There's going to be a timeskip, of like two days. Amaryllis was just chilling over those two days, running the court so that Tamlin could spend time with Feyre. We'll be continuing from a different part of the story.
Amaryllis POV -
Preparations for Calanmai were finally underway, I could feel it in the air. It was like the rumbling of thunder in the distance. It made all the Spring Faeries giddy, for once allowing the pressure of the Blight and the possibility of eternal tyranny to lessen. Of course, Spring fae really only have one way to celebrate holidays. Fire, alcohol and sex.... lots of sex. It was one of the times that our civilized masks could slip a little, exposing the primal creatures beneath. It was times like these that we became everything humans thought we were, enticing, seductive beings beckoning the unknowing to drink and dance into oblivion. I couldn't help but to like Calanmai, whilst I didn't always participate in the ritual couplings, the heady atmosphere of lust and fun was hard to resist.
I had spent most of my time directing the construction of the fire pits when I caught a glimpse of Feyre and Tamlin strolling through the grounds. Yes, that was good, every moment that they grew closer was a speck of hope in my heart. Hope that maybe, just maybe we could beat this curse.
Feyre's POV -
"What are those?" I asked, halting.
"They're setting up bonfires - for Calanmai. It's in two days." Tamlin licked his lips, glancing away from me. I was intrigued.
"For what?"
"Fire Night?"
He said it like it was obvious. I shook my head. "We don't celebrate holidays in the human realm. Not after you... your people left. In some places, it's forbidden. We don't even remember the names of your gods. What does Cala- Fire Night celebrate?"
He rubbed at his neck. "It's just a spring ceremony. We light bonfires and... the magic we create helps regenerate the land for the year ahead." I was curious now.
"How do you create the magic?"
Was Tamlin ... blushing or was I mistaken? "There's a ritual. But it's... very fairie." He clenched his jaw and continued walking, away from the unlit fires. "You might see more faeries around then usual - faeries from this court and from other territories, who are free to wander across the borders that night."
There would be more faeries, oh gods and from other territories. Who knew what beings would decide to partake in this ritual and speaking of, how terrible could this ritual be that Tamlin wouldn't speak of it to a human. My mind brought forth images of animals being slaughtered over sacrificial flames, strange incantations and spells. Everyone was more horrifying than the last. Surely that wasn't what they meant by celebration.
"I thought the blight had scared many of them away?"
Tamlin swallowed thickly, pulling his thick lower lip between his teeth before meeting my eyes. "It has - but there will be a number of them. Just... Just stay away from them all. You'll be safe in the house, but if you run into one before we light the fires at sundown in two days, ignore them." His voice was insistent, almost begging me to comply.
"And I'm not invited to your ceremony?"
"No. You're not." He clenched and loosened his fingers, again and again, as if trying to keep the claws contained. Though I tried to ignore it, my chest caved a little. We were back in that rigid sort of silence we hadn't endured in weeks.
Tamlin went rigid the moment we entered the garden. Not from me or our awkward conversation - It was quiet, with that horrible stillness that usually meant one of the nastier faeries was around. Tamlin bared his teeth in a low snarl, his eyes sweeping left and right, searching the shadows for things my mortal sight couldn't detect. "Stay hidden, and no matter what you overhear, don't come out."
