Throne of Glass & A Court of Thorns and Roses: Two Worlds Collide

Chapter 17-Feyre

"Do you think they'll come back?" Mor asked anxiously. I knew we had all been thinking the same thing, but we were all too afraid to say it. After Rowan and Aelin left, the rest of us migrated to the sitting room and didn't dare say a word.

"All we can do is wait and hope that their hearts are good," Rhys said beside me. I knew he was as anxious as we were but he didn't seem to show it. He was always so collected. "I don't think they are the kind of people who would leave their daughter at the hands of someone as cruel as the king. And if they are, then we don't need their help."

"We have to protect Aelin," I said and looked at everyone, "no matter what. It's what Amren would ask of us." They all nodded and averted their eyes.

I looked at Azriel and Cassian, who were sitting side by side, and said "Aelin is with child, if you hadn't already realized. Rowan is the father."

They nodded silently, so they had already known. I remembered what Rowan said about knowing Cassian and Az and asked, "how do you two really know Rowan, you're from different worlds?"

It was Azriel who spoke up, saying, "when we first trained, our instructor thought it would benefit us to go to their world to train, apparently he knew about portals. While we were there, we met Rowan and the three of us became close. This was in the time after meeting and fighting alongside Rhys. Centuries ago, we went back searching for our old friend and when we found him, he told us of the tragedy of his mate's death and we inked the story onto his skin. It was all we could give him in his time of grief. We taught him the language and the meaning behind it and by the time we left, we could tell that he was comforted a bit, but not enough." He looked down, ashamed. Mor, who was sitting beside him, touched his hand and offered him a small, reassuring smile.

"It was good to see him happy again, we never thought we'd see the look he has when he looks at Aelin ever again," Cassian said.

I nodded and said, "I think it's time for everyone to go to sleep, we may or may not have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. We'll go to my house to see if they're there first thing in the morning."

We all said a few more words then retreated to our rooms.

"Feyre," Rhys said once we'd made it to our room and laid down to go to get some rest. I looked at him through the dark and he said, "I'm so proud of you, for doing what's right, for waiting for Aelin to tell Rowan, for getting everyone to protect her. I want you to know that, whatever happens tomorrow and in the days that follow, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"I love you, Rhys," I said and reached across the bed to kiss him.

After a while he pulled away and said, "and I love you, High Lady."