A court of Unshed tears

Chapter #11

Hidden in the darkness of a cave, lay a rock with veins of lightning— no, moonlight?
And embedded in the rock was a dagger.
All I could see was it's black obsidian hilt sticking out.
But I could feel it.
It felt nothing like it looked.
It felt like... life.
————
Shit, shit.
Literally the worst time to have a vision.
I stood up and immediately got a head rush.
I blinked away my spotty vision.
Serra, right.
I twisted and kicked the Autumn court Sentinel square in the face before he could grab me.
The other tried to run away, most likely to alert the other guards. Before he could, I harnessed my powers and made him forget what happened. Then put him to sleep.
I would have loved to shatter his mind but it would have been far too obvious who did it, and then Autumn would wage war on night, Bla bla bla.
I really didn't need to start a war, so I did the same thing to the other soldier.
I heard weeping by a nearby tree.
"Serra, hey," I say softly, dropping the autumn court soldier's body to the ground.
Cauldron, I probably looked like a crazy person.
"You're safe, I'm going to take you somewhere safe. Is that ok?"
I watch the human girl slowly nod her head. Her hazel eyes filled to the brim with tears. She looked around eighteen.
I slowly approached her not wanting to spook her after what had just happened.
I was flying when I found her running through the forest and chasing after her were the two filthy bastardes who are currently taking a very long nap.
"I know you are scared Serra, but I am going to take you to night court. It sounds scary but I promise it's beautiful," I give her a reassuring smile.
"Wi—-will I serve you now," her lips were a wobbly mess.
"No, no, of course not. There you can find work if you want but you will be free. We don't keep slaves at night."
Disgusting. That is the one word I would to sum up how I felt about slavery.
This is not the first slave I have encountered but it is the first I have saved.
I don't think I had ever seen someone with so little hope.
We are one of the few courts who didn't keep slaves. Which is good, but we do it for the wrong reasons.
My father doesn't want mortals to steal our secrets.
So he doesn't let humans in night court. Even to offer sanctuary.
There is no respect in that.
My father treats them like he treats insects. He pays them no heed. He doesn't give a shit about them.
Unless they stage a revolt. Then he is suddenly interested.
None of the solar courts keep slaves but all of the seasonal courts do.
If we went to war, we would likely split up between the two.
Which seemed likely to happen.
There were more humans than fae. "They outnumber us but they can't outlive us." That was Dad's motto when it comes to mortals.
Lately there have been many human revolts.
Some say war is brewing. I think it has already started. Our court is just deciding the perfect time to join.
We would obviously side with the humans if only to spite the seasonal courts.
I want night to fight for the freedom of humans but we will most likely fight on their side to get them away from us.
At least they would be free.
I frowned knowing that still wasn't enough.
Serra took the hand I held out to her and I winnowed us to night.
Dad is going to be pissed that I'm bringing her to Velaris, but I don't give a fuck what he thinks...
Ok maybe I give one fuck, but that's it.
I have an apartment in the city. I never stay there unless I am really annoyed with my family.
That's where Serra will stay.
I know she is human but most of the people in Velaris are human sympathizers. She should be safe.
I winnowed in the apartment and she didn't even scream. She was basically limp in my arms. If I hadn't picked up on her steady heartbeat, I would have thought she was dead.
I carried her to the bedroom and laid her down covering her in a couple of blankets.
She was so cold. I forgot the difference of human and fae body temperatures.
Humans were always so much colder because they were closer to death than us.
I needed to get back to the mountain palace. Rhys, My mother and I were heading back to camp windhaven for Cassian's birthday.
Technically he doesn't know what day he was born so he picked a random date when he was young and that is officially his birthday.
I was going to make him a massive stake. He told me he didn't want a cake. He literally used the words "massive steak."
I watched Serra's chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm and placed a note by her bedside just in case she woke up before I came back.
Hopefully I would be back by then. I can't imagine how frightening it would be to wake up in a random place.
Actually come to think of it... I can.
Tamlin took me to that random cottage in spring.
I smile at the thought. Then I mentally slapped myself for smiling.
Sleep. I told myself. I need sleep.
What I don't need is to be thinking about him.
I winnowed back to my room in the mountain palace and collapsed into a restless sleep.
The next morning I woke up feeling about as awful as you'd expect when you go to sleep at three and get up at seven.
"You look cute this morning," Rhys snorted as I plopped down next to him on the couch.
I glared at him knowing I had never looked worse.
I really needed to start getting more sleep.
"Remind me why we are up so early again?" I sighed laying down on the couch. Stretching my legs and pushing Rhys to the edge.
He misted my face with water.
Great, now I look like a gutter rat.
I sat up and groaned dramatically, not having the energy to enact revenge... yet.
"You ready— Luna, what happened?" Our mother walked in the living room.
Good, let mom punish him.
"He misted me."
"She shoved me," he argued.
"I'm all wet!" I retorted.
"I have zero room on the couch!" he shot back.
"Ok, ok," our mother sighed, "you are not children anymore. Though it seems I have to remind you of that every day. Luna you have magic, you can just dry yourself off."
I just rolled my eyes.
"And Rhysand we have like thirty couches. Just sit on another one."
Rhys mumbled something I couldn't decipher.
As I slowly used my magic to dry myself off I remembered...
Serra. Shit.
"I have to talk to callon before I leave but I'll meet you both at Windhaven," I got up off the couch.
"Ok. Just don't be late. Cassian is very excited for his birthday steak," my mother smiled.
I gave my mother a kiss on the cheek and leaned over to lick Rhys' Cheek.
Revenge.
"You are so gross," he groaned, wiping his cheek and shoving me away.
I winnowed away and soon the blackness turned into my apartment.
I saw Serra. She was sitting on the couch looking out the window.
But her heart... It was beating so fast. That's definitely not healthy.
"Serra?" I ask in the softest voice possible.
She flinched and turned to me.
"Are you hungry?" Bad question to ask considering I couldn't cook for shit.
She shook her head.
I walked over to her and sat on the chair across from the couch.
"I'm leaving today. So I won't be here to help you adjust, but I have this friend. His name is Callon and he works in the music store below this apartment. He is actually half fae half human."
Our father let Callon live in Velaris because he owed a man in Dawn court a favor. The man didn't want his kid but he still wanted him to remain in a slave free area. So callon lives here, and he just happened to work at my favorite store.
"There are half breeds?" She spoke and her voice sounded guttural.
She definitely needed some water.
"There are," I said winnowing a glass of water into my hand and handing it to her, "but he is the only one that resides in Velaris."
Serra nodded, staring at the glass of water.
"There is food in the Cupboards," I pointed over to the kitchen, "do you know how to work the stove?"
She nodded, and I just realized she didn't even know who I was.
"I'm so sorry— I didn't even introduce myself—-
"I know who you are. Luna, daughter of night."
I scrunch my brows in confusion, "how did you—
"I saw you at the equinox ball," she looked down at her hands, "I saw you eating an apple tart with another male when I was cleaning the kitchens."
My eyes widened in surprise. I didn't know anyone else was in there.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spy," I heard her heartbeat pick up.
"It's alright," I assured with a soft smile, "I was the one who barged into the kitchens."
She nodded, her face still unreadable.
"There are clothes in the bedroom and there is also a bathing room in the bedroom," I paused trying to find any emotion in her eyes.
"I'm going to tell Callon you're here, so he will keep you safe when I am gone. He will just come to check up on you, but you don't need to let him inside if that makes you uncomfortable. But if you want him to show you around he is very kind and respectful. I will be back soon. Is that ok with you?"
She just nodded and her impassiveness broke me.
I left her with a promise to be back in three days.
I felt really bad for leaving her, but maybe she wanted some time alone.
What am I doing?
I freed a slave from Autumn and am now harboring her in my secret apartment.
Add that to the list of things I'm not supposed to do.
I quickly spoke to Callon before leaving. I didn't let myself spend more than a minute in his store, otherwise I would be in there all day.
I winnowed to camp and flew to the house.
"I'm here!" I walked inside, immediately being attacked by a full grown Illyrian.
"Happy birthday Cass," I said, giving him the tightest hug possible.
"Thanks babe," he laughed, somehow squeezing me tighter.
Now you might be thinking, o "Babe" that's a cute nickname.
No, no it isn't. You know why?
It's short for baby sister.
"I have a name you know," I grumble, but it doesn't seem to wipe the smile off Cassian's face as he throws me over his shoulder and carries me to the kitchen.
"Put me down you old bat!" I squirm and he gently sets me down on a stool at the bar.
"Better?"
"I feel bad for whoever ends up with you," I poke him in the nose as he sits next to me.
"Hey, you're not allowed to be mean to me. It's my birthday, remember?"
"Yes, we all remember Cas," Azriel walked in through the front door.
"Az," I smile at the shadows swirling around him.
"Hey Luna," he gave me a light kiss on the cheek.
"Don't I get one?" Cassian complained and Az did exactly what I did to Rhys this morning.
"You are disgusting," Cassian complained, wiping his cheek.
"Who's hungry," my mom asked, walking into the kitchen and All three of us raised our hands.
Rhys came a bit later from talking with Devlon.
We celebrated Cass all day and somehow I still fell into another restless sleep.
Why does this keep happening?
Ever since the equinox ball, I just can't seem to fall asleep.
Something inside me is so uneasy. Telling me to get up, to move. To go somewhere...
Maybe I just need some air. That's what I've been telling myself for the past few nights. That was how I ended up in Autumn court. I went flying...and somehow ended up all the way over there. I don't even know how that happened. I don't even remember flying that far.
I got out of bed and quietly dressed to go fly.
——
Even when I didn't completely know you, I still felt the emptiness that was your absence.
Can you feel it too? The hole in your heart where I used to be?
Please Tamlin... please remember me.