The Son of Night & Spring

Chapter Nine

He would not disappoint him.

"Apologies, from the High Lord. He had some business to attend to, however, he assured me he would return the night before Calanmai."

Kota's cold black gaze never left him as he gave the news. A scar slashing over his left eye, stretching past where it should have met the High Fae's pointed ear instead replaced with a mechanical one.

"It's rude to stare."

Had he been any younger, he would have looked away in shame, blood rushing to his face at being caught. But he was older now, his mother disappeared with a strange Illyrian male just weeks ago at his parents wedding.

His father shattered with his grief and anger, breaking everything and anything he could get his claws on. Screams haunting his head when trying to calm the voices at night, afraid to turn off the light in case another came to take him too.

"Have you no manners?"

Lotus simply looked at him, ignoring the comments his father's emissary threw at him. Having no patience to care he was being disrespectful as he gazed at the male's scar. "How'd that happen,"

"I lost my ear, now leave."

"Have you no manners?" Lotus taunted, "You should watch that tongue before I watch it for you."

"Resorting to threats, my prince?"

"You're losing my patience, Emissary."

Kota turned to him, his disgusting empty eyes looking into his broken ones. Lotus knew it was pointless to argue with someone who lacks emotions but he was tired of feeling broken, much rather enjoy the thrill and fuel of adrenaline that anger fed.

The male gave Lotus a look before giving in, his sepia skin shined as the lanterns light glowed in his small office surrounded by books and scrolls, ink stained on the woodend desk, feathers laid out, notes and journals splattered everywhere.

Kota's hair, the only glowing thing, braided white locks as though snow had stained his hair, or ash painted on his head.

"It was the fiftieth year of the Queen's rein, years after your birth when your parents were captured and taken to the Mountain. I was the queen's messenger, reporting assassinations, rebellion, unusual activity, anything that threatened her or her crown. I... was desperate, like an animal in a locked cage and never free to see the sun as long as she sat on her throne. I was loyal and cooperative, but when in captivity for so many years in darkness, you go mad."

Even now, still after all these years, no one spoke her name, as if she was still haunting those who praised her murderers and danced to her death.

Lotus was a handful of those who never got the chance to meet her, his parents making sure everyone and anyone who knew Lotus existed, kept quiet.

"I went on my knees, in front of her prisoners, the High Lords, her whore, everyone who surrounded her kingdom and begged, If only for a simple second of sunlight. She gave mercy by taking my ear for my behavior."

There was only silence, deserved quiet after his story. Respect and sadness that he survived her torture and lost himself. Lotus gave him that but eventually he spoke up.

"Why was the Queen so cruel?"

Kota kept taking in his question, as if he had no right answer because even a male who converted his room into a library can't find the answers to how someone changes from a General to a Queen.

"They say people change, no one is ever the same as they were yesterday. The moments in time twisting you slowly into who you are. The actions of those surrounding you, their words."

"Is that what happened to her?"

"Do you know the five stages of Grief, High Prince?"

He could feel annoyance start sinking in, in no mood for Winter's mind games, "Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance."

The Emissary of Winter smiled, making him flinch. A sight so startling and unexpected. "You're forgetting one."

Lotus raised his brow.

"Revenge."

Lotus laughed, something deep and cruel, like shattered glass that startled everyone. It was sickening and psychotic, the way he let breath escape his lungs, the rumble of his laughter only continuing from the looks on their faces.

Did they expect him to turn away? Cower and cry for the absent Father? Quite the opposite, in truth. It gave him an advantage to his plan if his Father was gone.

Lotus was his Father's son, but he decided he'd grant them some ease by clamping down, wiping the empty tears down his face.

"Don't get tense now, it's a celebration for my arrival. I could care less if the High Lord was present or not."

If they believed him or not, he didn't care and gave Calian a smirk. In which, Calian knew he had something up his sleeve. Nothing good.

"Do you still have a key to his wine cellar?"

***

Something he could give his Mother's mate credit for was at least the male had taste in liquor. His Father's was strong but not as pleasurable. Bitter and not so sweet; exactly what they need to wash away with and get lost in alcohol.

Even the Emissary of Winter loosened up and drank a bottle. Until all that was left was cold tea and tipsy Emissaries and Prince.

Lotus washed away the scent of wine from his skin as rubbed himself raw in the bath, Ignoring the mess he made as footprints and droplets fell to the floor.

He opened the balcony door, then gazed into the Garden of Lyza, letting the wind blow in to dry his ski. Climbing the tree shaped stairs to his bed, which hung from the vines sneaking to the roof, Flowers and leaves twisting and growing to the bed's frame.

Amethyst sheets darken from the water still damp on his chest.

He pushed off the wall, let the bed swing as he observed his room. Haven't been here since Nyx's birth.

His shelves dust free and books glowing softly as the sunset sneaked in, illuming everything to gold. Flowers and pots planted everywhere like a garden. And despite what Lotus says, what his actions speak-

There are lanterns over his head that when at night...

They look like stars.

Why do you fear the stars? His mate's voice speaks.

It felt as though they spoke out loud, echoing at his walls and replaying in his head.

Because, he thinks back, before drifting off to a dreamless slumber.

Because they're bright and beautiful. They draw my eyes in with their brilliance and glow- that terrifies me. Something so stunning cannot be good.