To Kill A Kingdom | ACOTAR ✔️

Chapter 8 - "I will remove your tongue from your mouth!"

"Welcome back, Eris." Rhys drawled after taking a sip of his own wine. "It's been what - five centuries since you last set foot in here?" Betrayal and hurt rushed from Mor as she glanced at Rhys, and Evette glanced from Mor to Eris in curiosity as to what the story was there. Evette also felt the surprise come from Feyre.

"It has indeed been a while." Eris said. His red hair was unbound, a silken drape over his cobalt jacket. Shadows curled around Azriel's shoulders, whispering in his ear as he stared down Eris. And just from that she knew that something must've happened between Eris and Mor.

"You once wanted to build ties to Autumn, Keir." Rhys announced before setting down his goblet of wine. "Well, here's your chance. Eris is willing to offer you a formal alliance - in exchange for your services in this war."

Keir leaned back in his chair. "It is not enough."

Eris snorted as he poured himself a goblet of wine from the decanter in the centre of the table. "I'd forgotten why I was so relieved when our bargain fell apart the last time." This caused Rhys to shoot him a warning look, which he ignored as he drank deeply.

"What is it that you want, then, Keir?" Rhys asked.

"I want out. I want space. I want my people to be free of this mountain."

"You have every comfort." Feyre told him. "And yet it is not enough?"

Keir ignored her.

"You have been keeping secrets, High Lord." Keir said with a hateful smile, interlacing his hands and resting them on the mauled table. "I always wondered - where all of you went when you weren't here. Hybern answered the question at last - thanks to that attack on...what is its name? Velaris. Yes. On Velaris. The City of Starlight." Mor went still. "I want access to the city. For me, and my court."

"No!" Mor said.

Yet Rhys did not refuse. "There would be conditions." Rhys told the man.

Mor moved to open her mouth, but Azriel laid a scarred hand atop hers. Mor snatched her hand back as if she'd been burned by his touch. Eris chuckled softly at her rejection of Azriel, which made the man glare at Eris in rage - and Eris' response was simply to incline his head.

"I want unrestricted access." Keir said to Rhys as Evette began to grow bored.

"You will not get it." Rhys said. "There will be limited stays, limited numbers allowed in. To be decided later."

Mor turned pleading eyes to Rhys. And Evette watched Keir watch her reactions like a lion staring at his prey. "Done." He said.

"There is one more thing." Feyre added on. "One more request."

"Oh?" Keir asked.

"I have need of the Ouroboros mirror. Immediately." Feyre said, making Evette face the woman, gazing at her carefully. Evette had heard of the mirror - what it did, what it had use to. And she wondered why exactly Feyre would need to look at long forgotten worlds.

"Who told you that I have it?"

"Does it matter? I want it." Feyre replied.

"Do you even know what the Ouroboros is?" Keir asked her in a condescending tone.

"Consider your tone, Keir." Rhys warned.

Keir leaned forward, bracing his forearms on the table. "The mirror..." He laughed under his breath. "Consider it my mating present. If you can take it."

"What do you mean?" Feyre asked.

Keir rose to his feet, smirking. "To take the Ouroboros, to claim it, you must first look into it." He headed for the doors to leave. "And everyone who has attempted to do so has either gone mad or been broken beyond repair. Even a High Lord or two, if legend is true." He shrugged. "So it is yours, if you dare to face it." Keir paused at the threshold as the doors opened.