Daylight

Chapter 12

Once everyone was awake and gathered in the sitting room, Rhys tore off a bite of bread with his teeth and between chewing, said, "Well, we've more or less figured out how to get everyone up to the House of Wind in this monsoon."

"Oh, pray tell?" Nesta barked.

Elain winced. Nesta was especially... Nesta today.

"Cass, Az, and Feyre will carry Nesta, Elain, and Lucien," Rhys explained languidly. "Cass and Az can use their Siphons to shield from the rain and Feyre has that handy little air bubble ability that she's so fond of using to have secret conversations out— in— the— open," Rhys poked her in the stomach after each of the last four words.

Feyre swatted at him.

"What about Mor and Amren?" Nesta asked with her arms crossed.

"I'm going to winnow in with them just above the wards. We might get a smidge wet, but they'll survive," Rhys supplied.

"Yeah, how about giving us an ETA on when you're planning to come in for that landing," Lucien appealed. "Because I'd rather be down in the pit of that library having a friendly chat with Bryaxis over being within striking range of a sopping wet, pissed off Amren."

Elain burst out laughing. Azriel and her sisters turned sharply to look at her, but while Azriel and Feyre regarded her with something akin to surprised satisfaction, Nesta's glare was accusatory and scolding.

"Oh, Nessie, lighten up, it's just a bit of rain," Cassian said as he nudged her hip with his.

"Wh—what did you just call me?" Nesta spluttered so hard she temporarily forgot to look daggers at Lucien.

"Nessie," Cassian repeated with a shrug. "Y'know, Cassian... Cass. So, Nesta... Nessie." He gave her a brilliant grin that flashed as many teeth as he could manage.

Everyone was seemingly holding their breath for Nesta's response.

"I... may just kill you for that," Nesta vowed, her voice unnervingly calm while rage danced in her eyes.

"You'd have to catch me first," Cassian retorted. "And since you never train with me, you probably can't." As if for emphasis, he winnowed away and reappeared at the far end of the foyer, closest to the stairs.

Nesta's blue-gray eyes narrowed into a simmering glare. "Feyre, you carry me to the damned House. Make the Loudmouth with a death wish carry him." She slung her head around to indicate she meant Lucien.

"Hey!" Lucien protested. "Why do I get punished for him being a moron?"

Nesta just cocked her head to the side and smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "I think you know why."

"You all are worse than a pack of feral cats," Amren huffed as she winnowed into the foyer. "Where's Mor?"

"She should be winnowing in any—"

Mor appeared between Azriel and Lucien. "Damn, you all get so pissy when the weather is shit."

"Well, good morning to you too, Mor," Cass called over Nesta's head, having winnowed back beside her.

"Let's get going, then, while the rain isn't coming down in absolute sheets," Rhys said in his authoritative High Lord voice.

They all traipsed up the stairs, ragtag group that they were, and out onto the semi-covered rooftop balcony. Feyre summoned her wings and Lucien quickly moved to her side before Nesta had the chance to reach her sister. He gave her a pleading look and Feyre rolled her eyes but nodded all the same.