A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)

by Sarah J. Maas

Cassian snickered. “Feyre doesn’t look too tired. Maybe she could give me a ride—” Rhys exploded.

“They’ll be at it for a while,” Mor said, leaning against the threshold of the house. She held open the door. “Welcome to the family, Feyre.” And I thought those might have been the most beautiful words I’d ever heard.

Mor, Azriel, Amren, and Cassian already seated. Waiting for us. As one, they stood. As one, they looked at me. And as one, they bowed.

“I heard you grew fangs in the forest and killed some Hybern beasts. Good for you, girl.” “She saved his sorry ass is more like it,” Mor said, filling her glass of wine. “Poor little Rhys got himself in a bind.”

I read your letter. About the woman you love. I believe you. And I believe in peace. I believe in a better world. If anyone asks, you stole this during the meeting. Do not trust the others. The sixth queen was not ill. That was it.

Holy shit

Nesta looked between Rhys and Cassian, then to me. Despair still paled her face, but … she bowed her head. And said to me, “That was why you painted stars on your drawer.”

And rising up before me, merely a few blocks down, the Rainbow of Velaris was bathed in blood.

Standing her ground in front of her storefront—a gallery. People crouched inside the shop were sobbing.

Where are you? Rhys’s voice sounded distantly in my head, through the sliver in my shield. WHERE ARE YOU?

My mate murmured, “Feyre Cursebreaker, the Defender of the Rainbow.”

“You shut me out,” he breathed. “You—shielded against me. Completely. I couldn’t find a way in.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“We deserve each other. And we deserve to be happy.”

“We can use your room if you like, but … ” He was leaning against his open bedroom door. “Either your room or mine—but we’re sharing one from now on. Just tell me whether I should move my clothes or yours. If that’s

“Don’t you—you don’t want your own space?” “No,” he said baldly. “Unless you do. I need you protecting me from our enemies with your water-wolves.”

“So I won my wedding ring without even being asked if I wanted to marry you.” “Perhaps.”

when I broke away, his gaze went right to Cassian. Cassian bowed. “With my life, High Lord. I’ll protect her with my life.” Rhys looked to Azriel. He nodded, bowing, and said, “With both of our lives.”

Faster than any of us could see, Jurian fired a hidden ash bolt through Azriel’s chest. Mor screamed.

his throne assembled from the bones of … I felt the blood drain from my face. Human bones. Brown and smooth with age.

I began shaking my head as if I could unsee it as Lucien and Tamlin stepped into the light.

I took a step toward Tamlin. “What have you done?” The King of Hybern said from his throne, “We made a bargain. I give you over, and he agrees to let my forces enter Prythian through his territory. And then use it as a base as we remove that ridiculous wall.”

no fucking way

You do not hold me. The fist gripping my power relaxed. Vanished. Tamlin lunged for me over the few feet that remained. So fast—too fast— I became mist and shadow. I winnowed beyond his reach. The king let out a low laugh as Tamlin stumbled. And went sprawling as Rhysand’s fist connected with his face.

And I knew Tamlin understood a moment before the king laughed. “I don’t believe it. Your bride left you only to find her mate. The Mother has a warped sense of humor, it seems. And what a talent—tell me, girl: how did you unravel that spell?”

His wings—his wings— Cassian’s scream as his wings shredded under talons of pure magic was the most horrific sound I’d ever heard. Mor surged for him, but too late.

and saw Cassian and Azriel on the ground, Jurian laughing softly at the blood gushing from Cassian’s ravaged wings— Shreds of them remained. I scrambled for him. My blood. It might be enough, be—

As Lucien took off his jacket, kneeling before Elain. She cringed away from the coat, from him—

Oh..

My eyes met with those of my mate. Agony rippled in that violet stare—rage and guilt and utter agony. The mirror to my own.

I knew that she was different. From however Elain had been Made … Nesta was different. Even before she took her first breath, I felt it.

But Elain was staring over Nesta’s shoulder. At Lucien—whose face she had finally taken in. Dark brown eyes met one eye of russet and one of metal. Nesta was still weeping, still raging, still inspecting Elain— Lucien’s hands slackened at his sides. His voice broke as he whispered to Elain, “You’re my mate.”

Holy fucking shit

“See? I showed you not once, but twice that it is safe. Who should like to be Made first? Perhaps you’ll get a handsome Fae lord as your mate, too.”

Okay gotta give it to him. Hes funny

Elain. I whirled on the King of Hybern. “Where—” I again faced Rhysand. “What did you do to me,” I breathed, low and guttural. Backing toward Tamlin. “What did you do? ” Get them out. Get my sisters out. Play—please play along. Please—

So I turned to the king. He was smiling. Like he knew. But I said, “Break the bond.” Rhysand went still as death. I stormed to the king, knees barking as I dropped to the floor before his throne. “Break the bond. The bargain, the—the mating bond. He—he made me do it, made me swear it—” “No,” Rhysand said.

“I know you can. Just—free me. Free me from it.” “No,” Rhysand said.

Get my sisters out, I said to Rhys one last time, sending it into that stone wall between us.

I looked to Tamlin. “No more.” Those green eyes met mine—and the sorrow and tenderness in them was the most hideous thing I’d ever seen. “Take me home.”

“No,” was all Rhys said again. Tamlin snarled at him, “I don’t give a shit if she’s your mate. I don’t give a shit if you think you’re entitled to her. She is mine—and one day, I am going to repay every bit of pain she felt, every bit of suffering and despair. One day, perhaps when she decides she wants to end you, I’ll be happy to oblige her.”

Rhys was only staring at me. “Don’t.” But I backed away—until I hit Tamlin’s chest, until his hands, warm and heavy, landed on my shoulders. “Do it,” he said to the king. “No,” Rhys said again, his voice breaking. But the king pointed at me. And I screamed.

No. No, I didn’t want it, I didn’t want to— A crack sounded in my ears. And the world cleaved in two as the bond snapped.

fainted. When I opened my eyes, mere seconds had passed. Mor was now hauling away Rhys, who was panting on the floor, eyes wild, fingers clenching and unclenching—

“The king said he could do it.” “The king is a fool,” Amren barked. “That sort of bond cannot be broken.” “No, it can’t,” I said. They both looked at me.

Mor started. “Does—does Feyre know—” “Yes,” I breathed. “And now my mate is in our enemy’s hands.” “Go get her,” Amren hissed. “Right now.”

“She’s going into that house to take him down. To take them all down.” I nodded. “She is now a spy—with a direct line to me. What the King of Hybern does, where he goes, what his plans are, she will know. And report back.”

“She is my mate. And my spy,” I said too quietly. “And she is the High Lady of the Night Court.”

Oh my fucking god

“If they had removed her other glove, they would have seen a second tattoo on her right arm. The twin to the other. Inked last night, when we crept out, found a priestess, and I swore her in as my High Lady.” “Not—not consort,” Amren blurted, blinking. I hadn’t seen her surprised in … centuries. “Not consort, not wife. Feyre is High Lady of the Night Court.”

Losing my fucking mindrn

As if in answer, a glimmer of love shuddered down the bond.

“You mean to tell me,” Mor breathed, “that my High Lady is now surrounded by enemies?” A lethal sort of calm crept over her tear-stained face.

“I mean to tell you,” I said again, my power building and rubbing itself against my skin, my bones, desperate to be unleashed upon the world, “that your High Lady made a sacrifice for her court—and we will move when the time is right.”

“Until then,” I said, staring toward the door as if I might see her walk through it, laughing and vibrant and beautiful, “we go to war.”

Love—love was a balm as much as it was a poison.

Rhys had done his job perfectly, his horror flawless. We had always been so good at playing together.