To Kill A Kingdom | ACOTAR ✔️

Chapter 13 - "Well, aren't we already at war?"

After watching Feyre's display of the powers she possessed of theirs, Evette glanced through the room to the Fey, who all looked incredibly bored. Which was more than she could say - she was pissed, she was angry, she was annoyed. She felt quite a bit of resentment for almost everyone in the room sat around them.

She watched as the High Lord's realised Feyre had their powers, and watched as even Rhys started using his own powers against Beron, and she let out an irritated sigh. She glanced at her mother, uncle, and brother, and from her gaze they all knew they felt the same as each other.

"I've had enough of this stupid fucking meeting." Evette spoke through her Court's minds, as she looked at them and shook her head gently.

"This meeting is over." Beron announced as he and his family stood. "I hope Hybern butchers you all."

"This meeting is not over." Nesta rose from her seat. "You are all there is between Hybern and the end of everything that is good and decent. You fought against Hybern in the last war. Why do you refuse to do so now?"

Beron didn't say anything, but Eris motioned for his brothers to sit.

"You may hate us. I don't care if you do. But I do care if you let innocents suffer and die." Nesta continued. "At least stand for them. Your people. For Hybern will make an example of them. Of all of us."

"And you know this how?" Beron sneered.

"I went into the Cauldron." Nesta said flatly. "It showed me his heart. He will bring down the wall, and butcher those on either side of it." She looked to Kallias and Viviane. "I am sorry for the loss of those children. The loss of one is abhorrent." She shook her head. "But beneath the wall, I witnessed children - entire families - starve to death." She jerked her chin at Feyre. "Were it not for my sister...I would be among them."

"Too long," Nesta said. "For too long have humans beneath the wall suffered and died while you in Prythian thrived. Not during that Queen's reign. But long before. If you fight for anything - fight now, to protect those you forgot. Let them know they're not forgotten. Just this once."

Thesan cleared his throat. "While a noble sentiment, the details of the Treaty did not demand we provide for our human neighbors. They were to be left alone. So we obeyed."

"The past is the past. What I care about is the road ahead." Nesta said. "What I care about is making sure no children - Faerie or human - are harmed. You have been entrusted with protecting this land." She scanned the faces around her. "How can you not fight for it?"

"I shall consider it." Beron said, and he glanced over his family, before all of them but Eris vanished. He looked a little conflicted and Evette caught his gaze, he only shrugged his shoulders at her lightly, before he vanished himself.

"Right, well, I think that's also our cue." Evette mused as she stood from her seat. "I think we've seen enough." The rest of them stood as well.

Rhys looked between her and her mother. "And...Angevin?" He asked her. "Will you stand with us in this war?" Rhys turned to look at Kaliis and Nicasia. "Will Tattoon?" He asked them.

Kaliis and Nicasia remained silent because they knew nothing of importance had really been discussed. And because, though their relationship may be tense and cracked, Tattoon and Angevin were a team. Always have been, always will be. They would not do something as serious as agreeing to war without first knowing Angevin's stance on it. And vice versa.

And Verbena only looked towards Evette - clueing those of Prythian in that Evette was the one essentially in charge. Her decision was everything to her mother - her mother would do as Evette wished. Not because she was just her daughter though, but because she was the Black Queen whose main duty was the protection of their kingdom and people. They established that it was Evette's decision that would either make, or break this war.