A Court of Night and Starlight

ChapterXIX

One week later

Amaris

"The stars are bright tonight."

"They're happy you're home."

I glance sidelong at my mother. "You've said that every night for the past week."

She smiles and nudges my shoulder with hers. "And it remains true."

We sit on a small ledge halfway up on one of the mountains that surrounds Velaris, our legs dangling over the edge. The glittering city sprawls beneath us, the lights a near replica of the shining heavens above. The Sidra is a dark ribbon wending its way through the heart of the city.

I used to come up here when I needed some alone time. With a family as big as mine, it can be hard to find any semblance of privacy. But I'm glad my mother is here with me now. I welcome the company.

I've come up here every night since Nyx and I got home. And my mother has joined me every time. She never asks why I fly up here in the middle of the night. Why I don't sleep. My mother doesn't pressure me to talk about how every time I close my eyes I see golden talons and my brother's dead body. How every time I close my eyes I can almost hear the deep voices of Tamlin and Aelix as they tried to turn me against my Court and family.  

She doesn't ask any of the questions I'm sure she's dying to know the answers to. No, she just sits with me, offering her calm and steady presence. And I'm grateful for it.

The mug of steaming apple cider warms my hands and my belly. My mother takes a sip from her own mug of cider. We sit in comfortable silence looking out upon our city.

A lot had happened when we first arrived back in Velaris. Nyx and I were immediately tackled to the ground by Athen and Anein, who refused to let us up until they checked over every inch of us to make sure we were okay. Amren was her usual cold self, but I did catch the hint of a smile on her red painted lips as I turned away.

Things with the Illyrians have been postponed until further notice. Even the brutal, apathetic Illyrian warriors agreed that kidnapping children was crossing a line. So the mountain camp lords said they would try some of the new rules, but there were no promises that they would last.

I know their sudden willingness to consider a new regimen was only because of Fallon, Delca, and Markame, who disappeared after getting paid by the Autumn heirs for luring me and Nyx outside the camps borders, leaving the rest of the Illyrians to deal with the fallout of the trio's betrayal. Apparently, the three of them realized that with my father and his Spymaster in the camp, they had no chance of keeping what they did from my family, and fled.

So that's one of the things on the to-do-list: find those pricks and deal with them accordingly.

Gwyn and Azriel also decided to go back to the Spring Court for a little while and test the waters, so-to-speak. They leave tomorrow. And while I will miss them, I think Gwyn is exactly what the Spring Court needs. For too long the people in that Court have lived under Tamlin's corrupt and self-serving rule. Gwyn is the exact opposite. She's caring and kind and fair. She'll make a great High Lady.

Eris was understanding about the fate that had befallen his brothers, but I know he still wishes it didn't have to come to that. He did only exile them in the first place, not execute. But Nyx didn't apologize for his actions. 

My magic has been calm, as well. No longer does it feel like it's crushing me. And when I showed my father what I could do, told him of the subconscious barrier I had put around myself and how I broke through it, he looked at me with so much pride I couldn't stop smiling for an hour afterwards. 

Two dark shapes soar up the face of the cliff and blast past me and my mother. The wind blows our hair back and I nearly spill my apple cider.

Not five seconds later, Nyx and my father land behind us, tucking in their wings, and sit down on the ledge next to us. Nyx sits next to me and my father next to my mother. He wraps his arm around her waist and plants a loving kiss on her head.

"We've been looking for you two," My father says.

"Oh, hush," My mother chides, settling into her mate's embrace. "You knew exactly where we were."

"Maybe," he shrugs, grinning with amusement.

I smile. I love my family. Are we perfect? No. But that's the beauty of it, we don't have to be. Everyone has their demons and bad days. Everyone has obstacles to overcome. And at the end of the day, all we can really do is be there for each other, in whatever way that may be.

I know things are far from settled. The issues with the Illyrians can only be put off for so long, and then there's the power shift in the Spring Court. But whatever comes our way, we'll handle it.

Together.

A/N: We've reached the end of the story! This is kinda bitter-sweet for me. I had so much fun writing about Amaris and Nyx and this journey that they went on. Thank you to everyone who gave my story a chance and commented and voted. This was my first time publishing fanfiction and it means the world to me that people have read it and actually liked it.

I'm also starting a Part 2. It might take me a little bit to work out the story, but be sure to keep an eye out for any updates!