A Court of Secrets and Moonlight

Epilogue

The mirthroot that Flynn had given him must have been a lot stronger than his friend had let on.

He was laying on his bed, headphones in his ears, drifting into nothingness as he let the thumping bass and the soaring synthesizer of the music send him falling through the world. As if his heart was beating in tune to the sound of the drums, the lyrics in his ears. Tattooed fingers crossed over his stomach, he was letting the smoke in his veins suck him into oblivion.

Heavy relaxation melted him, bone and blood dripping into liquid gold. Each note was a calming word, a bed of shadow and starlight underneath him as the world slipped away. Music had always been a safe haven for him, an escape from the roaring of his father's voice, from the burning fire, from his duties, from life as a whole.

And fuck, if he didn't need an escape at this moment.

The music shifted then, his soul twisting and morphing right alongside it. He was helpless to stop any of it as he fell further and further into its abyss, a thrumming bass turning into the soft hum of a violin, a synthesizer turning into scarred hands dusting across piano keys, a screeching singer turning into a female voice like pure song and wind. The mirthroot wrapped sweet, loving arms around him and swallowed him whole. And he could have sworn that the music drifted into something else, a siren song gunning straight for his soul, consuming everything he was and leaving nothing in its wake.

A scent like lavender and spice filled the room, cut with warm cedar. It was familiar, so very familiar-

Ruhn Danaan shot awake as his headphones were ripped from his ears, and ice cold water was dumped on his head.

"What the fuck?"

A fae female stood at the foot of his bed, a now empty metal bucket in her scarred hands.

Violet black hair hanging in perfect waves around her face, wearing intricate black leather that covered the tattoos over her warm, olive skin. A new tattoo now graced one of her hands, a star with rays of light coming off of it. A familiar smirk grew on her full lips, amusement growing in her eyes-

Eyes that had always been gold. As long as had known her, her eyes had always been gold.

Except they were violet now, nearly the exact same shade as his own.

"Good morning, sunshine." She chirped.

He was soaked, head to toe. Freezing cold and shivering- and the worst part of all: he was fucking sober.

"How did you do that?" He asked, frowning in her direction as he grabbed another shirt from the floor. He sniffed it before swapping it out for his wet one.

"I've always got tricks up my sleeve." She smirked, plopping down on the bed next to him. With a wave of her hand, it was completely dry.

Ruhn looked at her, at the strange clothes she was wearing, all black leather and intricate straps and buckles, at the change in her eye color. Something else was different too, like some kind of light had been lit that he didn't even realize had burned out, and her scent-

"So, are you mated now or something?" He asked.

She narrowed her eyes, tilting her head to the side, "I've always had a mate."

"Huh?" Ruhn asked.

She gave him an incredulous look, as if he should have known that. "You never said anything." He frowned.

She glanced down for a moment, "Well, I have a mate."

"Do I know him?" Ruhn asked.

Strangely enough, she laughed, "No."