A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 39

"What?" I demand. I watch as Mor and Cassian both look to Tanwyn as she steps out of the tent, but she rightfully ignores them.

"Miryam was captured by Amarantha, and Rhys took a legion to go save her--and failed." Mor explains.

"Miserably." Cassian mumbles, I snap my head at him.

"How long?"

"How long what?" Azriel asks.

"How long has Rhysand been in captive for?" I ask, my heart racing as I remember the last time I have received a letter from him--months ago.

"As soon as we found out, we came here to tell you--"

"How long?" I shout.

"Months." Azriel manages to get out, and I just stand there--not knowing what to say or to do. Rhysand had been in captive for months and none of us knew. "Your father had just informed your mother--who told us, and asked us to go rescue him."

"My father knew?" I ask, and all it takes is them nodding their heads for me to winnow away--and into my fathers war tent. I find him sitting around a map with other generals.

"Get out." I growl at them, and they look to me wide eyed and then at their High Lord for confirmation, he motions for them to leave the tent.

"How dare you interrupt--" I cut him off.

"Go get your son back." I snarl the words at me, and my shadows begin to fill up the tent. I sense a tint of fear from my father.

"No." He responds.

"He is your son." I slam my fists down on his table.

"I ordered him not to go, it is not my fault he did not listen. You are more than welcome to send some of those Valkyrie to go try to save him but I will not waste any of my men on him." My father begins folding up papers as if he were done with this conversation.

"Rhysand could die, father, he could already be dead." My voice breaks at the realization.

"Then I will just make another son--one that will actually obey my orders." The High Lord of the Night Court says to me, and I let out a laugh. He looks to me in surprise but I winnow away before he can say anything else. I should not have expected anything else from that heartless creature.

I hold back the tears as I winnow back in the Valkyrie camps where everybody waits for me--waits for my orders I realize.

"Let's go get our equipment." I say to Tanwyn who just gives me a smirk. We take a few minutes to grab our weapons and change into our Valkyrie fighting leather. We walk back out to find the three of them have changed into the Illyrian fighting leather.

"Take me to him." I whisper to Azriel who holds out his hand for me. We all travel to where Miryam was captured, and find a whole legion of Illyrian warrior's lifeless bodies surrounding the building. I watch as Azriel and Cassian look at their faces to see if they knew any of them, but I cannot stomach to look at the decaying bodies for too long. I take in the dark manor that sits atop a hill.

"Why are there no guards?" Cassian whispers. I close my eyes as I send my shadows into the building--I feel multiple of Hybern's soldiers. "Maybe we should wait this out for a little longer--"

"No," I snap at him, "Every second we wait, we leave my brother in there for even longer."

"Do not think for one second that none of us here do not want to save Rhysand, he is our family too, Velaris, it may not be by blood--"