𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫

⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙‧

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙‧

age: 22

I loved when Astraea wrote to me. I always read my family's letters in the library, where there was stationary to write back with.

Today, I grinned as I opened the letter from her, settling on the couch in the middle of the library.

Evelina,

I lost Luna.

The words sent shock through my body, my smile fading. I sat up, reading over the rest of it as tears welled in my eyes.

I held her while she took her last breath. She was just twelve years old. I don't think I'll ever recover from this. Your mother told me that it gets better, but I don't think it does. She was my life. I'm sorry you had to find out from a letter, but none of us are allowed in the Autumn Court without your father's permission. And he won't give us permission to visit you. I love you always.

-Astraea

Tears streamed down my face as I choked back a sob. Little Luna who'd I'd held so many times. I'd watched her grow up. She was only seven when I left.

I couldn't imagine how much pain Astraea was in. She loved Luna so dearly. I wiped my tears and went to the desk to write back to her.

Astraea,

I'm so, so sorry. I can't even imagine what you're experiencing right now. I wish I could come visit you, but I'm not allowed to leave Autumn. Luna loved you so much. She couldn't have had a better mother. She died knowing how much you cared. My mother is right. It will get better. But it will take time. I love you.

-Eve

   When I finished writing, I settled onto the couch, leaning back and wiping the tears from my eyes. Astraea had already suffered more than anyone deserved. For her daughter to be taken from her was just cruel.

    I wondered how everyone else in my family was handling it. All of us loved Luna dearly. She had been such a sweet little child. I remembered when she was born, how excited we'd all been.

    I missed her just as much as I missed the rest of them. It was so unfair that I'd never see her again.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙‧

When Elio finally came to bed, he reeked of perfume and sex. I sat up, staring at him. His hair was disheveled, his shirt only half buttoned. He smelled of another female.

     And even though I didn't truly love him—not in the ways that counted—I felt my heart break into tiny pieces. Was I not enough for him?

"Elio . . ." I trailed off, trying not to let the heaviness of my chest show on my face.

"I'm sorry, Eve," he said to me as he crawled into bed. "I didn't think you'd care."

"You're my husband," I reminded him, my voice very quiet.

"Neither of us married for love," he pointed out. "And sex with you is great, Eve, but sometimes I need someone new. Someone older, more experienced."

I didn't bother asking if I would be allowed to seek out someone new. I doubted that rule applied to us both.

"If I really hurt you, it won't happen again," he decided, reaching out to stroke my cheek.

"Really?"