Night had fallen, and under the cover of the stars and the watchful eye of the moon, Rhysand, Brion, Azriel and Cassian flew towards the eastern part of the court, a few miles above the Court of Nightmares.
Brion watched as Azriel carried queen Vassa, his shadow magic blocking her from spying eyes, if they may be here. Brion's sharp eyes scanned the sky, searching for any irregularities or weird motions. But none to find.
"We're getting closer, I can sense it in my bones," Vassa said above the soaring wind. "I can feel it too," his father told everyone. Brion saw that his father looked at a little mountain range to his left. "We're gonna land there, so that Azriel can go check the surroundings." Azriel carefully placed Vassa in Cassian's arms and flew straight towards the place the cloud was last seen. Brion's heart always ached if one of them flew into danger.
"It'll be alright Brion, come." He followed his father and Cassian towards the range, his wings easily soaring over the cold air.
Two hours ago, Vassa had agreed to tag along, to check it out. "It's my duty, he's was my master, who's causing trouble. It's only fair if I help you all," she had said. Brion had winnowed upstairs immediately, to grab his Illyrian armor. It felt like a second skin as he pulled it on, every scale of black material hugging his bulking muscles. He sharpened his Illyrian daggers, which he strapped against his thighs, and the sword he carefully placed on his back, in between his mighty wings. He had said goodbye to his mom and sister and had taken the skies.
The starry sky was clear as always, and Brion stood next to his father, waiting for Azriel to give the signal that it was relatively safe for the high lord and heir to follow. "Can you feel it too?" Brion looked at his father, who stared over his territory. "Yes, it's like a weight pushing down on your body." Brion nodded, as his father said what he felt. Then, his father straightened, wings spread. "Let's go, Azriel gave the signal."
They flew further and further, till they reached the last mountain range that belonged to the Night court. Brion had never seen such a massive darkness before. His magic rumbled deep within him, begging to come out and destroy the lingering threat. But he held back. Cassian cursed violently, as they all took in the massive black cloud.
It wasn't much of a cloud, from up close. More like penetrating black darkness, with orange and red shimmering threads woven in it. It radiated such a heat that it pressed on Brion's head, causing a banging headache. But he shook the pain off of him and looked at his family. "What is this?" Cassian murmured. "I...I have no idea," Vassa said, defeated. Flapping winds from their right, and Azriel appeared. "There's no way we can fly in it. The heat is too much. It'll burn us." A flicker of starlight, and his father send his magic at it. It went straight through the black smoke. 'Nothing,' Rhys murmured. 'Well, we have to do something. We cannot just go home without answers.'
Brion flew from left to right, trying to get some information. 'Mmm, I wonder,' he murmured as he unstrapped his dagger from his muscular thigh. With a swift motion he threw the dagger into the darkness. Cassian's brows rose, but Brion ignored it, concentrated on the place he had thrown the dagger in. Although he couldn't see in the smoky material, he had a feeling...
Yes, he was correct, he thought, as his father dug and Brion winnowed behind Rhys to catch the dagger. 'What in the name of the cauldron...' Vassa murmured. Brion's eyes shot towards his father's. Rhys's eyes shone with understanding and intelligence. Brion just nodded slightly, before he turned towards the other's, who looked confused. 'The smoke is a living and breathing thing.'
~
'Concentrate Ciana, for goodness sake.'
A deep growl left her lips, as she willed the fire to make perfect circles, then, making the wind swirl through them like a thread. 'I am trying mom, if you would just shut up.' Aelin snarled. 'You've been out of it ever since you left Velaris. I understand you're worrying, but you cannot dwell in it. That's not how you learn to wield magic.' 'I know, mom,' Ciana said again, teeth bared. 'No, you clearly don't,' her mother snarled back. 'Stop, now.'
Ciana growled, letting her magic stop burning and blowing as she made a fist of her hand. 'What now?'
Aelin breathed in, and out. She had clearly irritated her mother, and if she was being honest, she'd be irritated with herself as well. Her mom had been training her, every single night. And the past week, she'd been distracted, made dumb mistakes. 'Sit,' her mother said, and Ciana flopped on the ground.
Her eyes scanned the clear night sky, feeling a bit closer than normal, now that she was sitting on the roof. Her mom placed herself next to her, sighing once more. 'Ciana, you have a big, fiercely loving heart, which is beautiful, yet difficult. It means you care about everything and everyone. The court of dreams feels like family, also to me, and I also worry about them.' Ciana looked into those wise eyes. 'But,' Aelin continued. 'That does not mean that life doesn't go on. It's good to care and love, but the worry you have for people, it cannot consume you, especially with someone as powerful as you. So, care and love, but don't let it control you, do not let the emotions control you. Your magic will ruin havoc.' Ciana let out a shuddering breath. 'You're ri-'
Before Ciana could answer properly, her mom shot a dagger of flames her way, and another, and another. Ciana was up her feet in a second, blocking them with shields of hard wind. Speers of blue flames tried to go through them, but Ciana wouldn't butch. 'Good,' her mother said, as she started to walk around her, circling her daughter. She shot balls of flame, daggers of heat and embers her way, and when her shields didn't stop enough, Ciana summoned a flaming sword and started to slice the flames of her mother. 'That's my daughter,' Aelin said with a wild sort of temper. And it unlocked that same temper in Ciana, as she attacked her mother now.
Two fire wielders danced over the rooftop, accompanied only by their power and love for one another. It was a sight to behold, Rowan thought as he stared at them through his bedroom window. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. 'Come in,' he answered. 'She has arrived, your majesty,' a servant declared. Rowan nodded and walked towards the door. The maid bowed and walked away. Rowan descended the stairs, walked towards the hallway, where her sharp and icy voice already sounded.
'Where's that bitch?'
'The bitch, is training her daughter.' Rowan muttered.
'No she's not, she's right here.'
Aelin walked towards the queen of the witches and pulled her into hug that would've crushed a human's bones. 'That's enough hugging,' Manon said sharply, which only made Aelin laugh.
'MANONNNNNNN.'
Ciana ran so fast that Manon couldn't do anything but catch her. Ciana squeezed her favorite witch tightly and placed a kiss on her pale cheek. Manon snarled, her iron teeth bared, which made Ciana make a vulgar gesture. 'You know you love my hugs, so don't act all indifferent to them.' Manon murmured something before she walked towards the living room, flopping in a chair, not waiting for the rest. 'Where's that beast of yours?' Aelin demanded to know as she followed the white haired witch. 'Probably sniffing your flowers or something, or eating a horse. Who knows with Abraxos.' Ciana snorted and flopped down next to Manon. 'How're the witches doing? I have to visit Bronwen soon, I miss her.' Manon flicked her wrist, exposing her iron nails, pulling the dirt from underneath them. 'I had to tell you, that she misses you as well. But that's not why I am here,' Manon said, all serious all of a sudden.
'Why did no one tell me you all have been visiting that damned court? I wanted to see that sexy High lord as well.' Aelin bursted out in laughter. 'I Wouldn't tell Feyre that.' 'I have eyes, guys. we can't deny he's hotter than the seven hells combined.' Rowan rolled his eyes, and Fenrys who just entered, snorted. 'He's okay, nothing special.' Manon's eyes almost popped out of her head, which made Ciana cackle. 'Oh, but there's someone else who's grown into a true stunner, isn't there, Ciana.' Aelin mentioned.
Ciana narrowed her eyes, but blushed a bit. 'Brion grew up to be...' Rowan coughed. 'He's very pleasing for the eyes, let's just say that,' Ciana stated. 'So, you'd definitely fuck him?' Manon asked bluntly, not minding Rowan at all, who turned wide eyed, staring at Ciana now. 'Oh, she'd pin him against the wall,' Aelin said. 'Mommmmmmm,' Ciana groaned in embarrassment.
Rowan sighed, shot pleading glances towards Fenrys to help him, but the bastard just shrugged. 'Can we just shut up about this, please?' 'What is the matter Rowan?' Manon began. 'Cannot handle the fact that your little girl ain't that little anymore? That she'd bang that winged male till she screams his na-' 'Oh god, can someone stop her,' Rowan moaned in pure agony. Ciana shot daggers at the witch, which Manon answered with a wink. 'Let's just...'
She couldn't finish her sentence, as a pain as sharp as a thousand knives shot through her abdomen. Ciana doubled over in pain, falling off the chair, screaming, truly screaming it out.
She heard her parents nearby, felt their worry, then a pair of strong arms that lifted her up the couch. She opened her eyes and shouted again and again and again. One word, one name. Pleading and afraid, she screamed, till her voice was raw.
Brion
Brion
Brion, oh god, no
~
They'd been circling the cloud for an hour now. Vassa didn't seem to recognize anything at all, which was a bummer in itself. But Brion knew it was a living, thinking thing. That it scanned them, saw them. He could feel it in his bones, his magic whispered it in his ears.
He and his father had been shooting their magic at it, trying to get any reaction, a break in the darkness. But Brion had never expected that reaction.
His father had shot a string of the deepest dark towards the hovering cloud, and it fell silent. Cassian cursed, readied himself to get Vassa out of there. Azriel went as still as his shadows, his magic rumbling. But it came so fast, so god damned fast and swift, that Rhysand didn't see it coming. But Brion, who had flown above the cloud, had seen. He was tumbling, diving, wings wrapped around him, towards his father. And as the seething hot red thread rolled out and slashed, it went straight through Brion.
'NOOOOO'
Rhys screamed, pure and profound fear shooting through his heart, as he dove towards his falling son. He flew faster than he'd ever flown before, while commanding Azriel to winnow Vassa home, right now. He didn't wait to see if the loyal Illyrian actually left him, because his violet gaze never left his son's. 'Brion,' he screamed, hand stretched out, as he neared. His eyes were closed, blood already flowing out of his shirt. 'No,' Rhys whispered, prayed. He dove once more, wings fast and unyielding as he went lower and lower. The ground, that relentless ground neared. But he had reached him, and Rhys grabbed his son, before winnowing towards the House of wind.
As he winnowed inside, carrying his badly wounded son, a hysterical cry echoed through the room. As soon as Rhys had placed Brion on the couch, mind linking Madja to come as quickly as was possible, his wife fell to her knees next to him. 'Brion, baby. Oh by the cauldron. Brion?' He placed a warm hand on her shoulder. 'Feyre,' he said calmly, or as calm as was possible. 'Feyre, look at me.' She did, and his heart broke. 'Darling, it'll be okay.' 'Who says that? He's bleeding Rhysand, bleeding a lot.' 'I know that,' he said as he pulled her close, and away from the couch, as Madja rushed inside, started to stop the blood from gushing out of him immediately. 'It has to be okay,' he whispered. Because he wouldn't know what his mate would do if Brion died. He didn't know what he'd do.....
~
Ciana crawled over the floor, groaning in pain. 'Brion,' she said hoarsely, tears streaming down. 'Brion,' she shrieked. She felt a pair of strong hands pulling her from the ground. 'Ciana, what are you doing?' 'I have to go, I have to go, I have to go,' she repeated, as if in a daze. 'You cannot go feeling like this.' 'Not mine, his. Not mine....'
She looked into a pair of worried green eyes, then her mother's. 'We'll come with you baby. We won't ket you endure this alone.' Rowan nodded, Manon stepping forward as well, her golden gaze pained. Ciana tried to breath as her mother drew the Wyrd marks with her blood.
As Aelin stepped through the portal, her daughter shaking in her boots, eyes glazed over with pain, she hoped her daughter wouldn't find her lover death, because then, then Aelin wouldn't know what Ciana would do.
Probably turn the city of dreams into a city of nightmares made flesh.
Hi guys!
It's been a while, sorry!
I had the idea and the outline for this chapter, but the words didn't flow on the paper how I wanted them. Until now.
If you liked this chapter, please like, vote, share and comment. I'd love to read them!
Bye for now,
Bente