I didn't know the name of the Illyrian that flew away while laughing like a madman. All I could see was Elain. She was shivering in the harsh, freezing wind. My shadows were frozen in place. One wrong move and the love of my life would fall into a cold, painful death. The pass she stood on was not wider than half of a meter. An even smaller path leading to where I stood.

"Im scared, Azriel" Elain whispered, barely audible against the hollowing winds.

My shadows snapped into motion at her words. Looking for a way to save her.

"Its going to be ok, Elain. You just have to trust me." While saying it, my shadows informed me that the only way for her to survive was to take the pass, that seemed too small to get a child to safety, and reach place where I waited, without falling.

If she would fall the winds roaming around her would stop me from reaching her in time to save her from a brutal death.

"Elain listen to me" I tried to keep my voice calm, to keep her from panicking. "I need you to walk slowly to me. I know it is scary, but you can do it."

She froze and looked at me with frightened eyes. Before she started shaking her head.

"Please, Elain. One step at a time." Even though I had no idea what to say, I knew I had to keep talking to distract her from the height.

With shaking legs she took the first step.

"Good. Now another one. Keep walking, Elain." I was praying that she wouldn't look down.

Step after step she made, coming closer to me. It was one of the hardest thing I had ever done to keep me from winnowing or flying towards her and just scoop her into my arms. But the pass wouldn't hold both of us and if I flew next to her the wind my wings would cause could make her fall down.

My heart stopped for a second when her next step was so shaking that she slipped. But she managed to regain balance again and I let out a shaky breath.

I swore to kill the group of Illyrians that did this to her. I would kill them and their families. I would make them watch as I killed their families and kill them in the most painful way afterwards.

And everything just because she was a seer. Because she had these visions. I cursed the cauldron for the millionth time for gifting her with this ability.

She didn't even want it or tried to use to purposely. And still there were people hating her for what she was. Not even bothering to get all the facts. Just deciding that killing her would be the safest.

By now Elain had almost reached me, but her steps were so shaky that I began to doubt if her strength would hold long enough to get her to safety.

"Just a few more steps" I tried to encourage her. "There you go. Three more."

But just when I wanted to let out a relieved breath, because she had only two more steps to go, she slipped.

Her foot missed the path and she screamed in fear. I rushed forwards, trying to grap her arm and got a hold of her hand in the very last second.

I drew her into a bone crushing embrace and swore to never let her go again.

She wept silently in my arms, but it were tears of relief. I stoked her head, comforting her.

We stayed like that until the sun went down and we returned to Velaris.

Then I got Cassian and together we went hunting. The Illyrians responsible were never seen again.