A Court of Dreams and Promise

Chapter Thirty

Azriel

Azriel and his High Lady were shoved into a shimmering palace seemingly made out of glass. His shadows shot out immediately, ready to protect against the ten armored guards around them.

A guard with a complexion like pale snow and eyes like frosty icebergs told them to wait while he went in to see the High Lord.

Azriel sent a couple of his shadows underneath the massive doors to inspect, the shadows darting back and forth to report to him what was happening.

"High Lord. We captured the High Lady of Night and the shadowsinger on the border," the guard reported, bowing at the waist.

Kallias snarled. "I should have known. Are they possessed?"

"I don't know, milord."

"Send them in," a voice said coolly from the corner. Viviane.

Kallias flicked his gaze to Viviane briefly. "The High Lady has the spymaster with her. This could be dangerous."

"Send them in," Viviane repeated. "I want to talk to them."

"You heard her," Kallias said, addressing the guard.

Azriel summoned his shadows back to him a second before the guard opened the doors, frowning slightly.

"The High Lord has given you permission to enter," the guard said, gesturing the way in with a gloved hand.

Azriel and Feyre walked into the magnificent throne room. Kallias's throne was made of frosted glass so pristine it may as well have been ice. Viviane's throne next to his was adorned in silver, and Feyre gasped at the silver bassinet next to her.

Kallias monitored their every move, carefully watching to see if Azriel and Feyre posed a threat to his mate or his babe.

Feyre stopped directly in front of the polished marble staircase leading to the thrones. "High Lord," she said, "thank you for allowing us an audience." She bowed ever so slightly.

"Rise, High Lady," Kallias said, his tone cold. "It is important to ask if you are here on behalf of Tamlin's business or your own."

"We are here on our own business," Feyre said. "Our business is not my mate's or that of anyone else on Tamlin's side."

"So your mate is on Tamlin's side, then?" Viviane asked, blue eyes shining with fear and uncertainty.

Feyre inhaled sharply, but Azriel took a step forward to stand slightly behind her. "My High Lord is not willingly on Tamlin's side," he said. "He has been possessed by Tamlin, along with our general at Tamlin's Calanmai celebration, a celebration they attended in hopes of hearing Tamlin's peace offerings."

"I also received such an invitation," Kallias said. "Along with it was scrawled a personal note from a female I now know as your mate."

Feyre blinked. "A personal note?"

Viviane's gaze softened. "We knew Velaria in the past. She was one of my – our – good friends."

Feyre's power slipped into Azriel's mind, and he let her in. Did you know about this particular friendship?

I knew Velaria made many good friends at political gatherings but no, I didn't know about this one. Velaria made many friends.

"Although we were friends with Velaria, I do not know if Velaria's intentions were misled, but her invitations did ultimately lead Prythian to its downfall," Kallias said coldly.

"Velaria isn't on Tamlin's side. He stabbed her that night," Azriel said quickly, his temper flaring.

Kallias narrowed his eyes. "And yet she is betrothed to him."