To Kill A Kingdom | ACOTAR ✔️

Chapter 12 - "Perhaps I'll tell you, for your convivence."

"If you want proof that we are not scheming with Hybern consider the fact that it would be far less time consuming to slice into your minds and make you do my bidding." Rhys told them all blandly. Verbena rolled her eyes and Beron scoffed at this, and Evette noticed that Eris was angled in his seat - blocking the path to his mother.

"Yet here I am." Rhys went on, not even giving Beron a glance of acknowledgment. "Here we all are."

There was absolute silence. Then Tarquin, silent and watchful, cleared his throat. He looked to the Night Court. "Despite Varian's unsanctioned warning..." He sent a glare at his cousin, who didn't look sorry. "You were one of the only ones who came to help. And yet you asked for nothing in return. Why?"

"Isn't that what friends do?" Rhys asked, and this time Evette rolled her eyes.

"I rescind the blood rubies. Let there be no debts between us." Tarquin told them.

"Don't expect Amren to return hers." Cassian muttered. "She's grown attached to it."

Rhys released his power on Tamlin. "I believe you. That you will fight for Prythian." Rhys told him, though other High Lord's didn't look so sure. "War is upon us. I have no interest in wasting energy arguing amongst ourselves."

"You may be inclined to believe him, Rhysand, but as someone who shares a border with his Court, I am not so easily swayed." Beron said. "Perhaps my errant son can clarify. Pray, where is he?" Beron asked, and Evette lifted her gaze to Beron at this, eyeing him carefully.

"Helping to guard our city." Feyre replied, and Evette felt the lie on her lips.

Eris snorted and eyed Nesta. "Pity you didn't bring the other sister. I hear our little brother's mate is quite the beauty."

"Your Fire Boy is charming, isn't he?" Evander mused to her in their mother tongue, making her elbow him in the ribs so hard, his chair screeched across the floor. Evander groaned softly as he massaged his ribs, and she caught Romulus' curious gaze. She just ignored him.

"You still certainly like to hear yourself talk, Eris." Mor replied smoothly. "Good to know some things don't change over the centuries."

Eris' lips formed a sly smile. "Good to know that after five hundred years, you still dress like a slut." Eris mused as he caught Evette's gaze, who simply raised a brow at him, unimpressed. Eris only gave her a wink in reply.

And then everything happened so fast. Cassian cursed as Azriel launched himself from the chair, and basically threw himself at Eris. He was halfway there, when he was stopped dead in his tracks, unable to move anything but his head as Evette lazily raised her pointer and middle finger.

Evette didn't want Eris to suffer the wrath of Azriel as Eris was now her friend, and she did everything she could to protect her friends from their enemies. And that was exactly what Eris and Azriel were. Sure, she knew Eris could probably hold his own against the man, but she also wanted to piss off the Night Court.

To get across that they were not the most powerful in this room - wanted them to remember that with who they had invited here without even telling her. She wanted them to know that they weren't necessarily friends, and that their odd relationship with one another would not hold her back from doing as she wished with and to them.

And she was really pissed they didn't say they invited Tattoon - they had lots of time to, and chose not to.

"I thought this was supposed to be peaceful and contain no fighting?" Evette mused to the silent room, soft smile on her face. Yet it didn't reach her eyes. "If there was plans on fighting you could've put that in the invitation - because I would just love to do so to Romulus over there. To launch over and throttle him."