A Court of Rising Starlight

Chapter XVIII

Lily POV:

Acacia. Derek. Mor. Az. Nicole. Megan. My family. My court.

My gait was smooth, my expression cold. A good practice I had learned and kept over the years working for him. Them, I should say. Kier and his son, Brandon, were the ones that always planned everything. The people who went to take her out were just on their orders.

"How was your visit, darling?" I tense at his voice floats across his room. It wasn't the first time he had called me.

"Dramatic," I reply coolly. "They were all quite emotional, finding out I wasn't dead."

He gestures for me to come closer and I internally cringe. The moment I'm within his reach he jerks me forward and onto his lap. "And what do they suspect?" he asks, kissing my neck.

"Brandon-"

"I asked you a question, princess."

Acacia. Derek. Mor. Az. Nicole. Megan. It's for them. My family. My court.

"Nothing. They're clueless."

"Good," he says.

He presses his lips to mine and I force myself to respond. He moves one of his hands to my inner thigh. He forces me to shift, straddling him. I tip my head back as his lips travel to my neck. His hands fall to the hem of my shirt. I lean into him, hearing footsteps.

"Brandon-"

"Embarrassed?"

"I don't care to be so exposed in front of everyone."

He shakes his head, running his hands over bare torso. "You'll never even see the person again. Who cares?" There's a sharp knock on the door. "Enter," he says before I can argue any further.

"Sir, there is someone waiting to speak to you and Lord Kier," the man states, looking away as Brandon continues to let his hands roam my upper body. I roll my eyes. A ridiculous title. His goal was King of Prythian. Not that anyone would be letting that happen. "It's urgent."

"Fine," he huffs. "I'm coming."

I start to slide of his lap. He holds me in place, his teeth grazing my neck. "I'll finish with you later, darling."

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Acacia POV:

I woke in darkness, hearing only soft breathing from behind me. Derek was fast asleep, still holding me securely with my back to his front. His breath tickles my neck and I attempt to turn in his arms. Even in his sleep he was protective of me. I slowly move, removing his arms at a snails pace. My first few steps are shaky, but I manage to make it across the room and out the door. I wander the halls aimlessly, trying to navigate the seemingly endless house on my own.

"Can I help you find something?" I jump at the voice. A short woman with brown hair faced me. As the light hit her, I found her skin to appear almost like tree bark. "Oh, dear girl, you're so like him." She looks me over before shaking her head. "Let's get you some food. You look too close to skin and bones to me, girl. Much like your mother when she arrived in Prythian." I follow the woman, coming into an open kitchen. "Honestly, you are much too skinny for a girl your age. I-"

"Alis, we do feed her. She has the metabolism any teenager would."

"Hush. I wasn't questioning you in your abilities to take care of the children, Azriel. What are you doing awake?"

"I can't have a midnight snack too?"

"You haven't been unconscious for the past five days."

"Five days?" I ask in surprise.

"You released far more power than you should have on your birthday, Acacia. It exhausted you enough to keep you unconscious long enough for it to come back naturally and keep you and everyone safe," Az explains.

"What do you mean keep everyone safe?"

"We didn't know how rapidly it would comeback. You feel it more than ever now, don't you? Right under your skin, ready to use at any moment?" I nod. He takes my left hand. "And this."

I hadn't noticed the change as I wandered through the dark halls, but my entire arm, from shoulder to fingertip was covered by the same ink that covered my back, as the tattoo seemed to branch off of that one. Elegant swirls spiraled over my skin in a dizzying yet simple pattern of vines. Finally as I turn my arm I see a large symbol in my palm where eight vine tips meet, each one placed with even spacing around the circle. The mountains with three stars. The Night Court.

"Your mother's was only half that. It didn't have the symbol either."

I thank Alis as she set an omelet in front of me. Tears reach my eyes just as she leaves the kitchen. "I remember everything about them, Az. Everything we had before they attacked us. I miss it so much. I want the hear my dad arguing with Cassian again. I want to see all the flowers Aunt Elain would grow. Hell, I even want to hear Amren complaining about how stupid everyone in that house was. I don't care about being a High Lady or if I live in Prythian or the mortal world or some crazy place I've never even heard of. I just want my family back. I can never see them again because of him. Maybe I'm selfish to wish for something like that-"

He wraps me in his arms as my body shakes with sobs. "Shh. You will never be selfish for longing for something that was snatched away from you in your childhood, Acacia. Please don't think like that." He kisses my head, swaying slightly to try to comfort me. "I love you so much, Acacia. We all do. Please don't ever think our feelings are any less than that. Mor and I have tried to step in for Rhys and Feyre but..."

"I know. Thank you."