Wind Wielder

Chapter 31 - Dinner and Diatribes

When the time for dinner came, Zara had slept, bathed, ate plenty of snacks, and may or may not have slapped her cheeks and given herself a pep talk in the mirror. Which no one ever needed to know.

She was dressed in a formidable gown of Helion's choosing. One that was cream colored, one shouldered and floor length. It had golden trim akin to armor covering her waist, the thigh high slit, and the edges of the dress. Zara was certain she had seen frescoes of ancient goddesses wearing dresses like this before. 

When Zara emerged from her chambers into the communal welcome chambers of their wing, only Rhys was waiting for her.

Rhys appraised the gown with a raised brow, before meeting her gaze. "You look beautiful," he said simply.

"Thank you," Zara replied shortly.

"Feeling better?"

Zara was aware of the slightest blush coming to her cheeks. "Yes."

The corners of Rhys' mouth quirked up, his dimple becoming visible in the low lamp light of the room, though he mastered himself enough to conceal his obvious amusement as he offered her his arm. "I've asked the others to wait for us outside the ballroom before we enter as one. May I escort you there?"

Formal. Such formal words between her and Rhys. Perhaps, he recognized as well as she did that this would be the night she decided whether she would be staying in the Night Court or not.

She humored him, and accepted his arm. "You may."

They walked through the palace in silence for a moment, before Rhys declared to her. "I've made my choice. Would you like to hear it?"

They turned the corner, and at the end of the long hallway, Zara could see the rest of the inner circle waiting for them, even Amren. Though Zara was certain once she had stayed long enough to be considered socially acceptable, Amren would be scurrying back down into the caves of the archives.

"Yes." Zara said quietly.

Rhys made sure she held his gaze, his arrogant mask melting away. He made sure to suck her mind into his just slightly, enough for her to see and feel the raw honestly. "Your autonomy. I choose your autonomy Zara. Not bubble wrapped or shaped how I like. Just what you want. Zara I... the fact its even gotten to this point, is despicable. And you were right. I don't treat you fairly. I don't think I have since before the war.  " Rhys said earnestly. "So from now on, if you choose to stay,  your free will is your own. Your autonomy."

More than that, Zara could see the conscious decision in Rhys' mind already discussed at length and unanimously made with Feyre, to honor Zara's autonomy. The guilt was a dark cloud around it, but Zara could see a metaphorical new leaf being turned. Once that was see through and honest. Not withholding any information. Rhys made sure Zara could see that, see inside him, for the moment.

A moment of rare vulnerability and complete trust.

Zara's hand was squeezing his elbow by reflex, and then she cleared her throat. Rhys let go of her mind from his. Zara's mental shields were completely intact, but she knew Rhys didn't need to see inside her head to know the knee buckling relief she felt. After all these years, he could read her like a book.

But Zara showed none of that. Instead she merely inclined her chin and said "Well met, Rhys. Well met indeed."

They reached the rest of the inner circle, and without ceasing, they all entered the hall together as a unified front.

It was an effort not to show her surprise. The tremendous ballroom of the Day Court had a golden domed ceiling five stories high, decorated with intricate windows above with frescoes and statues on every corner. The walls were carved out of pure white marble, with glittering diamonds embedded into the stone. Zara just knew she would have squinted horribly if they had been here in daylight, though the sun had just finished setting below the horizon.