A Court of Lies and Secrets | ACOTAR fanfic [Girl x Girl]

Ginerva

Quite a bit of jumping between POVs for these next few chapters.

~Renae~

Many hundreds of warriors reach for their blades at the sight of the queen hovering above them. Her effortless grace floating away from her, like shadows. The shear power of her leaving in mesmerising wisps.

The Night court soldiers completely enamored by her and the effects of her powerful plumes of magic, like voids in the universe itself.

Her calm exterior causing shivers down my spine and I realise how my mistakes are about to affect us as she goes to unleash her power. The very power that makes me cower at her gaze and why I fear her more than Iagan. These loyal soldiers will soon find out all I once knew growing up and I already grieve them.

~Alirra~

Renae would slap me senseless if she knew I was spending the night running around the human camp like a headless chicken trying to heal anybody I can.

If I'm honest, exhaustion hasn't hit me and I'd prefer to take advantage of whatever energy I have and just spend every last drop trying to repair damage.

Besides, Ren won't find out.

Without a list of the injured, it's hard to find anybody in need of help. We've been given a map to track down households by which tent is theirs, but many humans have merged into the main camp- they aren't registered on the map.

I push myself through the crowds trying not to worry about whether I just pushed myself selfishly into an injured human- causing them more pain- or a healer who lost grip on their supplies. I've soon learnt to push forward, literally, and don't look away from your destination.

It pains me to ignore the screams or the occasional body being carried through the camp, which everybody jumps out of the path for.

It's a relief stepping inside a tent, no thick stench of burning flesh or blood soaked linen, less screams and certainly not as crowded- especially in this tent.

A figure is sprawled across a mattress in the back corner of the tent, engulfed in darkness. My arms are occupied holding supplies so tripping up isn't an option, but so is feeling for my surroundings. I opt for a slower method of feet-shuffling.

"Miss Banks? I'm Alirra. I'm here to heal any of your injuries, if you'll let me." I took to adding the last bit with every patient, Rhysand's views on consent rubbing off on me. I still think if I were Daemati myself, I wouldn't hesitate to calm every patient before any healing processes.

The fae body is easy to heal with fae powers. The human body is delicate and easily damaged, meaning the healing process is slower and a lot of hand-sweating stress.

I reach her bedside and lower the supplies in my arms. Her figure still hasn't shifted from its position and I pray to the Cauldron, to the Mother and Gods that the young woman before me is still alive- that there's still hope.

"Vanora Banks, can you hear me?" She inhales deeply and rushes to sit up, feeling around her surroundings- the darkness swallowing everything from sight.

"Is someone there?"

"Yes, Vanora, It's Alirra-"

"She doesn't mean you dear." I spin at the lilting sound tickling my earlobe. From what little information we have here, Vanora doesn't have any family, lives completely alone. Who are you?

The shadows of the slender fae body trail around the tent, taunting me. I inch backward and try to shield the trembling young woman's body from whatever intruder is inside her house.