A Love From A Different World

Chapter 103

Everything stopped for a second.

Rhysand reeled back from the impact of Azriel's hit.

Cassian rushed to his brothers, putting a hand against both their chests. Mor looked dumbfounded as she put a hand on Azriel's arm.

"It's fine," Rhys said to Cas as he held his jaw.

"What the hell, Rhys?" Mor looked furious. "What were you thinking?"

Rhysand did not even try to look apologetic. "I was thinking that I had to do something to protect my court. It solved our problems."

"You were supposed to dangle her in front of Beron as bait." Cassian said through gritted teeth. "Not leave her in enemy territory as a spy."

"She agreed to it. She'll stay there and feed us intel on what Tamlin and Beron know, who they are allied with, and what they are planning."

Azriel could not fathom what possessed Rhysand to do something as insane as this. "You left her there defenseless-"

"She isn't defenseless. Maybe you should stop treating her like some delicate china-"

"Don't you dare turn this on me. You sent my mate-" His voice cracked. "How could you?"

Rhysand released his jaw. And finally, finally, seemed to understand what he had done. "I'm sorry," He said. "It was the best option out of very bad ones."

He didn't look very sorry.

Azriel had been getting ready to hit him again, but he didn't need to. Not when Mor slapped her cousin across the face without warning.

Rhysand stepped back and looked at her in shock.

"You should have told us. You should have told him." Morrigan pointed to where Azriel was standing, still seething in his rage. "You've kept secrets before. You didn't tell a soul when you locked us in Velaris and then disappeared for fifty years. And I forgave you for that- we forgave you for that. But this..." She shook her head, silver lining her eyes. "You wouldn't have abandoned me to spy for you in any courts, even if I had been willing. How could you do that to Azriel's mate?"

As he laughed humorlessly, the redness from Mor's slap spread on his golden skin. "Yes, Azriel's mate. No one lets me forget it."

"Are you serious?" Cassian asked, bewilderment shining in his narrowed eyes. "What, you did this out of jealousy?"

"I did this out of necessity. If you all haven't noticed, we're in the middle of a goddamn war. I have a responsibility to this city, to these people. And I'll be damned if I don't use every tool at my disposal in order to fulfill that responsibility. I won't apologize for that."

"Yes, you have a responsibility to your people. Azriel, is one of your people, one of your responsibilities. And your reckless decision has caused him unimaginable pain. Apologize for that."

There was violence in Rhysand's purple eyes as he kept silent.

"Are you forgetting that Celaena isn't from here? She doesn't know these people, these courts. She didn't grow up in the Human Realm. One slip of the tongue and the gig is up. And what do you think will happen if Beron finds out he was played? What do you think he'll do to her?" Cassian's mouth tightened. "You fucked up. Royally."

"I am High Lord, what I say goes."

Deafening silence fell over them. They had always been a family. They fought together, argued together, and protected each other. Yes, they respected Rhysand as High Lord. But he had never used his title to lord over them. That had been a line that he had never crossed in all those centuries. Until now.

Still stewing in his anger, Azriel once again got into Rhysand's face. "High Lord or not, if something happens to her, I'll kill you."

Then, the Shadowsinger unfurled his wings, and flew away from his broken family.