Winds of Fire [ACOTAR]

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

From above, Primrose could see the entire field covered with soldiers and warriors. Her wings had worked, though she was still getting used to them, dipping and diving as her body adjusted to the changes. As much as she needed to learn how to use them properly, how to cope with the weight and the wind, she just didn't have time. From her height, she focused on those she could see; a group of Illyrian's near the border fighting off Summer Court soldiers, Apollo and a few Dawn Court warriors in battle with fire-wielding Autumn Court soldiers, and Orion. Orion who so brilliantly cut his sword through people as he made his way across the field, Orion who seemed to be encased in shadows, those who advanced him losing to the darkness surrounding him. Orion, who Prim couldn't take her eyes off of even as she fought to look elsewhere.

A groan of pain broke out against the chaos and Prim turned, zoning in on where it had come from. A roar slipped from between her teeth before she could stop it, her winds flapping uncontrollably as she shot to the ground. Apollo. She couldn't quite see what had happened but he was hunched over, slowly falling onto his back and there was blood. A lot of blood. Her roar had alerted Orion and he was running, his blade held high as he rushed toward them.

As she met the floor, Prim shifted, becoming her usual self as she stumbled toward Apollo. His face was scrunched up in agony as Prim knelt by his side, pressing her palms over the hole in his chest that had even pierced his armour. "Stay with me," Prim begged, her hands covered in scarlet liquid.

Apollo's eyes shot open, looking to Prim who was leaning over him. "Rosie," he breathed, his voice hoarse, "You look like an angel,"

It took Primrose a moment to realise what he meant, a moment in which the weight on her back heavied and she felt the coldness against her skin where her armour had ripped open along her spine. The golden Illyrian wings had not disappeared when she transformed, now they protruded from her back, tucked nicely behind her. Making sure to keep her hands on Apollo's chest, Prim quickly pulled her power back within herself, the wings disappearing into thin air.

"Flirting on the battlefield?" Prim asked in an attempt to keep his spirits high, though the fact that her voice was shaking did not help. Orion was above them now, fighting off soldiers who tried to approach Apollo in his injured state. Prim tried to ignore the sound of clashing weapons as she focused on Apollo beneath her.

"I've got to shoot my shot, one way or the other," he told her, the ghost of a smile on his lips, "Y'know, before it's too late."

"It's not too late," Prim said, meeting his eyes that were slightly glossed over, "You're going to be okay, Apollo."

Apollo's face had begun to pale, though that didn't stop the small curl of his mouth. Prim's own mouth was wobbling, unshed tears stinging her eyes as she pushes down on Apollo's wound that would not stop bleeding. Prim's hand were completely covered in the thick liquid that should not be escaping. Looking up, Prim watched the ongoing battle around them slowly fade away, the Autumn and Summer Court soldiers retreating and the Dawn Court and Illyrian warriors not giving up as they fought. Orion was against one stubborn Autumn Court warrior who was trying to get past him, Orion kept him as far from Prim and Apollo as he could.

"Rosie?"

Primrose turned quickly back to Apollo, brushing back the hair that had fallen down against his cheek when he turned to look up at her. His lips were slowly losing colour and Prim pushed down the whimper that rose in her chest.

"Will you tell Lyra that I love her?" Apollo breathed, "and that I'm sorry I won't be at her and Scarlet's wedding?"

"She'll kill me if I let you die," Primrose replied, shaking her head as her hands pushed down firmly with as much pressure as she could. Her arms were shaking slightly but she couldn't allow herself to pull away.

"She'll kill me too," Apollo chuckled, coughing up blood immediately afterwards that dripped down his chin and stained his lips.

Prim was about to tell Apollo to stop talking when Orion knelt down beside him, gently pushing Prim's hands away and pressing down on the wound himself. The warriors he had been fighting were dead on the floor, and sweat glistened from Orion's pores as he looked down at his cousin with a tight frown. Crawling across the floor, Prim moved to Apollo's other side, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it gently. The small squeeze he sent back was reassuring.

"We can't heal him like this," Orion insisted, "We need help; a healer."

"There's no time," Apollo croaked, a single tear dripping along his cheek, "Just let me lay here."

Prim leaned forward to press a kiss to Apollo's cheek, "We'll stay with you. We're here for you."

Orion shook his head, tears pooling in his eyes, "You can't die, Apollo. You have so much left to do, so much left to see. You can't leave now..."

Apollo smiled at his cousin, reaching forward to cover Orion's hands with his own, "Do it for me, cousin."

Apollo's hand went limp within Prim's hold. As she looked up, she saw he had closed his eyes, saw that his chest had stopped moving and he had gone utterly quiet. Biting down on her lip, Prim removed her hand from Apollo's, resting his palm on his chest. Her hands were covered in his blood still, her armour stained with it. Orion was sat numbly, staring down at the ground as Prim moved toward him. His cheeks were covered in tears that spilt endlessly from his eyes, his hands shaking as they balled into fists at his sides. Prim was about to reach out to hold Orion when Lucien came bounding toward them.

"Where were you?" Prim hissed, though her voice was mostly hoarse and weak.

Lucien's eyes settled on Apollo and a hand quickly covered his mouth, "I...We need to go."

Orion had gone completely quiet, and so it was up to Prim to take control. "We can't just leave!" she cried, "What about his body? We can't leave him here!"

Lucien shook his head gently, moving to grab hold of Prim's forearm and resting his other palm on Orion's shoulder, "We need to go. I told Rhys I would look out for you and... well, that's what I'm trying to do."

Before Prim could protest, Lucien winnowed, taking both Prim and Orion with him. They landed noisily in the River Estate foyer, Orion and Prim hitting the floor as Lucien stood behind them. Before Prim could stop herself, she inched forward, wrapping her arms around Orion and pulling him into her lap as he cried soundlessly. She could feel the warmth of his tears against her neck, rubbing her palms over his back soothingly as he sobbed.

All of the commotions had alerted the others, they slowly entered the foyer, noticing the blood on Prim, Orion crying in her arms and Lucien stood motionlessly behind them. "What happened?" Rhys asked, taking hold of Feyre's hand who stood at his side, watching Orion with a sad look on her face.

Nesta and Cassian quickly joined Rhys and Feyre, and Prim could hold it in no longer, she pushed her face into Orion's shoulder, allowing her tears to come as she listened to Lucien speak the words she wished weren't true.

"It's Apollo," Lucien breathed, "I'm so sorry but... He's dead."

There was a silence that broke Prim's heart, but as the seconds passed, a noise broke through that shattered it even more so. Nesta's screams could be heard all across Velaris as she fell into her husband's arms. Her son was dead, and he was not coming back.