The Whisper of Dusk

Chapter 29

Ain't no rest for the wicked

Ria was, as it had become a monotonous routine for her, serving drinks to the Fae who were lucky enough to party tonight. Eris was nearby, as always, keeping an eye on her and Dante. I have nothing better to do, he had said when Ria had demanded he stop worrying over them. His loss. What wouldn't she give to forget all her misery and longing for one night in this horrific mountain.

Sometimes, she fantasized about poisoning Amarantha, or stabbing her with a knife, or battering her skull with one of the same bones she had used to make her throne. But then reality crept in. Ria was not a High Lady yet, and even if she had been, Amarantha held the power of all the High Lords of Prythian. It was suffocating and guilt ate her every day that she was not able to help her brother.

Even when she had been in Dusk, she always had someone keep an eye on him. Had watched out for his back hundreds of times. Saved his life from poisoned arrows, kept Eris from taking jabs at him, and made sure, always, that he was alive and safe. Yet, now, when it mattered the most, she could not help him the way she wished too. No, only Feyre, who had sold out Clare and her entire family, could do it.

Ria would wait, she thought, she would wait till Feyre either won or lost. And then, she would go back to finding her way to Dusk, no matter what hell she might face while journeying through the Middle. (Since Amarantha had stopped all ships that once used to commute the Fae from one side to the other to avoid the atrocities of the Middle.)

But no matter. She would do it.

Ria held the bottle in her hand. It was cold and some of the water droplets were making their way down her arms. Yet, she stood uncaring, her eyes darting to find her brother in this darkened land. He wasn't here yet.

She mindlessly poured yet another drink. Dante wasn't here yet so she was handling her work too. Sighing, she went to where Eris stood. "This is so boring," she whispered to him.

He let himself take a sip from his drink while muttering, "night after night. Does she ever get tired?"

"The devil never does," Ria whispered and she could've sworn she saw him curve his lips in a smile.

"Where is Dante?" she asked while fiddling with the glasses on the silver-plated tray. Eris's jaw twitched, "she was supposed to report to me today afternoon." Ria stiffened, "I last talked to her in the morning."

Taking in a deep breath, Eris walked away, no doubt, to find what had happened to Dante.

Dante prided herself to be good at her job. Today, that pride was bought down several notches. She groaned as the chains that held her scraped against her skin. Someone- Attor maybe- cackled. She had never wished for her knife more than she did now.

The party was still on-going in full swing when Rhys entered. Ria, who was unaware of what had become of Dante, found some of the tension leave her shoulder.

But then she saw the slender hand that curled on his arm. Feyre Archeron. The girl was clad in the least modest gown- something even her cousin, Morrigan didn't wear. It was near translucent. And the girl herself was covered in tattoos. Illyrian paint- Ria recognised. Moreover, she held a Faerie drink in her hand.

Ria's blood boiled. How could Rhys do this? Surely, it was not for his own enjoyment, was it? If there was even a slightest inclination that it was- Ria would herself make him regret it. That idiotic fool- what was he thinking bringing a human to one of Amarantha's parties. Oh God, what would Amarantha make of this? She was a truly possessive creature and if she saw Rhys with someone else- Gods.

Ria's ochre gown swished as she nearly stomped to where Rhys and Feyre stood. Neither Eris nor Dante were there to stop her. She stood before him- not caring if anyone saw her and raised brow at her behaviour. "Lord Rhysand," she greeted. "You," but Feyre breathed before Ria could say anything more. Ria, cursing the girl in her mind, raised a brow, "me?"

"I- you-"

Ria ignored her, turning to him. But, once again, she was stopped as Eris entered, looking grim. He gave her a tired glare before looking at Rhys. "Forgive my intrusion, but I desperately need a drink."

Rhysand, although looking more and more suspicious, waved them off. No sooner had he done so, Eris grabbed her by her arm, and dragged her away from her brother and Feyre. "What," he hissed as soon as they were out of their earshot, "were you thinking?"

Ria glared at him, before glancing at Rhys. He was already looking at her even as Feyre now had a half empty Faerie drink in her hand. He wanted her to drink. "He is parading her around like arm candy." Eris sighed, "You are under the mountain, Ri, what do you expect?" He took a drink from the tray but did not take a sip.

"Dante?" she asked when he did not say anything more and seemed relatively settled down than he was moments ago. Something truly must have gone wrong for him to be so lenient about her loss of composure.

His jaw twitched. "Locked." He gritted out.

Well, fuck.

Rhys had heard them both. He was now more than sure that the servant worked for Eris, but why had she stomped up to them or had helped Feyre before, Rhys was still unable to decipher. He did not trust kindness that was freely given. And after what he had gained from Feyre, that servant- Raya- had helped without anything in return.

He tried clawing into Eris Vanserra' head but found it shielded in a way he recalled he had once told his sister too. He remembered them being acquaintances but now he wondered- had they been more? It was gnawing- not knowing what was going on. So, making sure Feyre was drunk enough to forget her miserable nights and that Amarantha was satisfied with his cruel, wicked excuse of bringing Feyre to the nightly rival, he called Nuala forth to tail the servant girl. No rest for the wicked.

Rhys was dreaming. Sometimes it would be of Velaris or his brothers and his family. But tonight, it was his sister that visited him in his dream in the form of a memory.

"You shouldn't have thrown the drink on him," Rhys chastised her.

"Well then, he shouldn't have tried his luck at wooing me- if I can even call it that. He deserved it, he is a disgusting prick of a male."

"Ria," he hissed, "language."

Ria rolled her eyes, "I have heard you and your friends say a lot worse. Besides, it's not like father is around."

"No, but others are," he argued. Indeed, the party was still on a full swing- despite his sister's little stunt.

"I am going to go now," she told him, looking behind him. But before he could see who had taken her interest, she left.

"Ria," he called after her. "Ria," he shouted now.

The surroundings were blurring.

He needed to find his little sister. To protect her- she still had a long way to go.

"RIA!" Rhys shouted again and as his hands reached forward, as if to catch her from thin air, he woke up, gasping.