When The Last Petal Falls

27. Ravens Leap

Lysander's voice was urgent as he caught up to Bellona in the dimly lit hall of the House of Wind. His wings were slightly ruffled, a sign of the haste with which he'd sought her out.

"Bellona," he began, his tone low and intense, "we've got a lead on Arioch. He's was spotted in Ravens Leap before his attack on you and Nyx."
Bellona's heart quickened at the news. "When are we leaving?" she asked, her eyes filled with determination.

Lysander nodded, a hint of approval in his gaze. "Right away. Azriel is occupied at the Hewn City, but as soon as he's finished, he'll join us."

Bellona didn't waste a moment. She turned and hurried back down the hall towards her room. She knew she needed to prepare, and every second counted. The darkness of the situation weighed heavily on her, but she was resolved to bring to finish whatever it was that Arioch was planning.
Bellona stood in her room, her heart racing, as she stared at the pair of Illyrian fighting leathers laid out on her bed. The intricate design and craftsmanship were astonishing, a testament to the skilled artisans of the Night Court. She picked up the leathers, running her fingers along the supple material, marveling at how they seemed tailor-made for her.

As she started to put on the leathers, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of anger and trepidation. It had been a month today since she arrived in the Night Court. A month away the place she had called home her whole life. She couldn't help but sigh to herself as she thought about what she was missing out on. It was the first few weeks of Winter, even though you wouldn't be able to tell in the Spring Court. Tianna, the Lieutenant of her Laochra would be freaking out internally. The end of Winter marks the first selection for the 2nd branch of sraith tastalacha and it was a process that was lengthy and harsh, and more importantly, one that needed Bellona there for it to run smoothly. It was scheduled for two weeks after Bellona got back from the Night Court and she only hoped everything would be running smoothly when she arrived.

However, she did know that Cassian and Lysander would be waiting for her on the terrace of the House of Wind, and she couldn't keep them waiting.
With the fighting leathers now securely in place, Bellona made her way to the terrace. The wind tousled her hair as she stepped out into the open, revealing the breathtaking view of the Night Court below. She spotted Cassian and Lysander, both clad in their own impressive Illyrian armor, waiting for her.

But as she approached, a surge of panic and memories flooded her mind. The last time she had shapeshifted into her winged form had been with her brother, a memory that was both precious and painful. She remembered how her brother had come home grumbling about Nyx's wingspan and his need to shift his wings into bigger ones. Bellona had followed along and together they had jumped out of Belarus's window, a solid drop and ten seconds later had wound up winnowing back to his room to save being squashed on the ground. Turns out they had severely underestimated the logistics of having to learn how to fly. Bakarus was slightly better than Bellona because of his practice with the Illyrians but it only took Bellona a few more days and she had made significant progress.

Tears welled up in Bellona's eyes as the memories of her brother washed over her. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Shapeshifting into her winged form was a deeply personal and emotional experience, and it was hard to do it without her brother by her side.

Cassian and Lysander, having sensed her panic, gave her encouraging smiles as they stood by her side. "Are you ready?" Bellona nodded as she took another deep breath, closed her eyes, and let the transformation begin. Her body shifted, her form becoming translucent for a moment, before she emerged with wings of pure, moonlit silver, each feather glistening like a cascade of stars. It was a breathtaking and exhilarating sensation, as the familiar weight of her wings spread from her shoulder blades.