#coma cluster

[livingforstars]

Thousands of Coma Cluster Galaxies - September 17th, 1995.

"Almost every object in the above photograph is a galaxy. The Coma Cluster of galaxies pictured is a dense cluster containing many thousands of galaxies. Many of these galaxies contain as many stars as our own Milky Way galaxy. Although nearby when compared to most other clusters, light from the Coma Cluster still takes hundreds of millions of years to reach us. In fact, the Coma Cluster is so big it takes light millions of years just to go from one side to the other! This picture was created at the WWW site Skyview, a "virtual observatory" where it is possible to view any part of the sky in wavelengths from radio to gamma-ray."

[whats-in-a-sentence]

During the early 1930s, Fritz Zwicky, a professor of astronomy at the California Institute of Technology (a famously caustic scientist whose appreciation for symmetry led him to call his colleagues spherical bastards because, he explained, they were bastards any way you looked at them), realized that the outlying galaxies in the Coma cluster, a collection of thousands of galaxies some 370 million light-years from earth, were moving too quickly for their visible matter to muster an adequate gravitational force to keep them tethered to the group.

"The Fabric of the Cosmos" - Brian Greene

[netmassimo]

An image captured by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) depicts the Coma Cluster, also known as Abell 1656, so named because it's part of the constellation Coma Berenices. DECam was designed to conduct a long-term investigation of dark energy but is also useful for other types of astronomical studies. The Coma Cluster is linked to the study of dark matter since the inconsistency between the estimate of its overall mass and the measurement of its gravitational effects stimulated the research that led to today's dark matter models.

[joelscruff]

save me nerds gummy clusters save me

[astronerdscorner]

Deep look into the past

This picture of the constellation of Coma Berenices isnt very spectacular on first glance. But within this constellation lays the Coma galaxy cluster, a group of 1000 Galaxies each with millions .... billions of own stars.

Most of those galaxies are roughly 300 Million lightyears away ... a distance hard to process for the human mind.

In the second picture each galaxy visible is marked in red or blue depending on the catalog it registered in. Who wanna count them? Who wanna guess on how many civilization we are looking at?

Bilddaten:

- RGB 63 x 300s / Gain 100

- 25 Flat Dark

- 25 Flat Darks

- 25 Darks

Setup:

- Skywatcher 150/750 PDS

- Omegon 571C

- Skywatcher EQ6R Pro

- Zwo Asi 178mm

[stuffmikeclicked]

It occurred to me that since I was last on Tumblr, I got a new astrophotography setup. I've only used it a few times, but most nights I'd rather haul out Lyra the Dob for a quick and easy setup.

The scope part of the new rig arrived the day before I left for a week-long trip to dark skies as a mentor at an astronomy camp. I got the go-ahead to bring it; the seeing was bad all week so the stars were bloated, but I still had a great time.

From that week:

At top left is Messier 109; the bright star is the bottom-left corner of the Big Dipper's cup. I'd chosen it for first light because I'd never imaged it before and it has a beautiful barred spiral structure. In this cropped version you can see the structure and three faint satellite galaxies to the right, running in a row from above the galaxy to just below and right of it.

The one at bottom right is the Coma Galaxy Cluster. The seeing made it hard to tell, but *most* of the points of light in that image are individual galaxies and not stars. I could see a few dozen through my visual scope one night. It was glorious.

[chibinotan]

Lensed Seahorse

[silverstellatus]

Yayyy space friends :)

[whats-in-a-sentence]

All of this assumes that both we and the Coma cluster astronomer are moving only with the cosmic flow from spatial expansion, since this ensures that her slicing of the spacetime loaf coincides with ours – it ensures that her now-lists agree with ours. However, should she break ranks and move through space substantially in excess of the cosmic flow, her slices will tilt relative to ours, as in Figure 8.9.

Notice, though, that her slices will no longer be spatially homogeneous. Each angled slice in Figure 8.9 intersects the universe in a range of different epochs and so the slices are far from uniform.

"The Fabric of the Cosmos" - Brian Greene

[jcmarchi]

January’s Night Sky Notes: Connecting the ‘Dots’ with Asterisms - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/januarys-night-sky-notes-connecting-the-dots-with-asterisms-technology-org/

January’s Night Sky Notes: Connecting the ‘Dots’ with Asterisms - Technology Org

In NASA’s December Night Sky Notes, authors mentioned that the Orion constellation has a distinct hourglass shape that makes it easy to spot in the night sky. But what if we told you that this is not the complete constellation, but rather, an asterism?

Stars that make up the Winter Circle, as seen on January 1, 2024, Sky Safari

An asterism is a pattern of stars in the night sky, forming shapes that make picking out constellations easy. Throughout history, cultures have created these patterns as part of storytelling, honoring ancestors, and timekeeping.

Orion’s hourglass is just one of many examples of this, but did you know Orion’s brightest knee is part of another asterism that spans six constellations, weaving together the Winter night sky? Many asterisms feature bright stars that are easily visible to the naked eye. Identify these key stars, and then connect the dots to reveal the shape.

This image shows the region around the Hyades star cluster, the nearest open cluster to us. The Hyades cluster is very well-studied due to its location, but previous searches for planets have produced only one. A new study led by Jay Farihi of the University of Cambridge, UK, has now found the atmospheres of two burnt-out stars in this cluster — known as white dwarfs — to be “polluted” by rocky debris circling the star. Inset, the locations of these white dwarf stars are indicated — stars known as WD 0421+162, and WD 0431+126. Image credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, and Z. Levay (STScI)

Try looking for these asterisms this season and beyond:

Winter Circle – this asterism, also known as the Winter Hexagon, makes up a large portion of the Winter sky using stars Rigel, Aldebaran, Capella, Pollux, Procyon, and Sirius as its points. Similarly, the Winter Triangle can be found using Procyon, Sirius, and Betelgeuse as points. Orion’s Belt is also considered an asterism.

Diamond of Virgo – this springtime asterism consists of the following stars: Arcturus, in the constellation Boötes; Cor Caroli, in Canes Venatici; Denebola in Leo, and Spica in Virgo. Sparkling at the center of this diamond is the bright cluster Coma Berenices, or Bernice’s Hair – an ancient asterism turned constellation!

Summer Triangle – as the nights warm up, the Summer Triangle dominates the heavens. Comprising the bright stars Vega in Lyra, Deneb in Cygnus, and Altair in Aquila, this prominent asterism is the inspiration behind the cultural festival Tanabata. Also found is Cygnus the Swan, which makes up the Northern Cross asterism.

Great Square of Pegasus – by Autumn, the Great Square of Pegasus can be seen. This square-shaped asterism takes up a large portion of the sky, and consists of the stars: Scheat, Alpheratz, Markab and Algenib.

Tracing these outlines can guide you to objects like galaxies and star clusters. The Hyades, for example, is an open star cluster in the Taurus constellation with evidence of rocky planetary debris. In 2013, Hubble Space Telescope’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph broke down light into individual components. This observation detected low levels of carbon and silicon – a major chemical for planetary bodies. The Hyades can be found just outside the Winter Circle and is a favorite of both amateur and professional astronomers alike.

Use Star Maps and Star Apps – Using star maps or stargazing apps can help familiarize yourself with the constellations and asterisms of the night sky.

Get Familiar with Constellations – Learning the major constellations and their broader shapes visible each season will make spotting asterisms easier.

Use Celestial Landmarks –Orient yourself by using bright stars, or recognizable constellations. This will help you navigate the night sky and pinpoint specific asterisms. Vega in the Lyra constellation is a great example of this.

Source: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

[spicebiter]

Son of a bitch goddamn idiot brain won't produce the sleepy. It only makes the tired but I need the sleepy. I can't stop the tired without the sleepy. You see what I'm fuckin gettin at?

[dcxdpdabbles]

Cluster of Cores Part 4

Holiday request: cluster of cores x2 please! I love all your writing

Roy helps Danny into the living room, mindful of the two sleeping babes strapped to his chest in a nested sling. Once he's sure Danny has cleared the entrance, he sidesteps them, rushing toward the big swivel loveseat sofa they had just purchased.

It's large enough that the two could sit comfortably and pill up the pillows that were to Dani's demand of fluff. The thing spins, and has a nice little backrest that Danny can both sit and lay down. In the first few months, the twins will need a nest to grow in, and Dani has been cleared that the circular couch will be perfect.

Danny makes a tiny little noise of happiness when he settles in the middle of it. Roy is quick to pile the fluffiest throw blanket across his lap. Jason helps him lean back while Danny carefully holds the head of the newborns.

According to the humans ' medical knowledge, his children, Dan and Danika, have a clean bill of health. The trio had been released after a five-day stay- all expenses paid by Tim Drake- undergoing tests and observations.

Thankfully, for all intentions and purposes, the twins were fine.

They were sleeping in his arms, having just finished feeding off of Danny's ectoplasm. The young alien seemed confused when a nurse handed him a bottle, but when they explained the usage of it, the young Indigenous Daxamite opened the bottle and weakly poured a green liquid from the palm of his hand.

The babies enthusiastically launched onto the bottles, and Danny could not look away from them. The coma had turned him so weak that he needed one of those feeding pillows, unable to hold them in his trembling arms for too long.

But they were perfect. Roy thought it was adorable how his eyes shone as he stared at his children. During visiting hours, Dani spent most of her time leaning on her father's side, a feeding pillow on her lap, and being a miniature version of Danny.

The alien had even chosen a last name, claiming it was the closest thing in English. Surprisingly, what the Daxamite considered a lost language was what humans considered English.

The Fentons were now welcomed guests in the Todd-Wayne household. They will stay there alongside Roy and Lian until they reach their feet.

It was a shock to find out Danny was a teenager in Daxamite terms, just as much as a he was in human terms. Having three children, a five-year-old and twin newborns, will be difficult for the teenager to raise on his own.

Roy offered him complete support, deciding he would be his rock through every milestone the children needed. It was the least he could do for the person responsible for his daughter's safety.

"Are you comfortable?" Roy asks. Danny offers him a weak smile, nodding. His eyes, however, return to his children as though he is checking to see if they are real.

He can't help but smile warmly at the alien. "Is there anything you need?"

Danny thinks it over, hunching his shoulder slightly when he requests. "Fudge? My Dad would make me some when I was incubating the eggs."

Roy snaps his phone out of his pocket, pressing the speed dial to Oliver. The archer snaps into the speaker before the blond can greet him, "Fudge. Send me the most expensive and delicious fudge you have."

"Yes, of course." Oliver's answer is just as serious and as fast. "I'll have it there within thirty minutes."

Roy's voice softens when he turns back to Danny. "Is there anything else you like?"

The alien blinks his wide blue eyes at him, considering the question carefully before whispering. "Blankets? For Dan and Danika?"

Roy nods, face turning hard as stone when he returns to his phone. "Baby blankets. The softest ones you can find. Have the names Dan and Danika sewed into the blankets. One lilac, the other easter green.'

"It will be done," Oliver promises before hanging up the phone. Roy turns back to the bewildered Danny, then, as soft as spring rain, smiles at him.

"They should be here in about thirty minutes. If there is anything else you want, let Jason or me know."

"Um," Danny curls slightly inwards, holding the babies against his chest. Dan makes a bit of a fuss, wiggling around, but with one quick bottle grab, Danny has him resettle. Danika wiggles a bit, whimpering a little, but the Daxamite bounces his knee a little, moving the pillow under her.

This causes a soft rocking motion that quickly helps her calm down. Roy is mightily impressed that Danny already knows what to do as a new father. When Lian was born, he struggled to figure out all her different cries for weeks.

Dan slurps his bottle with his virgor, his soft tuff of hair shifting into a little flame. Danika makes a slight movement like newborns do when attempting to turn in the direction of their voices.

She seems comfortable facing her little head toward Danny before she settles into a nap. Apparently, as an ice core, she didn't need as much ectoplasm as Dan did. His son needed more help stabilizing in his environment through the help of his father before he was big enough to do it himself.

Roy was so happy Danny had woken. It would be a nightmare trying to figure everything out on their own. Roy's eyes fall to the bag resting on Danny's left side, nested comfortably among the pillows. Inside are the remaining eggs that are carefully waiting for the day they hatch.

He hopes it will take some time. Twins were already hard to manage, even with Roy's and Jason's help.

"Danny!" Dani yells, running into the room with a faint doll. "I brought Danika her first Earth toy!"

"Maybe when she's bigger." Danny laughs, one hand holding the bottle up for his son and the other carefully tracing the features of his new daughter. "She may like to make ice sculptures of it someday."

Dani beams, looking much brighter since the day Roy had met her. "I can teach her how!"

"Me too!" Lian shouts, jumping up and down, growing as excited as the Daxamites seem to gain a little glow around them. Roy's widens, turning away from the group to press the next speed dial on his phone.

"Yes?" Jason's modified voice sends a burst of excitement down his spine, but he squishes it. He needs to remind himself that for all the feelings he has for the other man, they aren't lovers. It likely won't ever be.

"Buy better blinds. Danny glows"

It is a testament to how long they know each other when all Jason responds with is a very serious "Of course. I'll bring some milk, too."

Distantly, he hears one of Jason's goons ask. "Is that the boss's boyfriend?"

"I thought they were married with kids?"

Roy hands up before he has a heart attack.

[moonlight-stalker]

# Dcu x Dp 209

Inspired by cluster of cores by @dcxdpdabbles

After running from Danny's home dimension he ends up saving a heros kid, he ends up in a comma afterwards. The Hero's see him transform into a being with poined ears and white floating hair hidden in his hair are a pair of small horns that looked to be made of ice. He has glowing like freckles all over his body he has a slim furry tail with ice like spikes. The heros assume that he is an alien next to him is what appears to be a human little girl clutching a bag and yelling at them to stay away from her father.

The Hero's learned from the child named Ellie that they had to run away from there home to keep her and her baby siblings safe the bag that Ellie is holding has 7 orbs called cores that are her unborn siblings. Her father had used up the last of his spare energy to save the heroes kid and keep them all safe and can't wake up because he has no spare energy left.

The Hero's did not want to risk moving him to the space station in case the teleporal can cuse him or the cores harm. And they can only get so much information from Ellie in what they need to survive how to care for the cores and what is safe and not safe for them, they do learn that even though he is in a coma he is still feeding the cores and is proble the reason he dose not have enough energy to wake up.

For the time being they moved him to a human hospital with medical personnel from the space station, until they can finish remodeling a safe house to house him and his children in.

Sadly someone hears about a new alien that has baby's and is in a coma in an hospital and was able to sneak in and steal the cores now the Hero's are trying to track the cores down and being them back to their father before something bad happens to them, they hatch, or there father wakes.

[sockslippin]

what are some more sings that's someone's a feedee before they realize it

I have so many tbh.

1. You can't pass up a cluster of fast food restaurants without fantasizing about what you'd get. (Or actually just getting whatever you craved in that split second)

2. You love the way tight clothing looks and feels even if it makes a few ppl question your modesty.

3. You say things like "Will there be food?" or "Let's leave early and stop and get food." In relation to any sort of gathering.

4. You start to pregame your outings with food and even packing extra snacks in your bag or purse.

5. Planning your next meal while you're eating your current meal.

6. Spending entire saturdays in your birthday suit, eating, getting zooted, playing video games and masturbating. Giving in to every little indulgence until you realize it's Sunday and yesterdays food coma was the best 11 hours of sleep you've ever gotten.

7. Three words. Multiple candy stashes.

8. Seeking out media specifically with fat people. Movies, shows, comics, books, erotica, music etc. Borderline obsessively.

9. This one might be personal but, if I was disappointed by how my food tastes. I'd make it up to myself by getting something way better after.

10. Craving that feeling of fullness constantly.

11. Your car being a fast food packaging grave yard.

I'm gonna start compiling these as I remember them. I LOVE this question btw so thank you! 😌

[apod]

2024 October 18

Most of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Image Credit & Copyright: Adam Block

Explanation: On October 14 it was hard to capture a full view of Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Taken after the comet's closest approach to our fair planet, this evening skyview almost does though. With two telephoto frames combined, the image stretches about 26 degrees across the sky from top to bottom, looking west from Gates Pass, Tucson, Arizona. Comet watchers that night could even identify globular star cluster M5 and the faint apparition of periodic comet 13P Olbers near the long the path of Tsuchinshan-ATLAS's whitish dust tail above the bright comet's coma. Due to perspective as the Earth is crossing the comet's orbital plane, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS also has a pronounced antitail. The antitail is composed of dust previously released and fanning out away from the Sun along the comet's orbit, visible as a needle-like extension below the bright coma toward the rugged western horizon.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241018.html

[callsigns-haze]

Memories Fade IV

Eris x Rhysand's Sister!Reader Summary: Not so long back Rhysand lost his sister. Years after Helion and Elain can raise her memories from the past to see what truly happened to Y/n. Warning: Mentions of death and drinking, mentions of violence

Part 1 here

Previous part

Two weeks had passed since that dreadful night, and the silence from Y/N had been driving Eris to the brink of madness. Each day felt like an eternity as he fought against the bonds of duty and the rage simmering within him. He was determined to find answers, to know what had happened, and why Y/N had gone silent.

Eris rode through the forest with a single purpose in mind: to confront his youngest brother, Lucien. Lucien, who had been banished by their father and now lived in the Spring Court with Tamlin. Eris had arranged this meeting under the guise of family matters, but his heart pounded with a mixture of desperation and fury.

When he finally saw Lucien waiting by a cluster of trees, a storm of emotions surged within him. Lucien looked up, his expression wary. He hadn’t seen Eris in months, and the sight of his brother now, looking so tormented, immediately put him on edge.

Eris didn’t waste a moment. He strode forward, grabbed Lucien by the collar, and pinned him against a tree. The force of the impact made the leaves above rustle, and Lucien’s eyes widened in shock.

"Eris, what the—"

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Eris's voice was raw, trembling with the intensity of his emotions. "Why didn’t you tell me about the attack?"

Lucien’s confusion was evident, his hands coming up defensively. "What attack? Eris, I don’t know what you’re talking about!"

Eris’s grip tightened, his eyes burning with unshed tears. "Don’t lie to me, Lucien. Y/N... she was attacked. And you were there, in the Spring Court. You had to have known!"

Lucien’s face went pale, and his eyes softened with genuine concern. "Eris, I swear, I didn’t know. I’ve heard nothing about an attack. Tamlin’s father... they keep things from me, you know that."

The sincerity in Lucien's voice made Eris falter. He loosened his grip slightly but didn’t let go. "Then tell me what you do know. I need to know what happened."

Lucien looked deeply troubled. "Y/N survived the attack. I heard rumors, but nothing concrete. I heard that Azriel found her and her mother but the Lady of the night court was already dead. Later that night, Rhysand and his father invaded the Spring Court. It was chaos. Rhysand's father was killed, and in retaliation, they killed Tamlin's mother, father, and brothers. Only Tamlin survived."

Eris released Lucien, stepping back, his hands shaking. The weight of Lucien’s words settled heavily on him. The massacre, the bloodshed—it was all too much to process.

"She survived?" Eris whispered, a mix of relief and horror coursing through him. "But why didn't she contact me? Why the silence?"

Lucien rubbed his neck where Eris had held him, his eyes filled with sympathy. "I don’t know, Eris. Maybe she couldn’t. Maybe she was too hurt, or maybe... maybe she's afraid."

---

Y/N had been in a coma for the past two weeks, her world shrouded in darkness and silence. The memories of the attack lingered on the edges of her consciousness, a haunting reminder of the violence that had shattered her life.

In the healing room of the Night Court, Rhysand sat beside his sister's still form, his heart heavy with sorrow and guilt. Azriel and Cassian stood nearby, their expressions grave as they watched Madja, the healer, carefully change the bandages on Y/N's back.

"How is she, Madja?" Rhysand's voice was hoarse, each word weighted with fear and hope.

Madja glanced up, her eyes filled with a mix of compassion and professionalism. "She's lucky to be alive, High Lord. The wounds were severe, and she lost a great deal of blood. The fact that she survived at all is nothing short of a miracle."

Rhysand's gaze remained fixed on Y/N, his jaw clenched tightly. "And her wings?"

Madja's expression turned somber. "The muscles where her wings were cut off... they were damaged beyond repair. The flesh has started to heal, but the muscles will never fully recover. She'll bear the scars for the rest of her life, and it will be a miracle if she can function properly."

Cassian's fists clenched at his sides, anger and helplessness radiating from him. "There has to be something we can do. Some way to help her."

Madja shook her head gently. "I'm doing everything I can to ensure she heals as best as possible. But even with the best care, her life will be different now. She'll need time and support to adjust to the changes."

Azriel stepped closer, his shadows swirling around him. "And her mind? When will she wake?"

Madja sighed, continuing to work on Y/N's bandages. "Her body is healing, but her mind... it has been through a traumatic ordeal. She will wake when she is ready. We cannot rush this process."

Rhysand reached out, taking Y/N's hand in his, his thumb gently caressing her fingers. "Stay strong, little star," he whispered, his voice breaking. "We’re here. We’re all here for you."

The room fell into a heavy silence, each of them lost in their thoughts and prayers for Y/N’s recovery. The bonds of family and friendship tightened around them, a silent vow that they would stand by her side no matter what.

Madja finished changing the bandages, her touch gentle and precise. She looked at Rhysand, her eyes softening. "She’s strong, Rhysand. Stronger than you know. Give her time, and she will find her way back to you."

Rhysand nodded, his eyes never leaving Y/N's face. "I’ll wait as long as it takes."

With that, Madja gathered her supplies and quietly left the room, leaving the Inner Circle to their vigil. They stood together, a united front against the darkness, their hearts beating in unison with hope and determination for Y/N's recovery.

---

Three weeks had passed since the attack, and the healing room had become a place of silent vigil and whispered prayers. The Inner Circle took turns watching over Y/N, their concern and love for her evident in every moment they spent by her side. Rhysand rarely left her, his heart aching with the burden of his guilt and the desperate hope that she would awaken.

It was a quiet morning when Y/N’s eyelids finally fluttered open. The sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. Rhysand sat by her side, his hand gently holding hers, as he had done every day since she fell into the coma.

At first, Y/N’s vision was blurred, her mind sluggish as it struggled to piece together the fragments of her memory. She blinked several times, her eyes adjusting to the light. Slowly, the familiar face of her brother came into focus.

“Rhys...” Her voice was a weak whisper, but it was enough to send a surge of relief through Rhysand.

“Y/N,” he breathed, his eyes wide with astonished joy. “You’re awake.”

The sound of her name brought a rush of memories crashing back—the attack, the pain, the darkness. Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to sit up, but her body felt heavy and uncooperative. Rhysand gently helped her, his touch careful and soothing.

“Take it easy,” he said softly. “You’ve been through a lot. Just rest for now.”

As Y/N’s senses fully returned, she became acutely aware of the dull, aching pain in her back. She reached a trembling hand to touch where her wings had been, but Rhysand gently intercepted her, his expression pained.

“They’re gone,” she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “My wings...”

Rhysand’s heart broke at the sight of her sorrow. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, holding her as she cried. “I’m so sorry, Y/N. We’ll get through this together. I promise.”

The door to the healing room creaked open, and Azriel and Cassian entered, their faces lighting up with relief as they saw Y/N awake. Azriel rushed to her side, taking her hand and squeezing it gently.

“Y/N, we’ve missed you so much,” Azriel said, his voice choked with emotion.

Cassian stood nearby, his eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and hope. “It’s good to see you awake,” he said softly. “We’ve all been so worried.”

Madja entered the room shortly after, her keen eyes assessing Y/N’s condition. She nodded approvingly, a small smile playing on her lips. “You’ve made it through the worst, Y/N. Now, it’s time to focus on healing and recovery.”

Y/N nodded, her tears slowly subsiding as she looked around at the faces of her family and friends. Despite the pain and the loss, their presence gave her a sense of hope. But then, a thought struck her, and her heart tightened with fear.

“Where’s Father?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Why isn’t he here?”

Rhysand’s expression grew somber, and he took a deep breath, steeling himself for the words he had to say. “Y/N... Father’s gone. He died in the Spring Court.”

Y/N’s eyes widened in shock, the reality of his words sinking in like a heavy weight. “He... he’s dead?”

Rhysand nodded, his own eyes filled with unshed tears. “Yes. He died protecting us, protecting you. I’m so sorry, Y/N.”

-----

Rhysand and the Inner Circle stood around the memory projection, the tension in the room palpable. The swirling mists of Helion and Elain’s combined magic revealed the recent past in vivid detail, each scene unfolding with haunting clarity. Rhysand's heart ached as he watched the memories of his sister, the pain and suffering she had endured. Now, something new and unexpected was being revealed.

The memory showed Eris in the forest, meeting with his youngest brother, Lucien. Eris's face was a mask of barely contained rage and desperation, and the sight of him grabbing Lucien by the collar, pinning him to a tree, was almost too much for Rhysand to bear.

"Eris," Rhysand murmured, his voice filled with disbelief.

In the memory, Eris's voice was raw with emotion. "Why didn’t you tell me about the attack? Why didn’t you warn me?"

Lucien’s eyes were wide with shock and confusion. "I didn’t know, Eris! I swear, I didn’t know!"

Rhysand watched as Eris’s grip tightened, his eyes burning with unshed tears. "Y/N... she was attacked. I felt her pain. And you were there, in the Spring Court. You had to have known!"

Lucien’s face went pale, and his eyes softened with genuine concern. "Eris, I swear, I didn’t know. Tamlin's father... they keep things from me, you know that."

Eris released Lucien, stepping back, his hands shaking. "Then tell me what you do know. I need to know what happened."

Lucien looked deeply troubled. "Y/N survived the attack. I heard rumors, but nothing concrete. Later that night, Rhysand and his father invaded the Spring Court. It was chaos. Rhysand's father was killed, and in retaliation, they killed Tamlin's mother, father, and brothers. Only Tamlin survived."

The memory faded, and the room fell into a stunned silence. Rhysand's mind was reeling. The intensity of Eris’s emotions, the raw desperation in his voice, and the violence of his confrontation with Lucien—all of it pointed to something deeper, something Rhysand had not fully understood until now.

"They were mates," Rhysand whispered, his voice choked with sorrow. "Eris and Y/N... they were mates."

Cassian and Azriel exchanged somber glances, while Mor’s eyes filled with a fresh wave of grief. Amren’s expression remained inscrutable, but a flicker of understanding passed through her gaze.

"That explains so much," Azriel said quietly. "Eris’s actions, his desperation... he was trying to protect her. Even if it meant nearly killing his own brother to find out what happened."

Cassian nodded, his voice heavy with regret. "And now we know what happened to him. Four months after Y/N was murdered, Eris was found dead. He was hunting with his hounds... they say it was an accident, but..."

"We all know it wasn’t," Mor finished, her voice bitter. "He couldn’t live without her."

Rhysand’s heart ached with the weight of the tragedy. The bond between mates was sacred, powerful, and the loss of one could be unbearable for the other. Eris had kept his suffering hidden, even from his own family, and had ultimately succumbed to his grief.

-----

Three months had passed since the attack, and life had slowly begun to regain some semblance of normalcy for Y/N. Her recovery was slow and arduous, but she was determined to regain her strength. The memories of the pain and loss haunted her, but she clung to the support of her brother and the Inner Circle.

Tonight, they attended a High Lords’ ball held by Helion in his court. The grandeur of the event was a stark contrast to the turmoil within Y/N. She stood beside Rhysand, her face composed despite the turmoil inside. The dress she wore was elegant but simple, designed to hide the bandages that still wrapped around her back, a constant reminder of the wings she had lost.

The ballroom was filled with laughter and music, the air thick with the scent of exotic flowers and fine food. Y/N’s gaze wandered across the room, her eyes meeting familiar faces, some offering sympathetic smiles, others looking away, unsure of how to approach her.

Then, she saw him.

Eris stood across the room, his fiery hair unmistakable even in the dim light. His eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, the noise and commotion of the ball faded away. She could see the pain in his eyes, the questions, the longing. He looked as if he had been through his own personal hell, his usual confident demeanor replaced by a raw vulnerability.

Y/N offered him a soft smile, a small gesture that spoke volumes. She wanted to reassure him, to let him know that she was still here, still fighting. But she knew that approaching him would be impossible. Rhysand stood by her side, ever the protective brother, and she could feel his suspicion even now.

Eris seemed to understand. His hands clenched at his sides, the need to come to her almost palpable, but he held himself back. The bond between them was a silent, invisible thread, tugging at his heart. He gave her a subtle nod, his expression a mix of relief and sorrow.

Rhysand’s attention shifted slightly, and he noticed where Y/N’s gaze had landed. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but he said nothing, simply placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” Y/N replied, her voice steady. “Just... a lot to take in.”

Rhysand nodded, his protective instincts easing slightly. “If it gets too much, we can leave.”

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him, her eyes briefly flickering back to Eris before returning to her brother. “I promise.”

As the night wore on, Y/N and Eris continued to steal glances at each other, their unspoken connection a lifeline in the midst of the chaos. She knew they would have to find a way to speak, to reconcile everything that had happened, but tonight was not the night.

For now, Y/N took solace in the fact that Eris was here, that he still cared, and that despite everything, they were both survivors. She straightened her shoulders, ignoring the discomfort from her healing wounds, and allowed herself to enjoy the ball, even if just for a moment. She was surrounded by friends and family, and for the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of hope.

Eris watched her from across the room, his heart aching with unspoken words and untold stories. But seeing her standing there, alive and fighting, gave him the strength he needed to carry on. They would find their way back to each other, somehow. For now, this silent understanding would have to be enough.

Part 5

A/n: If there's any scene you'd like to see in the memories please dm me or even write it in the comments!

Tagging some:

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