A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 47

I wake up panting and drenched in sweat from the nightmare I just dreamt. I stumble out of bed and begin gulping down water. I sit down in one of my chairs as I stare into the crackling fire in my tent. I close my eyes and calm my breathing until I stop shaking and begin to cool down. I look down and curse at the stupid swirls of black ink on my wrist that will not allow me to drink--in these moments is when I needed alcohol the most to make me forget about the awful realistic nightmares I have.

My shadows suddenly perk up as I hear a familiar silence through the land. This was the silence I heard right before the slaughter of the Valkyrie.

"Warn them." I whisper to my shadows as I quickly grab my Illyrian sword and run out of my tent as my shadows fly away. I scan the camp and beyond for any sign of danger. Everyone has went to sleep already and I steady my breathing and close my eyes to focus on my other senses. I listen for a moment before I hear the slight thudding of footprints, and a squeaky part of a catapult being loaded--and released. I look up quickly and watch in horror as hundreds of fire rocks are heading right for us.

"Wake up!" I shout as I begin running, trying to get out of the rocks reach, "Wake up!"

The ground breaks from under me as the rocks begin landing--crushing war tents and the people in them. I watch in horror as one lands on the tents of the kind Day Courts soldiers I had met earlier. I begin to form my shield but I am too late--a rock lands feet in front of me and the impact sends me flying feet away--right into a tree. I let out a scream of pain as my back and head hits the tree and I fall back to the ground. Blackness edges my vision and I hear ringing in my ears--and the distant sound of people screaming. I lean back against the tree as I see shadows running in front of me--and then I see a figure stand before me. I hear hundreds of voices saying my name over and over again.

"Velaris!" My vision focuses on my mate as I hear his voice. I have never seen such fear on Azriel's face, he puts his arm under mine and lifts me up into his arms. He calls for my brother and Rhysand comes running over--fear covering his face as well.

"I tried to warn everybody," I whisper, "I tried."

"It is okay, Vel, everything will be okay." Rhysand says as he takes me from Azriel's arms. We winnow away and suddenly we are in a white tent. I vaguely hear my brother saying words to someone and I watch as he winnows away again.

"Velaris, I need you to look at me." Miryam's face forms in front of mine and she is holding up a finger in front of my face. I see the handsome Prince standing behind her, looking at me with concern.

"Should I go get Mor?" He asks Miryam, and she nods her head. He quickly walks out of the tent as Miryam observes me and returns moments later with my cousin in tow. She quickly runs over to me and takes my face in her hands.

"Velaris? Are you okay?" She asks, and I think this may be the third time she has asked but I cannot be sure. I try to speak but words do not form.

"Her head was hit pretty hard." Miryam says, concern coating her words. I watch as Andromache comes to stand next to Mor and she hands me a cup of some liquid.

"Drink this, it will ease the pain." She says softly to me, and I try to lift the cup up to my lips but I fail to do so. Andromache takes the cup and places it to my lips and tilts it back as I feel the warm liquid pour into my mouth. I then feel it enter my body and the thrumming pain that was in my head and back instantly subsides. "It is a rare plant that comes from a lake near our castle--it is supposed to help with pain."

"Azriel and Rhys--" I say, remembering they were at the ambush too.

"They are fine, Rhys went back to help shield the camp with Azriel--Cassian is there now too." Mor explains to me, placing a small blanket around my shoulders. The image of the gigantic rocks landing on the soldiers tents keeps replaying in my mind over and over again.