Feyre
The Adriata Palace
The Summer Court
"Help Nesta. She's about to die!" Elain begged Eris as she clutched his hand, voice thick with fear. "Please, Eris. You need to stop it!"
Nesta's going to die? Feyre felt her world spin out from under her at Elain's sudden proclamation. Rhysand was at her side in an instant, placing a supporting hand on her shoulders as Feyre reeled backwards. Feyre leaned into her mate as she covered her mouth in shock. Elain's admission may have stunned Feyre, but it had the opposite effect on the Illyrians. Both males immediately took a protective step forward, flanking Elain. To his credit, the High Lord of Autumn did not even glance at the imposing Illyrians; rather, Eris dismissed them outright. He was focused solely on Elain.
"Stop what? What happened to Nesta?" Eris questioned urgently. He didn't even blink at the unusual situation. It was as if the Inner Circle's chaotic appearance was a common occurrence on his doorstep.
Maybe it is, Feyre realized bewilderingly, what is happening right now?
"I had a vision. It's Nesta. She's in danger…" Elain began after taking in a ragged breath.
"What vision? Who's putting her in danger?" Demanded Cassian as he stepped into Elain's line of vision.
Her older sister looked up to Cassian. Elain opened her mouth, but nothing came out other than a frustrated whimper. Tears began to line her rich brown eyes as she gave her head a defeated shake.
Why wouldn't Elain just speak? Was her vision so terrifying that Elain was at a loss for words? A sob escaped Elain, and she dropped her head to her chin, overwhelmed.
"Enough." Snapped Eris. He gave Elain's hand a gentle tug to recapture her attention. Azriel's wings snapped shut in warning as he placed a protective hand on her waist. Still, Eris paid no heed to the Illyrians - He was wholly focused on her sister. "Ignore the others! I need you to focus on me and only me. Don't look at anyone else, don't even glance at them. Can you do that?"
At his command, Elain raised her head to meet Eris'. She sniffled and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, taking a brief moment to compose herself before giving Eris a resolutive nod. Feyre watched the proceedings with dismayed fascination. Her brother-in-law was in an impossible situation; he'd spent centuries absolutely despising Eris, and here was his wife, begging that exact male for assistance. Az stood protectively at his wife's side, ever the vigilant shadow, but he didn't interfere.
"You've come here to warn me about Nesta, correct? Where is she now?" Eris prompted.
"Day. She's in the Day Court," Elain admitted with a cry, dropping her head into her hands. Her shoulders began to shake as sobs wracked her slender body.
"I left her in Helion's private estate," added Cassian.
Eris's attention snapped to Cassian, frowning. It was the first time he'd bothered to acknowledge the Illyrian. Feyre froze, holding her breath in wary anticipation. Having the males in such close quarters was akin to sitting on a powder keg. These males had a long and sordid history; one wrong move from either side could spark disaster.
"And she's there now? Do you know this for a fact? " Eris asked.
"We left her there an hour ago," Cassian admitted through clenched teeth. He was clearly uncomfortable sharing information with Eris. "She's supposed to stay there until Helion sent word."
"But is she there now ?" Eris demanded, voice lined with irritation.
"That's where she was in my vision. That's where she's hurt." Elain admitted with a whimper.
"Then that's where we go." Eris declared with an air of finality. He turned to Rhysand. "You'll take the Illyrians?"
"I've never been there," Rhys confessed. "You'll have to take everyone."
Eris grimaced slightly as if faced with a distasteful task, but he stretched out his hands without complaint. Azriel bushed a kiss into Elain's hair as he guided her towards Feyre. She gathered Elain into her arms, holding on tightly as Elain began to sob into Feyre's neck freely.
The Illyrian soldiers moved towards the Autumn Lord. Both males unsheathed a dagger to prepare for whatever threat stood before them, then took ahold of Eris with their free hand. Eris winnowed them away instantly, leaving Rhysand behind with the sisters.
This was a new kind of hell. Her sister's life was in jeopardy, and, being heavily pregnant, Feyre could offer no assistance. She would have to remain back here, helplessly. Do little more than standing by and waiting for someone to send word.
Her stomach twisted in fear as she sought out Rhysand's gaze. Feyre wasn't a fool; she knew that her mate never warmed to Nesta. He lay the blame for Feyre's troubled childhood directly at her sister's feet. He wasn't exactly pained when Nesta left the Night Court of her own violation. Still, Rhysand wouldn't want to see harm befall her sister.
Right?
"Please keep Nesta safe and bring her home. Please. " Feyre begged.
"No one will threaten your family without consequences," Rhysand warned in a voice that promised violence.
Eris appeared then, as suddenly as he disappeared. The air was palpable with the animosity between the High Lords. Eris didn't bother to hide his disgust as he held out a hand towards Rhysand. The current predicament may have created a temporary alliance, but Feyre knew intrinsically that it would end when her Nesta was safe. She didn't know how Eris managed to insert himself in her family's affairs, but Feyre would put a stop to that when Nesta was back home.
Rhys arranged his face in a carefully neutral expression, taking care to mask his displeasure of Eris, but Feuyre could feel the truth of his emotions through their bond. This was the last fae they wanted to rely on.
Eris clutched Rhys' wrist, and then, to Feyre's surprise, he turned to address the sisters.
"We'll save Nesta. I'll see to that myself." The High Lord of Autumn promised vehemently, his voice thick with raw conviction.
And then, without further warning, the males winnowed away.
Nesta
Helion's Private Estate
The Day Court
Twilight was Nesta's favouite time of day.
There was something special about the moment when daylight gave way to darkness when the sun dipped below the horizon and painted the evening sky in soft shades of purple and pink and orange. It was the time of day when anything seemed possible. Nesta had felt that way ever since she was a small child, back when the magic had been little more than the trappings of fairy tales and boogeymen. Things had changed since her youth, obviously, with magic being the most notable metamorphosis. The cauldron had given her a source of real, tangible magic, and Nesta had become very, very good at wielding it. But, despite all the challenges and changes that were thrust upon her, she could still be mesmerized by a pretty sunset.
Helion's gardens offered the best view to admire the setting sun. It wasn't unusual to find her out here whenever she had free time, and today was no exception. The house felt strangely empty after the males winnowed away. The silence left in their absence had been almost deafening. Nesta thought to distract herself by grabbing a dog-eared book and headed out to the gardens to while away the evening. It was her favouite book, a dashing tale of romance that she first became acquainted with back in the mortal world. Still, even the familiar storylines and characters weren't enough to pull her mind away from her misgivings. She eventually gave up completely after re-reading the same paragraph six times in a row, choosing to turn her attention towards the horizon. The sky had taken on that magical quality, and she wished Cassian was here to share it with her.
And there she was, thinking of Cassian yet again. Even though she spent the better part of the past three years running from the male, he'd occupy her thoughts way more often than she was willing to admit. Now that they were reunited, he'd basically taken up residences in her head. It was strange, almost scary, how quickly she became acclimated to Cassian's heady presence. Their years-long separation had made almost no impact on their friendship. Relationship. Whatever they were. At the end of the day, Cassian had inserted himself back into her life, and they'd quickly fallen back into their old routine. Not quite friends. Not quite lovers.
At least, not yet.
Cassian wanted to talk about their future as soon as he was back from the Summer Court. A small part of her was, perhaps strictly out of habit, still a little hesitant about the whole ordeal. But overall, Nesta felt excited, even a little hopeful. Her. Nesta. Hopeful about the future! There were about a thousand other things that she should be focused on, yet here she was mooning over Cassian like some silly lovestruck girl from the village.
Besides, she couldn't ignore the few but significant complications that stood in the way of their maybe-relationship. While these obstacles weren't necessarily her fault, they didn't make them any less real. Especially when the obstacle came in the shape of a one hundred and eighty-five-centimetre tall male, Nesta knew that she would have to come clean about Eris, preferable as soon as Cassian returned to Day. She was done with hiding secrets. Cassian had chased after her the moment she ran from Velaris. Surely he'd understand her position.
Right?
That train of thought was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Startled, Nesta turned in her chair in time to see Helion approach. She rose to her feet; the romance novel left abandoned at her side.
"Helion?" She called out tentatively, "Is everything alright?"
The High Lord of Day approached with a weary smile on his face, looking tired beyond his years. He'd promise to send word after meeting with the other High Lords, but she presumed it would have taken much longer than this. Especially knowing that Feyre was a member of the audience. She thought her baby sister would have pressed Helion for information well into the evening.
"All is well, dear. I actually have some good news to report." Helion told her as he hurried over.
Wait, what?
Butterflies began to flutter in her stomach as Helion's words sank in. She didn't think it would be this easy. Refused to believe it would be this easy. Yet here was her friend and mentor with a peaceful expression settling onto his formerly tired face. Helion gave her a reassuring nod as he spread his arms out wide, beckoning her towards him. Hope rose in her chest, and Nesta sprinted into his arms with an elated squeal.
"It's almost over now, Sweetling." He whispered into Nesta's hair as he wrapped a muscular arm around her, pulling Nesta in close. Relief washed over her as she leaned into his embrace.
She didn't see it coming.
The sharp burning in her side was instantaneous and unexpected, so overwhelming that Nesta's knees buckled under her weight. Nesta collapsed against Helion, would have slipped to the ground completely if it wasn't for his supporting embrace. He held her in his arms as the world swirled out from under her. Nesta opened up her mouth to warn him, to cry out, anything but nothing came out. She only could draw in a pitiful amount of air.
Oh, gods. Oh, gods. What was happening?
Nesta was afraid to look down. She didn't want to see what caused the pain in her side. Instead, her hand fluttered to her hip, right under the burning sensation. Her palm came away wet. Why was her palm wet?
Despite the heat of the evening, cold sweat broke out along her clammy skin despite the burning in her side. She began to shiver as she tilted her head back to meet Helion's golden gaze. He quietly surveyed her with that unchanging placid expression, and then Nesta understood what happened. Her brain recognized what her heart still refused to believe. It wasn't possible. Not Helion. Not Helion.
"Helion?" She asked weakly, her voice sounding very far away.
"It's over now, Nesta." He told her in a soothing voice, brushing a fatherly kiss across her forehead. "I made you a promise, and I kept it. Just like I said I would."
Except Helion was wrong. She didn't want this. Not now. Not like this. Nesta just wanted to go home.
I wanna go home.
Nesta shivered. It was cold. It was cold, and Nesta was tired. Things were getting fuzzy now. Her lids were getting heavy. She knew she should keep her eyes open but couldn't remember why that was important. Nesta was tired. She was so tired. She just needed to sleep. Just for a little bit. Just a little bit.
And then Nesta slipped away into darkness.
Cassian
Helion's Private Estate
The Day Court
Nesta wasn't in the main house.
He had led Azriel into Helion's estate the moment Eris winnowed them into the Day Court. Cassian didn't know which room belonged to Nesta, so they called out to her as they swept the rooms, floor by floor. The house wasn't completely empty. They came across a few frightened servants during their investigation. They claimed not to know where Nesta was, and Cassian believed them, the scent of their fear was overpowering. Azriel dismissed the servants with a jerk of his head, ordering them outside. They didn't hesitate, quickly scattering out the door towards freedom.
Cassian tore into the last bedroom on the uppermost level. It was empty, just like the others. He viciously kicked a decorative stool in frustration, sending it shattering across the opposing wall.
"She's not here," Cassian barked out in a fury, clenching his hands into fists at his side. Nesta was somewhere here - in danger - and he couldn't find her.
"Snap out of it." Azriel reprimanded, shaking Cassian from his reverie. His brother had a point; Cassian needed to stay focused, now was not the time to become overwhelmed by emotion. Fear wouldn't help Nesta.; it would just get her killed. "Where else can she be?"
A memory came roaring back to Cassian. A grouping of large blue flowers, the colour of Azriel's Siphons. "Whenever I'm feeling homesick, I come here to see the flowers."
"The gardens," Cassian announced sharply. "Nesta likes to spend time in the gardens."
Both males turned to face the window in unison. It was large enough to slip out of; exiting here would save precious seconds. Cassian slammed open the window, the glass rattling in its casing as he slipped outside and took flight. Azriel was right beside him as they skyrocketed towards the distant hedge maze. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the landscape in shadows. He squinted as he searched the grounds for signs of movement. The outline of a distant figure caught his attention. He signalled Azriel to change directions and veered away, landing near the pool.
A male was kneeling on the ground, bent over as if in pain. Was that... Helion? A wave of confusion passed over Cassian. Helion wasn't supposed to be here. He was supposed to be back in the Summer Court, convincing Tarquin to bring their case before the High Lords. But then his brain caught up to him, and horror flooded senses. Helion was hunched over a boneless figure. Nesta was sprawled out, her head and shoulders resting in his lap. She was unconscious, her slender arms hanging limply at her sides. Were they too late? No. It was impossible; he refused to believe it. Helion raised his head as soon as Cassian slammed into the ground. Even in the dwindling light, he could tell that the High Lord's eyes were wet with tears. Az landed at his side a moment later.
"I had no choice. There was no choice. Nesta would have wanted me to put Prythain first. She prioritized the safety of thousands over the safety of one." Helion's voice was hoarse, turning Cassian's veins to ice. The High Lord of Day looked sad but without a shred of remorse before turning his attention to Azriel. "Your wife confirmed everything to me. She foresaw Nesta joining the witches, just like they foretold. It would have led to the downfall of Prythian. I had no choice ."
Cassian's Siphons flared to life, bathing the High Lord of Day in a crimson light. Helion hurt her. The traitorous bastard dared to touch Nesta after hurting her. Cassian could see her injury all too clearly. Could see the wet bloodstain blossoming out from the dagger in her side. She was hurt.
His mate was hurt.
Cassian snarled at the High Lord as his vision turned red, rage rushing in and taking over his senses. Azriel must have sensed him rapidly losing control; he put a crushing grip on Cassian's shoulder, holding the enraged male locked in place. No, no. He needed to calm down. He couldn't make a move against Helion, not when Nesta was still vulnerable in his arms.
"Let her go," Azriel ordered. "Let her go, and step away."
The High Lord of Day blinked at the command before dropping his gaze to the unconscious female in his arms. Mother above, let her just be sleeping. Let me save her.
"I should teach you why it's ill-advised to make demands on a High Lord in his own home," Helion remarked in an indifferent tone as if they were discussing trivial matters like the weather.
The High Lord brushed a kiss over her forehead before gently lowering her to the ground. Nesta's head rolled bonelessly towards the Illyrians, her lovely face much too pate. Helion pushed himself to his feet, his white toga stained with Nesta's blood.
"I do not wish to fight you, boys. You cannot defend against me, and I have no wish to shed further blood this day." Helion warned as he took two steps back.
Azriel released his grip, and Cassian was at Nesta's side instantly. No, no no, no, he thought frantically as he gathered her up into his arms, mindful of the dagger in her side. The blade was impaled deep; the damage would be extensive. He planned out the next crucial steps as he searched for a pulse. Don't take out the dagger right now; that will do more damage than good. Leave it for the healer. Stanch the flow of blood and get her to a healer.
"Is she alive?" Az asked hesitatingly.
Cassian could have wept. There was a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. Nesta still lived. He could save her. They still had time.
"Yes." Cassian breathed out.
"Well," drawled Helion, "that's a shame now, isn't it?"
Cassian's head jerked up towards the High Lord of Day. Helion stood a few feet away, looking down at them with an expression of grim determination. He'd thought Nesta was already dead, Cassian realized belatedly as he pulled Nesta closer to his chest, he'd thought she was dead, and now he's going to finish the job. This was bad. This was so, so bad. Cassian was on the ground, his hands full with Nesta and all within reach of the male who tried to kill her. They were totally exposed, completely vulnerable. Cassian wasn't able to fight Helion, leaving only Azriel to see to their defences.
Just one male.
Against a High Lord whose sole mission was ending Nesta's life.
Abruptly, a blinding flash of light shot over Cassian's shoulder, temporarily dazing him. Helion let out a howl of unadulterated rage as Cassian scrambled back, all the while keeping Nesta cradled against his chest. He blinked rapidly, trying to recover his vision as he regained his feet. Cassian carefully backed away, unwilling to take his eyes off Helion for even a second. The High Lord of Day paid him no heed, too busy clutching both hands to his face in apparent agony. Cassian took the opportunity to slip behind Azriel.
Helion dropped his hands, clenched into talons, to reveal his ruined face. The smell of charred hair began to wharf over. He had been burned, his ravaged face distorted in a fury. The High Lord of Day was enraged. Helion's ire wasn't focused on the Illyrians but rather the unannounced presence behind them.
"Stay the fuck away from them." Warned the High Lord of Autumn, voice low and deadly.
Never once in his life did Cassian ever imagine he would be overjoyed at the arrival of Eris Vanserra, but at that moment, he was willing to fall to his feet and declare his undying loyalty. Helion was now wholly focused on the newcomers, ignoring Nesta completely, eyes blazing with hatred.
"You dare attack me in my own home, whelp?" hissed Helion.
"You told the Illyrians this would be an unfair fight. I've come to even out the odds." Eris replied smoothly as he came to stand at Cassain's side. The High Lord of Autumn's hand, stretched out towards Helion, was wrapped in a living flame. The warning was implicit. Eris spared them a glance, his eyes momentarily stopping on the dagger embedded in Nesta's side before sliding back towards the adversary before them. "You threaten Nesta; you threaten me. "
Cassian sucked in a breath, and he shifted Nesta in his arms. He wasn't sure how Nesta managed to win Eris's unwavering support, but all of that could wait. He needed to staunch her bleeding. There were no clean bandages at hand; he'd have to forgo all that, focus on putting pressure on the wound and worry about infection later. Gritting his teeth, he gathered the fabric of her skirts and pressed down around the dagger, causing Nesta to whimper. Her eyes fluttered momentarily but remained shut. Cassian was grateful that, at minimum, she wasn't conscious enough to feel the pain.
Rhysand joined Cassian's other side, arms held up in preparation for an attack. The High Lords of Night and Autumn had taken a defensive position around him, with Azriel stepping in front. They made for strange bedfellows, but all were prepared to defend Nesta from further attack. Cassian bit back a sigh of relief; the odds were suddenly much more favourable.
"You are the male who had the audacity to walk into Night Court chambers, beg for my assistance, and then turn around and attack my mate's sister." Rhysand snarled, voice dark as night. "You threaten a weakened, defenceless female. A female who, by your own admission, came to us in search of help."
Helion had stiffened at Rhysand's appearance, dropping his hands to his side. His gaze fell to Nesta, and a look of regret passed over his blistering face, gone almost as quickly as it appeared. Perhaps he regretted his action. Or perhaps he was beginning to understand how greatly outnumbered he truly was. Helion touched his cheek and winced slightly when he contacted singed flesh.
"Nesta made her wishes clear a long time ago; she'd rather die than fall under the command of the witches. A noble ending, for a noble female." Helion had the decency to appear mournful. "Let me give her the dignity of a clean death."
Cassian's heart pitched, and Eris reacted immediately, his flames bolstering in anger.
"That's bullshit, and you know it. That was nothing more than a frightened plea from a frightened girl. Nesta was hysterical; she hadn't slept for weeks at that point. She'd have given anything for a moment of serenity. That vow was made in bad faith, and you know it. " Eris snapped, impugning Helion's excuses with ease.
Beside him, Rhysand had listened to Eris' commentary with growing unease. His reaction was subtle, but Cassian had called Rhys brother for over five hundred years and knew all of his tics and hidden tells. Rhysand's gaze had remained fixed upon Helion, his guarded appearance giving away little. But Cassian saw the way Rhys' shoulder tightened during Eris's speech. Saw the way his jaw clenched when Eris spoke of Nesta's torment. Rhysand may never come to love Nesta, but her plight moved his High Lord.
"What Nesta desires is unimportant," Helion argued. "She will fall under the control of the Mortal Queens. The witches have foretold it, and the Night Court's seer has confirmed it. The threat of war will stop being hypothetical and become very, very real once Nesta falls to the humans. Prythian will fall, regardless of how many little summits we deign to hold."
"Are you so frightened of prophecies and prognostications that you'll cut down your friends and allies?" Eris ridiculed, tone thick with underlying anger.
"Yes." Helion countered matter-of-factly. "With Nesta under their command, the Queens can launch a direct attack on any city. Entire armies could appear without prior warning. That is not to be discounted. Are you willing to risk your court? Your people? Your mother? "
"You're a weak, feeble little male." Eris spat, and Cassian half-expected the younger High Lord to throw himself at Helion. "Your altruistic persona is nothing but a charade. Make all the magnanimous speeches you like; it doesn't hide the fact that you're a fucking coward. You claim to put your people first, but it's all bullshit. You sell out and abandon everyone at the first sniff of trouble. You did it to my mother; you did it to Nesta. I'll burn in hell before I let you do it again."
Rhysand was startled at Eris's diatribe. Cassian had no context for Autumn Lord's words, didn't know what happened to the Lady of Autumn. He also didn't care. The only thing that matters was getting Nesta away.
Every minute spent arguing was a minute Nesta spent bleeding out. He'd spent too much time on the frontline, was more than familiar with battlefield triage. The amount of blood soaking into clothing was worrisome. The hand applying pressure to the wound was slick with blood, blood which had stained his wrist and was dripping into the ground. I need to get out of here. I need to get her to a healer.
Cassian couldn't winnow. Flight would be too risky in unfamiliar territory. They needed to get her out of there before she bled out. Cassian redoubled his effort to stanch her bleeding, pressing down even further on her weeping wound. She didn't react at all, not even unconsciously. Her face was stark white; her lips were bloodless. They were out of time.
"Rhys," he murmured, quietly but forcefully, "she needs a healer. We need to go. Now."
Rhysand's gaze flicked to Cassian and then down to the female bleeding out in his arms, his jaw clenching in anger. His violet eyes flashed back to Helion, assessing the male who still refused to back down. They were at a stalemate.
And then Rhys flicked his wrist, and Helion's headdress exploded into a shower of golden dust. Helion jerked back in shock, his burnt hand flying to the crown of his head, searching for the headdress and coming up empty. The granular remains of Helion's crown drifted away on the evening breeze, nothing more than dust.
Rhysand misted Helion's crown as it sat atop his head. Cassian stared in awe. The control that must have taken…
"That was your first and only warning, Helion. You can walk away now and let us leave peacefully. Fight us, and the Day Court will be crowning a new High Lord much sooner than anyone expected." Rhysand warned.
Helion's mouth dropped open to gape Rhys. Even Eris took an unconscious step back away. Finally, finally, Helion spread out his hands in a show of passivity.
"Leave my court," Helion ordered in a firm voice, his underlying fear divulged by the slight shake of his hands. "Leave the Day Court and never return. But remember: you reap what you sow. Nesta will fall to the Mortal Queens, and once she calls them master, all of Prythian will be lost."
And then Helion winnowed away.
Cassian let out a breath shaky breath. Eris Vanserra at his side instantly, amber eyes locked on Nesta. The High Lord reached out his hand to touch her face, and Cassian pulled Nesta away reflectively. Azriel intervened by physically placing himself between the High Lord of Autumn and Cassian. Eris looked like he was about to protest before thinking better of it, stepping back with a guarded expression. It was probably not the best way to thank the male who helped save his mate, but basic civility was low on Cassian's current list of priorities.
Eris, for his part, did his best to ignore the two scowling Illyrian soldiers. Rhysand cleared his throat as he joined their little circle, possibly trying to break the tension that had been rising since Elain's declaration earlier that day.
"It's best to not return to the Summer Court now," Eris suggested. "Helion's suites are too close to ours. We need to keep Nesta away from Helion's reach, just in case that bastard has a change of heart."
Rhysand nodded his head in agreement. "Let's take her back to Velaris. We have a healer in our private residence to assist with Feyre's pregnancy, and she proved to be invaluable when healing soldiers during the war with Hybern."
Cassian fully expected Eris to protest but, against all odds, he merely nodded his head in agreement. Cassian had the uncomfortable realization that Eris would need to winnow someone back home if they were to set off without delay. Azriel's shadows swirled around as he came to the same conclusion. While Cassian was grateful for Eris's unexpected assistance, it was clear that Az wasn't quite ready to forget their five hundred years of history.
Rhysand, bless him, stepped in before things became awkward. He threw an arm around Az's shoulder while addressing Eris.
"Do you remember the House Of Wind, back when I hosted the High Lord's meeting? Can you winnow Cassian and Nesta there? I'll take Nesta to the healer once we're back in the Night Court. These two can lead the way from there."
Eris gave Rhysand a tight nod before focusing his attention back on Nesta. His throat bobbed as he took in the sheer amount of blood loss. Her gown was drenched, Cassian's himself fairing a little better. Eris held out his hands, beckoning for Nesta to be placed into his arms. Cassian shoved down a wave of resentment; bickering now would only waste precious seconds. He carefully deposited Nesta into Eris's arms while simultaneously keeping pressure on her wound.
Nesta didn't stir during the exchange. She was completely comatose. Eris's eyes widened as he stared down at her, so small within their arms. Cassian wrapped his free arm around Eris's back, with Nesta snuggled between the two. Then he did the one thing he swore never to do: he begged another male for assistance.
"Eris, bring her home before we lose her." He pleaded, voice rough. " Please. "
Eris gave a tight nod and winnowed them away.
And then, after three long years, Cassian brought Nesta home to Velaris.