The North Star

3

I don't know if I had passed out or had simply fallen asleep, but I jumped awake when Azriel landed on the ground.

I squinted at the brightness of the sun, but Azriel blocked it with his wings.

He carefully set me down, and I slid out of his arms.

His wings dodged out of the way, and I realized where we were.

The Town House.

Home.

I took a step towards the house, and the door slammed opened, and broke off one of its hinges.

It was Rhysand.

Rhys.

The wind shifted, and his scent had changed. I could smell the magic in the air, and a scent intertwined with his own.

I dropped to my knee out of habit and what our traditions commanded. "High Lord." I bowed my head in acknowledgment.

Rhysand walked over to me, and dropped down on both of his knees. I knew the significance of it, if the tattoos marked on both of his knees.

I looked up, into the violet eyes that mirrored my own. He whispered, tears running down his face, "You don't need to do that, Carina."

I break first, tears stream down from my face, and I tackled him into a hug. His back hits the stone pavement, but he returns my hug.

After a few moments, I let go and push myself off of him. I still sit on the ground with Rhys. I started, "Father is..."

"With mother." He confirmed.

I nodded sadly, but I really didn't miss his. I missed what he could've been, a real father, not the cruel High Lord he was.

"I want you to meet someone. Actually, two people very dear to me," Rhysand says, and stands up. He offers me his hand, and I take it.

I look horrible, with wind swept hair, and a half torn gown, but I don't care I was home.

In the doorway of the Town House, stood a female with a baby in her arms.

She was Rhysand's mate... and more. "Is she—Are you—?"

She smiled. "I am the High Lady of the Night Court. But to you, I'm your sister-in-law, Feyre."

I smiled, "Its nice to meet you Feyre." I then punched Rhysand in the arm. "You finally did something right." I tease him.

He runs his arm, though I know it didn't hurt him one bit. "Ouch. Well, I did promise you that when I became High Lord, I would run things differently than Father."

"Good." I walked over to be closer to Feyre. "My brother's lucky to have you. And, what looks like is my nephew."

Feyre smiles, showing off the babe in her arms. "This is Nyx."

I didn't know how comfortable Feyre felt around me, but I scooted closer to her, careful not to touch her to the baby. His eyes were violet like Rhysand's, and he had dark hair to match. But the rest of his features belonged to my High Lady.

"Hi Nyx. I'm Carina, your aunt. And soon to become your favorite, because I now have to spoil you more than Morrigan." I said, and then backed away.

Feyre laughs, "You have more competition than that, I'm afraid."

"Oh, what has Cassian done?" I ask, and everyone laughs.

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you," Rhysand muttered under his breath.

Speak of the devil, Cassian flew down from the sky, out of breath. He placed his hands on his knees, eating his wings. "I missed it. I missed it, didn't I?"

"Missed what?" I asked.

"A mushy Rhysand. I missed the reunion, but look how badly he's smiling. He looks like a little gleeful school boy seeing his family reunited again."

Rhysand gathers Cassian and Azriel, thanking them for finding and rescuing me.

I ask Feyre, "Where's Amren?"

"In the Summer Court. With Varian." She chuckles, rocking her baby to sleep.

"Varian? I never saw that coming. Didn't Cassian get banned from the Summer Court?" I asked, but mostly to tease him.

Cassian heard his name, and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, make fun of me while you can. I'll give you a day to catch up, Rina."

I smell him from a mile away, Cassian always needs a shower. I groaned, "You got a mate too? Who else has gotten one? Did the Mother come down and just start handing them out?"

Cassian puffs out his chest, "Pretty much. I'm mated Nesta, Feyre's sister. And Elaine, her other sister, is mated to Lucien."

"Lucien?" I questioned, about the youngest son of the high Lord of Autumn. "I thought he already had a lover?"

Rhysand pauses, and I think he is telling everyone something in their heads, but me. It only confirms my belief when he quickly changes the subject, "Az just told me where they found you. Let's get you changed and freshen up a little bit. Besides, you look ridiculous in that."

Before I had mutilated the dress, it looked like the dark version of a human milk maid's dress. I loathed it with very existence. I let myself be hurried inside by the Inner Circle, and herded towards the upstairs.

Nuala and Cerridwen appear out of the shadows, and Feyre gently gives them Nyx, who is fast asleep.

Feyre then offers, "Elaine should have something you can borrow for now."

I nodded in gratitude, although I was confused. Rhysand leads me up the stairs with Feyre when I stopped, forcing them to stop as well. "Can't I just go to my room and grab something to wear?"

Rhysand looks at the base of the stairs, "Rina... your room was all packed up."

My dark eyebrows furrow, "Why? This is a joke, right? Surely it hasn't been that long..."

All the pieces clicked in my head. There was new scars on both Azriel and Cassian.

My Father was dead.

My brother looked older, Rhy was the new High Lord. He had a mate, and a child, for goodness' sake.

Cassian had a mate, I wonder how long that had taken.

Too much had happened for it to be like yesterday, or even just a year.

With a wavering voice, I asked, "Rhysand. How long have I been gone?"

He couldn't bear to look me in the eye, as it was too painful to remember.

He whispers, "I thought you were dead for the last two hundred and fifty seven years."

257 years echoing in my mind, bouncing between my highly arched ears.

I had been stuck in that mirror realm for over a quarter of a millennium.

I could hear voices trying to comfort me, but then seemed a million miles away. Azriel gently put his hands on my shoulders, but I brush him away. I couldn't breath, it was like I was being drowned in the Sidra.

I fell to my knees and numbly stayed there on the stairs. Rhysand was out of reach to catch me, using his magic to make my fall smoother.

I closed my eyes, and all I can remember returning to the darkness, returning to the night.