A Court of Shadows and Secrets (ACOTAR FANFIC)

Chapter 28

Upon the return to Velaris Cassian took Kali out for some 'friendly' sparing. 

By friendly, they meant beating the ever-living shit out of each other for hours on end. They had developed some strange bond, throughout their session. 

They spent the morning joking, fighting, reminiscing about the Illyrian war camps. 

As they sat down, overlooking the vast expanse of Velaris, Cassian brought up what he had been waiting to talk about. 

Kali had known it was coming, she had stopped wearing a glamour around them so that was clear. But she was still dreading the conversation. "So...Alya huh?"

Cassian tried to sound casual even though he was practically vibrating with anticipation. 

"Ask what you want to ask Cassian. Don't be so timid, it doesn't suit you." Kali said coldly as she refused to meet his gaze. 

"You are Rhysand's daughter."

"Biologically... yes."

"You are my future High Lady."

Kali's nose scrunched in disgust at that thought, "No... He will marry and produce a true heir. I want nothing to do with the night court or the title." 

Cassian turned away, slightly hurt by the venom she was spewing. But then he thought back to his own father. The bastard who left him and his mother to die. 

What would he have done if his father randomly showed up and demanded anything of him? Abandoning him for so long only to claim him when they needed something. 

He thought about the anger he would feel. 

He found his family in the inner circle, just as she did with the Archerons. A bond forged by a love stronger than blood, a family not bound by shared DNA. 

He thought about the girl's life, from her perspective. She didn't know Rhys, just as Rhys didn't know her. 

All she knew was that she was left to the existence of torture by a cruel man she never met and when she finally did meet him, all she saw was the monster he presented himself to be. 

As much as he feels for Rhys, Cassian got where she was coming from. 

He understood that she only saw bad. Survival was her only goal for so long, she knows nothing else. From under the mountain, to the Illyrian camps, to destitution in the human lands, and then back under the mountain, Kali/Alya had not known a single day of peace. 

"Whether you like Rhys or not... You are ours. Ours to protect, ours to annoy the hell out of. Even if he does have another kid, you are one of us, and we will forever treat you like you are one of us. You can hate your dad, but at the end of the day, we'll have your back. You are not fighting alone anymore. At least not as long as I'm breathin'." Cassian preached. 

Kali's eyes filled with soft gratefulness as she searched his mind and found understanding. It had been a very long time since someone had protected her, the ones that did usually ended up dead. 

Alya didn't respond, a moment of silent understanding passing through them. 

When the moment got too sappy for Alya's taste she broke the tenseness, "So what's up with you and Nesta?"

"What's up with you and the bone carver?" Cassian joked back, his eyebrows raised in amusement. 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kali teased knocking her shoulder against Cas'. 

"I'm dead serious though, did you fuck the bone carver?"

"A girl never kisses and tells."

"What about you and... Oh, I don't know... A certain shadow singer." Cas smirked looking at Kali from the corner of his eye.