A Court of Lost Stars

Nearly an hour had passed with very few words exchanged. Everyone did their best to ignore the tree, though all were guilty of sneaking occasional glances.

We don't want to scare her away. Rhys' voice echoed through their minds. We wait for her to approach us.

Feyre had a feeling this would be a very long wait.

Each time she let her eyes wander to the trunk's opening, she'd see the pair of eyes observing them with quiet curiosity. Though, she didn't seem afraid.

How did we not feel her presence? Feyre sent her thoughts to Rhys, and while his expression didn't change, she could feel the curl of his smile.

Her shield seems quite advanced, especially with no training. I haven't a clue about how she taught herself.

Instinct?

Maybe.

Cassian finally broke the silence. "We can't be quiet forever," he said, his voice soft, "maybe she'll be more inclined to investigate if we act…normal?"

"Maybe you're right." Rhysand nodded. 

Speaking in his usual tone, some of the tension ebbed away. It did feel nicer, Feyre could admit. Maybe Nova had been feeling the emotional strain, too.

The stew was finished, and the fish were cleaned and cooked. Feyre held her fork in her hand but couldn't bring herself to take the first bite. She was hungry- starved, but knowing Nova sat inside a tree trunk not ten feet away turned everything in her mouth to ash. 

Instinctually, she wanted to give Nova every last bit of the food on her plate to ensure a full belly and avoid feeling the twisting pangs of hunger.

"I know it's difficult," Rhys murmured gently, "but she needs to see what our normal is. To know we are not a threat to her. We can't approach her yet, even to offer food."

Feyre nodded, swallowing hard. "I know that," she glanced toward Nova and found the eyes were gone, hidden in the shadows. "Do you think she's been out here since the fire?"

"It seems the likeliest scenario," Az nodded, "nobody ever reported seeing her, at least."

"I agree," Mor added after tasting the trout, "if Zaylor is the only one who has ever seen her, she must be very careful about being noticed."

Cas pursed his lips and smiled a little. "You think she's allowing us to see her now?"

"It's possible she feels a connection toward us- a level of trust she doesn't understand," Rhys responded, silently contemplating a moment after. 

As the sun set below the trees and dusk turned to night, Nova never ventured from her tree. 

"We can take shifts," Az suggested, "so if she leaves, we'll at least know what direction."

"I'll take the first watch." Cassian offered and shook his head when Feyre opened her mouth to argue.

"You both are exhausted, and she might be more active during the day. You'll want all your energy in a few hours."

Rhys squeezed her shoulder and smiled softly, and Feyre had a feeling the situation wasn't ideal for him either. They'd both like to never sleep again if it meant they could talk to her, even just once.

The hours of patchy sleep left Feyre feeling groggy, but the moment she reopened her eyes, she rolled over in the sleeping bag and looked directly at the hole in the tree.

"She hasn't come out," Az whispered, and Feyre looked at him. He and Cassian must have switched off sometime in the night as he was the only one awake.

With a soft sigh, she nodded and sat up to stretch. 

"Go ahead and sleep. Rhys and I can watch through the day. " She leaned over a bit to look a bit deeper into the hole and frowned, "you'd think she wasn't even in there."

"That's because she's not…" Rhys murmured, slowly sitting up with his head tilted back.

Feyre and Azriel looked up, and there, crouched on a branch, was Nova. Her complexion wasn't as pale as she originally appeared, though it made sense she hadn't had much direct sun exposure in this climate. The amount of rain that fed the moss made sure of that. 

Still, she didn't look sickly in the least. She appeared relatively healthy. Long dark hair hung down to her waist; though it was knotted, it looked strong and shiny.

"She's your spitting image, Rhys…" Feyre murmured, and she was right.

Nova looked like a female version of her mate. Younger, yes, but the similarities were striking.

"Hm, the eyes, maybe," Rhys smiled against her temple, though he didn't take his gaze off Nova, who stared down at them, with dark brows furrowed in curiosity, "but that expression is all you. I have a feeling…" he whispered in her ear with a purr, "she has your brazened attitude."

Nova wore a long, black cloak that covered her from her neck to her ankles. Her feet, which gripped the tree bark with natural ease, were bare. Even from here, Feyre could see the accumulated dirt and grime. 

Had she ever bathed or let the rain showers do the work?

Nova tilted her head to the side. Slowly.

Assessing them. 

She held intelligent eyes- cunning even. It was no mystery how she'd survived these years on her own. Listening and learning from the environment around her. Now suddenly faced with something strange and new, it was no wonder she hadn't taken her eyes off them.

Feyre tried to stroke against her mind lightly but was met with a wall nearly as impenetrable as stone. But even stone could be porous- should she try to pry?

"If she's not been around people for…twelve years, do…" Feyre frowned. "Do you think she understands us? That's so long to be without anyone to talk to, and if she was three…"

"She probably lost anything she had learned." Rhys finished her thought with a whisper, a deep sadness enveloping them.

Their daughter probably knew only what she'd learned being alone in the forest all those years. She wouldn't know how to speak…how would they explain what had happened?

Feyre wiped a quick stray tear from her cheek just as Rhys took her face between his hands.

"We teach her; that's what we do," his eyes devoured hers, "no matter how long it takes when she feels safe with us, we will take her back to Velaris. She will learn to speak and read, and she will learn that she has a family that loves her." 

Rhys stroked another stray tear with the pad of his thumb.

Feyre's lower lip quivered slightly. "What if she never wants to leave?"

Quiet for a moment, Rhys swallowed. "Then I suppose we bring part of Velaris to her."