The Devil You Know

Part I: Chapter 10

*guys I'm not even going to explain my absence just know I was going through it these past two years lmao also this story is also posted on AO3 and up to chapter 21 atm! Also your comments on the last chapter sent me into a spiral and now I don't even know who's gonna be end game here but I'm just going to keep writing as planned as see where it takes us!

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Part I: Chapter 10

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Irelia kept her wary eyes on the human girl that still lay unconscious on the other side of the tiny cell they had been tossed into. They had injured her badly, but her heartbeat was still strong despite her labored breathing.

Lia let out a long breath and rested her head against the hard stone wall. It smelled foul down here, a mixture of mold and mildew. Occasionally, she could hear the heavy footsteps of the guards walking up and down the hallway of the small prison, a cry from somewhere nearby, or the sound of a whip. It was unnerving.

A small groan had her sitting up straight. She watched as the human girl slowly awoke; her swollen eyes barely able to open. Her nose was crooked, likely broken, and blood stained her face. Lia grimaced as the girl sat up, letting out a cry of pain, and drawing her knees into her chest as she started to look around the cell. It wasn't long before those gray-blue eyes landed on her.

The human jolted back, colliding with the stone wall behind her. "You...," the human rasped out, "y-you are really Tamlin's daughter?" Lia nodded and watched as her eyes trailed over her form, taking in the sheer dress she was still wearing before her eyes lingered on the collar and chain around her neck. "Has she been keeping you as her slave?"

Lia toyed with her chain, "I-I'm...", she trailed off. She knew Rhysand had told her to let Feyre still believe he was just as evil as the rest of them, but it felt wrong to say the words out loud so she settled with, "I was a gift...for the High Lord of Night."

"You've been stuck down here as Rhysand's slave and Tamlin never tried to save you?" the human girl gasped in horror, raising a hand to her mouth.

"He didn't know," Irelia replied. "My mother got pregnant after being chosen as the Maiden during Calanmai. She kept me hidden for as long as she could but...Amarantha eventually figured out where we were and—well, I've been down here ever since."

The human went quiet, her swollen face twisting in pain as she fought to sit up straighter.

"I...I can try and heal some of your wounds if you'd like," Lia said, cautiously. "I will warn you that I've never tried to use my magic like that before."

The girl pondered her offer for a second before she gave a slight nod. "Anything will be better than sitting here like this."

Irelia made a noise of agreement as she stood and strode over to the girl. She knelt in front of her, examining the wounds that covered her face. "I'm Irelia by the way."

"Feyre," the human rasped out.

"Alright, I apologize in advance if this goes poorly," Irelia said, reaching her hands out towards Feyre's face but the door to their cell creaking open had her jumping to her feet. She whirled around, trying to block the view of Feyre as best she could.

A male stood in the doorway. The redhead in the fox mask that often spoke with her father during the few days they had been down here. "Lucien?" the human girl breathed as he stepped into view. His eyes—one russet and one metal—widened as he slowly shut the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Lia barked out, her eyes narrowing with caution. Any male sneaking into a prison cell with two females was bad news down here. "Get out."