A Storm of Flames and Deceit

59. Mud Washes Away

Eris

I hold her in the mud, even as the others winnow in.

I couldn't care less to be if it was a pathetic scene, a high lord covered in mud, on his knees. I care that she's alive, but she's hurt. Hurt inside, as well as out.

Lucien kneels down and inspects Fergus' charred body, wrinkling his nose as the others winnow in. As Dawn breaks. "He definitely smells dead."

"Lucien!" Mother snaps, rushing to kneel down beside us. "Neph, Sweetie, are you alright?"

Neph pulls back a bit, still soaked in rain, her flimsy gown hanging off her, fried and charred at the ends. I fumble to give her my blazer, pulling it over her shoulders as she nods, straightening her shoulders. "I'm fine," she murmurs, glancing at her father at wincing. "A bit overkill on my part."

I shrug when she glances at me. "I helped," I tell her, glancing at where I split Fergus' skull open with my fists. I might hate him more than my own father, purely because he hurt my Nephele. But now, like my father, he met his end, though he deserved worse.

I pull Neph's skirt up the slightest bit at the leg, mother and I inspecting her gash. "We should get-"

"We don't need a healer," Nephele rolls her eyes. "I'm gonna be fine. Help me stand up."

I've listened to her enough in the past half hour. I think I've earned some disobedience. I lift her into my arms, and she knows better than to argue.

"Jurian!" Vassa shouts, winnowing in. It's then I remember Fergus' little hostage, bloodied up a good bit, but he's only human. Vassa helps untie him, removing his gag.

Jurian spits out blood, shaking the rain out of his hair. "Sorry I missed your party, Lucien- I got a bit tied up."

Lucien groans. "I think we should put that gag back on."

"He'd likely like that too much," Vassa smirks, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders.

"V, the sun is almost up," Jurian warns, looking at the blue horizon. Vassa swears under her breath.

"Fuck- okay I'll winnow you to the healer really quick-"

"Fuck that, I wanna go home," Jurian laughs. Vassa laughs too, knowing how humans hated Fae magic.

"You guys go on," Lucien nods as Helion winnows in with Feyre and Rhysand. "I'll be home later."

They nod before vanishing, Cressida, Tarquin, and Tamlin seeming to take their place. Cressida is in a sprint before they fully materialize. "Neph! Are you hurt? Why aren't you walking?" She says frantically, looking Nephele over.

Neph rolls her eyes. "Because I got a little cut and Eris insists on coddling me."

"She got stabbed," I tell Cressida. She gasps.

"Nephele Speirling Vansera," she looks appalled. "I can't believe you."

"Did you say she was stabbed?" Feyre asks, approaching hesitantly. Rhys stays back with Helion, both of them at awe by the crumbles of rock across the clearing. "I've been trying to hone my healing powers," she looks at Neph, nodding to her leg. "May I?"

Neph agrees, and Feyre promptly ignores my warning glare as Cressida helps clear the rags of Neph's muddy skirt off her leg for Feyre. I'm pretty sure Rhys gives me a warning growl from across the clearing for glaring at his mate, but I can't be bothered.

"Nephele, this is not a little cut," Cressida chastises, frustrated.

Neph shrugs as Feyre's fingers hover over her bloodied skin. "I'll live."

"Not if I kill you myself," I murmur under my breath, and Neph flicks me on the nose.

Feyre seems to heal the leg, and Cressida washes water over the muddy, blood-caked skin. I have to find it as good as new, Nephele laughing.

"Thank you, Feyre- truly," I say, surprised with how genuine I feel.

"Yes, thank you Feyre," Nephele says before turning her attention to me. "Now, I beg you, please put me down."

Rolling my eyes, I comply, letting her feet sink in the muddy ground though it makes me wince. She steps away from me, resting her leg, but the sound of stone against stone rattles across the clearing.

All of us jolt into a defensive stance as the stone soldiers reform and rise to stand, only relaxing when they all sink to their knee. It's an instant later that I realize they're kneeling to Nephele.

Nephele looked less shocked when she had been stabbed.

"I bet you believe in oracles now," I smirk, nudging her. She shakes her head.

"Did I just become the commander of an army?" She asks me, her face slanted in confusion.

"No," I laugh. "You just became a Queen."