eclipsed nova (UTM Feysand)

29: Rhysand's POV

Feyre's body hung lifelessly from the wall. A broken noise ripped from my throat as I crawled to her. I felt like my soul had been shredded in half. She was gone. Feyre was gone. After everything, I couldn't save her. I couldn't protect her. And now it was too late.

My body convulsed as I cried. My tears dropped to the stone. None of this had been worth it. Surviving was not worth it. I had nothing to survive for. She couldn't leave me. I wouldn't survive this tight aching in my chest. I felt like my lungs had been shredded. The air was thick, and my throat was swollen.

"Rhysand," Kallias begged from behind me, but nothing could tear my eyes away from the lack of color and life flowing underneath Feyre's skin. I stood, my hands shaking so violently that they were nearly useless. I began to pull out the nails from Feyre's palms, easing her down and allowing the weight of her to rest against my chest, releasing her from the wall.

I choked as I realized how cold her skin felt against mine. Feyre had always set me on fire with every little touch. There was nothing left there. I felt like my own soul had untethered and gone somewhere I was not able to reach.

Kallias touched my shoulder gingerly as I laid Feyre on the cold stone. I brushed her hair from her pale face and placed her hands over her heart. Everyone in the room remained silent, only sniffles and awkward shuffling to be heard. But I felt like I was in a vacuum of space. Nothing felt real, and the world was lightyears away.

"Rhysand, let us help you," Helion urged, kneeling on the other side of Feyre's body. I looked up at him, my eyes burning like they'd been plunged in acid. Helion's brow had fused together. He stretched out a hand to me, but when I didn't respond, he grabbed one of Feyre's instead.

My lip curled and I moved to push his hands off of her, but Kallias grabbed my wrist. I glared over at him as he went to his knees beside me, but something in his ice blue eyes stopped me. He looked distraught. Heartbroken, even.

Even Beron joined, Tarquin at his side. Tamlin was still missing, but the rest of the High Lords gathered. They each extended a hand, closing their eyes. Power leaked from their fingertips, the golden tendrils descending in a direct path to Feyre's chest. My eyes widened as I joined, pouring every ounce of what I could muster into her body. I gritted my teeth, straining against my natural instincts to contain my magic.

"Feyre, please," I sobbed, leaning my forehead against her shoulder. My tears leaked onto her skin. Suffocated cries wracked my entire frame, and I was a tremoring mess. "Please don't leave me." I'd never begged for anything in my life, but I was prepared to do absolutely anything to bring her back to me.

She still wasn't moving, and it was shattering my heart all over again. It had to work.

"Please, baby," I whispered.

Nothing.

Then she was gasping, coughing and sputtering as she sucked in a lungful of air. I shot straight up, looking down at her with the awestruck disbelief. Her body seized in on itself and she winced, screaming as she curled her body in on itself. She wrapped into the fetal position, her cries desperate and pained.

Her ears lengthened, coming to a point at the same time her jaw shifted, her canine teeth lengthened and sharpened ever so slightly. I blinked at her, and she finally came-to, turning to scan the wall of High Lords looking at her like she was a miracle.

"Feyre," I choked out.

"Rhys," she whispered, grabbing both sides of my face. My tears fell even harder now. Even the warmth in her fingertips was enough to start my grief cycle all over again. I pulled her into my arms, and she came readily. I wrapped my limbs around hers and she responded to my every touch. Eventually the High Lords all walked away to give us a moment.

"I was so afraid," I admitted to her.

"I'm here," she nodded, pressing her mouth to mine. She tasted salty, her tears coating her lips. I held her tightly to my chest. She was everything to me. And she was here. She was alive.

When I pulled back, I looked into her eyes.

The moment our eyes connected, a band inside me that connected me to her snapped so tightly that it nearly gave me whiplash. Her eyes flew open, and her mouth formed an "o" as she felt it too. The mating bond.

"What was that?" She hissed.

"I'll explain once we're out of this cave," I promised her, kissing her palms sweetly.

My mate. Feyre was mine.

"Rhysand, what do we do?" Kallias asked, scratching his arm as he stood near Amarantha's corpse, careful to not step in the ichor of her blood. I sniffed, wiping my eyes and helping Feyre to stand. I pressed a kiss to her forehead before I spun on my heel and glided toward the dais. I snatched Amarantha's cup from the small table beside her throne, pouring the contents out onto the ground.

I walked across the Hall, my shoes echoing with each step in the silence that surrounded me. Amarantha's Court all onlooked, but no one moved or spoke. I lifted Amarantha's head by her hair, pulling a knife from the holster at Kallias' hip and slicing a clean cut across her throat. I angled her so that her blood trickled down into the chalice.

Once it was full, I stood, gesturing for everyone to follow me. I hoped I was right. If I was wrong and I'd doomed us to an eternity here, they would never forgive me. When we reached the boundary that led to the outside world, I nearly went to my knees again. The sunlight was so close, the air so much fresher here. I ached to feel the sun soak into my skin. I wanted wind-chapped cheeks and allergy swollen eyes. I wanted it all, as long as I was free. As long as she was gone.

I poured the blood in a line across the boundary, and it began to sizzle as it touched the ward. Using my fingers, I dipped them into the blood and applied it to the walls and ceiling, creating a full circle around the ward. Then, after taking a deep breath, I took a step forward. And nothing happened. 

I was free. We were all free.

I turned, the giddiest, goofiest grin on my face as I saw Feyre's eyes light up. I opened my arms for her, and she smiled back at me, dashing forward and jumping up into my arms. Her legs wrapped around my middle, and she pressed kisses to my cheeks and forehead, our tears co-mingling.

Around us, everyone celebrated as they left the cave, feeling the outside world for the first time in half a century. I kissed Feyre, running my tongue along her bottom lip until she opened for me, and I worshipped her like I finally had the chance to savor her. There was no longer need to rush. We had all the time in the world for lazy kisses and afternoon cuddles and naps. I was hers and she was mine.

"I love you," she whispered against my mouth. I smiled against her kiss.

"I love you," I replied.

"Where do we go now?" She asked, hanging on to my neck as I walked us the rest of the way out of the cave. Once we passed the wards, my magic thrummed in my veins, even after all of it that I'd given to Feyre. I felt like I did before Amarantha ever used my body against me. I felt fucking alive.

"We go home," I beamed, another tear falling at the thought of seeing my family.

"Home?"

"To Velaris," I said, pressing my forehead against hers. "The city of Starlight."