Feysand fanfic

Chapter 31

Rhys pov.:

A couple hours later, after I met with Cassian and Az about the battle and safely moved all my citizens back into their house, I winnowed into Amren's place. Feyre didn't think she was important enough to stay. To fight with us. How could I blame her for saving us, for saving my people? But she was gone and putting a smile on my face while I barked orders and shook hands took all of my 500 years of patience and stillness to pretend like I was ok, that I was fine. But I wasn't. Having Feyre sacrifice herself to the Spring court was one thing, and I had been a mess then. My family had been a mess then. But this was different, and I could see it now. The stillness and emptiness which laid behind Cassian's eyes. The shadows which circled Az more and more as the hours passed. The utter quietness radiating off of Mor was most likely the most heartbreaking. But I got through it if only because I held onto that thin line between us, the fragile mating bond, the tattoo which lays on my arm, promising that she's alive. Alive. Alive. That's what I kept repeating to myself. Alive.

Amren still sat where I last saw her, sitting on her kitchen bench with the orb in front of her. She hadn't moved, as if she'd been totally absorbed by the ball. Her face was pale though, very pale, as if using the orb, commanding it took everything out of her. "Rhysand" she finally spoke after 10 minutes of me sitting on her coach, head between my hands. "I need you to get me something". Then silence. I gritted my teeth. "Could you be a little more specific Amren?" but I could feel it then, the bond becoming thinner. I glanced to my arm to see the tattoo paler than it had been before. She was dying. I was dying. I couldn't lose her; I can't leave G here alone. This cannot be how it ends. I refused. I went to stand up but found it took me a minute to find the strength. My limbs were heavy, and I realized that she was drawing off my strength to fight for herself. Good. If that's what she needed, then I would find a way to give her my strength. I'd give it all if it didn't mean that she would be gone too.

"I have a theory" she said. "I tried it and this thing - "she flicked the orb for emphasis, and I could have sworn a dark energy pulsed from it. I would have flinched if I had enough energy. Even now I leaned a little too heavily on the kitchen table; I haven't felt like this since the cauldron. I doubted any of the others noticed, they were probably too tired; good there's nothing they can do anyways, it would only worry them. "I'm closer to pinpointing their location. It doesn't help that it doesn't know either, it has a feeling it says, that's it hears us, not this world but close, and cloaked in pure stripped darkness." I think I got where she was going and even the thought of using energy for magic made my knees wobble. I casually sat down on the kitchen chair.

"Would you like me to summon something from the pocket?" I furrowed my brows. "Nothing can survive there Amren, it has no air." "It doesn't hurt to try Rhys". She was right, at least it was minimal magic that didn't take to much energy. I pulled one of the first things from the pocket and was met with some spare clothes I always kept for Feyre for emergencies. I frowned at the clothes in my hand, tears rising to my eyes as her sent hit me. I meant to put more power in my voice, to sound like the High Lord of the Night court, but my voice came out low, almost a whisper. "Did the creature tell you anything?" she shook her head, still watching the orb and thankfully not noticing the pounding headache. "Try winnowing across the room, that's a different black pocket". I wanted to groan, but for Feyre I would do it. I needed to stay strong for her. I was the strongest High Lord in history for cauldron sake's I could give Feyre my energy and winnow across the room.

I was about to rally my strength when Mor walked in through the door with Cassian and Az in tow. I apologized to her earlier and she said she understood. She helped me with all the organizing and as she strode in now, she took one glance at me and narrowed her eyes. "What is wrong with you? You look worse than all of us combined." And feel like it I almost mentioned; but I blew out a breath as indeed they all stared at me, including Amren who took one sniff and narrowed her eyes. I tried to sit up straighter and put a smile on my face, but I knew they could see it, I've lived with them for 500 years. I settled for the truth instead. I pulled up my black sleeve and revealed to them the fading tattoo, "We're dying" I said, to their shocked faces, "that's why I have been pushing everyone to hurry up. Not just for my selfish needs to get her back but- but because she's dying, wherever she was, and because of our promise to each other, I'm dying." I looked to the floor, I didn't want to see their faces; but Mor dropped to the floor and placed a hand over mine, eyes roaming over my face which no doubt was pale and sunken in. I could feel it, the slow drain of my energy.