2_-_court_of_mist_and_fury_a_-_sarah_j._maas

CHAPTER
26
The Attor had vanished in the moments after Amarantha died, suspected to have fled for
the King of Hybern. And if it was here, in the mortal lands—
I went pliant in its arms, buying a wisp of time to scan for something, anything to use
against it.
“Good,” it hissed in my ear. “Now tell me—”
Night exploded around us.
The Attor screamed—screamed—as that darkness swallowed us, and I was wrenched
from its spindly, hard arms, its nails slicing into my leather. I collided face-first with
packed, icy snow.
I rolled, flipping back, whirling to get my feet under me—
The light returned as I rose into a crouch, knife angled.
And there was Rhysand, binding the Attor to a snow-shrouded oak with nothing but
twisting bands of night. Like the ones that had crushed Ianthe’s hand. Rhysand’s own
hands were in his pockets, his face cold and beautiful as death. “I’d been wondering where
you slithered off to.”
The Attor panted as it struggled against the bonds.
Rhysand merely sent two spears of night shooting into its wings. The Attor shrieked as
those spears met flesh—and sank deep into the bark behind it.
“Answer my questions, and you can crawl back to your master,” Rhys said, as if he
were inquiring about the weather.
“Whore,” the Attor spat. Silvery blood leaked from its wings, hissing as it hit the snow.
Rhys smiled. “You forget that I rather enjoy these things.” He lifted a finger.
The Attor screamed, “No!” Rhys’s finger paused. “I was sent,” it panted, “to get her.”
“Why?” Rhys asked with that casual, terrifying calm.
“That was my order. I am not to question. The king wants her.”
My blood went as cold as the woods around us.
“Why?” Rhys said again. The Attor began screaming—this time beneath the force of a
power I could not see. I flinched.
“Don’t know, don’t know, don’t know.” I believed it.
“Where is the king currently?”