A Court of Trust and Enemies

Chapter 25

They watched the Darkness fade out over days and days. Fading like the mist as the sun climbed higher in the autumn morning. Evalyn had called her powers to aid in it disappearing. This time it was easy, nothing strained her body, or made her collapse afterwards. But it still took time... The first signs of frost and winter started to come around them. Three months had passed, but instead of moving away. They moved over the border, walking back into the Night Court.

Sadri and Owen took to the skies, and behind her Cassian was stretching out his wings.

"You can fly." Evalyn told him, not caring that her mother was shaking her head.

"It is so weird..." Gwyn said at her side. "I can feel the difference in the air..."

"We are home." Nesta told her friend. Above them the three illyrians circlede, the wings casting shadows on the ground. The earth started to tremble beneath them again. The fifth time it happened. Cassian dove down, landing carefully at his newly healed and cleared leg.

"It is all gone..." he said, looking over to Evalyn. "We are needed in Hewn."

"She is needed in Hewn." Gwyn said back. "Fly! We can manage here." Evalyn just nodded in return.

"They will need me."

"It is a long flight." Regina warned. "Are you sure you can make it?" Cassian just huffed back.

"I will have our time's strongest healer, and only living Lightbringer with me. I will make it there, and back and there again!"

"Now we are stretching it." Nesta told him. "But go!" Evalyn looked away as the two mates held onto each other. Maddy giggled as her father kissed her head. Her own chest contracted, longing for Hope, longing for Nyx... For the three of them to be reunited again.

"Ready?" Cassian walked up behind her.

"Yes." the General lifted her up, and soon she was flying in the sky again. Looking out over the last patch of Darkness.

It just covered one mountain, far off in the distans. Evalyn bit her lip as they flew closer, she could feel how Cassian was pushing forward, far faster than he had done before this in training.

"Do you need to rest?" She asked. Cassian shook his head in response. "Sure?"

"Yes, I have been on the sidelines for too long now."

"I would not call saving lives and being injured, sidelined." Evalyn said back. "Rest if you need to."

"I don't, so I won't." They continued on in silence.

The Darkness came closer, and the sun started to set around them. A thin crescent of the moon climbed the sky, and the Night Court night sky grew above them. Cassian stopped, hovering in the air. A sigel star fell above them, burning clear and loud. Evalyn let the tears fall as she saw the sky that she had missed so much.

"I lived here for over 550 years, and just one year without it hurts." Cassian said, looking up at the sky. "We are truly home."

"We were in the Summer Court during Starfall..." Evalyn said, still looking up at the sky. "It was so sad and empty."

"Things will be different now." Cassian started to move again, taking them towards the mountain. Evalyn stayed quiet as they came up to the Darkness, her head wanted her to call to her powers and burn a hole, but her heart refused, fearing what may happen if she got tired afterwards. Cassian didn't say anything as he flew around the mountain, the last part of the Night Court to be occupied. Something burned at Evelyn's shoulder, probably the colder winter air in the mountains. But the feeling made her uneasy.