A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 53

I quickly use my power to change into a flowing light blue dress that will fit the scenery of the Summer Court, my hair is pulled half back and the other half flows freely down my back. I walk out of my tent and find Rhys in his usual black attire, Cass and Az are still in their armor but all of the dirt and blood are washed off of them

"Where is Mor?" I ask.

"Hiding from Keir, she will be fine here until we get back from the summer court." Rhys says as he holds out his hands and we winnow into a very open room--three tan and blue walls stand before us and where the fourth wall should be--

I hold my breath as I take a step on the gigantic balcony and find beautiful blue water and a beautiful city standing before me. I close my eyes and lean my head back as I let the beaming sun warm my face.

"Maybe you should just marry one of the Summer Court sons." Rhysand walks beside me with his hands in his pockets, I make a face at him and shove him lightly.

"Maybe you should." I retort and he lets out a deep chuckle as he also takes in the beautiful scenery of the waves and sand. I turn around when I finally realize that the courts and most of their family's are here--I stand on my toes to try to see if I can find my mother. I find where my father stands with Keir and some Night Court lords--but I do not see my mother. She must still be in the Night Court. I see a familiar red-headed lady and I smile as I wave to Aurelia. She looks to me for a moment before looking back at the ground, I notice the small bruises on her arms and the High Lord of the Autumn Court standing beside her. I fight back the urge to say something as Rhysand guides me to where our father stands. I look back to make sure Cassian and Azriel are behind us--Cassian is but Azriel is already at my father's side.

I walk past the Autumn Court and I hear snickering coming from the corner.

"Did you fuck that Illyrian bastard just like your whore of a cousin?" Eris, the eldest son of the Autumn Court, says under his breath so only Cass and I hear it. I do not hesitate to turn around--

And punch him right in his face.

Cass pulls me back as the sons of the Autumn Court come forward as if they were going to attack me, Eris swears as he takes his hand from his face and I see that I broke his nose. I smile as I watch the blood drip down his face.

"Take her out of this room at once." Beron orders, my father comes over and grabs my arm. He practically throws me out of the room as he orders Cassian to watch me. Once the door is shut--I stick my hand up with a nasty gesture as my father shuts the door.

"I am sorry." I say to Cass, I know he wanted to be in there while the treaty was being made.

"The only reason I am upset with you is because you got to punch that bastard in the face before I did." He pats me on his back as he guides me away from the door.

"Well what are we going to do now?" I ask.

"Lets go wreak some havoc."

I let out a laugh as I take Cassian's arm in mine and we walk out of the Summer Court palace. We walk down the streets in the city and I do not stop smiling once--the sight of people celebrating the end of the war. I watch as two young females with tree-like bark skin dance around two little boys to the music that is coming from inside a tavern. I look to Cass with my eyebrows raised as I nod towards the tavern. He grins as he takes my hand and practically pulls me in the tavern. Everybody is dancing and laughing and it fills my heart with happiness to see these people happy--even if they are not my people. Cassian walks away from me and quickly returns with two large glasses of alcohol. I gladly take it and quickly down it, Cass takes a pouch of gold coins and tosses it to the bartender.

We walk through the city--admiring the views and trying any food that vendors on the streets offer us. An elderly woman hands me a fried piece of fish on a stick, and she seemed to happy for me to try it so I take it and plop it in my mouth--knowing full well I hate eating any food that comes from the sea. I pretend to swallow it and give her a smile and thumbs up--I quickly walk away and when I am out of her eyesight I spit the fish out of my mouth. Cassian lets out a roaring laugh and it abruptly stops as he looks at something in the distance. I look up and my heart stops as I see two little girls playing with wooden swords--holding fake Valkyrie shields.

And white ribbons tied around their foreheads.

I watch in silence as they run past us--laughing as they hit each other with their wooden swords. I feel my power within me seem to freeze over my entire body.

"Velaris?" Cassian asks me and I turn to look at him--to find him staring at my hands. I turn my arm around and find that my veins have turned black with flowing power within them and it was visible from the outside of my skin. "What is that?"

I quickly close my hands and watch as my veins return to a normal color, "I do not know." I turn to look for the little girls playing again, but I find them gone. The icy feeling that filled my veins is soon replaced with something warmer.

Hope.

That one day there will be a new Valkyrie legion--and that my sisters in arms would not have died for nothing.

One day I will help rebuild the Valkyrie--and make sure that I make Tanwyn proud while doing it.

"Are you not just a little concerned that your veins were just black?" Cassian makes a concerned face and I flash him a smile.

"It was most likely just my power--it is fine." I say--knowing full well that was a lie.

"Do you want to go for a flight?" Cass asks--grinning at a tall building that was still under construction. I raise my eyebrows at him when I realize what he was insinuating and how fun it would be to fly through the holes and openings in the building.

"You know the answer to that." I roll my shoulders as my powers replace my flowing dress with my flying leathers. Cass smiles at me as I release my wings and we launch into the sky. We fly around the building a few times before diving down at a very quick speed and flying through the various openings and around poles.

"Watch this!" Cass says and I look over and let out a laugh as he flies up and tucks his wings in so it looks as if he is just standing in the middle of the air. I watch from a distance as he freefalls and I try to shout a warning as a bird flies right towards him--Cass lets out a manly scream as the bird crashes into him and he takes it and throws it off of him.

I watch as he lands on one of the pillars that was holding the top of the building together--Cassian swears as he jumps off the pillar as it breaks in half. I do not know whether to laugh or cry as I watch the horror on Cassian's face as the whole building comes crashing down.