Crescent city, court of starlight and wildfire

Part 12

"Woah calm down we can't just waltz in and kill him, he's a High Lord" Feyre tried to reason with the visitors.

"Well I'm a queen so I'll do it" Aelin piped in

"Not so fast Aelin I'm the Crochan witch queen so I get to do it," Manon retorted

"NO CARES ABOUT YOUR WITCHY TITLE I WANT TO DO IT!"

Feyre couldn't believe two queens were fighting over who got to kill a High Lord. Watching the argument unfold like children, eventually they agreed to kill him together.

~

The rest of the day was spent with Rhysand, Cassian, Rowan and Hunt informing the Illyrians about the upcoming war while the ladies and leftover men went over battle strategies and studied the spring court for any weaknesses. By the time night fell Feyre could barely walk to her bed as exhaustion crept into her body.

Feyre was woken by very impatient banging on her door. "What is it?" she opened

the door to see Cassian

"Nesta's here and she wants to see you."

She grabbed a simple dress and walked to the library. Feyre wasn't even sure if Nesta was even in the library but she guessed and when she opened the door and saw her older sister sitting there she sighed with relief knowing Nesta hadn't changed that much.

"Feyre I have news in the upcoming war with Tamlin, Elain had a vision she saw black eyes and felt despair when suddenly the light was so bright it almost blinded her"

"Oh lord, is she ok?"

"She's resting the vision to a lot of energy and her eyes are still sore, that is why I gave you the message"

Feyre felt slight disappointment bloom in her heart her sister wasn't here for her she was only a messenger.

After Nesta left Feyre sat down on an armchair and thought over the vision until Fenrys tapped her shoulder

"Feyre dinner is ready"

"Thank you Fenrys" she got up and followed Fenrys to the dining room. Dinner was uneventful but that was what worried Feyre as everyone knew war was brewing and they didn't know who and how many were going to live but no one said anything. All that was needed to tell the sombre mood was the sorrow and dread in all of their eyes.

Bryce hates the calm before the storm. Feyre explained the vision her sister had but it didn't lift the mood. Bryce tried to fall asleep in Hunt's arms but she couldn't stop thinking of war. Sure she had been in battle and hell she fought Hell but that was only a battle not a full-on war. She didn't know what Hunt must have felt figuring in that war long ago, even before any death had begun she felt guilty like there was another way to do this but Bryce knew to win she needed to put aside her feelings and kill that tool.

Manon was on the roof staring at the sky and the constellations so different from the ones that brought her comfort. Manon couldn't sleep because something was nagging in her gut, something she couldn't pinpoint and it was driving her mad. Footsteps made Manon come back out of her thoughts.

"Couldn't sleep either?"

"Not for the reason you think Bryce,"

"Oh, how are you ok with killing innocents,"

"Because I have watched men destroy everything beautiful in their path and not bat an eyelid. I have watched men be so blinded by power that they corrupt the very foundation in which their kingdoms are helped up. Men never realised what women could do. They turned away from powerful women and ridiculed them but when they attacked back they were pinned as evil and a danger to their lives. I used to kill men without thinking twice but now I know the difference between a man and a male, but Bryce remembers when the person in power is corrupt it leaks into the civilisation, that man they call a High Lord corrupted their view on women so much they won't be fighting in this war. So when you're fighting in that battle remember that those men have been corrupted by the man they think is perfect."

"Thank you, Manon" was all Bryce said as she turned and left but Manon knew Bryce would sleep tonight and a little part of her heart was happy for her that she could help find temporary peace.

~

The whole house shook and shook as Rhysand ran around alerting everyone. The house wouldn't stop shaking, as Rhysand winnowed the last people to the nearby mountain they noticed all of Velaris getting smothered by darkness.

"Rhysand you must winnow us to the Illyrian camps to get armour and alert the troops the war is here and we don't have long until Tamlin arrives with his army" Aelin shook Rhysand but he barely registered her existence as he watched his city defenceless against the darkness.