Disclaimer: I do not own the Throne of Glass series or any of the wonderful characters and stories told by the lovely Sarah J. Maas.

Summary: "I wanted to go to Perranth with you." EOS Chapter 57 again and again from the Cadre POVs. Because the Cadre and Elorcan are a beautiful thing.

A/N: Hello! I'm new to the Throne of Glass fandom, but am completely wrecked over Elorcan. And Empire of Storms. This scene in particular I continually think about so I decided to crawl inside their heads for awhile. Thanks for joining :)

[Gavriel]

Lorcan was distracted.

That was the only explanation for how he hadn't noticed me sitting where I was. Or apparently Fenrys. I sank down lower among the grasses and prepared to attack. A quick nod from Fenrys said he was ready.

After Aelin had annihilated the ilken, Lorcan's presence took immediate precedence, Maeve's order tugged against our minds, demanding action. He was close. He had sent the warning. We couldn't ignore it any longer. I looked at Fenrys and he had nodded. He also knew Lorcan was close. It didn't matter if he was here to help or not. We quietly took our leave out into the marshlands.

Lorcan had always been the best of us. Focused on the mission, perhaps to a fault. To have him distracted now was- unthinkable.

He had a human with him, and a question briefly flickered as Aedion's face flashed, but I quickly buried it. I refocused on the kill order. Maeve's order was all that mattered and I let it consume me. I slowly raised up from my hunched legs and prepared to leap once Lorcan crested the next mound.

My eyes raised. A girl screamed. And Lorcan turned away. To her.

That look mattered, but it didn't negate my orders. I leaped. Claws out and teeth bared. Lorcan finally seemed to get the idea and grabbed his knife as we both went down.

I was reminded why Lorcan was the best with his reaction and quick draw. Fenrys and I had the advantage, but Lorcan wasn't going down without a fight. It would take both of us.

Fenrys made his move and I was surprised to feel the tug of my heart. If not quite loss, then bitterness in this ending. My jaws snapped together and I growled low and deep, drawing Lorcan's full attention my way as he turned to face me. Fenrys leaped for his exposed back.

None of us anticipated it. It should have ended there, but the girl came out of nowhere. Without even pausing, she jumped between Fenrys and Lorcan. Between three fae warriors, this human child showed no fear. I heard the flesh rip and bone break and watched as blood fell. Too much blood. Too much bone. Pushing Lorcan off balance, the girl fell, Fenrys rolled to the ground, and I- I just stopped.

Because Locran's face twisted into a look that in centuries I've never seen him make. Fear. Aedion's mother flashed into my head for the barest moment and I shook the image away. Fenrys hadn't pulled back. His attack hadn't been stopped, only deflected by this human stranger. Lorcan howled as they fell and I felt magic pulse as his barrier slammed into place.

The arm was shattered. Fenrys must have hit an artery as I watched her blood pool onto Lorcan's chest. The girl wasn't going to survive this. I could tell that Lorcan knew. Because even as his face twisted into wrath and he yelled death upon us I saw the terror and fear in his eyes. The resignation and uncertainty flickering.

Who was this girl?

I saw Rowan running towards us and was sure my shock was reflected in his eyes. Fenrys eyes showed their own story as they remained locked on the human, even as he shifted back from wolf to fae and he stepped forward with his hands raised.

"ElideElideElide," I heard Lorcan say as she struggled to remain conscious, and my shock turned to pity as I recognized what Lorcan was about to lose. My fists clenched.

"Lorcan, we were ordered," Fenrys voice had a whine to it as his chest rapidly rose and fell, "we can't fight against the command much longer, Lorcan-"

I interrupted, "Put the shield down," while shooting Fenrys a look to back up. He gratefully complied.

Locran acted like he couldn't hear me, but I know he did. He had turned away from us and was gripping the girl's face, keeping her attention on him.

"I can heal the girl," I found myself saying, "let her get away." It was the best I could offer. Lorcan looked away from her and stared at me.

The girl let loose a scream of agony and Lorcan's attention snapped back to her, pulling her attention away from the arm. But her energy was flagging, she was submitting to the pain, going quiet and settling as the blood flowed freely from her arm, caking his chest and the ground around them. I watched the panic in Lorcan's eyes recede and his focused mask reset.

"You heal her and then we continue."

I heard her whispered 'no' as Lorcan dropped the shield, his eyes remaining on her. I wanted to go to Perranth with you.

Honor and sacrifice for a girl stranger. Who was she? I found it didn't matter as his shields fell and I reached forward. The girl would live.

Next Chapter: Fenrys