A Court of Mysteries and Secrets

Chapter 7

The next morning I was stiff, but I made myself get up and go to work. I took in the piece I had finished the night before and got to work on the next one. I was doing a collection of five smaller pieces that would go on the shop's walls.

"Where did you get that bruise?" Ressina asked by way of greeting.

"I'm still not used to the wings," I muttered, not entirely a lie.

"You'll get there," she reassured.

"Thanks," I sighed as I got back to work.

Work began to go by at a steady pace, I brought a lot of attention to the shop with my art style, making Ressina very happy. I had only been there for just over a week after all.

My wage was substantial thanks to the extra customers, and I was now living comfortably. My depression had eased but it was still in the background, it got worse on the days I couldn't see the moon.

It was one of those days today. I had been trying to glide for three nights, I had stopped just falling but I crashed into various things around, mostly trees.

"You're doing it wrong," a male voice said from above me.

I let out a yelp and lost concentration, falling to the ground with a thump.

I sighed, sitting up, letting my wings fall behind me.

Someone landed in front of me, and I looked up, meeting a slightly smug but mostly concerned face.

I pushed myself to my feet, but he still towered over me, especially with the wings, he was like me I realised.

"You were trying to steer with your arms, you need to use your core and chest for that," he told me, I just frowned.

"Do you talk?" He asked.

"Yes, I do, but I didn't realise you wanted my input," I said as I began walking home.

"I always want the input of pretty girls." He said with a smirk.

I stopped and turned to him.

"You are way too old for me, you should start thinking with your head and not your dick," I snapped at him.

"You don't even know how old I am!" He protested.

"Are you older than one hundred?" I asked, eyes narrowed, he nodded.

"So you're too old, now leave me alone, I didn't ask for any unsolicited advice," I told him before walking away again.

"But you can't be far off a hundred," he said, catching up with me.

"I'm sixteen thank you very much, now leave me the fuck alone," I growled before running.

I got back to my house and locked the door.

I collapsed onto the bed and sobbed until I slipped into sleep.

When I woke, I found myself back in my deep dark pit. I still forced myself to get up and go to work. I knew that I was doing a unique piece today, so I slowly gained excitement as I walked to work.

I set up and began to draw while Ressina delt with customers.

I was drawing a city scape of Velaris, I had luckily been given a reference picture, well, it wasn't a picture because those don't exist here, but it was a print of some description.

Ressina had cleared the table in the back room for me to work at when I admitted to her that I hated people watching as I drew. I was sat back there, humming to myself as I worked.

"Fay!" Ressina called from the front room.

I got up and walked out, freezing when I saw the male from yesterday with the other Feyre.

"Hello," Feyre said with a smile.

I didn't say anything, my eyes were trained on the male next to her.

She elbowed him, hard, causing him to wince before looking at me.

"I, um, well, I wanted to apologise," he stammered.

I raised a brow.

"Are you saying that because you are actually sorry for what you said or because Feyre is making you?" I asked.

"I felt bad and Feyre knows a lot of people so I hoped she would be able to find you so I could say sorry," he said, looking offended.

"Whatever, you are forgiven, now I have work to do," I told him coldly before turning to leave.

He grabbed my upper arm to stop me, so I span and slapped him across the cheek.

"Touch me again and I will chop that hand off followed by your dick," I hissed before going into the back room to continue working.

"Fay, are you ok?" Ressina asked as she walked in.

"I'm fine," I told her without looking up.

"You just slapped the general of the Night Court's armies, then threatened to cut his balls off, I'd say you are far from fine," she said as she sat.

"That was Cassian?" I asked, eyes wide.

"Yes Fay," Ressina sighed.

"He is totally going to kill me," I groaned.

"He isn't, in fact, I think he was impressed, you slapped him without him blocking it, that is practically unheard of." She told me.

"Well now I definitely have no hope of finding my father, I don't even know if I would want to," I admitted.

"You don't like males, do you?" She asked gently.

"No, I just don't trust them, I can't, I wish this never happened, I just want to go home," I told her, tears threatening to spill.

She pulled me against her and let my cry it out.

"You should really go and see Feyre, she can help you find your father should you wish to, but she is also open and you seem to be very similar," she told me before leaving again.

I didn't dwell on it any further as I went back to the work.

This piece was massive, around A1, maybe a little bigger so it took me a week to get it all done but once I had I was elated.

"Fay, could you take it to this address?" Ressina asked, handing me a slip of paper.

"Isn't this one of the manors by the Sidra?" I asked.

She nodded in confirmation, so I set off. I was a bright day, and I enjoyed the walk.

I found the manor and knocked on the door.

It was opened by Rhysand, and I froze, Ressina was so dead when I got back.