I Will Find You

Part III

P A R T I I I

finale

1. NOUN

the last and often climactic event or item in a sequence

"As we arrive at the end of our tale, so begins the finale."

Song: The Great Wide Open (REPRISE) - Trent Reznor

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The same day Bryce had arrived Rhysand and Feyre wasted no time in making the decision that all willing Valkyrie would fight in the battle. To Azriel's surprise and horror, every single priestess and trainee had accepted the mission. Not a single female had said no. The Illyrian females who had been training with them were integrated into the Valkyrie unit as the males of the Windhaven war-camp were less likely to accommodate their presence among their ranks.

At the end of the night, after all the proper steps had been taken, Rhysand had named the leaders of the Valkyrie unit. Nesta was serving as Valkyrie Commander, Emerie as Valkyrie General and Gwyn as Valkyrie Captain. They had each been sworn in at the temple in the House of Wind, and while Azriel had made a valiant effort to match Gwyn's enthusiasm, his stomach had churned. Gwyn as Valkyrie Captain. Valkyrie Spymaster was much more appealing as it gave her no place in the battle – not technically.

The other High Lords acted with haste, attending a summit hosted in the Night Court the following day, where each ruler revealed the preparations they had been making over the past six and a half months.

Helion had offered up twenty pegasi for the Valkyrie unit. When Rhysand and Feyre asked Azriel and Cassian who the most skilled Valkyrie was on horseback, it had pained the spymaster to say the words: 'Gwyneth Berdara is our most accomplished on horseback. She's got the reach to wield a spear.' The High Lord and Lady of Night must have felt his mounting anxiety because they offered sympathetic nods before declaring to those present that Gwyn would lead the airborne Valkyrie unit.

It should have been a joyous day. This was the most effortless uniting of Courts that Prythian had ever seen. Tamlin had stepped up to lead Spring's troops, not questioning Feyre or Rhysand's account of Bryce's events once. Beron had not argued in collaborating with Thesan on helping to forge weapons for their joined forces. Kallias and Viviane had agreed to fight alongside their men, providing additional power with their joined magic. Tarquin had gone so far as to not only offer his troops, but to supply rations for their armies. Even Keir had agreed to provide his Darkbringers without hesitation.

Feyre and Rhysand had promised both Illyrian and Valkyrie units – the latter of which, despite their inexperience, would fight alongside the other ranks.

Azriel realized that he was the chink in the chain then. As soon as this meeting was dismissed, he intended to confront his High Lord and Lady. The Valkyrie were not ready for combat. If they were to be placed on the battlefield, they should be offered as emergency reinforcements only. He didn't allow himself the opportunity to consider that he was just being protective, instead rehearsing the upcoming confrontation with his brother and sister-in-law in his head.

Eventually the meeting was adjourned with plans for everyone to reconvene tomorrow at the Illyrian Steppes. If their Courts hadn't been making preparations for the past six months, none of this would have been possible. They would've met tomorrow with no strategy, no rations and no time to have said their goodbyes.

Azriel wanted to feel relieved at how quickly their plans had come together. He wanted to feel comforted by the arrangements they had made in just six hours. But he couldn't. Because tomorrow they would meet Bryce Quinlan and go to war and people would die. There was no question.