𝔸 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕝𝕒𝕞𝕖 (ACOTAR FANFIC)

Twenty-Seven - Calanmai

The drums felt as though they were vibrating in my skull. Telling me to go. Go. Go. But Tamlin told me not to go and gave me a stern look afterward as if he thought that his telling me not to go would only encourage me. They weren't wrong. I had to admit their warnings only fed my curiosity. What was so important or disturbing a mortal girl wouldn't be allowed, or couldn't bear witness to. Maybe it was a weird ritual and my mortal presence would taint it or something ridiculous like that. If it were, I wouldn't mind tainting this ritual out of spite.

I groaned into my pillow. Why did they have to tell me not to go? It's like they knew where my thoughts would stray to. Maybe I'd just sneak out for a peak. Just a little glance to be able to fit the puzzle pieces together. Then I could leave and be on my merry little way without a problem and they'd never know I was there.

Just a sneak peek, is what I told myself as I dressed in the most agile attire I could find, should things go South.

And like I'd done so many times in the nights since I came to this wretched place, I slunk into the shadows, seen by no one. Every time I sneak out I get better at it, my pace is faster and I know where to look for servants or anything else that could get in my way. It also might be because I needed to get out of the house faster these days because of Tamlin and Feyre's disgusting amount of tension. I know Lucien feels the same, I can always see nausea in his eyes every time they exchange a sultry look, I'm sure my eyes mirror his own. Even the thought of my sister's scarring looks makes me sick.

I reached the door in record time, to which I felt a small amount of pride. I quickly snuck to the stables, getting used to the unfamiliar route. Usually, I sneak off into the Haven to see the Wyverns instead of the horses. But I apparently wasn't allowed out of the house tonight.

I made my way to Amaris and let her out before mounting hastily, not without sparing her a small mischievous smile that I honestly think she understood. Amaris and I rode towards the glowing lights of the bonfires far off in the distance. The night seemed to be glowing tonight and as we rode I took only a moment to admire it.

    I stopped and dismounted a few minutes away from the main festivities. I tied Amaris' reins on a low branch, though I had a feeling she wasn't going to leave. It was a long walk back to the house and my gut told me tonight wasn't the night to be out alone for more than a few minutes. Which is exactly how long I intended to stay here.

I navigated my way through the small grove of trees with ease, already used to it after a few weeks of sneaking through the woods. When I finally made it to the festivities it was not what I expected.

I thought this would be all about males trying to show off and look good near a big fire, while the females did one of two things, either indulging the males in their attempts to woo them or ignoring them completely. There was no in-between, at least not in the mortal lands. And of course, there would be the typical fae brooding that Lucy and Tamlin love and cherish so much. It would be hosted near a big rock with different Spring court markings like flowers and big poofy dresses. And Tamlin would be doing one of the weird dances I always accidentally catch him doing in front of one of the many, many mirrors in the manner while he held a sacred rock over his head and chanted a weird prayer or something like that. And as he did that he'd be performing some creepy ritual sacrifice near a mountain in a cave. That seems like a very Tamlin thing to do. Lucy would do what he does best and do whatever Tamlin says. And then they would all run in the woods with Tamlin in the lead in one giant race of faeries to see who would find a magic object, and then–

Oh, Cauldron damn me, why did they have to tell me about this stupid celebration? They had to know what scenarios and assumptions my mind would come up with. They were doing this out of spite, I'd accept no other option.