A Court of Dark and Decay

Chapter 23- Tread Lightly

 "Iona?" 

Her back was still burning. But she lay facedown on wood in a dark room. She hissed, bearing the pain to turn her head to see who was speaking. 

Her father.

Iona took a breath to speak, but she couldn't get any air in and moaned out the breath she already had. Any movement caused a searing pain along her wings. She couldn't take a big enough breath to speak, at least not yet. She squeezed her eyes shut, teeth bared warding off the hot stinging sensation. 

Her father's wrinkled hand caressed her face. "Don't try to speak, wildflower, you don't have to." 

Her lashes fluttered open as she pressed her cheek agaisnt her fathers hand as best she could. Her fathers eyes were deep and dark, a sadness she had only ever seen once before lingering there. 

A tear fell down his cheek in a zig-zag, falling into the wrinkles around his nose and mouth. 

"Your brother did this?" 

Iona tried her best to nod. 

"Oh, cauldron." Her father sobbed, his head falling into his free hand. Iona was crying, too. 

He looked up at her, wiping his nose and pushing up his glasses. Iona couldn't tear her eyes away from the tear drops gathered there. Someone needed to wipe them off or her father would have trouble seeing. 

"I am so sorry wildflower, I am so sorry." He ran his hand through her hair as he grasped her other hand in his. 

She struggled to breath, needing to say it. "Not..." She gasped, " Not your fault." 

"Shhh, baby, shhhh." He kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, Iona. More then there are flowers in the meadow." He whispered into her hair. 

She gripped his hand, squeezing three times, trying to communicate in any way that wasn't painful. 

I love you too, popop. 

He pulled back, wiping her tears as they fell. Her father sniffled, taking a deep breath. 

"You asked for Nesta?" He questioned, her small nod in return answer enough. 

She needed to talk to Nesta. 

"Her and Jaida are outside. Can they come in?" He nodded to the door. 

Iona shook her head. 

"Just Nesta?" 

Iona shook her head. 

"Just Jaida?" 

Iona nodded. 

 "Okay, I'll be right back, wildflower."

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Nesta hated all of her fae senses, but right then she hated her sense of smell the most. 

She could smell the blood. Heavy and metallic and hot. The herbs and medecines that the healers had used. She could smell it all. 

Cassian stood beside her. They were just outside the little healers hut. Jaida had mentioned it on the tour, but Nesta didn't think she was serious when she said it was carved into the mountian. And yet, here they were, leaning against a literal mountian waiting for Jaida to come out. 

Iona had asked to see Jaida first. Nesta couldn't hear anything from inside. 

She wrapped her cloak further around herself.