Any Day Darling: A Feysand Story

Part 27: Hewn City

AN: Hey Y'all! I'm so sorry I've been gone for so long! I know it's been about a month since I've posted, but I promise I haven't abandoned this story. I've been very busy with college and high school finals and 'graduation stuff' so I haven't had much time to write. My updates are probably going to become more irregular now because I have a job working for my county's food delivery site. Thank you all for being so patient! Enjoy! 

I felt Rhys's eyes on me as I slipped one of my more revealing gowns over my head. He had already changed into his favorite suit for going to terrorize our other court until they remember a shred of obedience. When I turned around, he tried to make himself look busy with the papers sprawled next to him on our bed, but he knew from my look that he wasn't fooling anyone.

"Are you going to tell me what's going through that mind of yours or are you just going to brood?" I asked, walking over to our dresser to paint my face with all the ridiculous powders and balms (a skill I had only recently acquired). He sat up and walked behind me, his head appearing just slightly over mine in the mirror. "Out with it."

"There are about fifty different ways visiting Hewn City tonight could go wrong," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders. I leaned closer to the mirror and painted my lips blood red. "Half of them involve Kier losing his shit when he finds out you're pregnant, finally ruining his chances of regaining control over the court. He's not going to take the news well, and I cant...The other half involves Mor falling off the edge she's sitting on today, and all of them are making me regret waiting for her to kill him all these years and not just unleashing Cass and Azriel right after the war." When I filled in all the spots on my lips I spun around on the bench to face my mate.

"If we weren't preparing to declare a civil war, I would have no qualms with either of us making that order, but as it stands we don't have the resources to keep his Darkbringers from revolting if we were to kill him and they knew we were in another court."

"I know."

"Do you think there's any chance he will try to side with Beron because of his alliance with Eris or is that out of the question?" I asked him, standing as I slid my earrings in.

"I doubt Eris will side with his father. He likely sees this as a way he can take power without the members of the Autumn Court feeling betrayed, but we can't rule it out completely. If he does wish to side with Beron...I'm not entirely sure what we will do, but I will have to see it that he is no longer in control of his army." I straightened my back and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Whenever we get a moment of peace, you need a trim or you'll be going into the battlefield blinded." He chucked and grabbed my other hand, bringing it to his waist.

But then you wouldn't fuss about it so much, he purred down the bond. I pulled my hand back and made a rather obscene gesture at him. He grinned and pushed my hand aside, walking back to the dresser where our crowns sat precariously atop a jewelry chest. We had been too tired to put them away since we returned from the Spring Court. He took mine and nestled it in my hair. As I placed his atop his head and straightened it, his eyes were devouring me in the sight of my dress. One of the things Mor had taught me over the years was the art of choosing a costume for Hewn City and just how beneficial it was to have certain dresses that never saw the light of Velaris. Dresses worn only to be poisoned. The maroon gown I dawned that evening hugged my upper body tightly, but rippled around my stomach and legs, hiding the one thing I prayed Kier would not notice.

If he finds out, and he so much as looks at me the wrong way, I said to Rhys. I want the first shot.

He laced his fingers with mine and began to winnow us downstairs. I would expect nothing less.