Alayna
I paced back and forth, the sound of my heels clicking against the polished oak floor, breaking the deafening silence surrounding us. They should be back by now, I couldn't risk reaching out, couldn't risk distracting either of them, why did I let them go? I should have insisted I go with them. A rush of wind from the window across the room announced Alex's return,
"Where is he?" I demanded, hissing at him from across the room, keeping my voice quiet, the threat still plain for anyone to notice,
"On his way, he just doubled back to make sure we weren't followed." Alex quickly vanished his wings, ensuring anyone arriving wouldn't see them. I folded my arms across my chest, leaning against the wall, staring at the window. "He's fine, Ally." I nodded, not tearing my gaze from the window, not until a green glow lit up the sky outside.
In that moment I couldn't think about anything else, I kicked off my heels, my wings rippling outwards unbidden as my dress melted into my fighting leathers. I sprinted across the room, not hearing anyone's warnings as I tucked my wings close to my body and threw myself out of the window, scanning around me as I fell into a dive, snapping my wings out inches before I struck the ground. Flames lit up the sky, battering a shield of green light as my mate shielded the city. Alone. He was alone up there, they'd waited for him to be alone. Anger rippled through me as I dropped the glamour, allowing the full extent of my power to radiate outwards. Shouts from behind me told me that all who could fly had followed me outside.
Ally! Get somewhere safe!
Connor's voice in my mind was strained, tired as his siphons glared bright, the green joined by blues and reds as my cousins and uncles threw him their support. I ignored the flames striking towards me, flapping my wings once and barreling towards him, darkness slamming through the flame blocking my path, my fear for Connor overwhelming my fear of the flames. I almost shot straight past him, but a hand gripped my forearm, bringing me into a tight spin around him as he pulled me into his chest.
They're here.
Connor couldn't even bear to admit that out loud, even as the flames struck for us again. The revelation hit me harder than any blow and my wings faltered and I would have fallen had he not wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me as even my wings went limp for a moment.
Regaining my composure I pulled myself out of his arms,
Then let's show them the might of the Night Court.
I scanned the air, forcing myself to look past the shields desperately protecting Thesan's palace, and found the center of that flame. It hovered around someone, no, not someone, I knew that female. Female, it wasn't Aaron, but that didn't mean he wasn't here. I shot towards her, leaving the others to protect the palace, and everyone inside it. I raced upwards, catching an updraft as I shot above the flames, spreading my wings wide, surveying the commotion below, an angel of death hovering over a battlefield.
All magic stopped as I hovered, unmoving, feeling the attention of that flames center on me.
Get inside.
I reached out to Connor and Alex simultaneously, watching to see them both getting our court under cover, back inside the palace before throwing up my own shield. Flame arced towards me, and I fought the panic threatening to take over, a calming presence on the other side of my shields pulled me back just in time to throw up a shield to take the hit. Flame. That was flame shooting through the sky. The same flame that I had endured for a decade. I fought the instinct to fly in the opposite direction and forced myself to smile as the fire died down, and allowed my voice to ring out as I knew members of all seven courts were watching this unfold.
"Fool. Fool to attack now. Fool to attack knowing I am here. Fool to attack me at midnight." Golden hair flickered as she tossed her head, laughing,
"Oh really? It being night doesn't give you any power." Oh, how wrong she was, I allowed her to approach, flapping her stolen wings as she rode the wind, inexpertly at best, climbing to reach me, high above the world. I remained still, even my wings motionless as I allowed the winds to support me. "It seemed fitting, to attack the heir of Night at midnight."
"You forget one thing." She always underestimated me, even when my power was weakened she had underestimated me, had given me my chance to run.
"Oh?"
"I am Night." The darkness around her solidified, shredding her wings, returning them to the warrior who had died to protect me, her screams of terror resonating through the night sky. I let her fall, only tucking in my wings to dive after her as the flames guttered and died. I swept into her, feeling the breath get knocked out of her as I pulled her towards that same window, ignoring her kicking and screaming as I swept into the room. The room at the center of the Night Court's apartments was full of angry glares as the female tumbled into the room, with me landing soundlessly a moment later.
A silent presence at my side appeared moments later, an arm wrapping loosely around my waist,
Are you okay, Stardust?
No. Not really.
I leaned into Connor's side, his scent surrounding me, grounding me to the present,
I've got you.
No one moved as she struggled to rise, pulling herself to her feet with what dignity she could muster. Glaring towards me, her indignation changing to something like, was that fear? As I smirked, letting the mask of arrogance fall across my features as I schooled my voice into a bored drawl,
"Where is he?" No answer, "I would suggest not boring me."
"Not here." I rolled my eyes,
"No shit, where is he then?"
"What, the all powerful Heir of Night can't find him?"
"Easily, but it would be quicker if you just told me." I smiled and added as an afterthought, "And less painful. For you." She snapped up her weak mental defenses, "Too late for that." True fear flashed through her eyes, "Need I continue?"
"He-He-Autumn. Please, I don't know his plans."
"I'll be the judge of that." She whimpered as I held her mind loosely, "Oh stop looking so terrified, I'm not killing you, not yet anyway." I dropped her mind and she sank to the floor, shaking slightly. It was a good job I hadn't wanted to hurt her, "Someone deal with her," I crossed the room and sank into the chair waiting there as Natty carried her out of the room, returning a few minutes later.
We sat in silence for a few moments, and I allowed the mask to slip, my wings drooping behind me as I mulled over that tiny piece of information I had gotten from her,
"She doesn't know his plans." Cassian groaned audibly at my admission,
"So we're back at square one?" He looked to me, expecting more,
"That's it, she doesn't know anything, but we're not exactly at square one. We know that it's him, and we know what, who, he wants." I paused to ensure everyone understood,
"He can't have you." Connor left his post leaning against the window frame to perch on the arm of my chair, a hand resting on my shoulder, gently rubbing away the tension there. "But I'd be very surprised if anyone refuses to help now." I grunted in response, numerous scenarios running through my head, far too many ending in death or destruction, "Hey, that's not happening. Not on my watch." I rolled my eyes, "Seriously, all of those plans rely on you flying straight into danger alone, and that's not happening."
"Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow, the instinct to do the opposite of what I was told too strong to ignore,
"Mhmm, you'll always have at least me, anyway." He squeezed my shoulder, almost dragging a groan out of my throat as the tension released suddenly.
"Everyone get some sleep, we can plan in the morning, when we're less tired, and well-rested." My father, somehow the voice of reason, was right, we'd never get anywhere in our current states, and I felt my own eyelids drooping as I fought the tiredness rising within me, Connor's low chuckle behind me reawakening me,
"Come on then, Stardust, you're half asleep already." I didn't complain as he swept me out of the chair, carrying me to our bedroom, my wings almost dragging along the floor. I woke fully just long enough to slip out of my leathers and into one of Connor's spare shirts discarded on the dresser, too tired to bother finding one of my nightgowns as I snuggled into his side, resting my head on his shoulder, not quite noticing as he tucked the hair behind my ear, holding me tight against him as I drifted off to sleep.