A Court of Ice and Fire

Chapter 36

I was back in that moment—back in that night all over again. I remember the dying embers, the smokey air.

His name was a mantra on my lips as I sprinted to Rhys and Feyre's room, the doors and halls fading in and out of focus. My body was moving on auto pilot—and before I could even knock on their door, it swings open.

Rhys isn't surprised to see me, and I can tell by his wide eyes and disheveled hair that he knows something is wrong. He probably knew when I did. "He's hurt." I manage to bite out, my teeth gritting together so tightly that my jaw might break from the tension.

My walls are down for the first time in front of him, and I don't care as I feel his claws enter my mind—swift and to the point as he searches for what he needs. I don't hide the malicious and feral thoughts that fill my head as I think about finding the ones who hurt him, and he doesn't comment on them as he steps away, grimacing.

His eyes go distant, and I can feel his power ripple through the air as he uses it. I move my walls back in place as I reach for the power, pulling as much as I can towards me. I lock it up tightly inside—not letting myself touch it.

Rhys doesn't notice the silent exchange as his violet eyes go dark, and I hear a door slam, my head moving to the side as I see Cassian stumble into the hallway, a deadly calm washing over his face as he stalks towards us.

I look at Rhys, my hands shaking at my side. "If we don't leave right now Rhys I swear to god—" I don't finish the sentence, letting my unsaid words float in the air between us as Rhys looks at Cassian, giving him a nod.

"Bring him back." Rhys orders, and Cassian gives a stern nod before grabbing my arm. I don't ask any questions as his wings unfurl from his back, and his grip on my arm tightens as he leads me towards the nearby balcony.

I barely register when we take off, my body completely numb as we fly away from the house, the city wide awake beneath us as we fly past. I hear laughs and joyous screams from below, and I fight the urge to scream at them.

They don't know...it's not their fault. I tell myself, the thought cooling the anger roiling under my skin. Cassian's arms are tight around me, his face schooled into one of complete calm as he flies—but I can smell his fear just as clearly as he can smell mine.

As soon as we reach the edge of the city, Cassian looks down at me for a moment. "I'm going to winnow us as close as I can—But we don't know where he is exactly." The words barely register in my head before I feel the world twist, the scenery around us shifting from the high mountain into a lush, green forest.

I don't recognize the area, and I scan the treeline—searching for any sign of Azriel. Cassian slows down—his wings taking us silently through the sky as my eyes search for any signs or scent of him being close.

I find none.

The air is silent as we fly—neither of us speaking a word. Neither of us wanting to address the pending situation.

Then it happened.

Cassian barely had time to dodge the arrow—his entire body flipping to the side. Adrenaline rushes through me as Cassian spins in the air, his wings tucking in tight as he narrows in on the spot the arrow came from.

The second arrow comes a second later, and Cassian dodges it easily, already heading towards the ground. I can feel Rhysand's power buckle in its cage—straining to be let free.

Mor's power was strong and blunt—a power of pure chaos and destruction. Where her power was chaos, Rhys' power was refined and smooth, but even more powerful than I could have thought.