Starlight

9

I sit beside Vossan in Nesta's home, she stands beside the window and stares out at the snow covered landscape. Vossan drapes an arm across the couch behind me, keeping a close eye on Cassian as he watches Nesta.

Vossan feels the shift the moment I do, the ripple in the darkness that can only be crafted by Rhysand's rage. Without a word, we winnow to him with Azriel on our heels. He stands above Feyre, ripping the Attor away from her and pinning him to the snow below.

"Take him." The High Lord says, the three of us obey him without question. Azriel takes hold of the Attor's wings and we winnow together to the Court of Nightmares. Azriel slams the Attor into a chair in the middle of the dark room, locking him to it with chains of powerful magic. I fall into the shadows, watching carefully as Azriel attempts to pull answers from the beast before us.

The High Lord appears beside me, not making a sound as we watch him. When the Attor suffers through Azriel's method without a word uttered from him, Rhysand nods to me. I slink out of the darkness, drifting across the floor like a shadow, Vossan's eyes do not leave me. The Attor's eyes darken, fear seeping out of every part of him.

"The High Lord's Shadow." He whispers, his voice shaking.

"You should have succumb to the spymaster." I say, my voice dark as my eyes become the color of night. Shadows sweep around me, wrapping down my arms and seeping into my fingers, as I move my hands closer to the Attor. One palm on each side of his head, I let the magic seep in.

The screams from him deafen my ears.

...

I sit across from Rhys, Vossan stands behind my chair with a hand gripping the top. Cassian lounges beside me, contemplation heavy on his brow. Feyre slides into the seat beside Rhysand, Mor filling the one next to her. Amren paces at the head of the table as we speak.

"Hybern is collecting his forces and moving them to strike. He will attempt to invade Prythian if we do not act quickly." I tell them all, the severity of the situation becomes clear on everyone's face. Feyre continues to glance at me, Rhys must have shown her what happened within that chamber.

My body has been depleted in the hour since that moment, the magic weakened from the use of my power in such an immense way. The adjustment from losing my magic for 50 years, it has taken its toll that I have not yet healed from. The swirl of nausea slips into my stomach, as it does when my magic attempts to recharge, and I stand from the table. Rhys does not question when I rush from the room with Vossan on my heels. I throw open the door to the nearest toilet and heave into its bowl. Vossan shuts the door behind me and gathers my hair into his hand, rubbing circles on my back.

The contents of my stomach do not empty into the bowl, only black shadows turned solid. The last of them force their way out of me, some seeping into the room and shrouding us in darkness. I finally lean back and collapse onto the floor, Vossan arms catching me and pulling me against him.

"Can we go home?" I whisper, tears stinging my eyes. Vossan brushes the hair from my eyes and places a gentle kiss on my lips.

"Yes, my starlight." He says, without another word he winnows us away.

...

"Let me see your wings." Vossan says as we stand in the garden, I pull them from my back and he smiles. "They're almost fully healed, my mate. You may be able to fly again, the skin only has to scar over now." I smile at him, my body filled with relief, as I flap my wings once. Only a small ache pulls at my back, not enough to keep the skies from me.

I take to the air, pure joy soaking through my body at the feeling of the breeze against my skin. Vossan's smokey shadow circles my body, I laugh as it tickles my skin. I glide against the wind, the smell of jasmine surrounding me, as I let myself coast back to the ground.

"I missed seeing you in the sky." Vossan tells me, pulling me close to him as he places a kiss on my brow. I wrap my arms around him and we stand silent for another moment.

"How do you think they're fairing in the Summer Court?" I ask him, looking up to meet Vossan's eyes.

"Considering a war has not yet begun, I believe it is going quite well." I chuckle as he takes my hand.

"Would you like to spend the night with me in Velaris, starlight?" I smile at him.

"I would want nothing more."

...

I walk beside Vossan in the streets, my silk dress of midnight purple blows in the wind, the sleeves trailing to follow. The necklace of stars Vossan loves so much hangs around my neck, my hair pinned back from my face with two jeweled clips. I hold Vossan's hand, the wedding ring he gifted me so many centuries ago wrapped around my finger. We walk across the Rainbow, the smell of paint seeping out through open doors. We stop at an open window and Vossan hands me a glass filled with purple liquid, glitter that looks like stars dancing across the surface.

"I missed these nights, spending time like this with you." Vossan tells me as we come to stop beside the railing. I sip my drink and smile at him, gazing into his eyes.

"I missed you, every second that I was trapped down there. Every hour of the day, I missed you. I was lost without our bond to pull me back." I tell him, he brushes a lose hair from my eyes and brushes his fingers against my chin.

"You are everything to me, Celesta. I will never let you be taken away from me again." He leans forward to kiss me, the touch sending stars swirling into the sky.