Dance of Fate

Chapter Eight

  I had to clench my fists to stop them from trembling as I walked to the dungeons, holding my breath. I considered turning around multiple times, but my body kept urging me to walk to the human girl's cell.

She looked awful. Every inch of her skin that was visible was either caked with dry blood or bruised a deep purple. She was curled into herself, shaking lightly.

The girl straightened the moment she saw me, the scent of her fear filling the air. "What do you want?" She asked, her voice so weak even I hardly heard it. I supposed that was for the better, considering that if anyone witnessed what I was about to do I would be killed immediately.

"You look awful," I commented, keeping my voice low and sharp. She rolled her eyes, and I resisted the urge to raise my brows at her boldness. I could tell she was terrified of me; almost everyone was. I couldn't say it didn't make my heart sink.

I quickly looked through her thoughts, trying to see verify that she truly did know who she was.

"Be careful of the rulers of the Night Court, Feyre." A female said to me, to the girl- Feyre, really. I did not recognize her, her brown bark- like skin unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

"Rhysand, the one who came here and threatened Tamlin. He has a sister; Asteria. She's even worse than him." The female said, her voice low.

How could someone be worse than Rhysand, Feyre thought.

I pulled myself out of her memory, pushing down the pain that bloomed inside me. It was better if she feared me, I reminded myself.

"Humans are fragile creatures, are you not, Feyre?" I asked, playing with my hair as if I could not care less about this conversation. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the girl's blue eyes narrow in question. She kept her lips clamped shut.

"You have a few broken bones. You must be in a lot of pain." I went on.

"What do you care?" She hissed. I ignored her question.

 "I imagine the other faeries here aren't giving you the best time. They like to use the prisoners here as punching bags." I resisted the urge to wince as I said the words. Feyre seemed to be doing the same.

"Come here." I demanded. She did not move, her face set in a scowl. I scoffed, both for show and because she truly was beginning to get on my nerves. If only she knew what I was risking just being here.

I lifted my hand, using my power to pull her to the cell door. The girl's eyes widened, struggling to no avail. I extended my hand through the gap in the cell bars, placing it on her left collarbone, which was shattered. Feyre kept trying to push me off.

I urged some of my power into her, fixing the bone in a second. She stopped struggling, her eyes jumping to where my hand still lay. I quickly pulled it back, the faintest trail of purple mist lingering on her fragile human skin.

Feyre finally turned back to me, her face set in an astounded expression. I rose to my feet, quickly looking around to see if anyone might have seen. I was relieved to see that there was no one in sight.

"You... Why would you help me?" She asked, her voice small. I cursed myself silently, lowering myself to my knees again. I gripped onto her neck, pulling her harshly so that her face hit the bars with a bang.

"I did not help you." I whisper, keeping my voice as stern as I could. "If you tell anyone about this, we're both dead. Do you understand?" She nodded slowly, and I let go of her. She coughed a bit, and I turned on my heel to leave.

"Thank you." She whispered, so quietly I might have imagined it. I didn't turn, rushing away from her cell, my heart racing in my chest.

What I had said to her was true. If Amarantha knew I had helped Tamlin's lover, the only chance we had of salvation, she would destroy me. I had initially convinced myself not to interfere; that if I did, I could ruin the chances of the vision coming true. But if I didn't help her... humans were so fragile. She would need all of her limited strength against whatever Amarantha had planned for her.