Seven Courts of Love and Magic

Chapter 47

Zaria

"We're back! We're back!" I scream until my voice is hoarse and we run down the hall, Nyx in tow, his hand clasped in mine. We halt in the main room, Nyx crashing into me from behind, our smiles quickly fading. "What...what's going on?" I ask, quietly, my voice faltering.

"Mom?" Nyx moves from my side, running into her embrace. "Uncle Az? Uncle Cass. What's...where...?"

Finally, my eyes fall to the long wooden tables that have been pulled out into the space beneath the stairs, Rhysand and my father atop them, eerily still.

"No, they can't be. They're not." No one says anything and I whirl. "We got the orbs, we have them. We have them." I run to the tables, feeling my father's face, cold to the touch. "I can fix this. I can fix them," I mutter to myself. Nyx places a strong hand on my shoulder, trying to pull me back or comfort me, I don't know. I don't care. I shrug him off. "NO."

I stand between the tables, gripping a High Lord's hand in each of my own, and close my eyes tightly. I take a deep breath, clearing away all my thoughts. I cock my head, searching for that glimmering light, that sign of something available to be saved.

When I regrow plants, it's like a bead at the end of a tunnel, tethered in darkness. I reach out my hand and it flows to me, growing as it nears. When I healed Nyx, the bead was dimmer, smaller, but still there. I pulled and stretched, I used our bond, I called out to it with a loving voice, until the light overtook us both. But now—now I see nothing, only an endless tunnel.

I draw in a sobbing breath, opening my eyes. "The orbs." I spin, dropping my hands. "Nyx, give me the orbs."

He fumbles in his pocket, pulling out the small pouch. I spill the cool stones into my palm. I feel a buzzing vibration against my skin, as if the courts recognize they've been united, drawing power from each other. The Night Court orb, sapphire, blue as Nyx's eyes. Day Court amber, golden where the Dawn Court sunstone is a softer orange. The Winter Court diamond shines brightest of all, the Summer Court pearl nestled beside it. The fox's eye, ruby from the Autumn Court, lies in stark contrast with the Spring Court emerald, detached from my mother's ring. All seven orbs, the magic of Prythian, simply held in the palm of my hand.

Memories from each court twinge against my mind as I deliberately lay the orbs. I forget the others, watching me from a distance. I drown out Feyre's sobs with my actions. I disregard Cassian and Azriel holding her back.

I place Day and Autumn on either side of my father's head, repeating the process with Winter and Summer around Rhysand's head. I place the Spring and Night Court orbs on each respective High Lord, delicately against the skin over their hearts. The Dawn Court orb, I keep close to myself, closing my eyes again and trying to imagine what my mother would look like if she was here today.

Please, please. I retreat into my mind, my head twitching. I can feel it, the magic from the orbs, the power of Prythian, the Courts united. They course through my mind in swirling colors, drawing my memories with them, fueling them. They reach deep into my mind and I cry out, falling to my knees between the High Lords. Faintly, I hear Nyx call out my name. Or possibly, I imagine it.

I am still in the Spring Court, though no longer in the great room. I am outside, in the sunshine. The grass is green and more flowers bloom than I've ever seen. I see Nyx, not far away, toying with a violet flower by the spring creek. "Zaria," he says, when I walk up to him.

"Nyx. Nyx, did I do it? Did I heal them? Are they okay?"

He doesn't look at me, instead sounding out the syllables of my name. "Did you know Zaria means blooming flower? It means sunrise, dawn. It even means princess." He finally turns, his eyes the brightest blue I've ever seen. "Did you know that?"

"Yes, of course," I breathe. I fold my legs beneath my skirt, sitting down beside him, taking his face in mine. "But, Nyx, is Prythian okay? Are our fathers okay?" He squints, angling his head as if confused by my words.

"Zaria?" A female voice sounds from behind me and I rise, looking out across the field.

"Mom?"

The woman smiles and holds out her arms. When I look down to Nyx, he's no longer kneeling in the grass. The flower he held in his hand lays abandoned, floating through the water. I lift my head back to the woman, my mother—she walks towards me.

When she nears, the resemblance is unbearable. I choke out a sob. "How is this possible?"

"Oh, Zaria." She pulls me into an embrace and I rest my head against her chest. "You're so beautiful."

My fingers brush the hair hanging down her back, as golden as starlight, just like mine. I pull back to look into her eyes. My green eyes, I inherited from my father. My mother's, however, are as brilliant and bright as dawn itself. "Is it really you?"

She pushes me away. "You have to go. You have a job to do."

I scowl, shaking my head. "But, I just got here. I have so much to say to you, so much to ask. Mom, I need you."

"Sweetheart, you don't need me. You're doing just fine." Her eyes shine with pride.

I rack my brain. "Wait, please. Just—I need to know. Is it true—what they say about father?"

"Zaria, only you can decide that."

I sigh, rubbing my face. When my hands drop, she's gone. A piercing blare forces through my mind and I fall to the grass, writhing. My eyes shut in pain and I'm engulfed in darkness. Shadows swirl and engulf me, engulf my mind.

Keep reaching out your hand. But there is no light. There is nothing to reach too. I've failed. I fall through the shadows until I feel my back pressing against the cool stone, slick with sweat. The last thing I see are Nyx's eyes above me, deep blue with worry.