A Court of Sun and Flame

CHAPTER FORTY

"A world where it is safe to love is a world where it is safe to live"

― Serena Anderlini-D'Onofrio

Helion

Walking wordlessly through the dark halls, almost in a trance like state, I wonder how many times exactly i have walked through this very hall. How many times have i dreaded what was about to come, and how many times i wished this would all be over; in one way or another.

Not even the warmth that usually came naturally to me could stop the shivers from running up my spine, both from the cold dead walls around me, and the helplessness i once again faced.

At least your not alone, it's worse for him. That's what i tell myself every time this happens, everytime i wish i could tear my own skin off to stop it from happening. But i had no power here - we had no power here, and it was stupid to think we once did. Those who had hope were...disposed of. Publically. And we would all stand there. Watching. Doing nothing. What could we do? Stop her? To stop her was to receive a fate worse than death, and over the years i've heard that saying many times, even said it once in a while, but here, under the mountain, is where that saying holds the most truth.

There is no escape.

Don't even think about it. Not only because it's a fruitless attempt of finding hope in this pit of snakes, but she would know - he would know. Rhysand. The High Lord of the Night Court, my closest friend, and my mate. When i first heard Her give the order to follow her, i saw the dread and fear in Rhys' starless eyes. He was terrified. We all were, but She was taking something else from him. She was taking something that belonged to no one but Rhys; himself.

I couldn't stop myself from getting involved, i couldn't let this happen to him. So i blocked him from her. Standing in front of Rhys, i offered myself. And she allowed it.

As i walked behind her, logic long gone, i stupidly turned my head around to see Rhys being held back by Tarquin and Eris, both struggling to hold him back as he let out an animalistic growl. I shouldn't have looked back, that was bad enough. But i couldn't help myself. I looked him in the eyes.

His violet eyes had become the ocean itself, water spilling out of them like waterfalls, falling and falling until they reached the rocks below. Looking in to those eyes that previously held wonder and dreams, i now could see panic, fear, anger and dispair.

~HELION! DON'T DO THIS! PLEASE, NO!~ his broken voice screamed down our bond. I remember the first time we felt it - something snap into place. We were both messing around in the sea, throwing water at each other and trying to throw one another over a shoulder, and then out of nowhere, it cllicked. Mate. Your voice echoed down this bond between us, and for a while, we both stood frozen. I think we were so shocked because we were both too young to even think about having a mate anytime soon, having a mate in itself was a rarity, let alone at this age - me being 97 and Rhys 56. This bond between us was so, so rare, and yet so precious, that after that moment of hesitation, we both ran to each other.

My arms wrapped around his back, pulling him to me whilst his wrapped around my neck, allowing our lips to collide with more passion and emotional than every before.

Mate.

Mate.

Mate.

The words were whispered between us as i winnowed us back to my room where we made love for days on end, not allowing anyone in the palace as we found more and more ways and places to become one.