A Court of Fire and Shadows -ON BREAK!!!-

Feyre

Cassian was again hurtling for us, for Nesta sprawled on the ground, as the light and unholy heat of the Cauldron were unleashed again.

Right into its own lines. Where the Bone Carver was gleefully shredding apart soldiers, draining the life from them in sweeps and gusts of that deadly wind.

An unearthly, female shriek broke from deep in the Hybern forces. A sister's warning- and pain. Just as that white light slammed into the Bone Carver.

There and gone.

The Cauldron wiped him away without any sign of effort.

Nesta had her brow in the grass as Cassian landed so hard the ground shuddered. He was reaching for her as he panted, "What is it, what-"

"It's gone quiet again," Nesta breathed, letting Cassian haul her into a sitting position as he scanned her face. Devastation and rage lay in his own. Did he know? That she had screamed for him, knowing he'd come... That she'd done it to save him?

Rhys only ordered him, "Get back in line. The soldiers need you there."

Cassian bared his teeth. "What the hell can we do against that?"

"I'm going in," Az said.

"No," Rhys snapped. But Azriel was spreading his wings, the sunlight so stark on the new, slashing scars down the membrane.

"Chain me to a tree, Rhys," Azriel told him softly. "Go ahead." He began checking the buckles on his weapons. "I'll rip it out of the ground and fly with it on my damned back."

Rhys just stared at him- the wings. Then the decimated Illyrian forces.

I stood and looked out at the battle ahead. It looked so much worse standing up.

Hybern's sheer size was beginning to push us back- overwhelm us.

There was another horn, then. I knew it did not belong to any ally. Just as I knew Hybern had not only picked this battlefield for its physical advantages, but geographical ones.

Because toward the sea, sailing out of the west, out of Hybern-

An armada appeared.

So many ships. All teeming with soldiers.

I caught the look between Cassian, Azriel, and Rhys as they beheld the other army sailing in at our backs.

Not another army. The rest of Hybern's army.

We were trapped between them.

Aelin swore. "We might need to run, Rhysand. Before they make landfall."

We could not fight both armies. Couldn't even fight one.

"Azriel," Rhys said quietly. Hoarsely. "You lead the remaining Illyrians on the northern flank." Guilt- guilt and fear rippled in my Rhys' eyes at the command. Knowing that Azriel was not fully healed-

That armada sailed nearer. Hybern, sensing their reinforcements were soon to make landfall, cheered and pushed. Hard. So hard the Illyrian lines buckled.

Rhys watched him for a moment, throat bobbing, before he said, "Cassian, you take the southern flank."

Hybern's armada sailed directly for the distant beach. The Weaver was already slowing in her death-dance, hindered by too many enemies. Bryaxis continued to shred through the lines, swaths of death in its wake. But it was still not enough.

Cassian said to Rhys, to Azriel, to Nesta, "I'll see you on the other side." I knew he didn't mean the battlefield.

His wings shifted, readying to lift him.