Of High Lords and Heirs

4

Being back in the Hewn City, knowing that her children were kidnapped from the Palace above the mountain was hard for Feyre. She had always hated the Hewn City. Hated the way being in the underground city made her feel, hated the way it had always reminded her of Amarantha's court Under the Mountain.

But now, Feyre had yet another reason to hate the Hewn City and its inhabitants. They were a big part of the reason that her children her children had been stolen from her. After all, no one yet knew if Keir had been acting alone. No one knew if Tamlin and Keir had used any other accomplices within the Hewn City.

The fear of someone else in the Hewn City double crossing and betraying them was very real. The sycophants of the Hewn City were entirely self-serving and cared for nothing and no one but themselves. Not even their own children. But to harm someone else's children? Arrange to have someone else's children kidnapped? That was a new low, even for them.

As Feyre entered the Hewn City for the second time that week, Rhys at her side, the mountain around them physically shuddered. Shuddered from the pure rage and fury that was emanting from Rhys, the magic he wasn't even trying to keep restrained. Not that Feyre could blame Rhys, though. Without her rage keeping her going in that moment, keeping her angry, she would likely have been a sobbing mess – a soft, gentler side that it would not be a good idea to show in front of that city, in front of those horrible, horrible old people.

Despite her already deep-rooted hatred of the Hewn City, the Court of Nightmares, and the people in it, Feyre was still unnerved upon entering the throne room. Despite knowing of the contempt many Hewn City residents held for her simply because of her gender, the glares and hatred that were being directed at her and Rhysand was hard to bear.

Ignoring the looks of hate being directed their way, Rhys simply perched on the throne and glared back at his subjects with equal amounts of loathing and hatred. "Bow," Rhys snapped, the steel in his voice mostly concealing his rage at his subjects.

For they had not. And with their Steward missing, it seemed that the Hewn City was no longer quite as willing to fall into line as they once were. Though, for the moment, they still had the good common sense to obey their High Lord. Though for the first time that Feyre knew of, they were not silent in their almost immediate compliance. Their grumblings and mutterings echoed loudly around the throne room.

The muttering continued, even as they continued to kneel. Rhys simply lounged on the throne as he reached for Feyre's hand. "Do any of you wish to rise?" Rhys said asked easily after several minutes. At the words, several people began to stand.

"I didn't say you could stand," Rhys snapped at them. "I simply asked if you wanted to stand. There's notable a difference. The rudeness that you showed as you continued to talk, even while kneeling, was unbecoming. I admit that this visit is a surprise, especially so soon after the last one, but it has come to our attention that there are several concerns about how the Hewn City is run that needs to be addressed. Now, rise."

With many scowls, they did so, in silence this time. Nonetheless, the silence didn't last very long. Whispers swept the room, most notably coming from members of Keir's immediate family and a couple of his more important allies.

Breaking protocol, one of Keir's allies suddenly charged forward, only to bounce off of the shield of solid air that Feyre had erected around the dias that held the thrones. The shield of hardened air that she had erected around the two of them the second that they had entered the City proper. A shield that the male bounced off of, landing on his bum several feet away.

"Now, that was a rather silly thing to do, wasn't it?" Feyre smiled coldly at the male. "What reason would you have for doing that? You surely realise that it could be considered an unprovoked attack on your High Lord and Lady. Like I said, silly. Silly and stupid. One would think that you would have rather more sense, especially after living as long as you have!"