The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman

Chapter 3

~ Rhys ~

Slowly and dramatically, I peeled the shadows away from myself and appeared in front of Feyre. I thought for a moment I had felt something through the bond but now, nothing, and her face was almost blank in front of me except for the slightest trace of... relief? I smirked.

Her gaze travelled up my body, and despite feeling self conscious, (have I ever felt that before?), I stood stock still, feeling like I was toeing the border of a battleground. I observed her in turn, and the sight of her filled me with heat. When her eyes finally met mine, I hid the feelings that had flooded through me with an arrogantly raised eyebrow. Her cheeks flushed pink and it was so adorable I almost wrapped her into my arms right then. Tragically, I doubt this would have been appreciated as she now looked slightly miffed.

"You took your time, didn't you?" Was not the answer I had been expecting to come out of her mouth. I was thinking more like, 'Finally, my saviour!' or 'It must be said that you look mighty fine!' But no, not that from Feyre, I thought happily. Nevertheless this was the perfect opportunity to inquire about something extremely important.

"Miss me?" I said, arms crossed and gazing deep into her light blue eyes. I observed she looked radiant, of course, but perhaps a little unrested. I pushed down any thoughts of a certain High- Lord-who- enjoys- springtime keeping her up at night.

She fidgeted with her hands, a very human trait, before exhaling a long breath and ignoring my question.
"Have you come to take me to Night?" She asked, growing less confident. "You've sure taken your time. Five weeks. I would've thought you would have collected your end of the bargain sooner."  She seemed be throwing the comment out there like it was something expected of her, not said with any passion or energy behind it. I frowned at her speaking of herself as something to be collected. That wasn't was he was doing...

"Feyre, darling, my world does not revolve around you," lies, "I have been extremely busy, rebuilding a Court. But I'm here now," thank the stars, "So would you like to say goodbye to Tamlin before we go?" I enquired, hoping she would deny the request and we could just leave. Spring was eerily silent with only an occasional bird whistle and the far off splashing of a fountain, the silence grated, how could someone keep their mind?

"Tam's not here but I should say bye to Lucien so he doesn't worry." She said, not putting up a fight that I wished to remove her. Maybe she thought Spring dull too. I resisted the temptation to peer into her mind and see what she was thinking - if she felt me prodding her mind, I didn't think it would go down well.
"Why isn't he here?" I asked, feigning nonchalance and carelessness to hide my honest curiosity.
"He had some trouble along the border with some fae loyal to Amarantha just coming back from the human world."

She actually told me. That wasn't smart. She told another Court that Spring's most powerful leader was away. And to the Night Court no less. We're the most deadly and feared. Unless she didn't fear me? Trusted me not to attack her practically defenceless Court? I doubted that was the case though, what with the horrific way I was forced to treat her under the mountain. Definitely not smart. So was she okay?

I hid my uncertain worries from her and held out an arm in my most gentlemanly manner. Her nervous eyes flicked up to my face before she place a dainty hand onto my forearm. Looking at her now, what I saw contrasted strongly with the relentless hunter from Under the Mountain. She looked like she needed protecting although I knew from experience that was not the case. Nevertheless, my instincts screamed to defend her from any threat. My thoughts danced between what could be weighing on her conscience and the feeling of her skin touching mine.

I lay my other hand over her warm one, sending the flames through my bones again, and gently pulled us through the shadows until we reached the edge of the forest, where a pacing Lucien seemed do be debating furiously with himself.