A Court so Cruel and Lovely

Chapter Twenty Four

The isles were the same as I remembered. The rocks jutting out the water still made stepping stones to other islands. Rhysand looked around.

"This is where you've been?"

"When I first left, this is where I came," I said. "Then I went to this place called Enchantia."

We walked to Taryn's house – Locke's old house. It was Locke's house until Taryn killed him. I'm glad she did. I never liked Locke. I told Rhys all the stories about the adventures I'd had here. He absorbed it all in sheer curiosity.

Taryn ended up getting close with the Ghost – Garrett. But he was poisoned so Cardan turned him into a tree in hopes it would slow the poison from killing him. She was sitting with her son, Leander, in the garden. I waved to them. Leander ran over to me.

"Aunt Selene!!"

"Hey kiddo," I grinned, ruffling his hair. He's grown so tall, he's almost the same height as me.

Unfortunately, I inherited my father's height so I was five foot, eleven inches tall.

Taryn looked relieved. "Everyone's been looking for you! Where'd you disappear to?"

"It's a long story. Will you join me and my brother on our trip to the palace?" I asked.

"Of course," Taryn exclaimed, casting a surprised glance at Rhys. "I always forget you have a brother."

So we winnowed outside the palace. When we crossed through the gates, guards bowed for me, Taryn, and her son.

"Princess Selene," one of them gasped. "Everyone has been worried about you."

I laughed. "Well, it's good to be home. The past 5 decades have been rough."

"I'm sure," the guard grinned.

They let us pass and Rhys turned to look at me.
"I didn't realize you'd carved your place here."

"Of course I did," I snorted. "When I commit to something, I intend to follow through. Always."

"You've changed," he said in a tone that I couldn't quite place.

The princess, people whispered.

She's alive.

Where has she been?

The Shadow has returned.

I didn't pay them any attention. I was focused on the dais, where the High King and High Queen sat on their thrones. They looked the same as they had fifty years ago. Cardan dismissed everyone else in the room.

"You've come home," he said, his voice only slightly deeper.

"Indeed," I smiled.

"You'll be pleased to know Ares has been well taken care of in your absence," he continued.

"I would expect nothing less."

"No, you wouldn't," Cardan flashed me a genuine smile. His tail curved in the air behind him. "You'd have chopped my balls off."

I laughed. "Absolutely I would."

Jude looked pleased. "I'm glad you've returned. Elfhame is quite boring without you."

I knew her well enough to know what she really meant. I was worried that you were dead and if you were I would've killed everyone in my path. Jude and I had always been close. We might even been closer than she was with her own family.

"I'm sure it is," I responded. What I really meant was I know you would shred the world apart for me.

Cardan took me and Rhys to the stables where Ares was in. My wyvern had barely changed at all – he had packed on some muscle but otherwise he didn't change much. I heard Rhys swear behind me.

Ares peered at me. ...The way he looked at me.. It was like staring into an abyss of love. Children peered at their parents this way, with eyes full of trust and adoration, hope and promise. It made you want to be better, to do better, to move mountains if ever one stood in their way.

I walked into the stables and stroked his nuzzle.

"Hello, my darling."

"Since when did you own a wyvern," Rhys demanded.

"I got him in Enchantia," I snorted.

Rhys shook his head. "This is what you wanted to fetch before going back to the Night Court?"

"Duh," I scowled. "I'm not going anywhere without him."

Rhys sighed. "Fine. Let's go."

We say our goodbyes to the others and, with Ares, we head back to the Night Court.

***

Mor was waiting for us on one of the verandas of the House of Wind. For a moment, she just stared at me.

Then she hugged me.

"You're alive," she gasped.

"If I hear that again, I'm going to go insane," I laughed.

"Mor," Rhys said. "Feyre's my mate."

She said nothing at first, just hugged him tight. "It's going to be okay."

I wasn't sure it would.

***

Rhys took me to my old room and let me rest for a while.

"I'll come get you when the others arrive," he said.
I nodded. I was nervous. I haven't seen my friends in so long. Sometimes I feared I would never see them again. He walked away. I walked around my room. Everything was still the same. The same fluffy deep blue rug, black bedsheets, and massive bed.

It was obvious the room was constantly kept clean. There was no dust or anything anywhere. Someone must've been cleaning it in my absence. I emptied out the satchel I'd brought. Dresses, pants, shirts, and corsets spilled out.

I picked up the gown I wore on Dain's ill-fated coronation. It was one of the first ones I grabbed. I liked the dangerous vibe it gave off. I'd managed to get the blood off of it so I brought it with me. I'd go fetch the rest of my clothes later.

I walked into the bathing chambers. Using my magic, I turned the water on. As I stripped down, I looked at my back in the mirror. My tattoo was a mess. Those poor snakes had so many scars through them, they almost looked disfigured. I would have to get them removed, which was a sore shame because I fucking loved my snake tattoo.

I climbed into the bath once the water was full. The scathing hot water felt good against my aching muscles. I scrubbed every inch of my body hard enough that it felt like I was rubbing my skin off my body. I'd never felt so good in my life.

***

I was putting my hair up when my door opened. I already did my makeup, which normally I would do after my hair. Rhys looked at me. He seemed surprised at my outfit choice.

"The Inner Circle is waiting," he said, offering his arm.

I took it gratefully. He led me down the halls.

"Are you nervous?" Rhys asked.

"I haven't seen them in a long time. So, yes, a little," I admitted.

"They're pretty much the same," he shrugged. "Nice outfit choice by the way."

"Thanks. I wore it when most of the royal family of Elfhame was murdered," my voice was unwavering. I'd never spoken so crassly about that night before.

Rhysand looked bewildered. "You were there?"

"I was Eldred's adoptive daughter. Of course I was there. I was on the dais when it went down."

We stopped outside the door of the dining room.

"We're meeting here?"

"Yes," Rhys nodded. "I thought you might want to eat."

I didn't deign to respond. I merely steeled myself.

I walked with Rhys into the dining room to see my friends first time in 500 years.