Hey readers sorry for taking so long to update this story and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I think I am nearing the end, thanks to all of you that have been following along.
All characters belong to the wonderful Sarah J Maas
Feyre POV
I woke up today feeling awful, not morning sickness just knowing that they would all be going today to the human realm. Without me Azriel had been stalking Eris for a few days now and was confident that he could get them in. I really wanted to go with them, but I knew it was to dangerous, for me and the baby. I didn't think I would ever be able to forgive myself if something went wrong, so I watched as they all started to strap on their weapons.
I climbed out of bed, Rhys' side was already cold, he was probably out getting ready or brooding somewhere. I got up and dressed quickly, I found everyone getting ready downstairs.
The mood was tense except for Cassian of course, Nesta didn't exactly think that he was being funny which just seemed to fuel him. They had officially gotten together after that night when they left the dinner table and it was still a wonder how Cassian was still alive.
Nesta was currently struggling to clip on a weapons belt and clearly didn't want to ask for help so Cassian was just watching her. Nesta started to turn redder and redder while Cassian's grin just grew wider and wider.
Nesta was about to give up when Cassian just stepped forward and clipped it and tightened it for her. He brought his lips down on Nesta and then Rhys groaned "get a room you two."
To which Cassian just said, "You're one to talk", and waggled his eyebrows at the two of us. "Oh, how the tables have turned." Nesta glared at him a little but couldn't hold it and she started laughing.
Rhys rolled his eyes and looked at me as if to say seriously and then I started laughing. I gave him a little peck on the lips and started moving away and he pouted. I grabbed his weapon belt and came back and strapped it around his waist. He wrapped his arms around me and just held me against him for a minute. "Do you need anything before we go?"
The fact that he was still thinking about me when he was about to go and risk his life, "I just need you to get home safe." He smiled down at me and kissed me once.
I pulled away to look into his eyes, as soon as I pulled away, he tried to reel me back in, but I wouldn't budge, "Feyre?"
"Do you promise you won't pull a Rhys?"
"A Rhys?"
"You know the whole self sacrifice thing." I looked up into his eyes and found a lot of sadness in them.
"I'll try."
To which I just looked over at Cassian and, like he had once said to Rhys when we were going to Hybern he said, "With my life." I nodded at him and walked over and gave him a tight hug.
"Thank you, Cassian." I said into his chest, "and just so you know I will kill you if you don't come back."
"Don't worry I'll make sure he doesn't do anything to stupid." Nesta said from behind him. I went over to her and gave her a tight hug.
"I know I can always trust you to be the voice of reason."
"We'll be back before you know it."
There were a few tears in my eyes as I looked around and saw them already to go, of to battle again. I wondered if it would ever settle down.
Mor came up and hugged me tightly and then said, "alright everyone group hug." Everyone ran into the center of the room and wrapped themselves around us except for Amren who stood at the side of the room rolling her eyes. Cassian quickly took care of that though and dragged a protesting Amren into the circle.
We stood there for a minute and tears started flowing freely down my face, and as if on cue everyone left leaving just me and Rhys. He wiped away my tears gave me a small smile and a kiss. "I love you." He said putting his arms around me.
"I love you too." Then he was walking away. The sound of the door closing behind him.
I didn't really have any plans or things to do while they were gone. I kind of regret that now wishing I had something to distract me. I settled for getting to work on the monstrous pile of paperwork that had been building up in the office.
Nuala and Cerridwen came in a few times to bring me some tea and snacks and I appreciates the company. I knew it would still be hours till they got back so I just dove deeper into the work hoping to speed up time.
Rhys POV
I woke up this morning in a bad mood, Feyre was still asleep and I knew it had been hard for her to fall asleep last night holding on to me tightly, so I snuck out quietly. I went up to the roof to watch as Velaris woke up, lights slowly turning on, the sun coming up and people starting to open up. It helped soothe my nerves and helped me remember why I was going to leave my wife and soon to be child to go and risk my life.
For the place we both loved, after a while I went downstairs and put on my fighting leathers then we all met downstairs gathering out last few things. Feyre came down we said goodbye and then we were on our way.
I winnowed Cassian, Nesta and Elain while Mor had Az and Amren, we landed in the woods a few kilometers away from where the base was. Kallias, Tarquin and Varian were already there with a few others I didn't know. Amren strolled right up to Varian as soon as she noticed him and gave him a smile, I wasn't even aware she was capable of.
I strolled over after her to go and talk to the other high lords, it was strange to work with them, I was used to not trusting anyone outside of the court of dreams especially not other high lords. Now there were two waiting to help us out.
I walked up said a quick hello and then we got to work. We had a lot of powerful people with us, so we were planning to sneak in and once we were past their security to wipe them out. We would wait till nightfall go through a whole in the security that Az found then we would look for Kier and Eris and try to take them out first and, in the chaos, we could handle the rest.
While we wait for night fall, we had planned to go over the details Az had been able to get a rough idea of the layout inside the building and we were still deciding who would go where. Apparently Amren and Varian had other plans for what they were going to do until nighttime. They had snuck of and we could distantly hear them from where we were siting.
It was a good thing that we had decided to stay this far away from the base especially if they were just getting started out there. Suddenly the noise was gone, and I looked over to see Kallias smirking and I could feel his power radiating around us creating a sound barrier. "Sorry I didn't think I could take that much longer."
Cassian came up to Kallias and asked, "could you do that every time Varian visits."
Tarquin chimed in and said, "does that mean I should be nervous for when Amren comes to visit my court."
To that I said, "It's no worse than having Cassian around." To which Tarquin gave an awkward laugh, "too soon huh."
"It was one building." I heard Cassian calling.
"Well maybe I'll let you into my court one day, but you'll have to supervised." We all laughed at this.
"He seems to be closely supervised these days, Nesta by the way you've been doing a fantastic job." Mor commented.
Nesta rolled her eyes but made no move to contradict Mor, Cassian wrapped his arms around Nesta and said, "I agree she is doing a great job". With a kiss to her forehead.
We all laughed and sat down at a table and chairs that Tarquin had winnowed in, and we got back to work. Our first decision was to not split up Amren and Varian not wanting to split them up. We worked for a few hours and joked around occasionally to break the tension that would build.
I looked around the table and I was suddenly very glad that I had all these people that I could call on. Amren and talked to Varian and it hadn't taken long for him to talk to Tarquin and for him to be willing to help, and Mor talked to Viviane who talked to Kallias and it wasn't long till he said he would aid us. Their courts being right next to the autumn court help us spy and track Eris' movements. Tamlin and Beron were now the only two high lords that I wouldn't like to work with, everyone else I wish I had worked with sooner. I could especially see myself working closely with Tarquin because we had so many of the same ideas.
Cassian POV
It was nice to have Nesta this close to me, finally after so long of trying and endless arguing we were finally here and about get into something that we likely all wouldn't survive. Apparently, this is the only way to get Nesta to want to be around me. I remember when we were fighting Hybern and her screaming. It was still in my nightmares and would probably for a long time still. When she had decided to come with it had almost crushed me, I was hoping I could convince her to stay with Feyre but I wouldn't make her. So now I held her watching the sun creep closer to the horizon and begging it to slow down.
"Hey Cassian, do you think we are going to win this?" Nesta asked burrowed into my chest.
"I think we have a good chance, especially with your wrath on our side."
"Really" she said glaring but only half heartedly.
I shoved some bread in her mouth, "really" she said again but it sounded all muffled with the bread she hadn't swallowed.
"Don't you know it's rude to talk with your mouth full." So, she took a massive piece of bread and shoved it in my mouth.
"Wow you have a big mouth." She said. I laughed and swallowed the bread. Then I gave her a big kiss and knocked her over onto the grass. I was propped over her on my elbows trying my best not to crush her.
"I'm tempted to take you into the woods now."
She laughed and said "don't you dare Cassian I laughed and started nestling in her neck leaving kisses from he jaws to her collarbone.
"Have I ever told you how great you look in these fighting leathers?" I asked.
"No, why, how good do I look in these?" she said with a radiant smile.
"Well not quite as good as you look without them but a close enough second." She gave me a little shove so I rolled over and pulled her on top of me, just to see what she would do. I was not disappointed as she started kissing her way down my neck.
"Maybe I should let you take me into those woods."
I think our chance is over seems like everyone is getting ready to go, and it was like a bucket of ice had been dumped on both of us as we looked up and saw everyone starting to gather their things.
She stood up and offered her arm I took but to try and get rid of the lines now marking her forehead I didn't move a muscle to help her pull me up. "You know you do have all these muscles for a reason."
I pulled her back down against me and said, "I know I'm just not ready to go yet."
So, we sat for another minute before Rhys came over and told us we should get ready. So, we got up and started re strapping on our gear. This time she just handed me her belt instead of trying to put it on herself. I buckled it tightened it and then we went to go and join the others.
