A Court of Death || ACOTAR

90

At Cassian's insistence, Astryn left the tent to join him at the fire for dinner. Rhys went along as well, but he hardly seemed there after the conversation they had had.

Illyrians around the fire distanced themselves from where she sat, looking at her with either skepticism or outright contempt. She half wondered if they hated her because they thought she was a witch or because they didn't like being outdone by a female. She had killed far more of Hybern's forces during the battles so far than any of them.

"They were terrified of you," Cassian whispered low enough that they couldn't overhear, "when you wiped out half the battlefield in one move, they were terrified. They'd never admit it. It is far easier to be hateful than it is to be afraid."

Astryn only shrugged, picking at her food and wondering what was happening where Azriel was.

"He'll come back, Ryn. Him and Feyre and Elain. All of them will come back," Cassian assured her, assured Rhys too. Assured himself.

"They will," Astryn agreed, because she knew one way or another they would come back—whether it was because they had succeeded or because she went there and ended anyone who tried to hurt them.

It was quiet for a long few moments before Cassian spoke again.

"When you passed out on the battlefield, none of us were close enough. Those warriors," he spat the word as if he didn't think they were deserving of it as he jerked his head towards a group of Illyrians kneeling in the mud, "they were right there. Right next to you. Within arms reach or only a few steps away, close enough to get to you when we couldn't. And they defied my direct order, and Rhys's."

"How long have they been there?" Astryn asked, eyes drifting from the kneeling warriors to Cassian.

"Since the battle ended," Cassian replied, glaring at them, "they can get up whenever you say so."

"Whenever I say so?" she repeated, eyebrows raised.

"It was your life they risked," he reminded her, "it was you they watched get grabbed by a Hybern soldier. You decide when they've been there long enough."

"The battle has been over for hours," she pointed out, "they've been there the whole time?"

"You were almost gone, Astryn," Cassian said, his voice heavy with the dread he had felt in those moments when he knew he would not make it to her, "that soldier had you. He was about to leave with you. And they just stood back and watched. I'd kill them for it if I thought you'd be okay with it. This is the compromise. They stay there on their knees until you tell them otherwise."

Astryn sighed and set her food aside. Cassian and Rhys both trailed along after her as she walked over to the group of warriors.

"You may rise," she told them, and, with glares directed at her on their faces, they did.

Within only a split second, Rhys's power slithered out and forced them all back to their knees. Astryn's head snapped towards him, eyes wide in surprise.

"That was Cassian's punishment," Rhys drawled, surveying the group of warriors, "they defied me too. And then they have the audacity to give you those looks?"

"We're not fighting Hybern to save some witch," one of the warriors spat, glaring at Astryn still. The others nodded, and Rhys raised an eyebrow. All at once, they fell forward, still on their knees but their faces now in the mud.

"I'm your High Lord, he's your General. You're fighting for whatever reason we tell you you're fighting," he said, "your faces can stay in the mud until you stop looking at my sister like she's less than you."

He only shrugged at the look Astryn gave him.

"None of you belong on the front lines. I don't care how many battles you've proven yourself in. If you can't follow a basic order from your superiors, you have no place leading our charge," Rhys carried on, "you're all being sent to the back with everyone else who still needs to prove themselves."

He stood over the one who had spoken, looking down at him before glancing both ways at the line of warriors.

"If any of you ever stand back and let a piece of Hybern scum touch my sister again, I will consider it an act of treason, and then you'll wish all I did was put your face in the mud," he warned them, "stand back and do nothing again and I'll have no choice but to assume your loyalties lie with them and not us. Nod if you understand."

He did not let them up, but he gave enough slack that they could nod with their faces still in the mud. They all gave a nod and Rhys smirked.

He strolled over to one end of the line and waved Astryn over. She followed and Cassian grinned wildly. He let the male on the end lift his face from the mud, just barely.

"Apologize," Rhys ordered. The male grit out an apology and Rhys laughed. "At least try to sound like you mean it." The male apologized to Astryn once more. Rhys looked to her, eyebrows raise in question. She nodded, so he put the male's face back in the mud. They went down the line of warriors, each of them apologizing to Astryn before getting shoved right back into the mud. "I personally think you should all stay like this for the whole night, but my sister is far more merciful than I am and I know she wouldn't approve of that punishment. Let's compromise and say...another two hours."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Cassian and Astryn followed after a few moments, Astryn casting one last glance at them.

"Whatever sympathy you feel is misplaced," Cassian reminded her quietly, "they're undeserving of that from you. They would have let Hybern take you. They almost did."