starfall. [ Rhysand ]

VI

betrayals and the summer solstice.

"You seem distracted" the morning after Calanmai, Lucien had decided to switch from hand-to-hand combat and teach Kiara how to defend herself with a sword.
He thought that perhaps the sense of danger would awaken in her, just like the tiny bit of power she emitted the night she was attacked by the Nagas. However, he had to first start by teaching her how to hold a wooden sword, as she would have probably cut her toes with a real one, considering how unfocused she was that day.

"Uh?" Kiara wasn't even listening to him; her thoughts were consumed by Rhysand and their sort of connection.
The prior night, she had tried to reach out to him in some way, but she couldn't. She didn't even know how; she had just tried to picture the thread in her head and follow it. But unlike the time she had felt him next to her, last night it was silent, as if a wall of bricks had been put between them.
She wanted to ask Lucien about it, but it didn't seem like he would have appreciated her talking to the High Lord of the Night Court, since he had expressed his dislike towards Rhysand and his people.

"Leave it. We can continue tomorrow; it's nearly lunchtime" Kiara only nodded, feeling that Lucien was disappointed, so she left to go to her room and freshen up before lunch.

When she reached the dining room, Lucien and Tamlin were already seated and just sent her nods in greeting.
They both seemed a bit annoyed with her and Feyre that day, most likely because the two females didn't listen to their orders the night before.

"Good afternoon" Feyre entered the room with a fake smile on her face. She looked upset, and all of a sudden, Kiara wished she had skipped lunch, as a clear tension could be sensed between her and Tamlin.
The Star's theory was confirmed when Feyre, instead of sitting down in her usual spot next to her and in front of Tamlin, sat on the opposite side close to Lucien.

"Did you sleep well, Feyre?" Kiara tried to avoid the uncomfortable silence. She wanted to ask the human what had happened during Calanmai after she lost her, but she didn't want to give the opportunity for Tamlin and Lucien to scold them again. So instead, she opted for some light conversation.

"Like a babe" Feyre replied while biting into her food, which she had just taken from the center of the table. The human was about to ask Kiara how she was faring when Lucien interrupted her.

"What is that bruise?" The Star furrowed her eyebrows and leaned on her elbows on the table, noticing that Feyre had a purple bruise on her neck.

"Ask him. He did it" she pointed angrily with her fork at Tamlin, making Kiara's eyes widen in surprise. Had he also tried to take Feyre to that cave?

"Why does Feyre have a bruise on her neck from you?" Lucien asked with a surprised tone, while Kiara remained silent, watching with big eyes the situation that was developing in front of her.

"I bit her. We ran into each other in the hall after the Great Rite" Tamlin said very casually while cutting his steak.
"She seems to have a death wish. So if Feyre can't be bothered to listen to orders, and neither can Kiara," he turned towards The Star, staring for a second at her bruise on her wrist, "then I can't be held accountable for the consequences." The Star was left speechless. Had he just told her it was her fault for the sore wrist he caused her? She wasn't to blame if she had no idea what Calanmai was.

"Accountable? You cornered me in the hall like a wolf with a rabbit" Feyre smacked her hands on the table with fury, while Lucien just enjoyed the argument, trying to hold back his laugh.