GOLDEN STRINGS

CHAPTER TEN

THE SPRING COURT

A veil of darkness had fallen upon the earth. Rosalyn could not sleep. Her mate was snoring softly beside her, she swatted irritatingly at her damp hair.

There were nerves low in her belly as she stayed awake, staring at the ceiling.

As it happened, she felt as if she were in a dream.

The screams of her dying sons sounded dull in her ears. As her mate jumped from the bed, he had barely landed on his feet when he was shot against the wall by a blast of shadow.

Rosalyn watched as his face twisted in realization. Then in horror.

What has he done?

She rose slowly from her bed. And faced the High Lord of the Night Court.

The whole of Prythian had proclaimed him handsome, and yet Rosalyn had been more mesmerized with his mate to notice.

Kore was pretty, in an effortless sort of way. But what had drawn Rosalyn to admire her was the straight column of her spine, and the fire behind her hazel eyes.

During a meeting in the Dawn Court long ago, the two females had locked gazes, and for a second a peculiar recognition passed over their faces.

Rosalyn finally saw it for what it was; fate.

They'd meet their ends in the same way, killed by each other's mates.

"I am so sorry," Rosalyn said steadily to the High Lord of the Night Court, "about Kore."

Aidoneus did not seem to hear her. Rosalyn opened her mouth to speak, but he had already snapped her neck by then.

#

Aidoneus felt lighter at the sound of the scream the High Lord of Spring released upon his mate's death. Now he was not alone in his suffering.

When he'd finished slaughtering him, he'd walked out of the bedchamber.

He bumped into Rhysand, who was equally bloodied.

"What have you done?" His son cried.

"What I set out to do."

Rhysand blanched. "You promised you would not hurt Lady Rosalyn."

Aidoneus stared at him, unfeeling.

Had he promised such a thing? Did he even speak? How? How had he ever lived before? Before Kore, before the mating bond.

"Mama would not have wanted this." Rhys pushed against his father's chest, angrily. Tears mixed with blood on his cheeks. "Mama-"

Aidoneus grabbed the back of Rhys' neck and pulled him forward. His adult son fell against his chest, his face buried in his shoulder. He held him as Rhys sobbed, tremors wrecking his body.

Aidoneus remembered that night so long ago, when he'd picked up Rhysand to bring him to bed, and his son's head had fallen sleepily on his shoulder. It had been the last time he'd held Rhysand. The last time his son looked at him with love and trust. He'd ruined that by tearing at his memories. He'd ruined everything.

Aidoneus never saw the newly-crowned High Lord of the Spring Court rushing at him. It wasn't until Tamlin had punched his way into his torso and fisted his clawed hand around his heart that he'd jerked back in dull pain.

Rhysand let him go, as he looked at the sight horrified.

In those last few moments, Aidoneus felt no fear, but love. Love for his mate and children that he was soon to meet again. And love, for his son, Rhysand, the future High Lord of the Night Court.

#

Rhys watched as Tamlin ripped out his father's heart.

The former High Lord of the Night Court, a beast of man, slumped to the floor like a sack of stones.

Rhys felt the mysterious power come over him, like a blanket of shadows.

Tamlin gaped at Rhys, as if equally terrified of what they'd both had done that night.

The two newly-crowned High Lords locked gazes.

Rhys winnowed away.