A Court of Sunflowers and Stardust

•chapter 35•

"Fight; because we were born to be warriors, not bystanders."

Return

~

Violet eyes widened a fraction, and I moved swifter than I've ever moved as I lunged from my chair, flipping up and over, grabbing my knife, and landing behind Helion's own chair.

He stood up, startled for a moment as I clenched my knife in my fist, already kicking off my heeled shoes. My breathing came fast, and I felt tears burn at my eyes as I looked at Rhysand who instantly reminded me of my mate.

"Acacia." Rhysand spoke, and there was a genuine sort of shock there as he looked over from me to Helion, who was watching the ordeal with a careful gaze. "What's going on?"

Helion began filling the two in on how he'd found me and I felt my heart beat painfully inside my rib cage. I couldn't let them take me, not now, not when I was so close to finding a cure. They'd no doubt try and take me back to The Night Court, and use me as a hostage to lure Alakai. But they couldn't kill him, not when I needed the venom-

I gasped quietly as a shadow loomed over my shoulder, spinning I moved away from Azriel's grasp as he tried to sneak up on me.

"Acacia. We can help you with this plan, you should've come back-" Rhysand began, but I cut him off as I grabbed one of my shoes and flung it at Azriel, the Male barely missing it as he moved out of the way. "Acacia!"

"Amren said-" I was breathless, recounting the events that lead up to me being struck accidentally by Cassian. "You were going to kill me if Alakai didn't do something-"

Rhysand's eyes flared slightly, "no. You're my son's mate, we would never have hurt you, we were trying to bait him!"

"Cassian was going to kill him!" I screamed, the curtains at the windows began billowing more violently, and Helion stood straight, like a predator ready to pounce. "He's still my brother! He's still my family! Cauldron I hate him- so much- but if I can do this and heal the world and speak to him I might be able to get through to him!"

"Wait- brother?" Helion questioned, looking at Rhys for an answer, and I then remembered that this male didn't know about my brother.

Rhys looked at me uncertainly, and I sent him pleading eyes, "Helion, this matter that needs to be discussed between us, but right now Acacia needs to come home. Kaleb is hurting without you, Acacia."

A heavy pain tugged at my rib cage and I felt a tear slip down my cheek. "I can't- I will come back but not yet. Not yet. I need to do this."

Without a second glance I turned and ran towards the open windows, ignoring Rhysand's shout of my name and Azriel as he tried reaching for me. I pushed past the curtains, unaware of where I was as I threw myself out of one of the magnificent windows, sunlight blocking my vision for a few moments.

I wasn't sure what I planned to accomplish as I fell, glancing around at the beautiful trees around me and urging them to grab me- prevent me splattering onto the ground-

But the boom of wings sounded behind me, and I spun, not realising I was so far up as the ground was nearing. I yelped, feeling Azriel's strong hands grab around my waist, refusing to let go as I twisted in his grasp.

"Stop," he breathed as his grip tightened, smoke and shadows encompassing us as Azriel winnowed with me still in his arms.

~

Kaleb lay on his bed above the blankets, staring at his white ceiling. He'd zoned out, daydreaming about his mate's glowing face when she smiled. That was until his mother clambered into his room, a frantic edge to her features as her blue eyes were wide.

"They-" she stuttered, something she rarely did in front of Kaleb. "They found her."

The words seemed to awaken something silent within him, especially as the bond suddenly grew vibrant and strong, as if she was near-

"Let go of me!" Screamed a voice from downstairs that rang out still in Kaleb's dreams.

Acacia.

~

"I was in the middle of something until you barged in!" I growled at Azriel and Rhysand, aware that we were in Rhysand's Velaris home, and also aware of the mating bond that grew wild within my soul.

Rhys crossed his arms, "Helion was quite shocked at the whole ordeal, one minute you're throwing a shoe at Azriel, the next you were throwing yourself out of the window."

I was so distracted by them, glaring and straightening out my dress, that I didn't register as there was a quiet, sharp intake of breath behind me, atop the staircase.

It was as if every one of my senses paused, and something deep within me awoke and yearned to turn and run to the figure that had no doubt come to me. I felt my breathing slow, Rhysand's and Azriel's face's turned to look up at the top of stairs as my stomach rolled inside itself.

"Acacia." The voice awoke a primal and instinctive part of me and I turned around to look up the stairs, my racing mind suddenly silent as my body focused wholly focused on the male that called out to me.

I released a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding as my body seemed to go stiff and molten all at once as I looked into the dazzling blue eyes of who I was soul bound to. My mate.

"Kaleb."

A/N: ACACIA IS REUNITED WITH HER MATE!! But for how long? And will things be all dandy? How will Kaleb react to this new information about needing Alakai's venom?

ALSO!!!

I've created a Pinterest board for this story, containing my inspirations for this story, images of the characters themselves and other hints and pictures to go with this story! It's called •A Court of Sunflowers and Stardust• - Just go to this link:
https://pin.it/onjulgkssg7end