A Court of Lichen and Twilight / An ACOTAR Fanfiction

Chapter Seven: Awaken

As soon as we crossed the threshold of the great oaken doors stricken with claw marks and dents, my eyelids finally closed on the figure holding my lifeless body. My brain felt as though I was fully satisfied with the absorption of his green eyes it took in.

When they opened again, a less haunted and more vibrant version of him looked back from under a metallic golden mask. The air was floral with the scent of cherry blossoms, dogwood, and other flowers I could quite name all of as there were infinite varieties here. We were right where we left off in my daydream as if I had never left it at my dinner table.

He extended his arm to me, gesturing it upwards and bent for me to weave my own arm in an invitation to follow him. I took it as if my life depended on it. A voice told me in the back of my head to always take the outstretched arm of this particular male and that it was the best thing for my body.

Tamlin escorted me back from under the willow tree, notably admiring me the entire time we stepped in pace. My arm wrapped through his as we wandered around the gardens far off from the party's Fae lights and thrumming music echos. I asked for a walk, just a tiny stroll, before we had to separate and he rejoin the masses. Maybe I would too, eventually. Grab some more wine, go for a dance and head back to my room. Nothing crazy. Except, I knew I'd be thinking about him all night when we parted. I knew this would hurt to leave behind and I had to start planning my return trip here immediately.

A switch in the band, a cheer of the crowd, and a heavy tempo was perceived by my pointed ear that bared the helix piercing. I wondered wether Crya was looking for the man I walked with amongst the other masked party goers or lost in the rhythm with a substitute by now. If she found out about me kissing her courtier...

I still didn't understand this attraction that pulled us together and stuck us in place like the thickest pine tree sap. I felt like a bug, trapped and unable to escape the gravitational force of the male beside me yet hours ago had despised at the dinner table. It made no sense why we drifted to one another and how fast things had heated.

Amongst the buzzing crickets, fireflies twinkled every so often in the velveteen grass and sky. Sunset was in full bloom as were the immortal flowers here. My eyes had to be glowing their molten golden color as they always did between my siblings and I. A curse of being part of the Dusk Court, along with the lightning. I knew he noticed, but he never remarked about them. Only continued to look through them and into me. Further and further as if he was searching for something deep below my skin that would help him understand this unquenchable thirst for one another.

"You really don't eat meat, do you then?" He pondered, finally breaking the silence as our bodies bumped each other from our steps. His awkward questions seemed to help him interject where he didn't know how.

I shook my head no. "My family does on special occasions, like I said. We mostly live vegetarian to preserve the resources. I've grown used to it and now it's rather...," I explained again for what felt like the hundredth time. Every court we visited always warranted a curious inquiry into my diet.

"Disgusting, like my dinner I fed you?" He chuckled. Those vibrant eyes lit up my heart when our gazes matched.

"I filled up on the wine and lemon pastries," I responded as my face turned pink and blushed from the still looming insult. "I really do apologize for disrespect, Tamlin."

His face twinged when I finally said his name audibly. Like I finally recognized him behind that mask. He was truly a different person when he put that on tonight to meet me by the lilac.

"You didn't do a thing, Clea," the sound of my name on his mouth was as if the sky parted and the angels above had sang it themselves. I supposed this is what he heard too. "My anger often gets the best of me."