Chapter Text
Lucien smiled grimly at the Inner Circle, all of them exchanging glances after the information he gave them minutes before. It was not enough, for Jurian, Vassa, and Lucien to be leading the humans from civil war and rebellion after the war with Hybern. The people in Feyre’s village were become restless, wanting more than what the Fae were giving them, wanted more than simply keeping the peace.
“They claim it is the only way that there will be real peace,” Lucien explained, just as annoyed with the situation as the rest of them.
“Them coming to Velaris is really the way to do that?” Feyre questioned, she shot a glance at Rhysand, their mating bond enabling them to speak mind to mind.
It’s a way for them to see if we will let them come here, Feyre spoke to Rhysand, and he nodded in agreement.
Clearing his throat, he stood, hands grasped on the table and looked toward the rest of the Inner Circle shrugging his shoulder. Despite not wanting the humans to come into their lands, he couldn’t help but understand their perspective. Wanting to see the beautiful cities and lands of Prythian that the Fae have been trying to convince them are safe for the last two years. There is no way to fight prejudice with the separation that continued to plague the two species, despite the wall having come down years ago.
Mor was still away on the continent, but he was sure she would agree.
“Alright,” Cassian started, glancing to his mate as he propped his feet on the table everyone was sitting at, “So just let Graysen come alongside you and Jurian, there’s no need for a huge group of humans to come to Velaris.”
Feyre nodded in agreement, shooting a glance at her two sisters, remembering their time in the village before their lives changed, for the better.
“Many of the people in my former village probably just want to come to Velaris just so they can say they did. If we let them roam around the streets their own fears and prejudices would traumatize them enough for them to not come back.” Feyre explained, as Nesta and Elain nodded in agreement.
Elain was glancing out the window, listening to the conversation but not conversing until now.
“If Graysen comes here, I would like to be in the room, it is probably a way for him to get under my skin.”
Her voice seemed far away, as it always does when Graysen was the topic of conversation. Feyre couldn’t help but notice Lucien’s grimace, as he put his hand in his lap and tore his gaze from his mate, who still made her duty to ignore him. Feyre also couldn’t help but notice the shadows around Azriel tightening behind his shoulders, almost withdrawing from the windows that Elain was gazing out of.
Internally groaning, Feyre looked at the ceiling, wanting to leave this meeting. Emerie and Gwyn were that her river house watching Nyx, not wanting to be a part of the meetings that Nesta keeps inviting them too. They made for good babysitters though, and Feyre knew Rhys agreed with her as he met her gaze, stars sparkling in his eyes as they both took a moment to think about their beautiful child that awaited their return.
He was only a couple of months old and was the light of Feyre’s life. Paintings of his face, smile, laugh, and the future life that they were starting to live out were filling her studios, and Rhys couldn’t get enough of him. They were plenty of times Feyre came back from painting classes to find her two boys asleep on the bed she shared with Rhys, snoring softly together. Feyre would slide into bed next to them, nestling against her mate and son, heart bursting at the love she had for both of them until she almost couldn’t take the emotional bliss of it.
“Feyre,” Nesta snapped impatiently, noticing that her head was somewhere else. Feyre blinked, remembering the meeting and glanced back to Lucien as Rhys smiled softly at her.
“We can let Graysen come to Velaris and choose two other humans he would like to bring, if that would appease him,” Rhys said to Lucien, who nodded grimly.
“He already knows who he wants to bring, I think.” Lucien responded, glancing around to the others in the Inner Circle.
Amren rolled her eyes, fiddling with the glass in front of her on the table. There had been peace in Velaris for some time now, under the threat of Koschei and alliances with the Autumn Court, but no larger moves from Beron or anyone on the continent have been made, so the Inner Circle has been enjoying spending time with Nyx and smaller issues, such as the one Lucien was presenting to them.
Feyre pursed her lips, she couldn’t think of anyone Graysen would want to bring besides his father and maybe some soldiers that were stationed at his estate. She figured he would probably want to bring his strongest men to show that they could rival the Fae warriors, even if that wasn’t even close to the truth. She strengthened her back, channeling her high Lady mindset while working on her posture, waiting for Lucien to say the names of people she probably has never head of before.
“They are just random people, I can’t remember the exact names, but a man named Isaac and the son of a prominent woodcutter in the village.”
Elain gasped, tearing her gaze from the window and staring at Lucien, her brown eyes wide and doe-like. Feyre’s mouth opened wide, gaping at her first friend in the Spring Court, and Nesta’s face drained of color, as she stood up quickly knocking over the chair she was previously sitting in, gripping the table until her knuckles turned white.
“Isaac Hale and Tomas Mandray?” Feyre whispered, as fear and fury flickered in Nesta’s eyes, silence plagued the table, nobody but the three sisters knew the extent of what was happening.
The humans didn’t want to intimidate the Fae, they knew only three specific people could keep everyone in the Night Court on edge and knock them all down a peg in anxiety and tension, and that was the three previous lovers of the Archeron sisters.
Rhysand glanced around, as did Azriel and Cassian, all three of them shocked. Lucien looked as confused as the other men.
“What? What is the issue?” Lucien asked, Azriel’s shadows about to devour him as he was slipping into the corner of the room, ready to attack the threat.
Cassian’s eyes narrowed, as if he was connecting dots inside of his head. Nesta never told Feyre what happened with the events that led up to Nesta breaking off her engagement with Tomas Mandray, but by Nesta’s reaction, Feyre had some sort of idea. After all, she was the one who warned Nesta about Tomas’ family and their actions toward women.
“Tomas Mandray will not be coming here.” Nesta said sharply, turning on her heel and walking out of the house, door slamming behind her.