A Court of Flame and Shadow (Azriel x eris)

Chapter 14: Rhysand

To make one thing very clear: Rhysand did not like Eris. He was not being kind out of instinct, or on purpose. The kind tone had come out on accident. He had briefly wondered if it would stick around, but the moment he left Eris's presence, the bitter thoughts and unsaid insults returned. 

Feyre was waiting for him when he arrived back at their room. Already in bed, she gave him a glowing smile the moment he walked in.

"Are you okay? You look angry."

"Had to talk to Eris." Rhys grumbled as he stripped his shirt. 

"Bout what?" Feyre had twisted around to the end of the bed, peaking her head out of the doona.  

"Nothing worth repeating. Something I've been avoiding for a while." He scowled, not at his mate, rather at the thought of Azriels.

"Something to do with Az?" Feyre guessed.

"Yes, how did you know?" Rhys turned in surprise.

"I had an inkling."

Rhysand flopped down on the bed next to her, and she was quick to wrap her slender arms around him. "He will be okay. I don't entirely know what is happening, but Az is strong."

"He is. But it's a difficult situation."

"Can you tell me about it?"

Rhys shook his head, his eyes drifting shut.

"Am I allowed to guess?"

He grinned at her. "If you can guess everything on your own, I'll tell you if your right."

She giggled. "I like a challenge. Okay, it has to do with Azriel, and his love life. That I know for sure. And somehow, Eris is involved. Right?"

"Right."

"We would know if Eris had killed Azriels partner, because Az would have told us if he was seeing someone, plus Eris would already be dead."

She frowned, face twisting.

"Az told me in the library the other day that he is attracted to males. Is there some love triangle going on?"

Rhys shucked in a breath. Close, so close. 

"It is certainly love geometry." Making jokes to get out of awkwardness was such a Cassian thing to do, but desperate times call for desperate measures. 

He watched her carefully as she sorted through what she knew. Any moment know, she would know, just as he did. Feyre was one of the most observant people he had ever met. 

Her face became visibly pale in the moonlit room. She sat right up, Rhys following her. As a hand slowly drifted to cover her mouth, a strangled sound emitted from it. 

"Azriel- and Eris?"

Rhysand nodded slowly. "You didn't hear it from me. You worked it out yourself, right?"

She stared at him through the dark.

"I don't believe it! What of Mor? And Gwyn?"

"All a ruse, to throw us off the scent."

"How long?" She got out.

Rhys pursed his lips. "Five hundred years, and no one ever knew. Not ever Mor."

Feyres jaw opened and shut, wordless like a nutcracker. "Five... hundred... years?"

Rhys nodded. "Don't be mad at them. They're mates, and they clearly love each other very much. I don't think I've seen anyone more smitten then them, and I'm including myself."

What a hypocrite he was being, he thought. He had been furious. But maybe he could help his mate learn from his mistakes.

Feyre didn't laugh at his stab at humor. She just stared at the wall. Rhysand could practically hear the cogs in her head turning as she processed the information she had just been given. He left her to it. Arguing with Beron was quite a tiring activity, and Rhys was desperate for sleep.

He flopped back onto their bed, leaving his mate to stare in horror.

Hey lovelies. Ive put this story onto Ao3 (only just got an account) if you want to read it there, the title and my username is all the same.

Xx