A Court of Sunflowers and Stardust

•chapter 30•

"You are never truly lost, as I will always find you."

War

~

Feyre anxiously watched her son pace back and forth in the study room, face drained and eyes raging. "He took her. The bastard took her when she fell unconscious."

"Don't blame yourself," Rhys said carefully. It was a dangerous time, Kaleb is a newly mated male and his mate had just been stolen away in front of them. "I doubt he will hurt her, if he claims he loves her so much."

Cassian was quiet, the minute he'd opened his mouth earlier Kaleb was growling and clenching his fists. He blamed his uncle for this, trying to make himself feel better. If he hadn't of accidentally struck her, they wouldn't be in this situation.

"Azriel will find her." Feyre spoke, her voice wavering slightly.

She liked Acacia, in some ways she reminded her of Nesta and Elain. The strong will and spirit of Nesta, with that unmoving grace and hard eyes, yet the sweet and kind nature of Elain. But sometimes she painfully reminded her of Tamlin, with her rage filled eyes and slight grins.

Kaleb had countlessly tried to connect to his mate via to bond, but each time she didn't respond. He figured she was still unconscious, if she was dead the bond would go limp. The thought made him feel nauseous.

Cassian shifted on his feet, and Kaleb snapped some tether that restrained him as he whirled on the Illyrian male. "This is your god damn fault! Acacia told you all not to attack and you all did it anyway!"

Cassian flared his nostrils, but Amren scoffed, still holding her healing hand from when Acacia broke it. "We don't take orders from Tamlin's daughter."

Kaleb growled in a way that had Feyre straightening, "you shut your mouth as well! What was you playing at grabbing Acacia like that? You're a bunch of wild animals-"

"Kaleb." Rhys warned, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "None of us wanted to hurt Acacia-"

Kaleb shoved his father's hand off of his shoulder, and the tension grew suffocating as the strongest males in The Night Court stared each other down. "Don't try and act like I'm overreacting, if this was mom you'd be losing your shit."

Indeed, however Feyre stepped in with outstretched hands. The mediator of her son's and mate's arguments. "Acacia fought against us to protect Alakai, Kaleb, please remember that."

"He's her brother," Kaleb seethed, his tone of voice had Rhys shooting him a look.

"Her brother is destroying her and the world we live on, boy," Amren stepped up, "the face that she defended him proves where her loyalties are. And it's not with us."

"You're being narrow minded," Kaleb snapped at Amren, who didn't even blink, "she's being forced to choose between her immediate family and her new family."

"She chose wrong."

Kaleb snarled at that.

~

"Acacia, you need to wake up."

I stirred, eyes heavy as I tried opening them, blinking swiftly against the brightness. Confusion swept over me, especially as Alakai's face came into my view.

"How do you feel?" He asked, although his voice was distant as I tried to put everything into focus. There was a harsh ache in my back, running up and down like a current, and throbbing uncontrollably.

"What-" I croaked, cringing at my dry mouth, as I tried lifting my head. Pain shot down my spine and I winced.

"Just- lay still. I'm still healing you." He told me, and I turned to properly examine him. His hair was dishevelled, and his face was pale, eyes sunken in with worry.

"But-" I began, but the memory of everything flashed before me. I jolted, "where am I? Where is Kaleb?"

Alakai ground his teeth, "we're at my place. One of your mate's Ilk ripped open the skin on your back, so I took you away."

I blinked, "you what?"

"Stop tensing." He scolded, but my mind was swirling with rage, confusion and a twinge of fear.

"Why are you doing this?"

He didn't respond, and I clenched my jaw as tears threatened to fall. I felt the bond between me and Kaleb, a simple comfort. I didn't dare reach out, didn't know what to say. How do I explain myself?

I tied his mother to the ground and challenged his father, all for my brother who was trying to destroy everyone and everything.

I began worrying for my safety, for what would happen once I'd healed. But a part of me calmed that quiet fear in my mind, a primal part of me that told me my brother would protect me, not hurt me.

I took a glance at my surroundings, noting the exits, windows and things I could use as a weapon if things went bad. The room was light, pleasant, and the bed I lay in was soft and comfortable bed, honing his scent.

"I'm done. You'll be sore for a day or two." His voice was practically empty, and I turned my head to look at him. He looked like he hadn't slept, and his usually emerald eyes weren't as bright as they usually were.

I realised how odd this was, I'd normally ever only meet and speak to him in my mind, but now he was actually here, actually close and his scent was so strong and it reminded me of my mother and father, yet similar to my own scent.

"Alakai." My voice was gentler than I'd ever spoke to him and his tired eyes looked into my own. "Why?"

He sighed through his nose, a trait that signalled annoyance, I remember my mother doing it. "Once you've eaten, drank and got your strength back, then we'll talk."

Before I could reply, he stood, the lankiness tallness of him had me looking up. But he didn't meet my eye as he turned and started leaving the room, only pausing in the doorway to glance back at me, the raw emotion in his eyes nearly made me jolt with shock.

"Acacia," he paused, as if he was trying to find the words. "I won't apologise for doing what's best for you."

And then he left.