Estelle sat on the edge of her bed, focusing her magic. She formed it as a crackling ball in between her palms. She could feel it reaching towards the rifts in her concentration, but she managed to maintain control.
The front door opened and several footsteps entered the house. Voices grew loud and Estelle's focus wavered. She dissipated her magic as the bedroom door creaked open, revealing Mikael.
"You didn't destroy my bed. I'm impressed," he chuckled.
"I could remedy that."
"I'd rather you didn't. Where would I sleep then?"
"On the floor." Estelle smirked, brushing past him. They entered the hallway and headed towards the main room.
"Maybe you'd sleep on the floor and I'd steal your bed."
"Maybe you'd share a bed," Celeste cut in with a snicker.
Estelle didn't miss the way Corbin, Nyx, and Lysander all tensed. "Not likely," she answered. "I don't want to wake up covered in feathers."
"I don't want to wake up covered in shadows," Mikael retorted.
"Let's stop talking and get going!" Calden pointed to the door. "I'm ready to do some sightseeing."
Nyx tucked his hands in his pockets, tilting his head towards Estelle. "Where are we going first?"
"I thought we could take them to the Palace of Thread and Jewels and the Palace of Bone and Salt," Estelle replied.
Sienna arched an eyebrow. "Those are odd names for palaces."
"They aren't actually palaces," Corbin explained. "They're market squares."
"Oh, that makes...some sense?"
"Let's go," Nyx said.
Celeste, Lysander, and Calden held onto him as he winnowed out of the hut. Mikael, Corbin, and Sienna joined Estelle. She let the shadows carry them out of the mountains and all the way to Velaris. They arrived in a bustling square. Several of the stalls and shops were lit up by candles, lanterns, and faelights as twilight settled over the city.
They lingered there for several minutes, letting the Peregryns take in the sights. Celeste and Sienna's eyes were wide with awe. They began walking presently, explaining certain aspects of the Palaces as they went. A few of the city's denizens paused to stare at the foreigners, but soon carried on with their business.
"How many Palaces are there and what do they sell?" Mikael asked, falling in step with Estelle.
"There are four of them. Two on the northern side of the Sidra and two on the southern. We're to the south. They sell a variety of things. This one mainly sells clothing, jewelry, shoes, trinkets, and other such items. There are Palaces that sell food and are full of clubs and restaurants. Some sell weapons, tools, and livestock."
"You mentioned the Sidra. What is that?"
"It's a river leading out into the sea. We'll walk along it later," she promised.
"Have you told them about the Rainbow?" Lysander asked. Estelle shook her head.
Celeste linked her arm with Lysander's. "What's the Rainbow?"
"It's the art district of the city. It's home to a lot of artists, musicians, dancers, and actors. The buildings are painted with bright colors. There are sculpture gardens, art galleries, music studios, and theaters."
"It sounds like you've been there often enough."
Lysander nodded. "Mom and Aunt Feyre visit it frequently. I used to go with them when I had more spare time."
"Do you paint?"
"Estelle and I both do."
"I didn't know that," Mikael remarked.
Estelle gave a wry laugh. "I'm not very good at it. I just do finger paintings. Lysander has all the talent."
"You're just as talented as me, Essie," Lysander replied, rolling his eyes. "You use different methods, that's all."
"Do you paint, Nyx?" Sienna asked.
Nyx shrugged. "Every now and then. I used to like pottery when I was younger."
"I remember that," Corbin laughed. "You spent more time flinging clay onto us than you did actually shaping it." He slung an arm over Nyx's shoulder.
"Where is your home?" Mikael asked, leaning closer to Estelle.
"You can't see it from here. It's closer to Rhys and Feyre's estate."
"Oh, what's this?" Celeste exclaimed, dragging Lysander along behind her. The group changed course, trailing after them.
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The square began to quiet down as the evening wore on, although music poured from the doors of several clubs and taverns. Mikael waited with Calden, Celeste, and Sienna while the Illyrians purchased something from a vendor who was still working. They returned, each carrying two cups of a steaming liquid.
Estelle handed one of hers to Mikael. He sniffed it curiously. "What is it?"
"Cinnamon apple cider. It's one of my favorite hot drinks." She sipped hers with a contented sigh.
Mikael tasted his, then grinned. "It's delicious."
"I think it might be better than Celeste's hot chocolate," Sienna laughed.
"Nothing is better than my hot chocolate," Celeste scoffed.
The squares receded behind them as they walked towards the walled banks of the Sidra. Stars reflected off the dark water. Mikael lifted his eyes to the sky for a brief moment. The stars were much brighter than the ones in the Dawn Court.
The group passed onto a bridge and Estelle set her mug down on the railing. She pulled her pendant out from beneath her leathers and rubbed her fingers over it. "The stars are what I miss most when I'm gone," she said. "There's nothing like them. They only get brighter as the weather grows cold."
Mikael studied her from the corner of his eye. "The ones at home will be brighter on cold nights too, but they don't compare to this."
He braced his elbows on the railing and continued to sip his drink. Mikael glanced over his shoulder. Nyx, Corbin, and Calden were staring over the railing as well. Lysander, Sienna, and Celeste had claimed a bench.
"I fell in once." Estelle pointed to the rippling waters below them. "I was young and hadn't learned to swim yet. I couldn't control my magic or use the shadows very well either. I managed to shield myself, but I didn't make the shield airtight. I essentially trapped myself in a bubble of water. I nearly drowned." Her voice became hushed. "I remember that I could still see the stars and, even then, I was grateful they'd be the last things I saw."
Her shadows curled around her tightly. Umbra squeezed Mikael's arm, echoing their concern. "How did you survive?" He asked.
"Dad rescued me." A smile flickered across her lips. "He was so worried about me that he barely let me out of his sight for a week afterwards. He refused to leave the house or attend any meetings with Rhys and Uncle Cassian."
"I imagine that didn't go over too well?" Mikael laughed.
"No. He only left when Mom promised she would teach me to swim as soon as possible. Nyx and I learned to swim that summer." Estelle stroked a shadow that had wrapped around her arm. "The shadows didn't like water for a long time after that."
"I know the shadows are sentient, but to what extent? Do they have their own fears?"
Estelle knit her brows. "It's complicated. They can move and think and speak of their own accord, but their abilities are limited to my own. If I'm weak, they're weak. If I'm strong, they're strong. If I die, they die. They have fears, but their fears are just extensions of mine. My father's shadows were afraid of fire for a long time. Now that he isn't, they aren't."
"What kinds of things do they tell you?"
Estelle glanced at him, grinning with amusement. "You have a lot of questions tonight."
"I am a scholar," Mikael reminded her.
"All right. They can tell me a person's thoughts and feelings. They can tell me what someone will do before they do it. They can warn me of danger. They talk to me as a friend. They often give nicknames to important or special people in my life. Sometimes, the nicknames are the same as the ones my father's shadows have. Other times, they're different."
"Do they have nicknames for me?" Mikael asked.
Estelle hesitated before answering. "Yes. I've called you by them before."
"Feathers?"
"No, that's my own nickname for you."
Mikael knit his brows, thinking. "Those names you called me in the valley, after Ronan had taunted me?"
Estelle nodded. "They call you the Angel of Dawn. Prince of Sunrises." She looked as though she would say something more, but the words never came.
Mikael touched his hand to his sleeve. Umbra was coiled beneath it. "What do they sound like? I've wondered that ever since Umbra came to me."
"When they talk individually, they all have different voices. Some are quiet. Some are loud. A few of them have accents. I always remember a shadow's voice after I've heard it. Most of the time, they just talk in unison. They whisper." Estelle swallowed, brushing stray curls back from her forehead. "Like this."
She lifted her fingers to Mikael's jaw, tilting his head towards her. His heartbeat quickened and he gripped the railing tightly. Estelle brought her lips to his ears.
"They like to curl around my ear as they speak." Her breath was warm against his skin as she murmured the words. Estelle traced her fingers around his ear. "It feels a little like this." Her fingers traced his jaw again, then ran down his neck. Mikael's chest rose and fell with uneven breaths.
"What do they say about me?" He asked.
"They say you're handsome. They want to hurt those who have hurt you. They believe you're special." Her voice was so soft. So quiet. Shadows tickled his arms as they drifted over to him. "Angel of Dawn." Mikael closed his eyes. "Prince of Sunrises." It felt like he could scarcely draw a breath. "Mikael."
He leaned his head down further as her lips touched the spot beneath his ear. Estelle's nose brushed against his cheek. She threaded her fingers through the ends of his hair. Mikael loosed a heavy breath.
"Why have they given me nicknames?" He whispered. "Why did Umbra choose to come to me?"
"I don't know." She backed away. He felt her absence sharply, but Mikael didn't move. "I..."
"We should get back," Nyx called. "Devlon has a full day planned for tomorrow."
Estelle pulled her gaze away from Mikael's and spun on her heel. His heart raced uncontrollably as he watched her go. It was all he could do to keep from reaching out to her. Loud instincts hummed through his veins. He ignored them and rejoined the group, keeping a good amount of distance between himself and Estelle.