A Court of Trickery and Salvation

Chapter Six

~Four months later~

I refuse to think about the longest four months of my life, being in that damn boat while my sister was at the whims of Faeries. Refuse to let my mind wander to the possibility of Feyre being dead, to Nesta and Elain dead beside her. My back is so stiff from the position I stayed in most of the time and from the wounds that are most of the way healed, it's going to scar that's for damn sure. I sling my bag over my shoulder and head straight to my families cottage, I can't waste anymore time. I really wish there was a faster way to get back and forth, I grew so envious of the birds while I was on the boat. Their ability to fly, to come and go as they please, their freedom especially during the night. Nothing but them, the stars, and the open sky. I get to the cottage and my heart stops at the sight of the wrecked door and run down appearances, overgrown weeds, the wards faded, no sign of life anywhere. "No." I choke out, dropping to my knees in front of the once beautiful garden Elain kept. "No!" I struggle to keep my emotions in check, I learned how to on the boat when everything hit me at once. Jaye's death, Hawke's betrayal, the idea that... that my sisters could be...

"Kayla?" I snap my head in the direction of the voice, of Feyre's voice. There she stands in a gorgeous dress, her figure filled out and her eyes shining. I slowly stand stand up as I run my eyes up and down her body, checking for injuries, for the same haunted look my own eyes must carry. Before I could move Feyre rushes for me, pulling me into a crushing hug, her face buried in the crook of my neck. "You're okay." She breathes and holds me tighter.

"Wait... I- I thought you were captured. What's going on?" I ask, pulling away from her and once again taking in the extravagance of her gown meanwhile I must pale in comparison with my leather breeches and loose white shirt.

"Nesta wrote to you didn't she? A lot has happened in four months. I fell in love Kayla with...with a High Lord of Pyrthian but there's this woman terrorizing them and she threatened me so he sent me away." She explains but all I can see is red, a woman is threatening my sister? "Kayla please try to understand. Tamlin... he's so wonderful and he took care of Nesta and Elain so they weren't starving and cold."

"Wait. So the money I've been sending to help you take care of them is for nothing?" I seethe, she doesn't need my help. I don't even need to be here, I could be back with Hawke. I shake my head, no Hawke still would've left. Still would've chosen a stranger to me.

"No! Never! It helped so much when it was just me here contributing. Now it's a reminder that you're alive." She says but then something dark settles in her eyes, sorrow and fear turning the blue gray eyes we all share into sheer gray.

"What is it Feyre?" I ask rather annoyed at all the events that played out while I was on that damn ship. Four months. It had taken so long to get here and anything could've gone wrong while I was powerless to help, stuck on a damn ship.

"I'm worried about Tamlin and his people. I keep thinking I should go back and face this Farie Queen but..."

"You don't want to leave our sisters again." I finish for her and I'll never know for sure why I say the words rising inside me. The pure terror in her eyes or the unrelenting urge to keep my sister from harm. "I'll go. I'm a trained warrior, it's completely different then hunting." I tell her when she goes to argue, gripping her hands silently. "Don't tell Nesta you saw me and if it's not me who comes to get you, tell them you got word I died in a battle in Solis. I'll figure out my way there." I grip the strap on my bag tighter after I release her hands. There's no doubt that there will be so many Fae there, I probably won't make it back but at least... at least I'll see Jaye again.

"Please Kayla, let me do it. Elain and Nesta miss you so much. Nesta barely looks at me, she's be much happier if it was me who died." I shake my head, my mind already made up.

"She wrote me to come rescue you Feyre. She loves you more than you know." I rest my hand gently on her cheek before quickly ripping my hand away, images of Jaye surfacing. "Stay here and stay safe, I'll rescue your High Lord for you. Only for you. I would gladly see their people rot." I growl before walking away towards the wall, already tired of days of traveling ahead. My ash sword suddenly heavy on my back as the weight of what I'm about to do bears down on me. 'It wasn't the Fae that killed Jaye. He was intrigued by them. Your anger is with the Craven. The Atlantian's' I remind myself as I keep walking towards that damn wall, to Prythian. 'But it was the Fae that made humans slaves, killed and tortured us, raped human women.' The last thought alone almost made me turn around, abandon them to the wrath of the Faerie Queen but that wrath could easily turn back to us. To my sisters. I can't risk it. If Feyre says her High Lord is good and kind then maybe he's the only shot at keeping my sisters safe. Gods know I can't, I couldn't even protect Jaye. The now forming scars on my back tingle at the thought, at the memories.