A Court Of Dusk and Destruction

Chapter 10-Likes and Hatred

Arm in arm, Elain, and I went up to the dining room. Everyone was there, but there was another woman there. "Nesta!" Elain tore from my arms to hug her sister. She stared at me curiously. "This is my friend, Cyra. Rhysand and Morrigan's other cousin."

I nodded my head and gave a brief wave. Nesta returned the nod, "I am glad my sister has someone to call a friend other than these folk. Not that they are not her friends, but they are Feyre's friends first and Elain's through Feyre. It is good she has one of her own here." So this is what everyone meant when Rhysand said she had a sharpness to her. At least towards them. Her words to me sounded like a complement.

Elain insisted we sit together and her on the other side of me. Nesta seemed to be more content if she was sitting in another room then with these fae. For her sister, she obliged. It was hard to get a read on her. To tell if she was someone I wanted to know or not. Hopeful dinner will tell.

As usual, everyone was emersed in their own chatter. However, Feyre did ask how our library adventure was. Mostly speaking to Elain, though. Probably making sure her 'naive too-trusting' sister was truly happy to call me a friend.

Nesta listened in as Elain told about our day, "We were discussing gardening, and Cyra mentioned she liked rocks, minerals, and gems. At first, I was confused, like maybe she meant riches, but she explained."

Tapping me on the shoulder as an invite to cut in. Thank Mother for Elain, or I may not have talked at all to the circle too busy in their own conversation to speak to anyone else.

"I enjoy looking at how they are made, what they are made of, and what conditions are needed to create them or find them. Volcanic rocks are my favorite. There are many different types made by what other rocks the harded magma comes into contact with. I never really thought of it as a hobby, more of an interest. To me, a hobby is an activity, not a study. True, I examine and experiment on rocks sometimes, but...anyway. Elain tells me it is called geology." I tilted my head back to her to continue the story.

Before Elain continued, Azriel, to my suprise, jumped in, "You must find the stone here impressive."

It told me a minute for the shock of him speaking to wear off, "I do. True, I lived in a giant rock. Only some much variety could be found there. The white stones in the street really impressed me, though. The way the moon's reflection makes them glow. Yet, during they day it is hard to see them." I realize I was about to rant about something they may already now or not care about and restrain myself. Not enough as I started laughing at how I found the stones, "Anyway, I had a good look at them before supper at the restaurant. Just as I puked all over them and my poor cousin Rhysand's shoes and pants before, he would magic it away."

This made Rhysand and Cassian roar with laughter, Cassian making jokes about that being the reason he smelt that day. The shadowsinger smiling and laughing at his brothers. Feyre and Amren seemed unfased by the information. Feyre probably already knew. Morrigan, however, looked very concerned about me, debating if she should ask why I vomited on our cousin.

But my attention was on Nesta, who had a smile on her face and was trying to hold back laughter. Finally swallowing her food, she chuckled politely, with the restraint of a lady. The act made everyone stop dead, as if a rare moment passed and they were scared they would miss it. I made sure I smiled at her as she spoke to me, "Bet it was deserved!" Then she turned stone cold seriously, "Do not vomit on me,"her face changed slightly as if she scared herself. As if she just threatened me or imagined what she would do if I did. She said nothing more as she returned to her food.

Azriel again asked me to return to normal conversation, "Is your interest in geology related to your father's interest in the Dusk Court myths?"
His question took me aback. What does my interest have to do with the Dusk Court? Also, Elain nor I mentioned why we were in the library. She seemed to forget that part, but Azriel's question reminded her.

Quickly, she told everyone about how I was telling her and Feyre about the myths of the Dusk Court, and we were originally looking for books about it with no success. I thought hard as she talked. Did Rhysand tell him, or did his shadows. Come to think of it, I thought I saw one in the corner of my eye on several occasions but never bothered to look.

Once Elain finished, I answered, "I don't think so... Why do you ask."

He looked confused, 'I assumed your father gave you the interest. Did he not tell you the powers the Dusk Court possessed where stone manituplation? The Highladies could cause earthquakes, raise mountains, or even fish islands out from the sea. They were powerful but rarely used their power to such extremes."

Shocked, I was shocked, "I never told Father about my interest, though he said me examine rocks. Maybe even he did not know or just never told me. He rambled a lot so he would forget things when he talked about it. It is possible too , he learned of it when I was no longer that interested in hearing about the myths." The shadowsinger nodded at my anwser and went back to his silence.

Elain continued our story as I hound in on Morrigan, who turned to Rhysand, "Did you winnow her? She got very sick when I did, but not that sick. And it was a greater distance."

"Yes, she told me as much. I don't know why it happens, either. You have to keep an eye on that. If it gets worse, we may have to get Madja to look at her."

Rhysand sighed, "I think I want her to anyway. If Cyra agrees, of course. I don't know how good the healers are in Hewn City." My other cousin nodded. As they looked back to Elain, I did the same. I do not know if I want them to know I was listening to them.

Elain skipped the talk we had before we went to supper. No one else needed to know about that. Nor did she swear or give the same attitude she had after. I didn't tease her about it just yet. May take time before she feels okay enough for that.

We all sat in the sitting area, everyone doing different activities. Nesta came and sat next to me, "You are different from them," was all she commented.

"And I still don't know if I ever could be one of them. I do not believe they want me to be. Why else would they lock me up here? Those stairs do not intimidate me, but I can't walk them every day. Cauldron boil them, boil me. I want to like them, but if I have to return...I can not go back as one of them or I may be a dead woman. At the very least, I may wish I was dead," I confessed. Nesta seemed like she had the same hated, same anger as me but did not hold back so much. I did tell Elain I am an angery person who will not apologize for it, more than I let on. But I could never fully tell her the things and people that make me angry. I could never tell her more than that because it was fun to joke and swear, but she did not hate them. She may be angry sometimes or frustrated, but I do not yet believe her to hate without good reason. Nesta, if I told her plainly about the time I flipped them off behind their backs, cursed at them, she would not bat an eyelash. She may even smile that I hate them, sometimes without reason, and I was looking for one. Or looking for a reason not to anymore. Nesta, I knew he did the same, and she knew I did too.

"Than perhaps you could be better. Go back better than them. If you are stuck here, make the prison your palace." she understood.

"Is that want you are doing?" I asked plainly.

Nesta assessed me and seemed to find what she was looking for, "I left the palace to find a prison because I could not stand the fools."