Golden Lights in a Dark Sky ✔

3. So We're On Our Own Now

It's been a week. A week since I lost her. A week since the world began to fall apart.

Hybern has fallen to this new threat. Our sources said that the entire island has been overrun by the Valg creatures. New attacks from these creatures keep popping up. The Summer and Winter Courts have suffered the most. They are the closest to Hybern and their coasts have been littered with attacks. But this does not mean that they are the only courts to suffer.

All the courts on the west coast of Pythian have been attacked. Autumn was spared but according to some more sources they have finally seen sightings of the Valg and a village was attacked today.

Kai and I are the only ones still in the Night Court. The Inner Circle has been spread throughout Prythian. Mor is in the Winter Court, Azriel and Cassian go-between Hybern and the Day Court. Amren is stationed in the Summer Court. Autumn has refused aid but Orion has been keeping an eye on them. And the twins, Leo and Cap, have been in the Dawn Court. Spring has been silent and both Mom and Dad were there for a while before traveling to the other courts and the Court of Nightmares. I heard that Lucien is there right now, protecting Spring as he once did.

Night had been spared this past week. Our armies have been spread throughout our territory and keeping civilians safe. There have been no major attacks since that day where Ash protected Verlairs before we could come to her aid.

Ash.

There had been no word, no sign, of her for a week. She's disappeared without a trace leaving me behind. It still hurts. It feels like a part of me is missing. My chest is hollow and sometimes when I think of her I have trouble breathing. It hurts too much, to think of her, to think of her disappearance. I wish I could forget her sometimes because my family needs me now more than ever.

But I also don't want to forget. I want to cherish those moments that we had. To hold them close. It hurts but I keep them safe in my mind, hold them close to my heart. I know she'll come back. I know how determined she is once she sets her mind to something. She wouldn't have abandoned me like this. I just know it.

I took in a deep breath and pushed away from the table I'm sitting at. I heard footsteps coming from down the hall and looked up to see Kai enter the room. He's dressed in fighting leathers, his wings folded behind his back. It looks as if he is leaving.

As if he read my mind Kai gives me a small smile.

"I'm going to the Spring Court," he said. I sit up straight.

"Why?" I asked. "Isn't Lucien there?"

"He's moved back to the Day Court. He wants to be close to Elain in case anything happens to her or the baby," he explained.

"So that's it, we're leaving me in charge of the Night Court?" I said. My words come out quick, sharp, and short. Like a whip. I'm angry. I don't want to be left alone here. And Spring hasn't done anything for us so why would we help them?

"I asked if I could go," Kai said. I blink in surprise, falling silent.

"Why?" I asked. Kai just smiles.

"There's something I have to take care of," he replied. It's all he says on the matter because he walks forward to stand right in front of me. "You'll be alright on your own right? Mom and Dad will be back soon enough."

I shrugged. "I don't like the idea of me having to take charge of the Night Court on my own. That's supposed to be Mom and Dad's job, eventually yours."

Kai put a hand on my shoulder. "You'll be fine. We're leaving the court in good hands. You're an excellent fighter and very devoted to the court. Plus in a time of need, we will be at your aid."

Kai placed a kiss to the top of my head, something he hadn't done since I was little.

"I have to go now," he said. "But Sunny, everything will be okay."

He steps back, giving me a smile, before he is wrapped in shadows, winnowing away. I frown. He used my childish nickname too, instead of calling me Rae.

"That sounded like a goodbye," I whispered to myself. "More than it sounded like a be back soon."

✧ ✧ ✧

I came home, dragging my sword behind me. It had been a long day. A town outside of Velaris sent out a warning flare requesting aid. I had flown quickly to the rescue, a group of twenty or so Iryllians with me. We wiped out the Valg we could find and captured one with a collar on her neck.

So I came back to the riverside manor, coated in blood and absolutely exhausted. I wanted to collapse onto the floor. I let my sword fall onto the wood floor and dragged myself up the stairs to my room. I drew myself a bath and let myself relax in the water. I lifted my hands up through the water and gently created a ball of light in my hands. I weaved it around my fingers, entertaining myself with it. I molded it into a fish and willed it to jump through my fingers and swim into the water. It was a pretty illusion, one that couldn't help but bring a small smile to my face.

Once the water got too cold to bear I double-checked to make sure I had washed all the blood from my hair. My wavy strawberry-blond hair did not appear to be stained with the black Valg blood, and I deemed that a good sign. I stood in the tub and grabbed a nearby towel to wrap myself up in. I stepped out, letting water splash and pool up on the floor. I pulled the tub plug out, letting the water drain away.

Walking to the mirror in my bathroom I studied myself. My hair was clean and my body was not stained with blood any longer. But I didn't seem quite like the bright optimistic girl I once was. My shoulders carried a heavy burden I could envision myself buckling under the weight of. My eyes were dull, the truth of reality staining my once happy view of the world. It also looked like I had lost some weight.

Gingerly, I reached out and touched the mirror, tracing the edge of my tired sunken face. I looked so sad, so lost. Where was the Raegan I once knew? It seemed that all memory of her was washed away with the Valg blood that went down the tub drain. Or perhaps it had disappeared with the girl that had stolen my heart.

I pulled my fingers away from the mirror.

"Why did you leave me behind?" I whispered quietly. "Why did you take my heart with you?"

The mirror did not respond. It would never respond. All that stared back was the face of a heartbroken girl, who was crushed by the weight of her new reality.

I quickly turned away. I could no longer stand looking at the sad image of myself. I did not want to break any further. Not when I was nearly shattered beyond repair.

A/N

I'm sorry but I like writing emotional chapters. Teheehehee.

Some of you might be wondering what Kai possibly wanted to do in the Spring Court and I'm not gonna tell you. It would spoil the story I want to write about him. Plus I can't start that until I finish this and well, this maybe halfway done? Maybe? IDK.

PS. I'll be posting the results of the cover vote on Saturday. I want to give any last-minute voters time to place a vote. Plus I promised to keep it up for a week and one week from that post would be tomorrow, not today. So look for the new cover on Saturday!

Thanks for reading! Leave a comment or vote if you enjoyed and feel free to share my story with your other ToG/ACOTAR loving friends!