Sarah J. Maas isnt done with the world ofA Court of Thorns and Rosesjust yet.
But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve.
Yet even the festive atmosphere cant keep the shadows of the past from looming.
Credit: Bloomsbury
Maas has shared an excerpt of the book exclusively with EW, ahead of its May 1 release.
Read on below, and pre-order the bookhere.
I had no idea where Rhys was.
He hadnt been in bed when Id awoken, the mattress on his side already cold.
Nothing unusual, as we were both busy to the point of exhaustion these days.
Once, I had dreaded that first snow, had lived in terror of long, brutal winters.
Deep inside me, rising with every swirling flake, a sparkling, crisp power stirred.
It seemed Winter now wanted to play.
My question faded into blackness.
A sure sign that Rhys was nowhere near Velaris.
Likely not even within the borders of the Night Court.
When my own work allowed it, I often joined him.
I scooped up my plate, draining my tea to the dregs, and padded toward the kitchen.
Playing with ice and snow could wait.
I can wash them, I said by way of greeting.
A female of few words, though neither twin could be considered shy.
Certainly not when they workedspiedfor both Rhys and Azriel.
Elain had already readied the garden for winter, veiling the more delicate bushes and beds with burlap.
I wonder if itll let up at all.
Itll be nice to have a white Solstice, she said, voice lilting and yet hushed.
Full of whispers and shadows.
Some years, it can be fairly mild.
Had he been only a minute later, the Mother knew what would have happened.
Where Id now be.
Snow swirled and eddied in the garden, catching in the brown fibers of the burlap covering the shrubs.
We had both fought for that love, bled for it.
Rhys had died for it.
I still saw that moment, in my sleeping and waking dreams.
Drew me from sleep; drew me from a conversation, a painting, a meal.
Perhaps one day, even the work wouldnt be a battlement to keep the memories out.
Mercifully, plenty of work remained for the foreseeable future.
Rebuilding Velaris after the attacks from Hybern being only one of many monumental tasks.
And then there were the other courts of Prythian.
And the new, emerging world beyond.
But for now: Solstice.
The longest night of the year.
I turned from the window to Nuala, who was still fussing over the edges of her pie.
Its a special holiday here as well, right?
Not just in Winter and Day.
Oh, yes, Nuala said, stooping over the worktable to examine her pie.
Skilled spytrained by Azriel himselfand master cook.
We love it dearly.
Its intimate, warm, lovely.
Presents and music and food, sometimes feasting under the starlight .
The opposite of the enormous, wild, days-long party Id been subjected to last year.
I had to buy presents for all of them.
Not had to, butwantedto.
Because all my friends, now my family, had fought and bled and nearly died as well.
