She didnโt note the city around her, the people who either beheld her face and kept well away or simply went about their business. Didnโt note the vibrant oranges and reds and yellows of the autumn trees or the sparkling blue of the Sidra as she crossed one of the countless bridges spanning its winding body, aiming for its western bank.
Nesta yielded to her fury. Later, she would have no memory of racing up the steps to the loft. No memory of the walk over before she slammed a hand into the wooden door. It shattered beneath her palm, wards fracturing like glass.
Amren and Varian were in bed, the petite female naked as she rode the Prince of Adriata. Both of them halted, Amren twisting toward the door, Varian bolting upright, a shield of water coming around them as Nesta stepped into the room and growled, โYou.ย You thought I shouldnโt even beย toldย what my power can do.โ
Amren moved with the swiftness of the High Fae, leaping off Varian, who grabbed a sheet to cover himself as she slung a silk robe around her body. That shimmering wall of water made it seem as if they were beneath the oceanโs surface. Amren shot Varian a look. โDrop it.โ
He obeyed, sliding from the bed and shoving his long, muscled legs into his pants.
Nesta snarled at him, โGet out.โ
But the Summer Court prince watched Amren, his face tight with concern. Heโd stay, go down defending her. Nesta snorted, bitterness coating her tongue. Once, Amren had been that person for herโthe person she knew would defend her in a fight, would speak for her. Amren nodded to him, and Varian threw Nesta a warning glare before hurrying from the room.
Presumably to tell the others, but Nesta didnโt care.
Not as Amren said, โI suppose that loudmouthed bastard told you more than was necessary.โ
โYou voted against me,โ she said, her cold voice belying the crack in her chest.
โYou have done nothing to prove you are able to handle such a terrible power,โ Amren said with equal iciness. โOn that barge, you told me as much when you walked away from any attempt at mastering it. I offered to teach you more, and you walked away.โ
โI walked away because you chose my sister.โ Just as Elain had done. Amren had beenย herย friend,ย herย ally, and yet in the end, it hadnโt mattered one bit. Sheโd picked Feyre.
โI didnโt choose anyone, you spoiled girl,โ Amren snapped. โI told you that Feyre had requested you and I work together again, and you somehow twist that into meย sidingย with her?โ Nesta said nothing. โI told them to leave you alone for months. I refused to speak about you with them. And then the moment I realized my behavior was not helping you, that maybe your sister was right,ย Iย somehow betrayed you?โ
Nesta shook. โYou know how I feel about Feyre.โ
โYes, poor Nesta, with a younger sister who loves her so dearly sheโs willing to do anything to get her help.โ
Nesta blocked out the memory of Tamlin in his beast form, how she had wanted to rip him limb from limb. She was no better than him, in the end. โFeyre doesnโt love me.โ She didnโt deserve Feyreโs love. Just as Tamlin hadnโt.
Amren barked out a laugh. โThat you believe Feyre doesnโt only proves youโre unworthy of your power. Anyone that willfully blind cannot be trusted. You would be a walking nightmare with those weapons.โ
โItโs different now.โ The words rang hollow. Was it any different? Wasย sheย any different than sheโd been this summer, when she and Amren had fought on the barge, and Amrenโs utter disappointment in her failure toย beย anything had surfaced at last?
Amren smiled, as if she knew that, too. โYou can train as hard as you want, fuck Cassian as often as you want, but it isnโt going to fix whatโs broken if you donโt start reflecting.โ
โDonโt preach at me.ย Youโโ She pointed at Amren, and could have sworn the female stepped out of the line of fire. Just as Tamlin had done. As if Amren also remembered that the last time Nesta had pointed at an enemy, it had ended with his severed head in her hands. A joyless laugh broke from her. โYou think Iโd mark you with a death-promise?โ
โYou nearly did with Tamlin the other day.โ So Cassian had told them all about that, too. โBut Iโll say to you again what I said on that barge: I think you have powers that you still do not understand, respect, or control.โ
โHow dare you assume you know what is best for me?โ
When Amren didnโt answer, Nesta hissed, โYou were myย friend.โ
Amrenโs teeth flashed. โWas I? I donโt think you know what that word means.โ
Her chest ached, as if that invisible fist had punched her once again. Steps thudded beyond the shattered door, and she braced for Cassian to come roaring inโ
But it was Feyre.
Paint splattered her casual clothes; a smear of white graced her freckled cheekbone. Varian must have run half-naked through the streets to reach her studio. Feyre panted, โStop this.โ
Whether Feyre noted or cared about the splinters and debris on the floor, she didnโt let on as she moved closer. Feyre pleaded, โNesta, it should not have come out as it did.โ
โDid Cassian tell you that?โ Heโd gone to Feyre, rather than here?
โNo, but I can guess as much. He didnโt want to keep anything from you.โ
โMy issue isnโt with Cassian.โ Nesta leveled her stare at Amren. โI trusted you to have my back.โ
โI stopped having your back the moment you decided to use that loyalty as a shield against everyone else.โ
Nesta snarled, but Feyre stepped between them, hands raised. โThis conversation ends now. Nesta, go back to the House. Amren, you โฆโ She hesitated, as if considering the wisdom of ordering Amren around. Feyre finished carefully, โYou stay here.โ
Nesta let out a low laugh. โYou are her High Lady. You donโt need to cater to her. Not when she now has less power than any of you.โ
Feyreโs eyes blazed. โAmren is my friend, and has been a member of this court for centuries. I offer herย respect.โ
โIs it respect that she offers you?โ Nesta spat. โIs it respect that your
mateย offers you?โ Feyre went still.
Amren warned, โDonโt you say one more fuckingย word, Nesta Archeron.โ
Feyre asked, โWhat do you mean?โ
And Nesta didnโt care. Couldnโt think around the roaring. โHave any of them told you, theirย respectedย High Lady, that the babe in your womb will kill you?โ
Amren barked, โShut your mouth!โ
But her order was confirmation enough. Face paling, Feyre whispered again, โWhat do you mean?โ
โThe wings,โ Nesta seethed. โThe boyโs Illyrian wings will get stuck in your Fae body during the labor, and it will kill you both.โ
Silence rippled through the room, the world.
Feyre breathed, โMadja just said the labor would be risky. But the Bone Carver โฆ The son he showed me didnโt have wings.โ Her voice broke. โDid he only show me what I wanted to see?โ
โI donโt know,โ Nesta said. โBut I do know that your mate ordered everyone not to inform you of the truth.โ She turned to Amren. โDid you all vote on that, too? Did you talk about her, judge her, and deem her unworthy of the truth? What wasย yourย vote, Amren? To let Feyre die in ignorance?โ Before Amren could reply, Nesta turned back to her sister. โDidnโt you question why your precious, perfect Rhysand has been a moody bastard for
weeks? Because heย knowsย you will die. He knows, and yet he still didnโt tell you.โ
Feyre began shaking. โIf I die โฆโ Her gaze drifted to one of her tattooed arms. She lifted her head, eyes bright with tears as she asked Amren, โYou โฆ all of you knew this?โ
Amren threw a withering glare in Nestaโs direction, but said, โWe did not wish to alarm you. Fear can be as deadly as any physical threat.โ
โRhys knew?โ Tears spilled down Feyreโs cheeks, smearing the paint splattered there. โAbout the threat to our lives?โ She peered down at herself, at the tattooed hand cradling her abdomen.
And Nesta knew then that she had not once in her life been loved by her mother as much as Feyre already loved the boy growing within her.
It broke something in Nestaโbroke that rage, that roaringโseeing those tears begin to fall, the fear crumpling Feyreโs paint-smeared face.
She had gone too far. She โฆ Oh, gods.
Amren said, โI think it is best, girl, if you speak to Rhysand about this.โ
Nesta couldnโt bear itโthe pain and fear and love on Feyreโs face as she caressed her stomach.
Amren growled at Nesta, โI hope youโre content now.โ
Nesta didnโt respond. Didnโt know what to say or do with herself. She simply turned on her heel and ran from the apartment.
Cassian had gone to the river house. That had been his third mistake of the day.
The first had been how clumsy heโd been in asking about a sword name, prompting Nestaโs suspicion. He hadnโt been able to lie to her, so heโd told her everything.
The second mistake had been letting Nesta hide in her room and not barging in to speak to her. Letting her take a bath, thinking itโd cool her off. Heโd done the same, and when heโd emerged, heโd followed her scent to the floor with the exterior stairs, where the door stood open.
He had no idea if she had made it out or if sheโd collapsed within, so heโd taken the steps, too. All ten thousand of them, her scent fresh and
furious.
Sheโd made it to the bottom. The door had been left open.
Heโd launched skyward, knowing heโd have trouble tracking her scent in the bustling city, hoping to spot her from the air. He assumed Amren was working at the river house, so that was where heโd gone.
Only Amren wasnโt there. And neither was Nesta.
Heโd reached Rhysโs study when word came. Not from a messenger, but from Feyreโmind to mind with her mate.
Rhys was at his desk, face tight as he silently spoke to her. Cassian saw that look, knew who he spoke to, and went still. Neither was here, which meant they were probably at Amrenโs apartment, and if Feyre was giving a report โฆ
Cassian whirled for the doors, knowing he could be there in a two-minute flight, praying heโd be fast enoughโ
โCassian.โ
Rhysโs voice was a thing of nightmares, of the darkness between the stars.
Cassian froze at that voice heโd so rarely heard, and never once directed at himself. โWhat happened?โ
Rhysโs face was wholly calm. But deathโblack, raging deathโlay in his eyes. Not a star or shimmer of violet remained.
Rhys said in that voice that was like hell embodied, โNesta saw fit to inform Feyre of the risk to her and the babe.โ
Cassianโs heart began thundering, even as it splintered.
Rhys held his stare, and it was all Cassian could do to weather it as his brother, his High Lord said, โGet Nesta out of this city. Right now.โ Rhysโs power rumbled in the room like a rising storm. โBefore I fucking kill her.โ