A Court of Hope and Anguish

Seven

Her breath was ragged and labored. Her eyes locked on the male infront of her. Both their legs are coated with thick borderline frozen mud. The chill rattled her bones as she held herself in a fighting stance. He had the high ground blocking her path. His buddies surely were hidden in the dense forest; blocking off all routes around him without more conflict. The Humming bands of glowing stone on her wrists silenced all powers that normally slithered through her veins. Normally a rough thorned force that shredded all and every sense. Now a unnerving silence.

She hissed through her teeth, The cold a welcome bite on her skin. She had taken a leap of faith to be here. So scandously clad; Known the risk that doing this entailed. Her feet cold in her boots. She was the first outsider to even attempt the rite. First Made high fae to grace this rite. She had painted a red target on her back.

With the thought she smirked, welcoming the though to proving them all wrong. She launched herself forward.

Nesta awoke in a cold sweat. She had herself clutched tightly around cassians muscled arm. Warm and solid in her arms. His scent filling her nose. Steel with hints of warm vanilla, and mountain moss. She blinked quickly, trying to wrap her mind around the dream. The lungs in her chest seemed to ache at the frozen air in the apartment. She looked up to see cassians sleeping face, hair sweeping across his sun kissed golden complexion. He looked so peaceful, she couldn't help but watch his face as his chest rose and fell.

She sat up after a time and looked over to the other side of the bed. His wings were partly splayed behind him. Not quite relaxed but not tightly. A silent curiosity filled her mind as she leaned around him. Her hands gently ran across the memberous wings. She paused as his warm breath against her neck became a bit uneven. Her eyes snapped down to his face. It hadn't moved, and his breathing fell back into a even pace and she looked back over to where her hand hovered above the skin.

Her fingertips once again stroked the surface. It was warm much like his skin and breath was below her. She looked down at him as she carefully shifted closer to him. Taking care not to wake him as he laid there. She reached further and touched the solid part. She wasn't sure what its called but the feel of the soft texture entranced her. Like the hairs of a peach, the stray fabric of a knitted blanket. She had read romance books from the library in the house of wind about men with wings and the elegance of them. She found them enchanting and when the books would talk about them. If she was being honest with herself she had thought of cassians wings. She let a small flush come to her cheeks, trying to swallow it down.

As she went to make another pass of her fingers over the membrane, a hand grabbed hers and with lightning speed her back was against the bed. Her hair loose and free against the pillow, her eyes wide. Cassian now above her, his hand gripping her wrists and pushing them against the pillow on either side of her head. A growl and a feral fixation on his face sent goosebumps up her skin. Nothing to do with the cold of that morning. The sun rise spilling through the windows.

His hair hung down in soft waves. His hazel eyes locked with hers. His features in a look she couldn't read. Not of anger or aggression. And not of hurt. But rather something else completely. He slowly leaned down tell his breath brushed past her ear in deep powerful puffs. She realized she had not took a breath and let herself take one in. His scent filling both her chest but her head. Butterflies wildly flapping in her stomach. She would have groaned if she wasn't frozen in place.

"Your hands are cold." He said with a sleepy rasp. The accent laced with that morning tone had her toes curling and a blush rushing to her face. She looked away from him as she scowled. Trying to will the red off her face, trying to put on that cold façade. Her blood chilled as the realization of the position cassian was in. The images of Thomas filled her and she began to shake.

Cassian seemed to sense the same as he simply rolled over, putting a significant distance between them. He was on his feet and padding over the bag he had brought as some point. He politely told her that he was going to the bathing room. She has simply nodded to him as she pulled the covers up to her neck. She hadn't even thought of Thomas in months, but the fire that had roared in her chest at the look on cassians face. She shook her head. No. She cant be thinking of these things right now. As she heard the water pipes rattle sounding the bath was being used she quickly changed.

She finished tying her sleeves as cassian emerged with wet hair, steaming skin from his shower. He wore a simple long sleeve shirt and black pants. Her dark blue gown was meant for the chilly weather, thicker and a higher neckline. Her hair still down, but ears hidden in the wavy locks. She squared her shoulders back and looked at him. Her hands clasped infront of her. She tried to keep the thoughts of him from her mind.

"Thank you for staying with me. But I think I am good now. You may leave." She said, her tone cold and edged with a demand. He paused towel drying his hair and looked at her. He had one eyebrow raised. He didn't say anything as he walked past her and sat on the side of the bed he had slept.

Nesta felt a rising frustration. She marched over to stand infront of him. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"I said you can leave now." She spat quite harshly. The anger from yesterday seemed to pour in as he looked up at her. His eyes looking her over assessing her.

" I don't think so." He quipped back at her, tossing the damp towel to the side. He started to place the syphons back on each of his hands, not moving an inch from his spot. She gritted her teeth.

"Why is that. I told you to leave." She growled coldly at him. His eyes shot up to hers as he stood. Towering over her. A serious and equally as cold look on his face.

"Because you almost died yesterday, you don't seem to want to take care of yourself. I promised your sister id take care of you. She is my high lady and I will not break my word." He said curtly. Nesta's nails dug so deep into her palms she could have sworn that it would bleed.

"I do NOT need you or my sisters help. I am perfectly okay on my own." She seethed at him. He growled lightly at the tone in her voice.

"That's not true and you know it." He retorted. She went to argue more but cassian went stiff and looked as if he was listening to something far away. His eyes darkened. His eyes shot to Nesta.

"Pack a bag. We are going to the Illyrian camps. You have an hour and ill be back here to get you." He said with a dominate command. She stiffened but said nothing.