A Court of Stars and Memories

1. Courtly Duties

A breeze swept past Lysander, carrying the chilled bite of autumn. He tucked his wings closer to his back and suppressed a shiver. "Do you think there will be early snows again this year?" The male at his side asked.

Lysander glanced at his cousin. Corbin's arms were folded across his leather clad chest as he watched the sparring novices in the ring before them. Wind gusted again, ruffling the chestnut-blond hair that hung to Corbin's shoulders. "I don't know. I hope not. Mother knows the past few years have been hard enough on the warcamps."

"If the snows come early, we'll be prepared," a gruff voice said behind them. Lysander and Corbin stepped apart to make room for Devlon, the Warlord of Windhaven. The older male's hazel gaze shifted between the two of them. "Have you made preparations for the Exchange just in case there's bad weather?"

Lysander nodded. "We discussed it with Mikael and Calden a few weeks ago. If bad weather comes, the Exchange will be put on hold. Illyrians will remain in the Dawn Court and Peregryns will remain in Windhaven until it's safe to travel again."

"Good. I don't want anyone, novices especially, flying off in the middle of a snowstorm."

Corbin wrinkled his nose with a grimace. "Don't worry. We won't have a repeat of last year. Lysander made sure of that."

The corners of Devlon's mouth twitched up in a rare smile and Lysander merely shrugged. "What else was I supposed to do?" He asked

"Nyx thinks you should've scolded them instead of leaving them tied outside in a blizzard for an hour," Corbin replied.

"He only says that because Eira was one of the ones being punished."

"The punishment seemed fitting to me," Devlon said. "In fact, it was lenient compared to what I would've come up with. Orion and Eira were lucky it was you in charge of the novices that day."

"For the record, sneaking off in the middle of a storm wasn't my idea," a male hollered from the training ring.

Lysander smiled, catching sight of Orion, Devlon's eldest son. The male swiped dark hair from his damp forehead and smirked at his partner. Eira rolled her sapphire eyes. "You didn't have to come with me."

"You think I'd be alive right now if I'd let you go by yourself?"

"Get back to work," Corbin interrupted. "You've got five more circuits to complete before training ends."

"Quite the taskmaster you've become," Eira huffed, flipping an auburn braid off her shoulder. She spread her bat-like wings and waited for Orion's next move.

"I learned from the best," Corbin chuckled, inclining his head towards Devlon.

The Warlord narrowed his eyes and Corbin wisely straightened, averting his gaze. "Rhysand was asking to see the pair of you. You should get going," Devlon said.

"Did he say what he wanted?" Lysander asked.

"Why don't you meet with him and find out for yourself?"

"Come on, Lys." Corbin slung an arm over his shoulders and led him away from Devlon. "Let's leave the old man to bully the kids."

"This old man could snap your neck before you even feel my hands against your throat," Devlon called.

"I wouldn't let Jorah hear that if I were you. She might take it the wrong way," Corbin cackled.

Lysander smacked his shoulder with a chuckle and leaped into the air, snapping open his wings in time to catch the rising wind current. Corbin flew alongside him and stretched his arms over his head. Lysander closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath of crisp mountain air. The scent of ice clung to the breeze, but thin sunlight warmed his face.