GOLDEN STRINGS

EPILOGUE

A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN - RHYS DIES

Rhysand blinked his eyes open. He was standing on the top of a mountain, the smell of fresh grass invading his nose. Before him stood a cabin.

Rhys frowned at it. The wooden home looked so familiar, yet so strange at once. There were children playing on the front steps. Two Illyrian boys and a small Illyrian girl.

Rhys startled. "Aida!"

The little girl turned her cheeky grin at him, violet eyes amused. This was definitely his little sister. Rhys ran towards her.

Before Rhys could reach her however, the door of the cabin opened wide. His father walked out, his shirt rolled up at the sleeves. Aidoneus stopped in his tracks.

"Rhysand?" He whispered, he rushed down the front steps of the cabin, careful of the children in his way. "What are you doing here? You are not meant to be here."

"Why?" Rhys asked.

Aidoneus gripped his shoulder, his violet eyes concerned.

"Mama." Rhys breathed.

Kore walked slowly out of the cabin, her fingers brushing lightly over the twins' heads. She reached her son, her eyes silver-lined. She placed a gentle hand on Rhysand's cheek.

"Rhys, darling." Kore said, and Rhys wept at the sound of his mother's voice. He had forgotten what she'd sounded like. "What are you doing here, my heart?"

Aidoneus ran a hand over his son's black hair, Rhys sobbed. He shook his head, he shrugged.

RHYSAND!

He startled at the sound of his name. And that voice.

"Go back, Rhysie." Aidoneus whispered. "You have to go back."

Rhys shook his head frantically. "No. No. I wish to stay here. Please let me stay here with you."

Kore's heart broke with grief, because as much as she'd wanted her family to be complete, as much as she yearned for her son to stay with them, she wanted nothing more than for him to find his own happiness.

RHYS!

There was urgency behind his name, desperation, a sadness so complete it made Aidoneus shiver with past memories.

"It is not time for you, my heart." Kore said, gently but firmly. "Go home. We shall meet again, very soon, Rhys darling."

Rhysand swayed where he stood before his parents. He'd missed them, the truth was. But perhaps they were right, he had to go back. They were waiting for him-

Cassian, Azriel, Mor.

Feyre.

Feyre was waiting for him.

"Feyre." He whispered to himself. "I need to get back to Feyre...I have to-"

Kore smiled sadly.

"How?" Rhys sobbed. "How can I get back? I am lost...I do not know the way. I-"

Aidoneus laid a gentle hand on his son's chest, right over his heart.

"Yes, you do." He said softly to Rhys. "Follow the golden strings of your mating bond."