A Court of Secrets and Moonlight

54: Chaos

Feyre

Thank the Mother Rhys and I had decided to sleep with clothes on tonight.

I woke up to the sound of the wall next to our bed shattering. I had no time to shield myself as marble debris rained down on us, Rhys's wings flaring wide to offer what little protection they could. Voices screaming, power blasting, absolute chaos had erupted in our suite. I blinked as I shot up, my eyes struggling to adjust to the light that was glaring through the room. Gold and green clashing against one another, and then shining blue ripping between them. The sound of wings flapping, of Rhys roaring as he threw himself out in front of me.

And then my vision cleared.

Leur was free from the shadows, twisting around Tamlin as vines attempted to constrict her.

Tamlin?

Azriel was the one who had been thrown through the wall, barely conscious as a cut on his neck was slowly leaking blood.

Don't. Leur screeched out mentally, Let me handle this.

Rhys lunged anyways. I barely had time to reach out and grab his arm before he could get to them. Leur flipped around him, her every move technical and fluid all at once as she slammed her shoulder into him. The wall cracked with the force of his body hitting it, fanged teeth, the same ones I had seen him use to rip out Amarantha's throat, sunk down into Leur's shoulder. I watched as Leur gritted her teeth, pinning Tamlin's large frame to the wall for a moment as she grabbed the dagger in his hand by the blade, completely ignoring the way it sliced through her skin as she pulled it from his hand. I don't think I had ever seen someone fight the way she did, utterly brutal and willing to do anything to win.

Blood immediately began flowing from the wound, and Tamlin gained the upper hand. His movements were so fast I could barely see them, even with my fae sight. One moment, she was pinning him and the next her back was against the wall. Thick bands of ivy grew over her body, constraining her as Tamlin held a claw to her throat.

Cassian appeared in the doorway, flanked by Mor and Nesta. Behind them, Helion stood with his jaw utterly agape. Leur's brother lunged for her, the red siphon on his hand glaring. But she raised a bloody hand towards him, willing him to stop.

Cassian did not listen.

I felt the moment she bust through all of our mental shields, as if they were no more than paper. Her power stretched around every one of us, chains of violet steel forming around my mind. I couldn't move, couldn't do a thing. I could only watch as we all froze where we stood, as Leur faced down Tamlin with utter confidence in her gaze. He growled, pushing closer, the edge of his talon puncturing the smooth, tan skin of her neck.

"Kill me, Tam."

Her voice was completely clear, strong and pure.

Down the bond, I heard Rhys roaring against the binds she held on us. If she could restrain him-

"If you don't know who I am, if you don't know me, then kill me." She repeated, a memory being pushed out with such force I couldn't stop it if I tried.

Tamlin standing on the shore of a golden lake, sunlight streaming through the trees down on him. His hair was short, dark shadows under his eyes as he was staring at her with utter determination. Her hand was outstretched, a golden sword held at his throat as he repeated the same words she had just said.

The memory ended, and I watched as Tamlin faltered only slightly. The tiniest crack in the control the spell wrought on him.

"Kill me."

Another memory, of a blonde haired child running through a spring field, Tamlin. Beside him, looking like she was born from the midnight bloom of violets, Leur was just a child. Running free and happy, the laughter of innocence drifting through the warm breeze.