ACOMAF (Rhys's POV)

To Stars Who Listen (Chapter 33- 34)

I went to Feyre's room looking for a friend, someone to talk to.

Or at least, that's what I told myself as I opened the door to the sunlit room that interconnected with mine. Bright seafoam green dripped from the walls and ceiling, a soft compliment to the dress Feyre had chosen for the day.

She looked up at me from the dresser she was about to go through or maybe just had. I shut the door in a bit of a frenzy. "The problem, I've realized, will be that I like Tarquin," I said. "I even like Cresseida. Varian, I could live without," he wasn't nearly as lively as sister and she wasn't nearly as clever as him, "but I bet a few weeks with Cassian and Azriel, and he'd be thick as thieves with them and I'd have to learn to like him. Or he'd be wrapped around Amren's finger, and I'd have to leave him alone entirely or risk her wrath."

I felt like I'd been talking way too quickly. I hadn't bothered with my room while I gave Feyre time to sort herself out in hers. Pacing had been all I could abate myself with after Tarquin had seen himself off to prepare for this evening on his barge. I'd wanted to rip my shirt in two as if I could shed the very skin beneath it.

Tarquin was decent. He was kind. And he was just. Lunch had shown me that enough. He was a good High Lord, who cared about his people. And Cassian was right - we risked a lot against him coming here.

"And?" Feyre said, leaning against the dresser. Her expression was bland - too much like the mask she'd had at lunch. The one she'd been so generous with where Tarquin was concerned.

"And," I said, looking for my friend in that pretty freckled face, "I want you to find a way to do what you have to do without making enemies of them."

"So you're telling me don't get caught."

I nodded, and realized I was staring at her exactly the way Tarquin had all through the afternoon. Now that I was alone with her again, the mate bond inside me plucked carefully along the strings tuning my blood. "Do you like that Tarquin can't stop looking at you?" I said, unable to help myself. Feyre's head turned sharply, her eyes steady on mine. "I can't tell if it's because he wants you, or because he knows you have his power and wants to see how much."

"Can't it be both?"

"Of course. But having a High Lord lusting after you is a dangerous game."

Feyre's facade finally caved in a little, her tone dropping a bit tired. "First you taunt me with Cassian, now Tarquin? Can't you find other ways to annoy me?"

I don't want to annoy you, Feyre. I want to -

I took an automatic step to cut the thought off in my head. On edge - I was so completely on edge here. Having Feyre around my brothers, males I trusted heart and soul, was one thing. But around Tarquin - would she actually be interested?

Would he ?

I braced a hand over either side of Feyre's head against the dresser. And was pleased when she didn't lean into the drawers away from me as I held her gaze fast and sure.

I knew exactly what I wanted. And what did Feyre want? My court was on the line for this, depended on what she did.

Maybe it wasn't the mate bond driving me half as insane as I'd imagined. Maybe it was the feeling that for once, I wasn't the one determining the future of my lands. Feyre was.

"You have one task here, Feyre," I said. "One task that no one can know about. So do anything you have to in order to accomplish it. But get that book. And do not get caught."

Feyre's chin dipped lower towards her chest, the grey of her eyes twinkling. " Anything?" she asked me, causing my brow to lift at the suggestion. Her voice became breathy - sensual. As she thought of him . "If I fucked him for it, what would you do?"