The Whisper of Dusk

Chapter 22

See you again

Eris was on her side since the time she had neared the entrance of the mountain, wearing Autumnal colours. Rowan had already left for scouting. Beron had raised his eye at her but Eris had shrugged it off, saying that he wanted an escort for all the bore the other High Lords were going to suspect him to. Beron had only grunted before walking away, the Lady of Autumn' hand tightly gripped with his. Ria had to stop herself from lashing at him.

"I don't understand how you spend every day without stabbing him," she whispered to him. Eris chuckled, "believe me, I myself am astounded every second by my patience." She squeezed his arm, "he will get what is coming to him. Soon."

They were near the turning now. Just a few more steps and Ria would enter Under the Mountain- where all the other High Lords had already gathered. Where her brother would be. She stopped, her heart shuttering. Eris turned beside her, questioning. "I haven't seen him since the past two hundred years." He squeezed her hand, "you want to leave? I wouldn't blame you." Ria shook her head, and Eris replied, "good."

"How has he been?" She asked, her only source of him being through what her spies gathered and told her. "He is a good High Lord, sometimes," Eris conceded, "and good at donning a mask. Almost as good as me," his arrogance added. Ria chuckled, trying to dissipate some of the restless energy and anxiousness that had settled in. "Alright, I can do this."

She was wrong. She could not. No sooner had she entered the room and seen his regal face had she started racking with silent sobs and gasps. He looked so above everything. So distant. Rhys, it had seemed had noticed their entrance too, his eyes narrowing at her distressed state, assuming the worst of the young Autumn lord and heir.

She stiffened the closer he came. "Eris," she breathed. "I know," he answered to her unspoken plea.

He was right in front of her now, noticing how Eris was squeezing her arm in comfort, mistaking it for force on his side. "Rhysand," Eris drawled, "a pleasure to see you here."

"I wish I could say the same," he answered, eyeing Eris. It almost made Ria chuckle till his eyes met hers. The violet eyes that resembled their mother's. "And who is this lady?" he asked. "Soraya," she breathed, gulping in the sob that was threatening to come out. "Lady Soraya," Eris clarified, "who is here with me." The warning was clear and for once Ria was thankful for males and their ego.

"She can speak for herself," Rhys drawled. He turned once again to her, "may I have a dance?" Ria shook her head, "I am afraid I won't be any good, my Lord," making him raise a brow; not many refused him. "But I do envy the drink in your hand," she added, when she saw his expression. The more she tried to fit in, the better. He smiled, "of course." He turned to Eris, "your father was searching for his errant son."

Eris cursed; Rhys might have meant it as a useless taunt at his relationship with is brothers, but Eris was defensive of what might happen should Beron find Lucien alone. Ria nodded at him, giving her permission. "Excuse me," he said off-handily before leaving, not bothering to reply to Rhysand.

"How rude," Rhys mused once Eris had left, "to leave his escort alone."

"I can take care of myself, quite well," she replied, earning back some of her confidence. "I would hope as much from someone whose luck made them come here with him." Ria straightened, "he is alright." She could not defend him as much as she outright wished to, she reminded herself.

"Amarantha seems to be searching for you," she informed him. He turned around at that, "so it seems."

"Is she-" Ria hesitated, "is she all she claims to be?" He looked at her, equal parts curious and cold. "Careful."

Ria shrugged. He hesitated, and then, "we will find out tonight."

The clicking of glass was heard. They all turned to that sound. Amarantha stood on the top of the stairs, a glass in hand. "Do take a glass," her enamouring voice said, gesturing toward her caterers who seemed to be moving about the room.

"A toast," she started.

Ria had felt her power leave her body. Her Night Court power. As she was yet to completely claim her Dusk ones. Nevertheless, she had found herself on her knees as her power had mixed with Rhysand- The High Lord of the Night which soon became a translucent black glow which made its way to Amarantha who still stood on the stairs, smiling.

"Rowan," Ria choked out. She felt a phantom hand on her back. "Go," she said. "Not without you," he harshly replied. Before she could reply, another scream broke out of her. It was taking everything in her to keep her Dusk heritage from showing, everything to keep her glamour in place. Somewhere beside her, Rhys shouted too.

"Go," she ordered this time. "Go and safeguard our court. I will find a way back. My powers are intertwined with Rhys'. And I cannot leave here without it, at least not such a big distance. She has already placed a shield around the North side, one I cannot find a way through. But you can. So leave. Now." She snarled.

"No," came an equally angry snarl in the air.

"That." She gritted, "is. A. Fucking. Order. Rowan Sage."

She heard a curse, but he followed her order. The comforting touch on her back gone with him.

Breathing in a bit, knowing her court was still secure, she tried searching for an escape, a winnowing route in the South. She found one. But it was closing. Rapidly.

Rhys was on the ground, crying, along with the other High Lords. Tamlin was near Amarantha- shouting something. She found Eris somewhere in the crowd. Go, he seemed to say.

So she went.

With the last shred of power left in her, she winnowed, tears running down her cheeks. She should have revealed herself to her brother much before, she thought as the sight of him vanished in front of her eyes.

Her only saving grace being that some of her power would help Rhys. And her other half would remain in her shielding her Dusk Court.

And so she winnowed, away from Prythian and right into the Mortal Lands. 

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