Dance of Fate

Chapter Thirty Seven

We are one.

I gasped, sitting up so quickly stars danced in my vision. Panting, I frantically looked around me. But I was in a familiar room- my room. There was no sign of the Cauldron. And my power had finally, finally calmed.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror through the opened door- and sagged in relief when I did. Violet- my eyes were their usual violet color. My face was deathly pale, my lips chapped and under eyes dark- but I looked normal. Not like what I had seen in the reflection of the Cauldron.

"Asteria," a soothing voice murmured from beside me. I turned to my side, finding Rhysand leaning forward in a chair beside my bed. So alike- we looked so very alike. I hadn't noted it in so long, because I had not dared to look at my reflection in months. But after what I had seen in my dream... my usual reflection was a relief.

Concern danced in Rhysand's eyes, a small frown on his lips. My breathing slowed to normal. "What happened?" I asked, my voice weaker than I wished. Rhysand was the only one in the room- no Azriel, surprisingly. I couldn't sense him throughout the entire House. I silently wished to myself that he was here.

Rhys scanned my face before speaking. "You passed out cold out of nowhere. You've been out for an hour, completely unresponsive. I thought..." he trailed off, shaking his head softly. "Did something happen?" He asked seriously.

I froze. I couldn't tell him- I wouldn't even know where to start. There were so many things I hadn't told Rhysand- what the witch had said about my power, the visit to the Bone Carver, almost dying in the Spring Court...

The dream might have meant nothing- it might not even be worth explaining all of that.

But what if it wasn't a dream? What if it was a vision? What if I truly was interconnected to the Cauldron, and this was a sign-

"Please just tell me the truth, Asteria." Rhys begged, his eyes glistening. Oh Gods- "You can tell me anything. I'm your brother." His hand cupped my face, and it took everything in me not to crumble at the look on his face. Would he still look at me like that when he realized the horrors of the power that lurked under my skin? "Just tell me what happened at the Court of Nightmares."

I blinked. "What?" I asked.

"Azriel and Cassian started arguing about something after you passed out, but they wouldn't tell me what. Then Madja came, and she inspected your injuries. She said you'd acquired them a few days ago, when you all went to the Hewn City. I told the others to tell me what happened, but since Madja said whatever happened wasn't related to your injuries, Azriel insisted that you needed to be the one to tell me."

I had to stop myself from sagging with relief. I wouldn't have to tell Rhysand anything- not when this was the perfect distraction.

I sighed, and Rhysand leaned back, signaling for me to go ahead. And so, the lies and deception would continue a little longer.

"In the Hewn City, I ran into Balekin." I started. Rhysand's eyes widened. I found it hard to breathe as I spoke, the weight of my guilt squeezing my lungs.

"What?" He demanded, fury flashing in his eyes. I nodded, debating just how much details I should give him.

"He confessed that he and his father made a bargain with the king of Hybern. They were to deliver me to the king alive- and no, he didn't say what the king wanted with me," I said before Rhys could ask, his mouth opening and closing again as I spoke. "And once they did, I was to make him High Lord of the Night Court."

Rhysand blinked at me. I sighed again. "He wanted me to kill you. Then according to him I would become ruler of the Court, since there's no one else from our bloodline." Aside from Mor, and her family, of course. I hadn't thought of that until now, but I didn't say it. I had actually never considered that I might be in line for the throne, should anything happen to Rhysand, until Balekin had mentioned it. And I certainly didn't want to talk about it, or think about it.