In The Mist of Shadows

Chpt. 11

The clock chimed the eighth hour of the night and Rhysand picked at the hem of his sleeve. Was she going to show? If she did what would she say? What would he say? Thoughts of potential outcomes swarmed his mind, putting him a deep trance. All he wanted was just for her to finally be happy and safe, to feel safe. He thought he could give her that but maybe her trauma was too much for her to let anyone in, gods what if she never leaves that library?

"Rhys." Feyre gave his shoulder a loving stroke.

He snapped out of it. "Hm?"

"You're worrying."

He went to chew his nails but stopped himself. "What if she never wants to leave the library?"

Feyre furrowed her eyebrows. "She does leave it-"

"Only to train. At night she still goes back to it even though Nesta has set up a room for her."

Feyre sat before him on the coffee table in front of the loveseat he resided in. "She has been here for a week, there is a lot she has to go through. She needs time."

"What if she never wants... This." He used his hands to gesture to their friends in the sitting room.

"I don't know."

Rhysand sighed. What was he going to do if she never wanted this? Before he could finish the thought Feyre's eyes shot up to the door. Rhysand was quick to stand and smile as Adela walked in. She wore a simple gown of purple silk, her hair down and wavy from the braid. She seemed timid but kept her feet moving in the sitting room.

"Am I late?" She asked.

"No, uh Adela this is Elain." Elain smiled at her in which she returned. "And Amren and Varian."

Amren raised her glass of wine but Varian walked up to her. Rhysand stiffened as he shook her hand. So did Azriel. Seeing her in that dress, gods that dress that hid nothing, her plump breasts, her wide rib cage. It was torture not touching her, but even more so that Varian got to touch her, even if it was just a hand. And when she walked over to talk with Nesta and Elain he got a glimpse of her rear. Gods her rear-

Cassian slapped him upside the head. He was quick to shoot him a glare, laced with the promise of death. "Give me those looks all you want." Cassian lowered his voice. "Do not ever let me catch you stare at her like that again."

Azriel laughed. "And what are you going to do about it?"

"Oh I'm not going to do anything, big brother over there however, I can't promise the same for him."

Azriel almost pouted. This can not be happening again. He tries to find love in Elain and gets told no, now he is falling for Rhysand's sister... Sister. Before he exploded by trying not to stare at her, not just her body, but her, he walked out of the sitting room. No one really noticed except Cassian... And Adela. She was hoping she could just stay close to him. Conversation seemed to always be easy with him.

"Did you like it in the Summer Court?" Varian asked, pulling her away from her thoughts.

"Uh yes. I went swimming my first day there, the water and the fish were just absolutely beautiful!"

"The reef?" Adela nodded. "So you were around the North end?"

"Erm... I don't know."

"He was trying to see where the rip was with out bombarding you." Rhysand explained as he walked over with Amren.

"Oh, I can show you if you like."

Varian was quick to nod and Adela took his hands. Adela looked at Rhysand for reassurance before allowing Varian to enter her mind, careful of what she was showing she went through her days journey and where she landed. She then added the memory of the beautiful reef and its sea life there. When she was done she gently nudged him out.