A Court of Light and Fire (ACOTAR)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Two weeks later.

'Packed?'

'Yes.'

'Note?'

'Written.'

'Ready?'

'I already said that, didn't I?'

Celeste was growing agitated. No one knew of Lucien's visits to the girl over the past two weeks - no one except Madja. The healer did not question why the faerie had requested the fox's presence - she was just grateful the girl wanted any company at all. She thought it was a good sign - that she was improving from whatever fever had plagued her mind.

But Celeste knew exactly what she was doing.

Two visits, and she had formed a sort of camaraderie with the male. They were both outcasts, shunned by those who should care for them most of all;  they both came from families they were not always proud of, with values that did not always align with those around them. They were both connected to a particular red-haired male that had struck Celeste's attention in the Court of Nightmares.

Bingo.

The third visit, Lucien had given her the notebook she had requested. When she wrote in it, it instantly appeared in its twin's pages.

The second book - Eris held in his grasp.

Day and night, locked in her room, Celeste wrote to the male - about life and loss, love and its passing. They spoke of the fragility of life, from a once-mortal's perspective. He wrote to her as her tears stained his pages; his hand began to subconsciously find his pocket - where the notebook remained - when he grew stressed in political meetings.

Celeste - well, she continued writing. Some days, she was not sure Eris ever read the words.

Yet, she never stopped letting the words flow. 

Yet, Eris continued to read. He picked up his pen, and he answered. Every word, he matched; every tear, he shed too.

The pair grew inseparable without them even realising it had happened - without Eris realising he was smiling during every meeting; without Celeste realising she was having full-blown conversations with Rhys when he visited.

Soon, Cassian stopped by; then Mor.

Azriel never did.

She did not let herself think about that.

She did not let herself care about the male any longer.

But the Illyrian had long become a fraction of Celeste's past memories - she had forced him to be. He had to be. He still haunted her every sleeping dream, his face replaced by that of a lethal Autumn Court heir; but when she was awake, she dreamed of a world where she laid and ruled beside the man, fighting for what is right in the kingdom he told her he would change for the better once his father passed.

He had admitted that - if an assassination arose - he would not stop it. He despised his father - merely had to operate under his grasp to survive, and one day, rule as the most powerful Autumn leader. Not in the way his father had - not through aggression and violence.

Eris would teach the Autumn Court what it meant to truly care. For each other; for the world.

Celeste knew Eris would never dream of sharing these thoughts with anyone.

She wasn't just anyone, he told her.

And after two long, dreary weeks without seeing the male in person - now, it was time.

Her waking dreams were going to come true.

'Then let's go.'

And with that, Lucien winnowed her away, far out of the reach of the Night Court. The male was sworn to secrecy under a bargain - he would not say a word, unless is put him in direct danger.

Celeste was sneaky - but she was not a monster.

One day, the girl might return to the place - but she could not call it home anymore. Nor could she call the male within it home after what had happened.

For now, she would bask in her freedom. She would roam the Courts and deal and cheat, maybe lie and scandal and cry. But she would be free, and nothing could stop her now - not an immortal body; not a townhouse; not a single male.

She might die - that did not scare her anymore. It was always inevitable before - the odds are just more in her favour now. She can be more reckless, because time is all she has.

So she did not care any longer.

She was free, and she was wild, and nothing could stop her from fulfilling her destiny.

She was going to find home - and where it could not be found, she would make it.

Home.