A Court Of Blood And Rays

The Unspoken Rumours- 4

Nesta, Elain and Feyre were getting ready to go to the village that morning. Just as Nesta was going to wake Niravi up, Feyre stopped her "Let her rest. She came back after a few days she must be tired."

Nesta sneered and said "She has been sleeping till almost noon for the past two days, lazing around like a pig. She didn't even tell us where she kept the money- we need it for the market."

Feyre glared at her sister "It is the money that she earned. It is her wish whether she wants to share it with us or not", Feyre said, though she knew Niravi never used it for herself.

"Well, she better not forget that she is living under our roof with food and water" Nesta snapped, still in a foul mood from yesterday's spat.

Elain calmed Nesta and soon enough the three left without a single glance to their father.

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Niravi blinked rapidly in an attempt to rid of the blinding light. wWhen she looked outside, it was late noon. Surprisingly she felt much better even after the walk down her memory lane. She was quite surprised by the fact that Nesta hadn't shaken her awake yet.

The cottage was silent, with only her "father" sitting in front of the fire. "Where are the others?" she inquired. He looked at her and replied, "at the market".

A look of surprise was across her face and she slapped her forehead, "Oh no" she exclaimed as she frantically ran around the hovel getting dressed while cursing Feyre for letting her sleep too long.

Just as she opened the wooden door, she saw her three sisters. Elain happily came in embracing her while Nesta did not spare a glance at her. Niravi was surprised, she was very sure that she would receive a lecture and a sneer from her. She turned to Feyre and raised an eyebrow. Feyre responded in kind by drifting her eyes towards her sister's newly found gifts. Niravi rolled her eyes and cocked her head into the house, signalling her sister to get in.

Niravi went to their shared room and snatched the small pouch of gold which she hid under the loose wooden plank after dinner. She took the pouch and kept it in Feyre's hands. Feyre was shocked at the weight of the bag. "How much is in there?" she whispered in awe.

 
"I don't know, I never counted" Niravi replied.

"Seems like good business is going on in other villages" Feyre contemplated. Niravi did not reply. Even Feyre did not know that she killed to get that money and has been doing it for four years. If her sisters found out, she wouldn't even be able to look them in the eye.

So Niravi just grinned in response, just as she was about to say something a roar that half deafened them was heard. Nesta and Elain screamed as snow burst into the room and an enormous, growling shape appeared in the doorway. Immediately her hand went to remove the dagger from its sheath.

The beast was large as a horse, and while his body was somewhat feline, his head was distinctly wolfish. Curled, elk-like horns that protruded from his head. Whatever it was, Niravi thought, there was no doubting the damage his black, daggerlike claws and yellow fangs could inflict.

Feyre stood in front of her sisters, even as the creature reared onto its hind legs and bellowed through a maw full of fangs: "MURDERERS!"

There was no doubt now, Niravi thought. It definitely was a faerie. She stood next to Feyre her body crouched and dagger raised, ready to fight it even though she knew she would be dead before she could think.