he liked to pretend that it was his own excited imagination  that brought life to the shadows on the wall,    rather than the lonely ghosts that danced across the pale stone day in and night out.      they called to mind too many dances that would result in his angry and bitter lamenting late in the summer evenings,  when no one could see his temper.  

*    ⟣    .    @horcoss​  /  lucio  .   𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓  .                  ╰ ⧽     5′10 .

*    ⊰    @horcoss​​  /  lucio    ⊱    𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔡𝔬𝔴  𝔞𝔫𝔡  𝔟𝔬𝔫𝔢  . ↳    you  and  i  are  going  to  change  the  world .

BOLD  WORDS  FROM  A  MAN  WITH  HIS  HEAD  TUCKED  UNDER  HER  CHIN  .   lucy  never  minds  when  lucio  decides  he  needs  to  be  closer  to  her  .   she’s  more  than  happy  to  accommodate  ,   half - lying  on  the  couch  with  he  a  mess  of  limbs  atop  her  .   her  arms  are  around  his  neck  ,   one  hand  playing  idly  with  the  ends  of  his  hair  .

❝    in  what  way  ,   dearest  ?    ❞    she  leans  in  just  enough  to  kiss  the  top  of  his  head  ,   brushing  back  loose  ,   blond  locks  until  they  lie  in  place  .    ❝    i  am  content  with  being  a  countess  ,   i  think  it  is  perhaps  the  most  beautiful - sounding  thing  in  the  world  .   do  you  disagree  ?    ❞

*    ⊰    @horcoss​  /  death    ⊱    𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔡𝔬𝔴  𝔞𝔫𝔡  𝔟𝔬𝔫𝔢  . ↳    fine ,  make  me  your  villain .

❝    why  in  the  world  would  i  do  that  ,  hm  ?    ❞    lucy  looks  sullen  ,   sitting  with  her  knees  tucked  up  and  her  back  to  the  wall  .   warmth  and  joy  still  touch  her  ,   only  in  different  ways  and  melancholy  ---   my  ,   my  ,   what  a  friend  it  has  become  .

but  to  imply  he  is  the  cause  ,   or  in  league  with  it  is  ridiculous  .   lucy  knows  that  .   she  draws  her  mouth  into  a  thin  line  .     ❝    i  am  annoyed  ,   that  does  not  mean  i  am  annoyed  with  you  .   why  must  you  default  to  theatrics  ?    ❞    she  supposes  she  could  ask  herself  the  same  .

*    ⊰    @horcoss​  /  death    ⊱    𝔧𝔞𝔫𝔢 𝔢𝔶𝔯𝔢  . ↳    even  for  me  life  had  its  gleams  of  sunshine .

SHE  WILL  SPARE  THEM  THE  MORTIFYING  QUESTION  OF  WHETHER  DEATH  HAD  EVER  BEEN  TRULY  ALIVE  .   or  human  ,   though  that’s  a  dually  cruel  thing  to  ask  .   lucy  bites  her  tongue  in  a  way  she  often  lacks  the  foresight  to  do  .   instead  ,   she  smiles  at  them  .

It seems they had been right. The dark, craggy reaches of Hybern were as desolate and bleak as they had been reputed to be, but more than that, the nest of malevolence they’d postulated to be hiding there was still as extant as the night sky over the Night Court. In the smoking ruin of their most recent battle, Rhys’ own dark magic had proved a valuable and shadowy complement to Sypha’s own elemental, holy-imbued arcane abilities. The general they had encountered had sent legions of armored fae after them, the sky thick and congested with magicks as they’d combated each other with frightful odds, dozens against simply the two of them. The stinging air of ash arrows and other weapons in sight sent a moment of trepidation through the half-fae, Sypha barely braced before Rhysand’s own battle cries had shaken them from the stunned moment. Fighting doggedly until not one was left standing. 

Sypha wasn’t one to kill needlessly, but this was war. A threat as grave as Amarantha and possibly graver still existed and no one wanted a repeat of those dreadful 50 years Sypha had only heard so gravely about. 

SHE’S  CARELESS  WITH  HER  BREATHS  ,   UNKNOWING  .   there  are  only  a  few  left  that  are  truly  hers  ,   she  sits  under  the  sun  by  the  crashing  shore  .   a  picnic’s  laid  out  for  two  ,   though  an  outsider  might  observe  her  enjoying  her  own  company  .