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You were standing beside Viviane when you heard footsteps making their way towards where you all were waiting. You didn’t need to look to see who it was. The pull in your chest couldn’t be ignored. The High Lord of Night walked in first his mate beside him, High Lady if the rumors were to be believed.
Morrigan and another fae female who you didn’t recognize followed. You bowed your head, but your eyes were locked on the last two that entered the room.
You couldn’t help the smile that broke out across your face when you saw him. Cassian’s eyes found you the moment he stepped into the room, and you fought every muscle in your body to not immediately go to him. The High Lords and Lady began speaking. You glanced at them for a moment before your gaze went back to Cassian to see him still watching you. There was a small laugh to your left, and Vivi gave you a small shove. You ran forward, crashing into his arms. He lifted you off your feet. A laugh made it past his lips, and somehow your smile widened further. You brought your lips together, and a sigh left your mouth. You’d been apart too long.
He set your feet on the ground, but you didn’t move away. He pressed his lips to yours again, and you found yourself thinking that you wouldn’t mind if you never parted. When you finally pulled apart, there was a wide grin on his face.
“So you missed me?”
You laughed and pulled him back in for a quick kiss. “More than you could imagine.”
“I think I can.” He muttered, pressing a kiss to your forehead.
You let out a sigh when you watched the others move to the table set up for the meeting.
“I’ll see you soon.” You stole one last kiss before returning to your Lady’s side. She had a small smirk on her face, and you rolled your eyes. As if she could talk.
The meeting went by slow. It seemed pointless to you that they were discussing whether or not to fight in a war that would end with them all dead if they didn’t. Instead of arguing about it, they should have been making a plan to work together. You and Viviane had said as much to Kallias before leaving Winter, but he had simply said he couldn’t force them to work together. Your comment that Viviane likely could if given the opportunity had left him without argument though.
Throughout the meeting, you couldn’t help stealing glances at your mate. Each time you found him watching you as well. Yes, you had been away much too long. Especially after being separated during Amarantha’s reign. You didn’t let yourself go too far down that train of thought and turned your attention back to the meeting.
You’d accidentally let a laugh slip past your lips after Azriel attacked Eris which had triggered the same in your Lady, earning you both a glare from Kallias. When you looked back at Cassian he was also fighting off a grin.
When the meeting ended, you accompanied your High Lord and Lady to the suit your party would be staying in for the night. You ignored the restlessness that had settled in your bones, knowing there was plenty to discuss before you would leave. The two of them would stay here and speak further with the others, but you would head back to your court and begin preparations. You moved to sit when Vivianne stopped you.
“Go. Spend time with your mate,” Vivianne said.
You shook your head. “There’s too much-”
“It can wait. You know what to do.” Kallias cut you off. “Once this war truly begins, there will be even less time. So go.”
You nodded and made your way out of the suit. You didn’t know where exactly the Night Court had been taken, but you followed the pull in your chest that had always led back to him.
As you walked, you focused on that feeling and nearly didn’t notice when Cassian appeared at the end of the hall. You smiled and ran to him. He lifted you into his arms and moved through the halls until he reached a large window.
“Up for flying?”
“Just don’t drop me.”
He laughed as he launched the two of you into the air. You kept your arms wrapped tight around his neck as he flew the two of you around Thesan’s palace. He landed on a small cliff not far from the palace. Once you were on your feet, you moved to the edge looking over the court.
“It really is beautiful here.”
“Are you thinking about moving?”
You smiled. “You know me better than that.”
He came up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. You leaned back against him and let out a sight.
“We’re going to war.”
He gave a small hum and pressed his lips to the top of your head. You turned so you could face him and wrapped your arms around him. You were both silent- content to hold each other.
He brought his lips back to yours. This kiss was different than the others you had shared today it was unhurried, and even when he pulled away, his lips lingered against yours. You couldn’t help the unease it sent through you. When he pulled back completely, he rested his forehead against yours.
“I love you.”
You closed your eyes, fighting back the tears that had sprung in your eyes.
“Don’t act like we might have to say goodbye. I can’t say goodbye to you.”
He pulled you closer, his grip tightening. “You won’t have to.”
You both knew the words might not be true. Neither of you could promise that you would make it through this. The odds weren’t in your side’s favor.
“Just promise me you won’t do anything too reckless.”
“So a little reckless is okay?”
“Yeah, I don’t want to ask for the impossible.”
You pressed a kiss to his lips before burying your face in his neck. You let yourself stay like that for a minute before pulling away.
“My room has a balcony. Once we get there, no more war talk.”
You regretted even saying it when a smirk overtook his face.
“What are we going to be doing instead?”
You rolled your eyes. “Nothing if you keep looking at me like that.”
He swept you back into his arms and took off, making a sharp laugh leave your mouth.
—
You let out a sight relaxing as much as you could against the chest of your mate. The only one you had loved for centuries. You could hear his heart beating below your ear, and you want nothing more than to keep him here. To never let him go, so there was no chance of that sound stopping. His wings were wrapped around you, blocking out anything else.
Your eyes slid shut, once again willing back tears that had formed in them. Cassian’s hands paused their movements up and down your back. You shook your head, and he continued, knowing you’d talk when you were ready. Another minute passed, and you sat up straddling his waist, so you could look him in the eyes. His hands moved around your waist, holding you tight. Your fingers moved to trace along his face, his jaw, his lips. You wanted to commit every part of him to memory. Your hands moved down to his chest, tracing the tattoos that marked the skin.
There was a chance one or both of you wouldn’t make it through this war. If this was one of the last moments you would get then you wanted to make it count. You pressed your lips to his then pulled back to finally meet his gaze. The worry was clear in them.
“I love you.” Another kiss longer than the first. “More than anything.”
—
Hours later, you couldn’t extend the time you spent there any longer. Cassian flew you back to the cliff the two of you had visited earlier. Your goodbye was short. Everything that the two of you needed to hear had already been said. A few last kisses and embraces, and then you winnowed away.
It was hard being apart, and it was even harder to watch you leave. But until this war was over, you were both needed in your own courts. Until then, the moments you were able to steal would have to be enough.