Wildfire and Stars Eternal

Chapter 44: The Dearly Missed

Ever since I'd learned to read, books had become a friend of mine. 

They'd helped me when I was trapped inside the Spring Court, and again on my worst days during the war. Now, they served as a wonderful way to see my friends from another world. 

It seemed that the story about Deanna possessing Aelin wasn't the only story about her world that had leaked into ours. Amren had lent me the book she'd found, and I'd spent the last few hours curled up in a chair, reading stories about Erilea and the Dark King and the gods of Aelin's land. I could only guess at what was real, and what was fiction. 

There was one story about Mala's daughter Elena, a woman with bright silver hair that I recognized from Mala's memories. Elena had apparently married Gavin Havilliard and helped start the kingdom of Adarlan. 

"Hmm," I mumbled to myself. "Aelin never told me she and Dorian were related." 

"Feyre darling, what are you doing?" I turned at Rhys's voice and found him lounging on the bed, eyes closed and a hand over his face as if he had a headache. 

"Reading," I replied, turning back to the book and flipping a page. I smiled when I saw a young blonde girl and two adults who could only be Aelin her parents. 

"Do you really think they'll come back someday?" Rhys asked, propping himself up on his arm to look at me. 

"Yes, I do. And if they don't, then I might very well go to them," I said, turning to look at him. He laughed. 

"Yes, I'd love to see this 'Yulemas' that Aelin talked about," He said. "It sounds close to our Winter Solstice celebration." 

"Presents and such?" I turned the page, and a folded piece of paper fluttered out and began falling toward the floor. Instinctively, I reached out and nabbed it from the air. 

"Presents, feasts, balls, the occasional church ceremony," Rhys said, oblivious to my discovery. I quietly unfolded the paper, which looked like it might be from my desk. My breath caught, and I smiled. 

"'Dear Feyre,'" I read aloud. Rhys turned to look at me. 

"What did you find, Feyre darling?" He asked, standing and walking over to me to peer over my shoulder.  

"'Hopefully, you won't find this for a bit. I wanted it to be a sort of hello from me in the future,'" I continued. "'However, if you already missed my heavenly beauty and came here, like I thought you might, then yes, I miss you too.'" I laughed, shaking my head. I knew without even reading the signature at the bottom of the paper. "Aelin." 

"Aelin," Rhys agreed, smiling. "What else did she say?" 

"'Over the course of the time I've spent with you and your family, I've learned a few things," I read. "'One, falling stars are not blue or white, as I had thought. They are green, and they are more beautiful than anything in my world.'"

"'Two, your mate is even more pig-headed than mine, and just as loyal. He'll be a wonderful father to your child. Make sure he finds my little gift.'"

"Gift?" Rhys questioned, looking down at me. "What gift?" 

I grinned and hid behind the paper. "You'll have to wait and see, won't you?" 

"Ah, I hate it when you become the sneaky one," He teased, leaning down to kiss the top of my head. "Go on." 

"'Three, and most importantly, I believe your court has shown me what my own court has been trying to tell me for years. It is never weak to accept help from others. It is a sign of courage and strength, to find strength in the people you trust. It has been said many times, Feyre, but I will have to say it once more. I am irrevocably, irrefutably grateful to have gone through what I did to meet you. You and your court are some of the brightest people I have ever met, and there is no equal in any world for the bonds you all share.