Wingless Illyrian

Part twenty

She could feel the electricity in the air, making her blood thum with need to join the storm. The camp was filled with its usual song of noise. In the distance she could hear the clashing of swords in the rings.

"What do you think a woman like you is doing in those leathers?" She spun at the snarling voice, reaching to the empty space at her side were her sword used to hang.

"Watch what you say." She snarled back. The male immediately grew wide, stepping back in horror.

"The little warrior has returned." His lips upturned into a smile. "How we've missed you. Killian will love to hear how you've decided to show your face again. We all thought you died, but him."

"Who," she didn't get to finish before he responded.

"I'm wounded that you forgot me princess."

"Marshall," she whispered. He tugged her into his arms, not noticing her wincing.

"The competition has been boring without you. I've been growing tired of winning every spar." A small smile tugged at her lips in remembrance.

"Lets hope that you've been practicing then." A spark grew inside her, the competitiveness between them. Maybe she would be better living at the camps again.

She dragged him to a less occupied portion of the camp, on the opposite side of the training rings where Killian was said to be practicing. He had collected two wooden swords from the boys training grounds before meeting her not questioning why she wasn't carrying any weaponry. Especially as, in her time at the camp, she had always been armed to the teeth with hidden blades.

They practiced for hours, the swords striking and pulling back. The muscles in her arms screaming in pain and yet she continued on, forcing the thought out of her mind and back into its calm focus.

The storm clouds above their heads grew darker as she loosened her control.

Marshall signalled for them to stop, stepping away from her and dropping the sword.

"Keena, just let go. Whatever that is holding you back, just let it go."

Her eyes held his as she released her breath, and with in the storm started. Crashes of thunder shook the ground, tearing through the grass and vegetation. The pouring rain drenched the already muddy undergrowth. The sky was alight in flashes of lightning that left scorches in its wake. And at the center of the storm was Keena. Her hair standing on end from the static in the air. Her eyes dancing with life.

Marshall watched in awe as she released everything that had been building up. It was stronger than anything he had ever seen from her. Stronger than he has seen from his high lord.

He felt others joining him, not daring to step closer than the invisible line they had drawn.

"Keena?" He didn't need to see Killian to know he had joined. The air had shifted around them, the storm surging to meet its master.

A single bolt of lightning shot from the sky, brighter than anyone had ever seen. And closer than any wished to be.

A second later, Keena was struck. Glowing with the power of the storm in her eyes. Lightning crackling at her fingertips before her collapsed.

----

Azriel had been watching Keena from the shadows. His spies had been sent around the continent to gather any and all information they would while he watching the child. Despite his abrupt departure that night, he knew that it wasn't his shadows that haunted her. Yet it hurt him that he had been the cause of that waking nightmare.

He shouldn't have been surprised that she was able to winnow herself to the camp, her strength had grown, despite its disuse.

The storm had been brewing long before her arrival, but what was meant to come hours later, was now upon them. And with a strength fuelled by the mother.

He had managed to send word to Rhysand to retrieve Cassian and send him to Windhaven before the darkness was upon them.

He wouldn't have been surprised if the radius of the storm had reached Cassian already.

----

Cassian arrived at Windhaven to see all the Illyrians gathered in circles with their backs to a scorched patch of ground. The best of the warriors were on the outside with their swords drawn at their side. The inner-most ring had the females, looking more determined than most of the men.

"What is going on Devlon?" The camp lord signalled to the warriors, some taking longer than others to move aside.

"I didn't know she was here. She lost control, more power inside of her than you ever could have imagined."

"Is she okay?" Cassian was breathless, the air stolen from his lungs. He had just got her back again.

"Marshall says she looks better now than when she arrived. My son and the Spymaster refuse to leave her side."

"If we could have some privacy, I doubt she would want all of you standing over her." He ordered, using all of his strength to summon the general her was trained to be. The lord nodded before stepping away, followed by the males and females, sheathing their weapons.

Cassian had expected her to be asleep, or passed out, when he reached her. Not growing patches of flowers in the charred earth. She looked like she was herself again, the same young girl he'd adopted from the cottage.

"Keena?" He said hesitantly.

"Hi dad," she refused to lift her gaze from the blood-red flower.

"Are you okay?"

"I feel free."

"That's good, princess. Why don't we get you something to eat, maybe some rest?"

"Can we go to Rita's for dinner? With everyone." She looked at Azriel.

"Yeah, I'm sure everyone will love that."

"I missed the rain. I haven't felt it in so long."

The three illyrians shared an unsure glance before turning back to her.

They remained with her until the sun had set and Killian was dragged away for his patrol.

(A.N. sorry I disappeared for a bit. Im on Thanksgiving break now so I won't have class for the next week. I hope you all are doing well. It's starting to get cold where I live, meaning i'm constantly in sweatpants.
Thank you all so much for reading. Would love to hear y'all's input on how to make it all better.)