A Court of Illyrian Hearts

Chapter Four

Author's note: as always, please excuse any grammar errors or spelling mistakes. :)

He crosses his arms with that ridiculous smirk on his face.

'Aren't you going to the meeting?' I ask trying to decide if I want to take a stroll around the city with this gorgeous man. Wait, what am I thinking? Of course I want him to show me the city, I mean, look at him. I tell myself, but how do I know it's safe? How do I know he's safe?

'Rhysand said you might want someone to show you around considering you're still...recovering,' he replies.

I go against every instinct telling me he's just like all the other Illyrian males and say, 'I'd love to see where that music is coming from.'

'Then let's go,' he says and offers his hand.

'I-what are you doing?' I ask.

'Well I was planning on flying us down but if you'd rather take that creature...' he trails off, waiting for my reply.

'Uh...no, it's fine,' I say, 'She's probably enjoying flying now, at night. I wouldn't want to take that away from her.'

I take his hand, his rough calluses scraping against mine.

We walk to the edge of the balcony and he scoops me up gently and says, 'Ready?'

I nod, and he takes off.

The flight is only about five minutes; and the whole time I try not to inhale too deeply his strong, dizzying scent, or focus too much on the hard muscles underneath his leathers.

He lands at the edge of the city, on the banks of the river.

The night air is cool; fresh, such a contrast to the stuffy mountain air that I had become used to. I breathe deeply.

'Well?' Cassian says, 'Where do you want to go first?'

After a moment of thinking I say, 'I really do want to see where the music is coming from,'

His eyes brighten and he smiles, 'Oh you mean Rita's; she's always got the best musicians playing. It isn't too far from here.'

'Then lead the way General,' I say with more than a slight amount of sass.

He looks at me for a long moment then gives a cocky smile. 'Most people sneer when they say that.'

'General?' I ask. 'Perhaps they're just jealous of your position.'

He snorts. 'No doubt about that.' He pauses then gestures towards the buildings ahead. 'Let's go.'

The walk to Rita's isn't far, and the whole time I admire the architecture of the buildings we pass, the light brightening up everything, the happy faces at bars and restaurants, children playing in the streets. And laughter. So much laughter. It was strange to think of all the happiness in this place, something I could never picture myself having. My chest tightens but I keep my face blank and purse my lips.

We reach a restaurant crowded with a number of people eating and drinking various things. On the pavement just outside is a circle of people dancing with their arms around each other's shoulders. In the centre of the circle sit a group of musicians, one playing on a fiddle, one playing the tambourine, and the other two are playing on instruments I have never seen or heard before.

'Mor says this is the happiest place in Velaris.' Cassian tells me as we watch the happy faces dancing around the musicians, 'She drags us out here every once in a while, saying we're 'too stressed out' and need some fun in our lives.'