2_-_court_of_mist_and_fury_a_-_sarah_j._maas

Dangerous territory, I warned myself.
No. Honesty, that’s what it was. Honesty, and trust. I’d never had that with anyone.
Rhys looked up, meeting my gaze. And whatever was on my face—I think it might
have been mirrored on his: the hunger and longing and surprise.
I swallowed hard, traced another line of stardust along the inside of his powerful wrist. I
didn’t think he was breathing. “Do you—do you want to dance with me?” I whispered.
He was silent for long enough that I lifted my head to scan his face. But his eyes were
bright—silver-lined. “You want to dance?” he rasped, his fingers curling around mine.
I pointed with my chin toward the celebration below. “Down there—with them.” Where
the music beckoned, where life beckoned. Where he should spend the night with his
friends, and where I wanted to spend it with them, too. Even with the strangers in
attendance.
I did not mind stepping out of the shadows, did not mind even being in the shadows to
begin with, so long as he was with me. My friend through so many dangers—who had
fought for me when no one else would, even myself.
“Of course I’ll dance with you,” Rhys said, his voice still raw. “All night, if you wish.”
“Even if I step on your toes?”
“Even then.”
He leaned in, brushing his mouth against my heated cheek. I closed my eyes at the
whisper of a kiss, at the hunger that ravaged me in its wake, that might ravage Prythian.
And all around us, as if the world itself were indeed falling apart, stars rained down.
Bits of stardust glowed on his lips as he pulled away, as I stared up at him, breathless,
while he smiled. The smile the world would likely never see, the smile he’d given up for
the sake of his people, his lands. He said softly, “I am … very glad I met you, Feyre.”
I blinked away the burning in my eyes. “Come on,” I said, tugging on his hand. “Let’s
go join the dance.”