Reborn

The High Lords - Part 2

(A/N - Thank you to everyone who is voting or reading this story! I hope you are enjoying it so far. Please feel free to comment if you like/or don't like anything or if you have any suggestions! Thank you again!!) 

Nyx's POV

After leaving the room I followed the directions Rhys had given me to my own, slightly embarrassed that I had just barged in on his meeting. I hope I didn't make it awkward for him.

Once in the room I went to have a shower, knowing that I probably needed to wash my unruly hair. I got myself a change of clothes and wandered into the luxurious space with a waterfall shower. I wish it were as nice as it sounded 'cause as soon as I turned the knob I was blasted with freezing cold water.

I squealed a bit, not having expected to be soaked by an avalanche of ice-cold droplets, trying to see the knob and change it at the same time. Eventually I figured it out, but these should come with instructions.

As much as I was enjoying the shower I knew that I shouldn't stay in it for too long, so I quickly got out (after trying to figure out how to stop it completely) and dried off, getting changed whilst towel drying my long, curly hair.

Just as I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw Az standing by the door. I give him a questioning look and he says, "Rhys wants you downstairs."

I nod and begin to follow him back to the room in which the High Lords were having their meeting. My nerves begin to get the better of me, what if Rhys is angry with me? What if I did something wrong? What if I looked weak and foolish? What if I say something wrong, or give something away that I'm not supposed to?

Az's touch as we get to the door breaks me from my thoughts. He gives me a reassuring smile which I return as I sigh out. The doors begin to open and there stood Rhys.

He grabs my elbow softly and guides me to an unoccupied seat where I presumed he had sat previously.

I give him a slight side glance and mind-link him, I'm not an invalid, Sandy, I can actually move to an empty seat. Or I can stand... yeah, I could just stand.

He smirks at me in response but says nothing.

Once I am sat down he tells them that I am his sister, which of course makes everyone look at me in shock. Not comfortable under their intense gazes I look down, suddenly finding the table extremely interesting.

"Your sister is dead. Beheaded if I remember correctly." One of the High Lords says.

"Are you calling my High Lord a liar, Beron?" Mor responds quickly, tensing somewhat as though ready to leap to Rhys' defence if necessary.

I look back up around the Fae in the room, noticing a blonde man that I seemed to recognise.

Suddenly I hear flashes of screams of protests "Let her go! Please! Leave her be!" Mother. My mother. My dead mother. The blonde man who took my wings.

A cool hand lands on my shoulder, knocking me out of my trance. I know whose hand it is, would know it anywhere, sparks seeming to ignite somewhere deep inside me. Shadows begin to circle me once again, as if to keep me safe.

I continue to ignore what everyone around me is saying, there being too much noise for me to be able to focus on what any one person was saying.

I look back over to the blonde, tan man and remember him from when I re-met Sandy. I stand up and slowly make my way over to him, noticing that Rhys and Az tense up and begin to move closer to me.

I stop about an arms-length away from him and look at him calmly, trying to figure out whether this is a kind Fae or whether this is the Fae who ripped off my wings.

I could see that he was scarred. That he was tired and angry. But, most importantly, I could see that he wasn't going to hurt me. I think about what I should say and can't come up with the right words, so I settle on simplicity.

"Thank you." I say to him, smiling slightly, not expecting him to respond but hoping that that was a start. A start to him realising he deserves to heal too.

Noting the shock on people's faces, particularly Azriel's reaction piquing my interest, I look to my brother in hope that he notices how much I want to leave this room, still uncomfortable around the people in it.

I begin to walk toward the door, letting Rhys deal with talking to the people in the room.

I hear him say pointedly, "Well, with that today's discussion is over. I wish I could say it was nice to see you all." And turn to follow me towards our rooms, knowing that we should be able to leave tomorrow.

Once we get to the rooms and the doors are closed Rhys comes over asking if I'm okay. "I'm fine. It was just a lot of people asking questions I can't answer."

I look over to Az, seeing that he is still a little uncomfortable as he walks out onto one of the balconies. I follow him, giving Rhys a little smile on the way.

We stand there in silence for a while, as the sky begins to darken.

"Why?"

I turn to him, not sure what it is exactly that he is asking.

"Why what?" I question.

"Why thank him?" he sneers.

I pause for a minute, thinking my response through.

"Because he is broken too. He was a child when I died. It was not his fault, not entirely. And as much as Rhys hates him for loving Feyre, Tamlin deserves kindness. He has a right to know that he deserves to heal too."

I look up at Az, noticing how he is looking at me with some sort of..... admiration I guess. I unconsciously reach for his hand, linking our fingers, despite my hand being much smaller than his, as we stare at each other and the darkening sky with a spattering of stars. And without conscious thought I think to myself, this is what home feels like – safe and warm.