that—”
“We need to go to the vaults,” I interrupted. Varian’s eyes widened in understanding.
~~~
“Tarquin, are you sure—”
“I don't blame you, Varian. You and Cresseida tried to warn me. The consequences of this are mine to bear.” We stood in the middle of the vault I had first taken Feyre to only days before. It was amazing how quickly things changed. I had placed the necklace back on a shelf, but I had hidden it behind the gaudy ruby and gold one. I didn't even want to look at it. I opened the chest in front of me, revealing a small fortune in deep red rubies that had an almost sinister feel to them. Blood rubies. I let out a sigh and took two rubies in my hands, and placed them in the velvet of a box with a mother of pearl dagger inlaid on the top. With a heavy heart, I took a third and placed it next to the others. “Have a courier deliver this to the Night Court immediately.”
And closed the box with a snap.