Home > Topic > Prythian
1 " I had to keep my hands clenched at my sides to avoid wiping my sweaty palms on the skirts of my gown as I reached the dining room, and immediately contemplated bolting upstairs and changing into a tunic and pants. But I knew they’d already heard me, or smelled me, or used whatever heightened senses they had to detect my presence, and since fleeing would only make it worse, I found it in myself to push open the double doors.Whatever discussion Tamlin and Lucien had been having stopped, and I tried not to look at their wide eyes as I strode to my usual place at the end of the table.“Well, I’m late for something incredibly important,” Lucien said, and before I could call him on his outright lie or beg him to stay, the fox-masked faerie vanished.I could feel the full weight of Tamlin’s undivided attention on me—on every breath and movement I took. I studied the candelabras atop the mantel beside the table. I had nothing to say that didn’t sound absurd—yet for some reason, my mouth decided to start moving.“You’re so far away.” I gestured to the expanse of table between us. “It’s like you’re in another room.”The quarters of the table vanished, leaving Tamlin not two feet away, sitting at an infinitely more intimate table. I yelped and almost tipped over in my chair. He laughed as I gaped at the small table that now stood between us. “Better?” he asked.I ignored the metallic tang of magic as I said, “How … how did you do that? Where did it go?”He cocked his head. “Between. Think of it as … a broom closet tucked between pockets of the world.” He flexed his hands and rolled his neck, as if shaking off some pain.“Does it tax you?” Sweat seemed to gleam on the strong column of his neck.He stopped flexing his hands and set them flat on the table. “Once, it was as easy as breathing. But now … it requires concentration.”Because of the blight on Prythian and the toll it had taken on him. “You could have just taken a closer seat,” I said.Tamlin gave me a lazy grin. “And miss a chance to show off to a beautiful woman? Never. "
― Sarah J. Maas , A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
2 " His tunic was unbuttoned at the top, and he ran a hand through his blue-black hair before he wordlessly slumped against the wall across from me and slid to the floor." What do you want?" I demanded." A moment of peace and quiet," he snapped, rubbing his temples.I paused. " From what?" He massaged his pale skin, making the corners of his eyes go up and down, out and in. He sighed. " From this mess." I sat up farther on my pallet of the hay. I'd never seen him so candid." That damned bitch is running me ragged," he went on, and dropped his hands from his temples to lean his head against the wall. " You hate me. Imagine how you'd feel if I made you serve in my bedroom. I'm High Lord of the Night Court - not her harlot." So the slurs were true. And I could imagine very easily how much I would hate him - what it would do to me - to be enslaved to someone like that. " Why are you telling me this?" The swagger and nastiness were gone. " Because I'm tired and lonely, and you're the only person I can talk to without putting myself at risk." He let out a low laugh. " How absurd: a High Lord of Prythian and a - " " You can leave if you're just going to insult me." " But I'm so good at it" . He flashed one of his grins. I glared at him, but he sighted. " One wrong move tomorrow, Freyre, and we're all doomed. "
3 " It was easier to not have to explain, anyway. To not have to tell him that though I'd freed him, saved his people and all of Prythian from Amarantha... I'd broken myself apart. And I didn't think even eternity would be long enough to fix me. "
― Sarah J. Maas , A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)