A Song of Ice & Shadow

Part 6

Tarquin, High Lord of the Summer Court, arrived late. Everyone was already seated, with Y/n positioned between the two Illyrian warriors. "So, that's the High Lord of the Summer Court!" Y/n exclaimed, her eyes widening in curiosity.
"I swear if you say he's pretty-" Cassian began, his tone a mix of irritation and amusement.
"Are you jealous, General?" she smirked, her eyebrows raised provocatively.
"You wish" he retorted, his glare sharp but playful.

Beron, High Lord of the Autumn Court, arrived next with his sons. From the stories she'd heard, Y/n expected him to look grumpier, older and meaner, but he appeared surprisingly well and composed. His sons, however, sneered at them, except  for Eris, who ordered his brothers to stop.
"These are the two I've heard a lot about?" Y/n asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
"Yes, why?" Cassian responded, raising his brow slightly.
"He doesn't look awful. I thought he'd be really old" she mused, scrutinizing Beron.
"He is".
"Well, he hides it well. And that is the son that has been giving you a lot of trouble? The one you all hate?" Y/n gestured towards the ginger male, who gave her a polite smile, one she did not return.
"Yes".
"Then, you probably don't want to hear my remark on this one" Y/n bit her lip, supressing a smile.
"I do not. And might I suggest keeping these remarks to yourself? Others might not like what you say and won't be able to control themselves" Cassian warned, glancing at Azriel.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinions, so why should I care?".
"Because you do not want to see him angry, trust me. I might seem wilder with my hot temper, but he has an icy rage. Sometimes, he scares me too" Cassian whispered.
"Ooh" a shiver ran down her spine at the thought of Azriel's anger. Part of her wanted to see what that looked like. Another part did not even want to think about it. So, instead of complimenting their appearance, Y/n turned to Azriel, her playful tone shifted to a serious one and asked "are you alright?".
"I'm fine, why do you ask?" Azriel's voice was calm but tinged with suspicion. His eyes did not meet hers but were fixated on Eris.
"I know there are people in this room you'd rather see dead".
"Did Cassian tell you that?".
"He doesn't have to. I can see the way you look at that Ginger. Like you'd jump on him any second".

Just as Rhys began explaining why they gathered everyone, Tamlin winnowed right into the chamber. Silence fell as he surveyed Feyre before finally, in a monotone, congratulating her on the wedding.

As Tamlin argued with Feyre and Rhys, he tried to play the victim, accusing Rhys of stealing Feyre from him. He even claimed he would have found a way to stop Hybern. He had the audacity to try and convince the High Lords that only Feyre and Rhys would benefit from this war, suggesting they had ulterior motives.
Then the High Lords started arguing with Rhys about his involvement Under the Mountain. Although Feyre had once told her sisters about Rhys and what happened Under the Mountain, she had only explained vaguely. Y/n was now listening and learning about what had truly happened back then.
With all the lies Tamlin was spewing and the gaslighting, Y/n couldn't take it anymore, especially when he implied that she and her sisters wanted and enjoyed the change, accusing them of lying.
She stood, her eyes blazing with fury "You really have lost your mind, haven't you? To think for a moment that my sister actually truly loved you, I cannot. How she endured you, I do not know. You are delusional and if you think people are going to believe your lies, then you're even more delusional. You claim to work against Hybern, but I was there. I'll never forget how you betrayed my sister and how your whore of a priestess sold us out. How I was turned and was forced to watch my sisters being thrown into the Cauldron. You made a bargain with the King and you did not feel any remorse for everything that he did. And now what? Anyone who works with my sister's mate is working for Hybern. Is your brain still functioning? Or have you truly lost your mind after my sister left you?".
Tamlin bared his teeth as he growled at her. Azriel growled back, his eyes darkening with menace "I would suggest you choose your next words very, very carefully" he warned, his voice cold as ice.
"It appears you Archeron sisters have similar taste in men" Tamlin scoffed.
"I can show you other similarities we have" Y/n shot back, her smile cold and sharp.
Feyre cut in, not wanting to escalate the situation further, but Tamlin insulted her, resulting in Rhys silencing him with his mind.