𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚎(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

song of the chapter: summer child by conan gray

"you don't really love the sun, it drives you wild. you're lying, summer child"

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"I told you I don't know!"

     Lucien and Tamlin had been interrogating me for twenty minutes. Feyre had found a head on a spike in the gardens, and it had a marking from the Night Court.

"These are your people, Astraea!" Lucien pointed out to me.

"Amarantha and Rhys stopped letting me in on their plans long ago," I reminded them. "Why else would I be here?"

"The banishment could be a hoax," Lucien theorized. "You could be a spy."

"Oh, please," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "You know it's not a hoax. You were there when she banished me."

"Do you know what this could mean?" Tamlin asked me, pushing Lucien to the side.

"Honestly, it's very likely just Rhys messing with you," I admitted with a shrug. "I wish I could give you a real answer, I do. But I'm their enemy now."

"You don't think it's a message?" Tamlin wondered. I sighed, pursing my lips.

"No, it's definitely a message," I admitted.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

      I dressed in a long, white, ruffly dress, one that flowed when I spun around. I loved the summer solstice.

      When Feyre came down the stairs in her dress, I froze in amazement. She looked gorgeous.

"Cauldron boil me," Lucien whistled as I came down the stairs. "She looks positively Fae."

"Feyre, you look stunning," I gasped, smiling at the girl.

"You look lovely," Tamlin murmured.

"I'm surprised I'm even allowed to participate tonight," she said.

"Unfortunately for you and your neck," Lucien countered, "tonights just a party."

"Do you lie awake at night to come up with all your witty replies for the following day?"

      Lucien winked at her, and Tamlin laughed and offered her his arm. The four of us headed towards the garden.

"He's right," Tamlin confirmed. "Solstice celebrates when day and night are equal—its a time of neutrality, when everyone can take down their hair and simply enjoy being a faerie—not High Fae or faerie, just us, and nothing else."

"So, there's singing and dancing and excessive drinking," I chimed in, falling into step beside her.

"And dallying," Lucien added with a wicked grin.

The sun was beginning its final descent when we reached the plateau on which the festivities were to be held.

Table after table of food had been lined up along the far edge of the plateau. Music started near the giant, smoking bonfire—fiddles and drums and merry instruments.

I went off by myself until I noticed Feyre pouring herself a goblet of golden sparkling wine. I approached the girl and tapped her shoulder. She spun around to face me.

"I wouldnt drink that if I were you," I warned her with a shake of my head.

"Oh?" she said, frowning at the fizzing liquid.

"Faerie wine at the solstice," I hinted, wrinkling my nose.

"Hmm," she hummed, taking a sniff of the liquid.

"I'm serious," I said as she lifted the glass to her lips, her brows raised. I went to reach for it, but she shifted it out of my reach. "Tamlin would gut me if he caught you drinking that."

"So you're looking after your best interests," she said, and pointedly chugged the contents of the glass. She laughed aloud, and I groaned.

"Human fool," I sighed, crossing my arms and shaking my head.

"I'm going to paint you," she said, and giggled—actually giggled—as the words popped out.

"Cauldron boil and fry me," I muttered, and she laughed again.

Before I could stop her, she'd downed another glass of faerie wine. She kicked her shoes off and stared at the dancing faeries. She rushed to dance after them, but stumbled.

"Damn it, Feyre," I said, gripping her elbow. "Do you want me to kill myself trying to keep you from impaling your mortal hide on another rock?"

"What?" she said, turning to me..

"Idiot," I said when I looked at her face. "Drunken idiot." She tried to run off again. "Feyre, stop." I grabbed her again.

"You stop. Stop being so serious," she said, shaking me off.

I swore under my breath as she burst into movement. She skipped between the dancers, twirling her skirts.

She stopped dancing when she noticed Tamlin playing the fiddle. He glanced up at her and I rushed to their side.

"Im sorry, Tamlin," I panted.  "I left her alone for a little at one of the food tables, and when I caught up to her, she was drinking the wine, and—"

Tamlin didnt pause in his playing. His golden hair damp with sweat. He gave Feyre a feral smile as she began to dance in place before him.

"Ill look after her," Tamlin murmured above the music. "Go enjoy yourself."