To Kill A Kingdom | ACOTAR ✔️

Chapter 11 - "No, let's not ask Evette anything."

Thesan rose from his seat, his lover remaining seated beside him with a hand on his sword. "We were not expecting you, Tamlin." Thesan gestured with a slender hand toward his cringing attendants. "Fetch the High Lord a chair." Evette watched as Tamlin gave Feyre and the Night Court a vicious smile.

"I will admit, Tamlin, that I am surprised to see you here." Beron began, though Tamlin didn't move his focus from Feyre. "Rumour claims your allegiance now lies elsewhere." But Tamlin still stared at Feyre.

Before he finally sat down in the chair that had been pulled up for  him - he said nothing, not a word. He was silent.

Helion waved his hand through the air lazily. "Let's get on with it, then."

Thesan cleared his throat to grab their attention, though no one looked to him. Not with the way Tamlin was staring at where Rhys had his hand on Feyre's knee in such hatred, she had to mentally bat it away and force it to be limited just to him as it tried rushing for her.

"It would seem congratulations are in order." Tamlin finally spoke, though his words were flat and sharp. Feyre kept her mouth shut, and Rhys held Tamlin's gaze, and she felt the rage simmering from him. Yet he didn't speak to Tamlin, he only looked to Thesan.

"We can discuss the matter at hand later." Rhys said.

"Don't stop on my account." Tamlin mused calmly.

Rhys reclined in his chair and began to trace circles on his seat. "A guest of Tattoon also was with Hybern." Rhys pointed out and in return Romulus only smirked over at the High Lord. "I'm not in the business of discussing our plans with enemies." Helion grinned like a lion at this.

"Romulus no longer stands with Hybern." Kaliis, the Lord of Tattoon, announced. "So, it is no manner of concern for you."

"No." Tamlin added in as he looked at Rhys. "You're just in the business of fucking them."

And from beside her, Aerlo let out a light laugh of amusement, having become very entertained by Tamlin's appearance to the meeting. Evette elbowed Aerlo in the ribs sharply, as she shot him a look that told him to shut up out the corner of her eyes.

Cassian, Azriel, and Mor became still to the right of her and her court as fury rippled off them in waves at the comment. Rhys shrugged. "Seems a far less destructive alternative to war."

"And yet here you are, having started it in the first place." Tamlin retorted.

Rhys blinked in confusion as a claw slid out of Tamlin's knuckle, and he dragged it down the curved arm of his chair. Aerlo, from beside Evette, turned to face her and raised his brow. "Is this guy serious?" Aerlo asked through her mind. "A claw?" Evette simply shrugged back at him. "Gods, the Fae are more ridiculous than I remembered them to be."

"If you hadn't stolen my bride away in the night, Rhysand, I would not have been forced to take such drastic measures to get her back." Tamlin said.

"The sun was shining when I left you." Feyre said, and Tamlin let out a snort, and looked from her in dismissal. "Why don't we ask Evette of her account on what exactly happened?"

"No, let's not ask Evette anything." Evette retorted. "Don't drag me into this...lover's spat!"

"Why are you here, Tamlin?" Kallias asked, and Tamlin dug his claw into the wood of his chair, puncturing it.

"I bartered access to my lands to get back the woman I love from a sadist who plays with minds as if they are toys." Tamlin began. "I meant to fight Hybern - to find a way around the bargain I made with the king once she was back. Only Rhysand and his cabal had turned her into one of them. And she delighted in ripping open my territory for Hybern to invade. All for a petty grudge - either her own or her...master's."