Chapter Text
“As exciting as it sounds, I don’t know why we’re even talking about it. It’ll never happen.”
“Because I have a stunning imagination as well as endless optimism, that’s why.”
“You may want to steer that imagination toward something actually useful, Nyx.”
Three children walked on an ornate bridge above the Sidra, balancing on the railing, one behind the other. In the lead was the tallest, a lanky boy with rich dark brown hair and hazel eyes that bordered on golden. His gaze roved around, landing on the railing ahead, the melt-heavy river below, and the fae and faeries moving past on the bridge proper. Occasionally he glanced over his shoulder at the two following him, ever watchful, protective.
Behind him, a second boy had his hands clasped behind his black-haired head, blue-grey eyes tilted up toward the sunset sky as the first stars began to appear. He seemed to have so much confidence in his own sense of balance and that of his friends that he didn’t feel the need to keep an eye on his step or theirs. The mischievous smirk on his face looked practically permanent.
The last in line was a small girl, slender and graceful, her teal gaze on the two boys in front of her. Freckles were scattered over her nose and cheeks. Thick black hair bound into a long complicated braid bounced against her back, one striking lock of white cutting through the onyx. Soft silvery light danced in her hair and curled around her in thin tendrils as she walked the railing.
All three had the bearing of children who felt completely safe and at ease with their surroundings and one another. Each also sported a large pair of wings, which was part of the reason why no one cautioned them off the railing.
Falling was hardly a danger for them.
“You two have no faith in me,” Nyx said with exaggerated sigh. “And no sense of adventure. It’s depressing.”
Rhodes rolled his eyes. “I’m just saying that we’d get about five feet from the house before Uncle Rhys or Aunt Feyre would come get us.”
“Quite the adventure,” Seryn teased, clicking her tongue to the roof of her mouth.
“And then there would be so much scolding.” Rhodes’ nose wrinkled. “I don’t know if we can handle the sheer amount of yelling. And not just from your parents, not after they tell our parents.”
“Again, a lack of faith,” Nyx said. He unclasped his hands, stretching his arms over his head. He was still sore from the trio’s joint training session with his Uncle Cassian that afternoon. Rhodes’ father was a tough teacher but fair. Nyx’s wings lifted and adjusted as he kept walking. “I’ve been working on shielding.”
Rhodes snorted. “Right.”
“I have,” Nyx protested. “I’m sure I can get all three of us out of the house and keep us hidden for a couple hours. But you’ll have to help with the wards, Ser.”
“You’d have the worst headache,” Seryn said.
Nyx tossed a grin back at her. “That’s a sacrifice I would gladly make.”
“Then no whining about it when it happens,” Seryn said.
“If I’m the one making the sacrifice for you, I’d whine if I felt like it.”
Seryn smiled. “Of course you would.”
“You really think you could do it?” Rhodes jumped down onto the bridge, wings flaring and catching the wind for a moment to soften his landing. Rhodes crossed his arms, a smile starting to tug at the corner of his mouth. The mischief was catching. “Two hours would be enough time to reach the cave and get back.”
“I can definitely do it,” Nyx said, pausing. “We can go, get the flowers, and bring them back to shove in Florian’s face.” His eyes darkened in anticipation. “I wonder how far I can push a flower up his nose.”
Seryn stopped as well. A warm spring wind loosened strands from her braid. “His nostrils are enormous, so rather far.”
“All right, yes, that would be satisfying, but I still think we’re probably doomed from the start,” Rhodes said. “There’s no way we’ll get past your parents, Nyx, even if you’ve been practicing.”
He reached up a hand to Seryn, anticipating her movement before she started to jump down to join him. As the youngest at nine and the only female child of the Night Court at the moment, she quietly bore most of her family’s overprotectiveness. She pushed back when it became too much. With a lift of her eyebrows, she took Rhodes’ hand and skipped down from the wall a moment before Nyx.
The children didn’t notice, but around them, people fondly smiled at them or eyed them with mild apprehension. They were beloved by most as the future of the Night Court, but no one could deny that trouble had a habit of rising up in their wake. Their most recent major escapade had been an experiment in snowball warfare that had divided the city’s children into three factions and caused mayhem throughout the streets of Velaris for days. It had lasted up until Amren was hit with a snowball in the back of the head by the heir apparent.
That evening a formal truce was agreed upon between the warring parties in Rhysand's study at the order of their parents and threat of Amren.
Nyx leaned against the railing, dark wings catching the late golden sunlight. “You’re going to have to trust me on this one.”
Rhodes snorted. “No, you’re still going to have to convince me first.”
“Why can’t you just agree with me on everything, it’d make life so much easier.”
“Unfortunately for you, it’s not my job to make your life easier,” Rhodes said.
“While you’re arguing, don’t forget why it’s so difficult to get those flower, even if we reached the cave,” Seryn said.
Nyx shrugged. “That part doesn’t worry me."
Seryn put her hands on her hips. “That’s great for you. However, one of us being impaled by a monster bird that likes eating livers worries me a little bit.”
“We’d be faster,” Nyx said. “It’d have no chance against us working together. Hold on.”
Nyx reached out with his thoughts, tapping on the shields that Seryn and Rhodes kept up. Being trained by powerful daemati was quite useful. Seryn’s shield was a cool wall of solid moonlight covered in intricate carvings while Rhodes’ was a moat of blue fire in front of a wall of iron and spikes. Without hesitating, they dropped those shields for him. Once he was allowed in, Nyx showed them his plan.
Their normal training regimen split their practice time between Velaris and the Windhaven camp, and they almost always winnowed back to Velaris instead of staying at the house. However, Nyx knew that Feyre wanted to repaint some of the rooms. Nyx would volunteer himself and his cousins to help with the redecorating and make sure that they spent the night in Windhaven. Both of his parents would undoubtedly end up staying as well, but he didn’t think anyone else would join.
Once his parents were asleep, Nyx would shield himself and his cousins from his parents’ awareness while Seryn used her Lightweaver abilities to wedge the wards open just enough for them to squeeze through. Nyx felt her push back against that, doubting her skill against the might of those perimeter wards, but he knew she could do it. They wouldn’t need to come down entirely, just enough to let them through without alerting anyone. He would help, if she needed him, and Rhodes could, too. Her apprehension faded to a quiet hum.
After they were through and the wards were back in place, the three of them would fly over the treetops to the cave, avoiding the dangers of the forest. Florian’s dare had been specific: go to the cave beyond the Fallen River, get past the Ekraeti, pick the starglow flowers at the back of the cave by the pool, and get out without dying. Nyx showed them how Rhodes and Nyx could distract the Ekraeti and keep it occupied while Seryn could sneak by and pluck the flowers, getting out through the hole Florian said would be above the patch of starglows. Seryn would shoot a flare of light to tell them she succeeded and they would fly back to the house and get back in, High Lord and High Lady none the wiser.
“And then there’s the flower-nose-squashing the next morning,” Nyx said victoriously, assured that his plan would work.
Rhodes and Seryn shared a glance. This plan seemed…decent. Not foolproof but leaning toward success.
Florian’s dare was a grating sore spot for them all. The sturdy, promising warrior-in-training was three years older than Nyx and acted like he had more skill and potential than every Illyrian child in existence. The dare had been leveled at Rhodes and Nyx since Florian often pretended Seryn didn’t exist. Go to the cave, get the starglow, come back with the flower. It had been delivered in front of most of the camp’s children at the end of the boys’ training session and before the girls’ session.
While most girls were usually allowed to train in Windhaven, they still weren’t allowed to train with the boys and couldn’t use the same weapons. Often, the three Night Court children trained with one another for a short amount of time between sessions to get people more used to seeing boys and girls work together.
Completing Florian’s stupid dare wasn’t so much about their need to prove themselves to the other Illyrian younglings. It was more that they would all be immensely pleased to see Florian eat the rest of his words about how they were sheltered and coddled and babied into near uselessness, none of which were true.
Nyx smiled at Seryn and offered her his arm. “Come on, you know you want to. Florian will be devastated.”
After a moment of hesitation, she looped her arm through his. “Only because you might do it on your own if we don’t come.”
“That hadn’t crossed my mind. Yet.”
Rhodes growled and pressed his fingers against his eyelids, ignoring both of them for a minute. Out of the three, Rhodes was the most protective. While he most likely wanted to do the dare, he was also weighing out the possibility of them getting severely injured or worse. But his sense of adventure and competitive nature were also major factors in his decision…
When he opened his eyes, Nyx and Seryn were watching him, Seryn’s head tilted in question while Nyx waited.
Rhodes sighed. “We’ll need weapons.”
Nyx whooped, and Seryn smiled. Nyx grabbed Rhodes by the arm and dragged him in as they started moving again. “Excellent.”
They walked on, talking about possible weapons and magic they could use. Excitement bounced between them as the plan solidified, building swiftly into a spike of anticipation. Individual concerns and fears bowed to their combined certainty in each other’s abilities.
As they reached the end of the bridge, the last of the sun dove below the horizon. Around them, shops were closing for the day while restaurants started the evening rush. Music played through the cool streets, the warmth of the early spring day giving way to a quick chill now that the sun was down.
A lively flute, drum, and violin trio played a lilting tune along the riverside street. The music rushed and beckoned as they grew closer.
Without warning, Seryn surged forward, her feet dancing across the stones, pulling away from the boys to spin to the music.
“Lost her again,” Rhodes said, shaking his head as the girl twirled, light flaring around her like she was a star bursting to life. People stopped to listen to the music or watch the little dancer. “We have to avoid musicians, this happens almost every time.”
Nyx lifted a finger and spun it in a circle. Darkness and constellations whirled with Seryn, placing her as the sun in the middle of a solar system.
Rhodes crossed his arms. “You’re indulging her.”
Nyx laughed. “Only a little.” He liked when Seryn was joyful, and he wasn’t ashamed to give her all the happy moments she wanted.
Rhodes was more cautious about attracting attention. While he was warm and affectionate with his family, Rhodes tended to be prickly and suspicious around strangers. A gift from his mother.
As the music picked up pace, so did Seryn. Her movements were swift and flowing, a mountain stream filled with the promises of a river as it rushed toward the ocean. Nyx almost wanted to join her and her joy, but he didn’t want to interrupt her.
The darkness surrounding Seryn intensified, moving in time with her lights. It would’ve worried both of the boys if they hadn’t recognized who the shadows belonged to.
A strong hand landed on top of Nyx’s head. “You know, you’re supposed to walk on the bridge. Not the railing.”
Someone had told on them. Nyx smiled up at his father and shoved his hand away, noticing his uncles beside him. He should have heard the older males approaching, but his attention had been on his cousins. “I know you’re getting on in age, but I hate to have to remind you that a railing is technically a part of the bridge.”
Rhysand laughed and caught his son in a headlock, ruffling his soft black hair. “Are you calling me old?”
“I didn’t say that.” Nyx pushed against his father’s arm, trying to escape. “Implying isn’t calling.”
“I heard him, he said you’re ancient, Rhys,” Cassian said. He stood beside Rhodes, one arm over his son’s shoulders as Rhodes leaned against him.
“Practically a relic of a bygone era,” Azriel added. His gaze was gentle as he watched his daughter twirl amongst the light and shadows, her silver and blue skirts twisting and flaring around her leggings as she laughed.
Rhys gave an exaggerated sigh and tightened his hold on Nyx for a second before releasing him. “Such cruel words from my own son. I may never recover.”
Nyx rolled his eyes. “Another sign of your ever-increasing years.”
“You’re asking for trouble, Nyx,” Cassian said with a chuckle as Nyx dodged away and squeezed in between him and Rhodes. Rhodes lifted his wings and partially covered Nyx without thinking, as if that would hide him from Rhys.
Nyx grinned up at his uncle. “Which is why I’m glad you’re such a good shield. Very sturdy.”
“Rhys, come get your imp.”
“No, he’s your problem now, he chose you. I’ve been abandoned,” Rhys said, “I’ll take Rhodes instead.”
“Only if I can have an unlimited allowance for books and weaponry,” Rhodes said, crossing his arms over his chest.
It was Rhys’ turn to roll his eyes. “I believe you already have that.”
Cassian snorted, giving Rhodes an affectionate shake. “I don’t know, Nesta might have something to say if we switch them.”
“True. I have to come home with a child, though, or Feyre will be upset.” Rhys tapped his chin. “Az, may I borrow—”
“No.”
The cause of Azriel’s sternly interrupting his High Lord slowed as the musicians switched songs. In the pause, Seryn spotted her father and uncles. Light scattered, skittering across the street and dissipating into the air. The shadows rose up around her as she hurried over to them, still stepping in time to the beat, light exploding out from each footstep across the stones. She collided with Azriel’s side, hugging him as he brushed a hand over her hair.
“Hello, moonbeam,” he said, returning her hug. He tucked the escaped lock of white hair back behind her ear.
“I didn’t see you, I would’ve stopped earlier,” she said, stepping back, two hands wrapped around one of his.
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
With a flash of a smile, she squeezed his hand and then slipped away. She flitted to Cassian, who scooped her up into a massive bear hug before releasing her so she could hug Rhys. Within the family, she was the cuddliest of the kids. With strangers, she was more reserved but still friendly and welcoming. She was possibly a proper diplomat in the making, according to Amren.
The small group began walking toward the river house. It was a family dinner night, so that had been everyone’s eventual destination.
Nyx walked alongside his father, the adults starting to talk about a new outdoor theater being constructed beside the river. Something about disgruntled people who lived along the river complaining that it would be an eyesore while the theater troupes thought it would be a boon to the city. Everyone was bringing their concerns to the Inner Circle, and it was apparently a headache.
Nyx knocked on his cousins’ mental shields again, careful not to attract his father’s attention.
Don’t let anything slip. Don’t mention or even think about the house or Windhaven or the dare.
They both shot him nearly identical exasperated looks while sending back the same response:
Obviously.