2_-_court_of_mist_and_fury_a_-_sarah_j._maas

CHAPTER
25
Standing beneath the latticework of snow-heavy trees, I took in the slumbering forest and
wondered if the birds had gone quiet because of my presence. Or that of the High Lord
beside me.
“Freezing my ass off first thing in the morning isn’t how I intended to spend our day
off,” Rhysand said, frowning at the wood. “I should take you to the Illyrian Steppes when
we return—the forest there is far more interesting. And warmer.”
“I have no idea where those are.” Snow crunched under the boots Rhys had summoned
when I declared I wanted to train with him. And not physically, but—with the powers I
had. Whatever they were. “You showed me a blank map that one time, remember?”
“Precautions.”
“Am I ever going to see a proper one, or will I be left to guess about where everything
is?”
“You’re in a lovely mood today,” Rhys said, and lifted a hand in the air between us. A
folded map appeared, which he took his sweet time opening. “Lest you think I don’t trust
you, Feyre darling … ” He pointed to just south of the Northern Isles. “These are the
Steppes. Four days that way on foot,” he dragged a finger upward and into the mountains
along the isles, “will take you into Illyrian territory.”
I took in the map, noted the peninsula jutting out about halfway up the western coast of
the Night Court and the name marked there. Velaris. He’d once shown me a blank one—
when I had belonged to Tamlin and been little more than a spy and prisoner. Because he’d
known I’d tell Tamlin about the cities, their locations.
That Ianthe might learn about it, too.
I pushed back against that weight in my chest, my gut.
“Here,” Rhys said, pocketing the map and gesturing to the forest around us. “We’ll train
here. We’re far enough now.”
Far enough from the house, from anyone else, to avoid detection. Or casualties.
Rhys held out a hand, and a thick, stumpy candle appeared in his palm. He set it on the
snowy ground. “Light it, douse it with water, and dry the wick.”
I knew he meant without my hands.
“I can’t do a single one of those things,” I said. “What about physical shielding?” At
least I’d been able to do some of that.
“That’s for another time. Today, I suggest you start trying some other facet of your