A Court of Lightning and Shadows

Five

Briar woke up in a room. She looked around.
Someone had come for her.

She only remembered the woman next to her bed, and the two Illyrian males. She had panicked at the sight of them. More than that, she didn't remember.

The pain in her back still felt horrible, but she felt cleaner. She had a black shirt and shorts on. The thought of someone undressing her made her feel sick.

The room had two big windows. The sun was shining through them. In the middle were two doors, leading to a balcony. There were two chairs. A fireplace was placed in the wall in front of her, a book shelve—which was empty—and a huge bed.

The bed she laid in could fit at least three Illyrians.

She didn't know where she was. She could see a river from her bed, and mountains. But, she wasn't in the mountains, or in a camp.

Briar could hear someone in front of the door before it opened.

A woman with dirty blonde hair walked in. She was wearing a simple sweater and leggings. The woman smiled softly at Briar.

Briar looked confused, she had no idea who that was, or where she was. She sat down next to Briar on the bed.

"I'm Feyre." she still smiled at her, not looking disgusted by her the slightest.

High Lady, she remembered. Was she in the High Lord and Lady's house?

"What's your name?"

Briar hesitated, but she would take this chance. Maybe they could offer her help.

"Briar." it almost came out like a whisper. Her throat and mouth felt dry.

"Are you hungry?" Feyre asked. She looked nice.

Briar shook her head. If she ate, she would throw it all up again.

"Where am I?" she hadn't seen anything like the place she was currently.

"You are in Velaris. It used to be a hidden city, but many people know about it now." Feyre seemed surprised she didn't know about it.

Briar hadn't heard about a hidden city. She only nodded. "Are you going to send me back?"

Feyre looked at her, "No. Definitely not."

Relief washed over her. Feyre looked at her again, a questioning look on her face. "Are you sure you're Illyrian?"

Would they kill her if she told them? No, they wouldn't. The High Lord was half Fae himself.

"My mother was a High Fae." Feyre looked confused again, since the chance of surviving giving birth to an Illyrian as a Fae was small.

"She died during my birth. I survived." Feyre's eyes turned sad.

Briar knew that the High Lady had given birth to a winged baby too, but she survived.

"Do you have any Fae heritage?" Briar knew she looked fully Illyrian, so she didn't mind the questions.

Briar nodded.

Feyre didn't question her further. Instead, she stood from the bed.

"Rhysand wants to talk to you. Do you want me to stay with you?" Briar nodded again.

She hated seeing Illyrian males, but the High Lord looked somewhat more Fae.

Feyre walked out of the room, probably getting Rhysand.

Briar sat straight, not wanting to feel any pressure against her back.

The last few days had been quick, but painful. She remembered the pain she felt, the moment her father tore his knife through her wing. Her own father.