A Court of Lost Stars

The village was smaller in the daylight. It was one stretch of road with designated locations on either side. Feyre could only assume residences were beyond the town limits, much like the Timmons cabin.

A broad man on a horse strode in their direction, offering a nod and a tight-lipped smile as he went by. As friendly as the place seemed, Feyre didn't want to spend too much time there.

She wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

Passing a blacksmith's forge, they approached a little bakery nestled between a tiny library and what seemed to be a postal service.

Feyre's belly gave another lurch as they entered the lively shop— the tavern-goers from the night before had traded their location for their morning routine. Squeezing her elbow, Rhys walked past and to the front counter, where he ordered drinks and fresh-baked muffins.

They surveyed the room of patrons…and they stared right back. The glamour they wore was enough to hide their most apparent attributes. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to stay long; they'd get answers, find Nova, and go home.

Velaris awaited them.

She couldn't help but wonder how their friends had been doing with cleaning up the streets. 

"She would be fifteen by this time…" Rhysand spoke to the baker.

The woman contemplated as she used the back of her hand to wipe away the bit of flour from her forehead.

"I can't say I have. I keep to myself mostly," she paused, "who you'd want to ask is Ms. Archie."

"Ms. Archie?" Rhys clarified and nodded. "Where might I find her?"

"You keep going down the road here and go left down the trail, ya can't miss it. There's a sign. At the end of the trail is a schoolhouse. Ms. Archie is the teacher there; if anyone would know, it'd be her."

Rhysand offered her his devastatingly charming smile.

"Thank you. We do appreciate it." He turned and walked toward them, muffins in hand, as he left the baker to fan herself.

"Was that necessary?" Feyre asked with a slight smile and shake of her head before following Azriel, Cassian, and Mor outside.

I was simply expressing my gratitude.

You're brown-nosing for big muffins.

Feyre side-eyed him as he chuckled before accepting one of the muffins from the bag. While it would be duller than the food from Prythian, it was nearly as big as her head, and she was starving.

They all ate and drank as they walked, but negative thoughts came with each step Feyre took. 

A calming presence balmed her thoughts as they approached the trail the baker had mentioned, and with her free hand, she intertwined her fingers with Rhys'.

What if she doesn't have answers? Her question was a whisper against his mind.

Then we continue searching.

It was a long walk along the trail, thickly enclosed with mossy greenery. It was somewhat entertaining, however, as Cassian was smacked in the forehead every few minutes by low-hanging vines.

"They have thorns." He rubbed his reddened forehead.

Azriel smirked before saying, "I see the schoolhouse. Just up ahead."

They entered the clearing, and it was probably the most serene-looking schoolhouse Feyre had ever seen. If she'd ever had the chance to learn to read in the mortal realm, this would have been her first choice.

Off to the right was a little pond filled with wildlife; to the left, it seemed, were learning stations set with experiments of some sort, and off in the back, Feyre could see a play area with obstacles to climb on.

It didn't seem like the average schoolhouse. It seemed…fun.

Beyond the open door of the building, which was just a shack painted a soft, peeling yellow, a woman walked by the entrance, pushing dirt with her broom out onto the porch.

The woman glanced up and offered a warm smile. Her golden hair was cut down to just below her chin, and she wore a simple white drock with laced baby-blue floral patterns.

"Can I help you with something?" the woman asked as she set the broom against the open space next to the door.

"We're looking for Ms. Archie," Feyre answered, desperately hoping-internally praying this visit would prove fruitful.

"That's me," Ms. Archie smiled and walked down the steps toward them, "how can I help you?"

Rhys took a step forward. "We're looking for a missing child," the worry of his brow unmistakable, "she had lived in the Timmons residence for some time. She would have been three when the fire occurred…"

Heartbreak misted her eyes. "Such a tragic loss…"

Rhysand nodded slowly. "It was," he murmured, pursing his lips into a thin line, "but we aren't entirely certain that the child was lost in the fire. We did visit the cemetery, and only the gravestones of two young boys were there. Not a little girl. Do you remember if someone had brought an infant or toddler to the village? Any time before or after the fire?"

Silence stretched as Ms. Archie touched her fingers to her chin, seeming to recall her memories.

"I don't recall a child being abandoned or relocated in this particular area. Are you sure the Timmons had a third child?"

"Yes," Azriel said plainly, his expression void of emotion.

Shuffling footsteps sounded behind Ms. Archie, and a boy entered the porch. He used a pair of wooden crutches to drag himself to the railing.

Ms. Archie lightly squeezed his shoulder and offered a tight smile before returning her gaze to them.

"This is Zaylor, my son," she pursed her lips and continued, "If she were three during the time of the fire, she'd be a teenager now, yes?"

"Fifteen." Cassian nodded, offering the boy a small smile.

He was meek- sickly looking. His voice matched his appearance.

"You mean the girl in the woods."