Quotessence
Home / Books / A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury

Book by Sarah J. Maas · 50 quotes · Feyre, A Court Of Mist And Fury, Sarah J Maas

Filter quotes by topic

AllFeyreA Court Of Mist And FurySarah J MaasFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysTamlinFunnyCassianMorAzrielTraumaLucienAcomafLoveAmaranthaAmrenMagicChapter 55Darkness

A Court of Mist and Fury Quotes

“Rhys released my elbow only to slip a hand around my waist, pressing me into his side as he whispered in my ear, 'Hold on.' Then darkness roared, a wind tearing me this way and that, the ground falling away beneath me, the world gone around me. Only Rhys remained, and I hated him as I clung to him, I hated him with my entire heart- Then the darkness vanished. I smelled jasmine first- then saw stars. A sea of stars flickering beyond glowing pillars of moonstone that framed the sweeping views of endless snowcapped mountains. 'Welcome to the Night Court,' was all Rhys said.”

MagicHatredSarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryThe Night CourtWinnowing
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“It was the most beautiful place I'd ever seen. Whatever building we were in had been perched atop one of the grey-stoned mountains. The hall around us was open to the elements, no windows to be found, just towering pillars and gossamer curtains, swaying in that jasmine-scented breeze. It must be some magic to keep the air warm in the dead of winter. Not to mention the altitude, or the snow coating the mountains, mighty winds sending veils of it drifting off the peaks like wandering mist. Little seating, dining, and work areas dotted the hall, sectioned off with those curtains or lush plants or thick rugs scattered over the moonstone floor. A few balls of light bobbed on the breeze, along with coloured-glass lanterns dangling from the arches of the ceiling. Not a scream, not a shout, not a plea to be heard. Behind me, a wall of white marble arose, broken occasionally by open doorways leading into dim stairwells. ... 'This is my private residence,' Rhys said casually.”

HouseSarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysMountainsA Court Of Mist And FuryThe Night CourtThe House Of Wind
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“His skin was darker than I'd remembered- golden now, rather than pale. Pale, from being locked Under the Mountain for fifty years. I scanned him, searching for any sign of the massive, membranous wings- the ones he'd admitted he'd loved flying with. But there was none. Just the male, smirking at me. And that too-familiar expression- 'How dare you-' Rhys snorted. 'I certainly missed that look on your face.' He stalked closer, his movements feline, those violet eyes turning subdued- lethal. 'You're welcome, you know.' 'For what?' Rhys paused less than a foot away, sliding his hands into his pockets. The night didn't seem to ripple from him here- and he appeared, despite his perfection, almost normal. 'For saving you when asked.' I stiffened. 'I didn't ask for anything.' His stare dipped to my hand. Rhys gave no warning as he gripped my arm, snarling softly, and tore off the glove. His touch was like a brand, and I flinched, yielding a step, but he held firm until he'd gotten both gloves off. 'I heard you begging someone, anyone, to rescue you, to get you out. I heard you say no.' 'I didn't say anything.' He turned my bare hand over, his hold tightening as he examined the eye he'd tattooed. He tapped the pupil. Once. Twice. 'I heard it loud and clear.' I wrenched my hand away. 'Take me back. Now. I didn't want to be stolen away.' He shrugged. 'What better time to take you here? Maybe Tamlin didn't notice you were about to reject him in front of his entire court- maybe you can now simply blame it on me.' 'You're a bastard. You made it clear enough that I had... reservations.' 'Such gratitude as always.”

Sarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRescueRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryFuriousSaving YouStolen Away
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“What do you want from me?' 'Want? I want you to say thank you, first of all. Then I want you to take off that hideous dress. You look...' His mouth cut into a cruel line. 'You look exactly like the doe-eyed damsel he and that simpering priestess want you to be.' 'You don't know anything about me. Or us.' Rhys gave a knowing smile. 'Does Tamlin? Does he ever ask you why you hurl your guts up every night, or why you can't go into certain rooms or see certain colours?' I froze. He might as well have stripped me naked. 'Get the hell out of my head.' Tamlin had horrors of his own to endure, to face down. 'Likewise.' He stalked a few steps away. 'You think I enjoy being awoken every night by visions of you puking? You send everything right down that bond, and I don't appreciate having a front-row seat when I'm trying to sleep.' 'Prick.' Another chuckle. But I wouldn't ask him what he meant- about the bond between us. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of looking curious.”

ArgumentAngrySarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryTamlinWhat Do You Want
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Rhys laughed, finally sauntering toward the other end of the hall, which ended in a veranda open to the stars. 'I'm willing to accept your thanks at any time, you know,' he called to me without looking back. Red exploded in my vision, and I couldn't breathe fast enough, couldn't think above the roar in my head. One heartbeat, I was staring at him- the next, I had my shoe in a hand. I hurled it at him with all my strength. All my considerable, immortal strength. I barely saw my silk slipper as it flew through the air, fast as a shooting star, so fast that even a High Lord couldn't detect it as it neared- And slammed into his head. Rhys whirled, a hand rising to the back of his head, his eyes wide. I already had the other shoe in my hand. Rhys's lip pulled back from his teeth. 'I dare you.' Temper- he had to be in some mood today to let his temper show this much. Good. That made two of us. I flung my other shoe right at his head, as swift and hard as the first one. His hand snatched up, grabbing the shoe mere inches from his face. Rhys hissed and lowered the shoe, his eyes meeting mine as the silk dissolved to glittering black dust in his fist. His fingers unfurled, the last of the sparkling ashes blowing into oblivion, and he surveyed my hand, my body, my face. 'Interesting,' he murmured, and continued on his way. I debated tackling him and pummelling that face with my firsts, but I wasn't stupid. I was in his home, on top of a mountain in the middle of absolutely nowhere, it seemed. No one would be coming to rescue me- no one was even here to witness my screaming. So I turned toward the doorway he'd indicated, heading for the dim stairwell beyond. I'd nearly reached it, not daring to breathe too loudly, when a bright, amused female voice said behind me- far away, from wherever Rhys had gone to at the opposite end of the hall, 'So, that went well.' Rhys's answering snarl sent my footsteps hurrying away.”

FunnySarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryFuriousMorThrowing Things At Someone
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“I'm not a dog to be summoned,' I said by way of greeting. Slowly, Rhys looked over his shoulder. Those violet eyes were vibrant in the light, and I curled my fingers into fists as they swept from my head to my toes and back up again. He frowned at whatever he found lacking. 'I didn't want you to get lost,' he said blandly.”

Sarah J MaasWorriedFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryAnnoyedFrowningSummoned
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Why is it so warm in here, when winter is in full blast out there?' 'Magic.' 'Obviously,' I set down my teaspoon and sipped, nearly sighing at the rush of heat and smoky, rich flavour. 'But why?' Rhys scanned the wind tearing through the peaks. 'You heat a house in the winter- why shouldn't I heat this place as well? I'll admit I don't know why my predecessors built a palace fit for the Summer Court in the middle of a mountain range that's mildly warm at best, but who am I to question?”

MagicWarmSarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryThe Night CourtThe House Of Wind
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“I'm not going to learn to read or shield with you.' 'Why? From spite? I thought you and I got past that Under the Mountain.' 'Don't get me started on what you did to me Under the Mountain.' Rhys went still. As still as I'd ever seen him, as still as the death now beckoning in those eyes. Then his chest began to move, faster and faster.”

Sarah J MaasSpiteFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryStillUnder The MountainLearn To Read
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“What a pretty little wedding,' Rhysand said, stuffing his hands into his pockets as those many swords remained in their sheaths. The remaining crowd was pressing back, some climbing over seats to get away. Rhys looked me over slowly, and clicked his tongue at my silk gloves. Whatever had been building beneath my skin went still and cold. 'Get the hell out,' growled Tamlin, stalking toward us. Claws ripped from his knuckles. Rhys clicked his tongue again. 'Oh, I don't think so. Not when I need to call in my bargain with Feyre darling.' My stomach hollowed out. No- no, not now. 'You try to break the bargain, and you know what will happen,' Rhys went on, chuckling a bit at the crowd still falling over themselves to get away from him. He jerked his chin toward me. 'I gave you three months of freedom. You could at least look happy to see me.”

FunnySarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronWeddingRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryTamlinGate Crashing
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“I'll be taking her now.' 'Don't you dare,' Tamlin snarled. Behind him, the dais was empty. Ianthe had vanished entirely. Along with most of those in attendance. 'Was I interrupting? I thought it was over.' Rhys gave me a smile dripping with venom. He knew- through that bond, through whatever magic was between us, he'd known I was about to say no. 'At least Feyre seemed to think so.”

FunnySarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryTamlinTauntingOver
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Rhys was the least of my concerns. Tamlin had seen the hesitation, but had he understood that I was about to say no? Had Ianthe? I had to tell him. Had to explain that there couldn't be a wedding, not for a while yet. Maybe I'd wait until the mating bond snapped into place, until I knew for sure it couldn't be some mistake, that... that I was worthy of him. Maybe wait until he, too, had faced the nightmares stalking him. Relaxed his grip on things a bit. On me. Even if I understood his need to protect, that fear of losing me... Perhaps I should explain everything when I returned. But- so many people had seen it, seen me hesitate-”

Sarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronWeddingRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryHesitationTamlinNot Ready
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Agreeing to do anything with him felt too permanent, too accepting of the bargain between us. 'What do you want with me? You said you'd tell me here. So tell me.' Rhys leaned back in his chair, folding powerful arms that even the fine clothes couldn't hide. 'For this week? I want you to learn how to read.”

Sarah J MaasPermanentFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryWhat Do You WantLearn To ReadPowerful Arms
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“You're going to be a High Lord's wide,' Rhys said. 'You'll be expected to maintain your own correspondences, perhaps even give a speech or two. And the Cauldron knows what else he and Ianthe will deem appropriate for you. Make menus for dinner parties, write thank-you letters for all those wedding gifts, embroider sweet phrases on pillows... It's a necessary skill. And, you know what? Why don't we throw in shielding while we're at it. Reading and shielding- fortunately, you can practice both together.' 'They are both necessary skills,' I said through my teeth, 'but you are not going to teach me.' 'What else are you going to do with yourself? Paint? How's that going these days, Feyre?”

FunnySarah J MaasSarcasmFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryIlliteracyLearn To Read
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“You look like you were getting under Rhys's skin,' she said, strutting to her seat between us. 'Good thing I came along. Though I'd enjoy seeing Rhys's balls nailed to the wall.' Rhys slid incredulous eyes to her, his brows lifting. I hid the smile that tugged on my lips. 'It's- nice to meet you.' 'Liar,' Mor said, pouring herself some tea and loading her plate. 'You want nothing to do with us, do you? And wicked Rhys is making you sit here.”

FunnySarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryMorMeeting SomeoneUnder His Skin
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Hands- there were hands on my shoulders, shaking me, squeezing me. I thrashed against them, screaming, screaming- 'FEYRE.' The voice was at once the night and the dawn and the stars and the earth, and every inch of my body calmed at the primal dominance in it. 'Open your eyes,' the voice ordered. I did. My throat was raw, my mouth full of ash, my face soaked and sticky, and Rhysand- Rhysand was hovering above me, his eyes wide. 'It was a dream,' he said, his breathing as hard as mine. The moonlight trickling through the windows illuminated the dark lines of swirling tattoos down his arm, his shoulders, across his sculpted chest. Like the ones I bore on my arm. He scanned my face. 'A dream,' he said again. Velaris. I was in Velaris, at his house. And I had- my dream- The sheets, the blankets were ripped. Shredded. But not with a knife. And that ashy, smoky taste coating my mouth... My hand was unnervingly steady as I lifted it to find my fingers ending in simmering embers. Living claws of flame that had sliced through my bed linens like they were cauterising wounds-”

DreamTraumaSarah J MaasNightmareFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysPtsdA Court Of Mist And Fury
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“I have this dream,' Rhys said as I retched again, holding my hair. 'Where it's not me stuck under her, but Cassian or Azriel. And she's pinned their wings to the bed with spikes, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. She's commanded me to watch, and I have no choice but to see how I failed them.' ... His fingers were gentle, but firm where he'd fisted them in my hair. 'You never failed them,' I rasped. 'I did... horrible things to ensure that.' Those violet eyes near-glowed in the dim light.' 'So did I.' My sweat clung like blood- the blood of those two faeries- I pivoted, barely turning in time. His other hand stroked long soothing lines down the curve of my back, as over and over I yielded my dinner.”

DreamTraumaSarah J MaasNightmareFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysPtsdA Court Of Mist And Fury
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“I didn't see you Under the Mountain,' I said instead. I had to know without a doubt- if they were there, if they'd seen me, if it'd impact howI interacted while working with- Silence fell. None of them, even Amren, looked at Rhysand. It was Mor who said, 'Because none of us were.' Rhys's face was a mask of cold. 'Amarantha didn't know they existed. And when someone tried to tell her, they usually found themselves without the mind to do so.' A shudder went down my spine. Not at the cold killer, but- but... 'You truly kept this city, and all these people, hidden from her for fifty years?' Cassian was staring at his plate, as if he might burst out of his skin. Amren said, 'We will continue to keep this city and these people hidden from our enemies for a great many more.' Not an answer. Rhys hadn't expected to see them again when he'd been dragged Under the Mountain. Yet he had kept them safe, somehow. And it killed them- the four people at this table. It killed them all that he'd done it, however he'd done it. Even Amren. Perhaps not only for the fact that Rhys had endured Amarantha while they had been here. Perhaps it was also for those left outside of the city, too. Perhaps picking one city, one place, to shield was better than nothing. Perhaps... perhaps it was a comforting thing, to have a spot in Prythian that remained untouched. Unsullied.”

Sarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryCassianMorAmrenUnder The Mountain
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“What's your story, then?' Cassian said to me with a jerk of his chin. I'd assumed Rhysand had told them everything. Rhys merely shrugged at me. So I straightened. 'I was born to a wealthy merchant family, with two older sisters and parents who only cared about their money and social standing. My mother died when I was eight; my father lost his fortune three years later. He sold everything to pay off his debts, moved us into a hovel, and didn't bother to find work while he let us slowly starve for years. I was fourteen when the last of the money ran out, along with the food. He wouldn't work- couldn't, because the debtors came and shattered his leg in front of us. So I went into the forest and taught myself to hunt. And I kept us all alive, if not near starvation at times, for five years. Until... everything happened.”

Sarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryCassianStarvationLife StoryDifficult Childhood
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Tonight- I felt you again. Through the bond. Did I get past your shields?' 'No,' he said, scanning the cobblestone streets below. 'This bond is... a living thing. An open channel between us, shaped by my powers, shaped... by what you needed when we made the bargain.' 'I needed not to be dead when I agreed.' 'You needed not to be alone.' Our eyes met. It was too dark to read whatever was in his gaze. I was the one who looked away first.”

NeedsSarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysNot AloneA Court Of Mist And FuryBondEye Contact
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“It helps the panic,' he said quietly, 'to remind myself that I got out. That we all got out.' 'Barely.' I tried to breathe. I couldn't, I couldn't- 'We got out. And it might happen again if we don't go inside.' The chill mist bit at my face. And I tried- I did- to take a step toward it. My body refused to obey. I tried to take a step again; I tried for Elain and Nesta and the human world that might be wrecked, but... I couldn't. 'Please,' I whispered. I didn't care if it meant that I'd failed my first day of work. Rhysand, as promised, didn't ask questions as he gripped my hand and brought us back to the winter sun and rich colours of Velaris.”

TryingTraumaSarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysPtsdA Court Of Mist And FuryPanicking
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Rhysand at last released my hand, only to lay his once more on the bare stone. It rippled beneath his palm, forming- a door. Like the gates above, it was of ivory- bone. And in its surface were etched countless images: flora and fauna, seas and clouds, stars and moons, infants and skeletons, creatures fair and foul-”

PrisonSarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryDoorThe Bone CarverEtchings
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Where are we?” I breathed, hardly daring to whisper. Rhys kept his hands within casual reach of his weapons. “In the heart of Prythian, there is a large, empty territory that divides the North and South. At the center of it is our sacred mountain.” My heart stumbled, and I focused on my steps through the ferns and moss and roots. “This forest,” Rhys went on, “is on the eastern edge of that neutral territory. Here, there is no High Lord. Here, the law is made by who is strongest, meanest, most cunning. And the Weaver of the Wood is at the top of their food chain.” The trees groaned—though there was no breeze to shift them. No, the air here was tight and stale. “Amarantha didn’t wipe them out?” “Amarantha was no fool,” Rhys said, his face dark. “She did not touch these creatures or disturb the wood. For years, I tried to find ways to manipulate her to make that foolish mistake, but she never bought it.” “And now we’re disturbing her—for a mere test.”

FeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysRhysand Feyre
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Now that we've settled that,' Rhys drawled from behind me, 'can we please eat? I'm famished.' Amren opened her mouth with a wry smile, but he added, 'Do not say what you were going to say, Amren.' Rhys gave Cassian a sharp look. Both of them were still bruised- but healing fast. 'Unless you want to have it out on the roof.”

FunnySarah J MaasWarningRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryCassianAmrenWry SmileFamished
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“—¿Te enamoraste de mí porque yo te recordaba a tu amigo? —pregunté con voz casi sin expresión. Él me tocó la nariz. —Me enamoré de ti, sabelotodo, porque eras de los nuestros..., porque no me tuviste miedo y porque decidiste terminar tu victoria espectacular arrojándole ese pedazo de hueso a Amarantha como una jabalina. Entonces sentí el espíritu de Cassian junto a mí, y habría jurado que lo oí decir: «Si no te casas con ella, estúpido, lo haré yo». –Capítulo 55, pág. 500”

FeyreRhysandRhysAcomafUna Corte De Niebla Y FuriaFeysand
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“—Tú —jadeé sin apartar los ojos de los músicos que tocaban con tanta perfección que hasta los clientes de los restaurantes de los alrededores habían dejado de comer—. Tú enviaste esa música al calabozo. ¿Por qué? La voz de Rhysand era ronca. —Porque estabas a punto de rendirte. Y no encontré ninguna otra forma de salvarte. La música se alzó hasta parecer llenarlo todo. Yo había visto un palacio en el cielo en las alucinaciones..., un lugar entre la puesta del sol y el amanecer, una casa sobre los pilares de piedra de luna. —Vi la Corte Noche. Él me miró de refilón. —Yo no te mandé esas imágenes.”

FeyreRhysandRhysAcomafUna Corte De Niebla Y Furia
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“El bien. No, yo no era el bien. Yo no era nada, y mi alma, mi alma eterna, estaba maldita... Traté de conseguir que los pulmones que me traicionaban tomaran aire para decir la palabra. No..., no. Pero no tuve que decirla. Él trueno sonó detrás de mí como si alguien hubiera arrojado dos enormes piedras, una contra la otra. Todos gritaron y cayeron hacia atrás, algunos desaparecieron corriendo por los costados del patio. Se abrió la oscuridad. Yo me volví, y a través de la noche que se movía como humo en el viento, descubrí a Rhysand, que en ese momento se enderezaba las solapas de la chaqueta negra. —Hola, Feyre, querida —ronroneó.”

FeyreRhysandRhysAcomafUna Corte De Niebla Y Furia
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Hubo una explosión roja frente a mí; de pronto no conseguía respirar con suficiente rapidez, no podía pensar por encima del rugido que me atroanaba la cabeza. En un instante estaba mirando fijamente, en el siguiente, tenía un zapato en la mano. Se lo tiré con todas mis fuerzas. Todas mis fuerzas eran fuerzas considerables, fuerzas de inmortal. Apenas vi la sandalia de seda cuando voló atravesando el aire, rápida como una estrella fugaz, tan rápida que ni un alto lord hubiera podido detectarla... Lo golpeó directamente en la cabeza. Rhys se volvió, tenía una mano en la parte posterior de la cabeza, los ojos muy abiertos. Yo ya tenía el otro zapato en la mano. Los labios de Rhys se despegaron de sus dientes. —A ver si te atreves. —Genio... Debia de tener un día para dejar traslucir así su genio. –Capítulo 5, pág. 56”

FeyreRhysandRhysAcomafUna Corte De Niebla Y Furia
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“You don't get to ask questions,' I said, and he looked up at me, exhaustion and pain lining his face, my blood shining on his lips. Part of me hated the words, for acting like this while he was wounded, but I didn't care. 'You only get to answer them. And nothing more.' Wariness flooded his eyes, but he nodded, biting off another mouthful of the weed and chewing. I stared down at him, the half-Illyrian warrior who was my soul-bonded partner. 'How long have you know that I'm your mate?' Rhys stilled. The entire world stilled. He swallowed. 'Feyre.' 'How long have you know that I'm your mate.' 'You... You ensnared the Suriel?' How he'd pieced it together, I didn't give a shit. 'I said you don't get to ask questions.' I thought something like panic might have flashed over his features. He chewed again on the plant- as if it instantly helped, as if he knew that he wanted to be at his full strength to face this, face me. Colour was already blooming on his cheeks, perhaps from whatever healing was in my blood. 'I suspected for a while,' Rhys said, swallowing once more. 'I knew for certain when Amarantha was killing you. And when we stood on the balcony Under the Mountain- right after we were freed, I felt it snap into place between us. I think when you were Made, it... it heightened the smell of the bond. I looked at you then and the strength of it hit me like a blow.' He'd gone wide-eyed, had stumbled back as if shocked- terrified. And had vanished. That had been over half a year ago. My blood pounded in my ears. 'When were you going to tell me?' 'Feyre.' 'When were you going to tell me?' 'I don't know. I wanted to yesterday. Or whenever you'd noticed that it wasn't just a bargain between us. I hoped you might realise when I took you to bed, and-' 'Do the others know?' 'Amren and Mor do. Azriel and Cassian suspect.' My face burned. They knew- they- 'Why didn't you tell me?' 'You were in love with him; you were going to marry him. And then you... you were enduring everything and it didn't feel right to tell you.' 'I deserved to know.' 'The other night you told me you wanted a distraction, you wanted fun. Not a mating bond. And not to someone like me- a mess.' So the words I'd spat after the Court of Nightmares had haunted him. 'You promised- you promised no secrets, no games. You promised.' Something in my chest was caving in on itself. Some part of me I'd thought long gone. 'I know I did,' Rhys said, the glow returning to his face. 'You think I didn't want to tell you? You think I liked hearing you wanted me only for amusement and release? You think it didn't drive me out of my mind so completely that those bastards shot me out of the sky because I was too busy wondering if I should just tell you, or wait- or maybe take whatever pieces that you offered me and be happy with it? Or that maybe I should let you go so you don't have a lifetime of assassins and High Lords hunting you down for being with me?' 'I don't want to hear this. I don't want to hear you explain how you assumed that you knew best, that I couldn't handle it-' 'I didn't do that-' 'I don't want to hear you tell me that you decided I was to be kept in the dark while you friends knew, while you all decided what was right for me-' 'Feyre-' 'Take me back to the Illyrian camp. Now.' He was panting in great, rattling gulps. 'Please.' But I stormed to him and grabbed his hand. 'Take me back now.' And I saw the pain and sorrow in his eyes. Saw it and didn't care, not as that thing in my chest was twisting and breaking. Not as my heart- my heart- ached, so viciously that I realised it'd somehow been repaired in these past few months. Repaired by him. And now it hurt. Rhys saw all that and more on my face, and I saw nothing but agony in his as he rallied his strength, and, grunting in pain, winnowed us into the Illyrian camp.”

HurtAngrySarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronMatesRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryMate
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“Three years ago,' he said quietly, 'I began to have these... dreams. At first, they were glimpses, as if I were staring through someone else's eyes. A crackling hearth in a dark home. A bale of hay in a barn. A warren of rabbits. The images were foggy, like looking through cloudy glass. They were brief- a flash here and there, every few months. I thought nothing of them, until one of the images was of a hand... This beautiful, human hand. Holding a brush. Painting- flowers on a table.' My heart stopped beating. 'And that time, I pushed a thought back. Of the night sky- of the image that brought me joy when I needed it most. Open night sky, stars, and the moon. I didn't know if it was received, but I tried, anyway.' I wasn't sure I was breathing. 'Those dreams- the flashes of that person, that woman... I treasured them. They were a reminder that there was some peace out there in the world, some light. That there was a place, and a person, who had enough safety to paint flowers on a table. They went on for years, until... a year ago. I was sleeping next to Amarantha, and I jolted awake from this dream... this dream that was clearer and brighter, like the fog had been wiped away. She- you were dreaming. I was in your dream, watching as you had a nightmare about some woman slitting your throat, while you were chased by the Bogge... I couldn't reach you, speak to you. But you were seeing our kind. And I realised that the fog had probably been the wall, and that you... you were now in Prythian.”

DreamsLove StorySarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryNightmaresAmarantha
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“There are different kinds of darkness,” Rhys said. I kept my eyes shut. “There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful.” I pictured each. “There is the darkness of lovers, and the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good.”

DarknessRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryAcomaf
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“There are different kinds of darkness,' Rhys said. I kept my eyes shut. 'There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful.' I pictured each. 'There is the darkness of lovers, and the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good.' I only saw the darkness of that dungeon cell; the darkness of the Bone Carver's lair. Cassian swore, but Azriel murmured a soft challenge that had their blades striking again. 'Open your eyes,' I did. And found darkness all around me. Not from me- but from Rhys. As if the sparring ring had been wiped away, as if the world had yet to begin. Quiet. Soft. Peaceful. Lights began twinkling- little stars, blooming irises of blue and purple and white. I reached out a hand toward one, and starlight danced on my fingertips. Far away, in another world perhaps, Azriel and Cassian sparred in the dark, no doubt using it as a training exercise. I shifted the star between my fingers like a coin on the hand of a magician. Here in the soothing, sparkling dark, a steady breath filled my lungs. I couldn't remember the last time I'd done such a thing. Breathed easily. Then the darkness splintered and vanished, swifter than smoke on wind. I found myself blinking back the blinding sun, arm still out, Rhysand still before me. Still without a shirt.”

DarknessSarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryCassianAzrielStarlight
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“...the house let out a groan. Like the wood itself was being warped, the house began to moan and shudder- the coloured glass lights in my room tinkling. I jolted upright, twisting to the open window. Clear skies, nothing- Nothing but the darkness leaking into my room from the hall door. I knew that darkness. A kernel of it lived in me. It rushed in from the cracks of the door like a flood. The house shuddered again. I vaulted from bed, yanked the door open, and darkness swept past me on a phantom wind, full of stars and flapping wings and- pain. So much pain, and despair, and guilt and fear. I hurtled into the hall, utterly blind in the impenetrable dark. But there was a thread between us, and I followed it- to where I knew his room was. I fumbled for the handle, then- More night and stars and wind poured out, my hair whipping around me, and I lifted an arm to shield my face as I edged into the room. 'Rhysand.' No response. But I could feel him there- feel that lifeline between us. I followed it until my shins banged into what had to be his bed. 'Rhysand,' I said over the wind and dark. The house shook, the floor-boards clattering under my feet. I patted the bed, feeling sheets and blankets and down, and then- Then a hard taut, male body. But the bed was enormous, and I couldn't get a grip on him. 'Rhysand!' Around and around darkness swirled, the beginning and end of the world.”

DarknessFantasySarah J MaasNightmareFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryNightmares
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image

“We are not your enemies, Feyre,' Lucien pleaded. 'Things got bad, Ianthe got out of hand, but it doesn't mean you give up-' 'You gave up,' I breathed. I felt even Rhys go still. 'You gave up on me,' I said a bit more loudly. 'You were my friend. And you picked him- picked obeying him, even when you saw what his orders and his rules did to me. Even when you saw me wasting away day by day.' 'You have no idea how volatile those first few months were,' Lucien snapped. 'We needed to present a unified, obedient front, and I was supposed to be the example to which all others in our court were held.' 'You saw what was happening to me. But you were too afraid of him to truly do anything about it.' It was fear. Lucien had pushed Tamlin, but to a point. He'd always yielded at the end. 'I begged you,' I said, the words sharp and breathless. 'I begged you so many times to help me, to get me out of the house, even for an hour. And you left me alone, or shoved me into a room with Ianthe, or told me to stick it out.' Lucien said too quietly, 'And I suppose the Night Court is so much better?' I remembered- remembered what I was supposed to know, to have experienced. What Lucien and the others could never know, not even if it meant forfeiting my own life. And I would. To keep Velaris safe, to keep Mor and Amren and Cassian and Azriel and... Rhys safe. I said to Lucien, low and quiet and as vicious as the talons that formed at the tips of my fingers, as vicious as the wondrous weight between my shoulder blades, 'When you spend so long trapped in darkness, Lucien, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.' A pulse of surprise, of wicked delight against my mental shields, at the dark membranous wings I knew were now poking over my shoulders. Every icy kiss of rain sent jolt of cold through me. Sensitive- so sensitive, those Illyrian wings. Lucien backed up a step. 'What did you do to yourself?' I gave him a little smile. 'The human girl you knew died Under the Mountain. I have no interest in spending immortality as a High Lord's pet.' Lucien started shaking his head. 'Feyre-' 'Tell Tamlin,' I said, choking on his name, on the thought of what he'd done to Rhys, to his family, 'if he sends anyone else into these lands, I will hunt each and every one of you down. And I will demonstrate exactly what the darkness taught me. There was something like genuine pain on his face. I didn't care. I just watched him, unyielding and cold and dark. The creature I might one day have become if I had stayed at the Spring Court, if I had remained broken for decades, for centuries... until I learned to quietly direct those shards of pain outward, learned to savour the pain of others. Lucien nodded to his sentinels. Bron and Hart, wide-eyed and shaking, vanished with the other two. Lucien lingered for a moment, nothing but air and rain between us. He said softly to Rhysand, 'You're dead. You, and your entire cursed court.' Then he was gone.”

DarknessSarah J MaasFeyreFeyre ArcheronRhysandRhysA Court Of Mist And FuryGave UpTamlinLucien
Book:A Court of Mist and Fury
Create image