Dance of Fate

Chapter Sixty Six

It turned out the others had kept just as busy as I had in the last months. Rhys informed me on everything that had occurred during the months I had been gone, Azriel chiming in from time to time. Cassian, Mor, Feyre, and Amren sat silently as they spoke.

Most things I had already known, yet there was vital things I had missed. Like the fact that Feyre was not only Rhysand's wife, but High Lady of the Night Court. The fact had made pride rush through me, not only that there was an actual High Lady, but that I would serve Feyre. 

Then there was matters like the High Lord's meeting that would soon take place. 

"I want to go." I said to Rhys, meeting his gaze. He pursed his lips, uncertainty in his eyes. He opened his mouth, likely to object, but I spoke before he could. "I know you think it's a bad idea. But I have more information about Hybern's plans than anyone else."

"I know you do, and you have every right to be the one to share it." Rhys said hesitantly. 

I sighed. "But?"

"But... they might not want to hear it." 

"From me, you mean." I snapped. Rhys winced, and I wished I could take it back. I forced my voice to soften as I spoke again. "I know they might not believe me at first. Especially Tarquin."

I felt Azriel's eyes piercing through my skin as I spoke. I chose my words carefully, the weight of everyones stares threatening to shatter me. "But I think I could convince them. And they need to see what Hybern is capable of, what he plans to do. I am the best way to show them."

Neither of them spoke, so I went on. "And I'd like to... share my condolences to Tarquin in person." Share my condolences was the least of what I wanted to do. I wanted to see him to force myself to face what I had done, to bear the weight of what I had caused. To show him I would carry the weight of every single life I had taken that day. That I would do anything to make up for it. 

"She's the only one who could perhaps make them see the gravity of the situation. Aside from Feyre's sisters." Amren reasoned. I shot her a grateful glance. 

I raised a brow at Feyre. "They're going?"

Feyre sighed. "No." I refrained from asking more, since it clearly seemed like a fragile subject. Azriel had told me that the two elder Archeron sisters were staying in the House of Wind, and that neither of them was... adapting well to their new circumstances. Especially Elain. 

Instead, I finally looked back to my brother. Rhys clenched and unclenched his jaw. He finally looked at me, and I forced myself not to shrink under the sympathy and sadness in his eyes. "They won't respond kindly. You're sure you're ready for that?"

"I've faced worse." The words didn't come off as irreverent as I had intended them to, and I regretted them as soon as I said them. A tense silence settled over us all, and I quickly looked away from the pain in my brothers expression. I cleared my throat, forcing my voice to sound steady. 

"So that's all that's happened?" I asked. After hearing of Elain being a seer, Feyre and Lucien almost being killed by the formers brothers, the bargain with Eris, and the one with Keir... 

"That's all." Mor said after no one else spoke. I nodded, ignoring the grimness that had settled over the meeting room. 

"Then I'll tell you the information I gathered." Everyone straightened at that, and I was quiet for a moment as I thought of where to start.

I cleared my throat. "As I'm sure you know, Hybern purposefully neglected his people's needs in order to increase their resentment. They're all starving, all poor. There's no trade, attributed to him cutting off commerce with external territories. And instead of blaming their wonderful king, he's somehow made them believe it's due to their absence of human slaves.