Chapter 34

Cassian's POV
I was sitting in one of the foyers of the House of the Wind. These past couple of weeks have been hard, on all of us, especially Rhys. After Hybern shredded my wings, and almost killed Azriel, we both got stuck here. Rhys ordered us to stay put, he even used his high lord voice when he found out I was trying to fly too early. ''Here'' Azriel said, handing me a glass of brandy. If Rhys was making us stay put, then we could at least help ourselves to his best alcohol. Azriel sank in the chair in front of mine, staring into the fire. He's been doing it quite a lot recently, his shadows swirling around him frantically. He was restless there was no doubt about it, he wasn't the only one. With Mor going back and forth between the court of nightmares, Amren tried to translate the entire book and Rhys having taken over some of Azriel's tasks. We both were restless, even with the light training we just couldn't rest. ''Tell me about Briar during the war'' Azriel said, his voice thick just thinking about her. ''Well, I already told you guys most of what we went through'' I said thinking, ''She was terrific on the battlefield, but nothing like she was with her team or her troops in general. The way she is now isn't what she was like back then. I don't think she ever left the frontlines, she was right out terrifying sometimes''. He looked at me, questions in his eyes before I continued. ''I had seen her fall like that twice before when she fell at the battle for Velaris. She sacrifices herself way too much, I don't think I can count how many times she did that. One of the worst ones was right in the time that Rhys was captured before she disappeared.'' I said, reminiscing on that battle. I could almost feel the blood and mud caked on my hands and armour.

Flashback 6 years into the war

Rhysand was captured, I had just gotten the lists from the front at Rask where he had been stationed. I was currently deep in thought while flying the Black Sands' show, the general had called for help. We would arrive at noon or so when the battle would already be going one. I hope Bri was still okay, as we flew as quick as we could. When we finally got to the battlefield, it was already a slaughter. Barely any magic was used, it was clear that most had already depleted their magic reserves. We had our orders, and we attack right away. I don't know how long we were fighting as I once again got lost in the killing calm. Slashing left and right, shooting power blasts and dodging attacks. I was shaken from it when a scream ripped through the area, a ripple of power went over the field. ''No, Briar don't'' Blake screamed, I recognized his voice immediately. My eyes searching for her, she always did this, the rage was building in me. First, Rhysand sacrificed himself as he always does, Briar is the exact same. I saw her running up to the new Black Sands general, A high lord, her left fist catching fire before she hit him. I felt an arrow hit my back. Shit, I lost focus. I began fighting back again, losing track of time one more.

All I wanted to do was to fly down and assist Bri, before, of course killing her myself for once again being reckless. I couldn't lose her too, with Rhys capture, Mor being somewhere with the human queens, and Azriel was the mother only knows where. A drum sounded the same time lightning came down, they were retreating. The only people still on the battlefield were flying through the air, Briar, the Black sands general and his commanders. ''Cassian, Retreat, Now!'' my own commander bellowed at me as I was still staying in a place near the battle between the four of them. ''I got him'' Blake called out pulling my arm, ''come on you can stay with us''. I tried to pull my arm from his grip, wanting to get closer. ''Cassian she commanded us to stay put, Emma and Jack are coordinating everything back at camp, I and the others are waiting till their fight is finished''.

I nodded, stopping my fighting, looking back at the battle now, where Briar wielded her twin swords. One of the commanders laid near us, bleeding out. ''Get him to one of the tents, I want to interrogate him'' blake said to one of his men. ''her magic is low'' I said, concerned for my friend, ''she's slowing down''. Briar was breathing hard, with a long gash running down her leg. The general and his remaining commander were ganging up on her. I couldn't look, not without running into the battle myself. She screamed in pain, as the general hit her again.

I looked again seeing her on her knees a rapier through her arm. A gust of wind came over the field, knocking us over and blowing the two enemies away. As Briar ran to them beheading the commander. The General and her began to circle each other once again. Attacking and dodging, it went on and on, I couldn't do a thing as he hit her again and again. Blake had put a hand on my shoulder, signalling that both of us were feeling the same. At some point, she got the upper hand again and slashed him down. The moment the general collapsed some men ran forward taking him into custody, Briar just stood there for a few minutes before swaying and collapsing herself. ''Bri'' I shouted running ahead, feeling for a pulse. I picked her up I could barely feel a one. ''Cassian how is she'' Blake asked. I shook my head, not being able to speak as her heart rate kept dropping. I took off running, not having the energy to fly with someone in my arms, She wasn't openly bleeding out so there must be internal wounds.

''That was one of the worst days of the war for me, even if those final months were harder. It felt as if I was losing another person I loved. It didn't happen that day, but she did end up disappearing anyway'' I finished. ''How did that happen?'' Azriel asked. ''I just know that she got a letter of some other high ranking officer, probably a high lord or something, she was the one that got Jurian to lure Amarantha away. I just don't know who she was sent to save, it could have been Rhysand, but who knows, there were several other high lords sons and important fae stuck in the enemy hands. Beron's brother could have easily been her target. I remember when her team got back, Emma had to keep Blake from winnowing back he was really fighting her screaming incoherently'' I said thinking back to my old friend's frantic actions that day. We were quiet after that, neither of us really wanting to think about what was going to come. The war 500 years ago was hard enough, and now we were going through it again.

The door flew open, Mor ran in out of breath as if she had sprinted here all the way from the court of nightmares. A letter in her hand. ''They have been spotted'' She shouted. Azriel and I sprung into action. ''Who, where'' Azriel asked. ''Feyre, Vivian sent me a letter saying Beron's sons are going after her, she said one was carrying another girl'' Mor answered regaining her breath. ''We are going, Now'' I said, both Azriel and I were in our leathers anyway. Azriel nodded, and we rushed outside, from where we launched into the air. Mor sent a message to Rhys in the mortal lands, while we winnowed to the winter court's border where Mor would remain. Azriel and I rushed to our high ladies aid.