Acomaf -Rhys Pov

Starfall

I dropped Ferye off at the townhouse and flew to the house of wind. Az, Mor, and Cassian were in the living room. Cassian had a high ball of whisky outstretched to me but I didn't take it. I walked to my bedroom and locked the door.  I stared at my ceiling for a few hours, or days... years maybe I wasn't sure. Trying to sort through everything Ferye had said in that Glenn.

Eventually one of the twins came in , I'm sure at Az request and set down a tray of tea and dinner. I took the tea and went to sleep.  I spent the next few days hiding in the library.  While everyone prepared for starfall.  Starfall was special in a way nothing else was. It was unique to my court ... but it was my mothers favorite and because of her love it was mine too. I always feel her love even with her gone on starfall. I let my mind wander...back to when starfall became my favorite celebration.

"Rhys, Cassian, Azriel... get in this house this instant!  My mother screamed from the back door of our house outside the training camp.
" You three better get cleaned up for this evening now. " she said as we continued our sparing in the yard.

" Mother, it's barely past lunch, it's hours before nightfall." I shouted over the clicks of our wooden blades.

"Rhysand if your father heard that tone he would backhand you into next week. "  she said.

" and she will send you into next month , Rhysand! " Cassian brown nosed running to the doorway. Azriel on his heels. She kissed both their heads as they entered the house. They both  Looked at me with shit eating grins from my mothers side.

"And that's why they are my favorite sons." She mocked as I trudged inside her ruffling my hair and kissing my cheek before snapping a dish towel at my back as I headed up the stairs.

" Hurry up boys. I laid out suits for each of you. Rhys, your father will be here in 20 minutes to take us to Velaris. " she shouted up the stairs.

My father dropped us off in the market of shops with a few extra coins in my pocket. The three us running from stall to stall gorging ourselves on candies and goodies venders had specially made for starfall.  High on sugar, fingers sticky and our suits thoroughly rumpled we flew up to the house of wind and we laid down on the roof just the three of us away from the party with all the stuffy adults.

As we watched spirits cross the sky in wonder  my mother flew up and joined us.

"Az, how are you enjoying Starfall this year. " she asked with some hesitation in her voice... Az had told us little about his past but we were smart and could guess he missed out on alot of normal things.

"It's magical." Was all he said never taking his eyes off the sky.  But we all were awed when he continued.

" not just the spirits, but to have people to share it with." He said.

My mother hugged him tightly and for once he didn't protest, she looked at me and Cassian and we both lunged into her arms. We sat there huddled together in my mothers arms all night listening to her talk of the spirits, of magic , of wonders. That's the night we became brothers... it had been building for a while but that night we all changed. After that night a lot changed. We weren't just boys anymore... by the next starfall we were young men.  I wish I could recapture some of that innocents we felt that night. I knew in my heart I wanted more than anything to enjoy my first starfall in 50 years with my family but I just didn't know if I could. My head, heart, and soul were in shambles.

I heard the sound of boots making their way to me, so I knew it wasn't a priestess so I knew it had to be Cassian.

" If you think for one second your spending starfall in this library I'm going to kick your ass from one end of the sidra to the other and back again. " he said leaning into the doorway.