THE GREAT PRETENDER ¬ ACOTAR

chapter xxi.

* 　　 · . 　  　　✺    　　  ✧　.  　✵  * 　　* 　　 · . 　    　　✵  * 　　　　  ✫  * 　 . 　　·          ⊹ 　  ✺    .  　  ✧　　　  ✦    ✫ 　 .   ✫  * . 　　　　　 　 　　    ·  　 ⊹ 　  ✺ .   　　　  ✧　.　  ✦    ✫ 　 .  .

CHAPTER XXI

FORTY-NINE YEARS

THEY ARRIVE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRCASE OF THE HOUSE OF WIND, Rhysand summoning his wings out. Cal gleamed with pride, she liked this look on Rhys. He looked powerful, elegant.

"Do you want to walk or fly with me?"

She stared at him, "Are you kidding, Rhysand?"

The High Lord chuckled, pulling her into his hold and shot up in the air. His landing was not at all graceful after having no practice all those years. "That was terrib—"

Callaghan froze when a pair of arms wrapped around her and Rhysand. "You're back," though a bit deeper, Cal could recognize her brother's voice anywhere. She and Rhys melted into the young fae's arms.

When they pulled away from each other, Rhys turned to Cal with a smug look on his face, "Told you he's taller."

"Oh, shut up, Rhys," she pushed him away playfullyfully. Rhys gave Vik a pat on the shoulder and walked to his cousin, leaving the siblings alone.

Callaghan stared at her brother, taking him in. He looked good, strong. Muscles were present in his arms, a sign that he had been training. "My brother," she whispered, brushing the hair off his face. Viktor teared up at the gesture he missed so much. "You look great, Vik," she chuckles, tears rolling down her face. Several jewelry hung off his ear, she noticed, "So many shiny things." Vik laughs when she taps his earrings, "Amren spoiled me too much."

Then she gets tackled in another hug. "I'm sorry I couldn't take it anymore," Mor said. Cal smiles and hugs her back, "Mor, I missed you."

They separated and Cal realized that Rhys was nowhere to be found. He probably went inside and met with the others already.

The loud voices she heard when she, Vik, and Mor went in the House confirmed her suspicion.

"Hello? Forty-nine years and the first thing you say is hello? What are you—"

"Cassian," Mor warns, cutting him off.

Rhys wasn't even letting himself be affected. He was just filling up a glass with some alcohol he found in the room.

Cal nearly had her breath knocked out of her when she met Azriel's cold icy gaze. It scared her that he could burst out any time. She couldn't figure out what he was really feeling, and it irked her.

"No, Mor, he stayed there," Cassian continues, breaking Callaghan's stare on Azriel, "He knew we could help him get out, but he still stayed. A bit stupid, don't you think? You—"

"Talk to him like that and I'll rip out your tongue from your head," Callaghan spoke up, her voice soft yet firm. "For forty-nine years, I have been quiet. I couldn't defend my High Lord, but now that we're out here, I will not stay silent. I will fight for him. I'm sure you know how hard it is not being able to do anything, but it was harder for me. I sat back and watched as they vilified my friend, blaming him for treachery, calling him dreadful names. It burnt me not being able to help."

"So don't run your mouth like you know everything, Cassian, because you don't." Her blood was roaring in her ears, she hasn't said these many words in a long time.

And just as she expected, Cassian tunneled his vision on her instead of Rhys, "There you go again with your blind loyalty, Callaghan."

"Blind loyalty?" She shook her head, "No, it's called trust. I trusted Rhysand, I trust Rhysand."

"And look where that trust got you?" Cas, too, was seeing red. His siphons pulsed with power, begging to be used. No one stopped them because it would be messy if they did. "We could have helped you! We'd die just to keep our High Lord safe!"

"Exactly!" Cal sneered at him, "Don't you get it? He kept you safe because who would defend Velaris if you died? Who would protect the court if Amarantha got her hands on you? If only you weren't so big headed to realize—"

She couldn't help but back up in fear when Cassian strode towards her. The way his wings flared reminded her too much of the Attor. It was all too soon. 

In an instant, Rhysand placed himself in front of Callaghan, a steady hand on her shoulder, "You're home. We got out. You're safe."

Cassian visibly softens, seeing Cal's tight grip on Rhysand's sleeve, "Cal, I'm—"

"Report to me in the morning," Rhys' voice rang clear, "I need to know what happened while I was Under."

Rhysand looked to Vik for permission, the boy nodded and Rhys ushered the pale Callaghan out the room.

Cassian ran a hand through his face, frustrated.

"You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, do you?" Vik said, annoyed at how Cassian reacted.

It broke his heart to see his sister who was once so confident, so brave; now extremely thin and shaking all over. He was glad Amarantha was dead, or else he wouldn't know what he could have done.

Amren stands up from her seat, "I guess we go report in the morning."

──────────────────────────────

SHE COULD NOT SLEEP. She knew she was home and that she was safe but somehow she still wasn't quite feeling it. She feared that once she opened her eyes, she'd be back in the Mountain.

Clutching the blanket around her shoulders, she stared at the starry sky. There were so many of them. So bright. So free.

"I can feel you hovering," she said, not taking her gaze off the stars, "Came to shout at me too, like what Cassian did?"

"No," Azriel materialized beside her on her balcony, but he kept his distance. He knew she needed her space, he didn't want to disrespect that. His wings were also tucked closely to his body, not wanting to scare her. "I just came to see if you're resting."

"Creep," she smiled, but faltered when she saw his eyes on her uneven hair. "Az, I'm fine."

"Are you?"

"I will be," Callaghan stands and walks back in her room, leaving Azriel alone under the night sky.

──────────────────────────────

[ notes! ]

cASSIAN BBY WHAT WAS THAT???

ANYWays,,, its not as long as I wanted it to be but,,, they're home :>
 

* 　　 · . 　  　　✺    　　  ✧　.  　✵  * 　　* 　　 · . 　    　　✵  * 　　　　  ✫  * 　 . 　　·          ⊹ 　  ✺    .  　  ✧　　　  ✦    ✫ 　 .   ✫  * . 　　　　　 　 　　    ·  　 ⊹ 　  ✺ .   　　　  ✧　.　  ✦    ✫ 　 .  .