Winds of Fire [ACOTAR]

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Deciding to stay at home was the best idea Orion and Prim made regarding dealing with the aftermath of Apollo's death. Feyre and Rhysand had gone to the Court of Nightmares - it was finally time to make a statement, seeing as there was already enough talk buzzing around the Night Court. Nesta and Cassian had chosen to stay at the war camp, living in the cabin with Lyra and Scarlet. Primrose was glad Lyra had Scarlet, had someone to hold onto and cry into. Almost like Orion had her.

"Do you think I should have gone with them?" Orion asked, putting his mug of coffee down. They were sat at the dining table, attempting to eat breakfast while just staring down at the food on their plates. There was four of them; Prim sat with Nova, Orion at the head of the table, and Elain sitting opposite, making a good effort at eating her oats. After all, she wasn't just eating for her own sake anymore. Azriel had reluctantly gone with Feyre and Rhys after a lot of convincing on Elain's part.

"No," replied Elain, circling her hand on her stomach, "You are in no state to be there, sweet boy."

Orion's shoulders were tense, something he often had in common with his mother. Prim reached out to hold Orion's hand, "She's right. It's better for you, for us, to stay here until this all passes..."

The look that crossed Orion's face made her spine shiver. Orion snatched his hand away, "This isn't a storm, Primrose. This isn't going to just pass. Apollo is dead and he's not coming back!"

"Don't yell at her!" cried Nova, leaning into Prim with a frown. Prim appreciated the love from Orion's sister, appreciated that Nova felt like a true sister to her and acted like it. Primrose was very grateful.

Slowly pulling her hand away, Prim offered Orion a smile, "You know that's not what I meant, I understand how hard this is. I didn't mean to-"

"I know," Orion sighed, reaching back out to take Prim's hand, bringing her knuckles to his lips and pressing a kiss to them, "I didn't get much sleep last night, I guess I'm just a little bit snappy."

Prim knew, had stayed up, sat outside his room just in case he needed her. Had watched as he tossed and turned beneath the covers, had watched as he eventually cried himself to sleep.

"You're not sleeping well? I could get you a tonic if you like?" Elain offered, smiling her bright flowery smile. Elain was simply too pure for all of this, emitting positive energy waves wherever she went. 

Orion shook his head, "No, it's okay, thanks though, Aunt Elain."

"Maybe," Nova started, "If you have a nightmare, I and Prim can come to save you! Just like you two did for me!"

"That's very sweet of you, baby girl." Orion smiled, looking at his sister with that brotherly love that only came out when he spoke to Nova.

"We'd make a great team, right Nova?" Prim grinned, looking from Orion to Nova who was already smiling and nodding.

Before anyone could say anything else, Feyre, Rhys and Azriel winnowed into the foyer and entered the dining room. Nova sprung from her seat, rushing to her father just as Azriel rushed to Elain. Smiling at the sight, Prim shifted down a seat to sit closer to Orion, squeezing his hand in hers. Rhys was holding Nova upon his hip as they moved toward the table, Feyre taking a seat opposite Orion at the other head of the table, Rhys sitting at her side with Nova securely on his lap. Azriel was kissing Elain, his hand on her swollen bump, a smile on his lips as they pressed against his wife's. Prim wanted what they had, wanted it so badly that she had to look away.

"How'd it go?" Orion asked, leaning back in his chair. The look in his eyes was one of concern, one of utter stress. He was looking out for his parents, worrying for them when it should have been the other way around. Prim wouldn't blame Rhys and Feyre, they truly were doing their best. But sometimes, people's best just weren't good enough.

"Good," Feyre smiled - despite the shadows beneath her eyes, she still managed to look beautiful, "Kallias and Vivianne showed up,  said they'd called off their alliance with Autumn."

"Mor's with them now," Rhys added before anyone had the chance to ask. Prim knew that Mor was rather close with Vivianne, her disappearance, in this case, made sense. She was glad the Winter Court had come to their senses.

"That's good right?" asked Prim, hating how she felt out of place when she spoke in serious discussions ever since her father had left. His absence had broken something in her, had taken away something that she should have cherished before.

"Yes, but there's something else." Rhys sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I and Feyre have decided to speak with Beron, to see if he can agree to stop this."

"Dad, you can't," argued Orion, standing up and pressing his palms against the table, "He won't listen, you'll just get hurt."

The field. They would be going back to the same field that Apollo- Prim couldn't even think of it.

Nova shifted in her father's lap, as if even she had made the connection. Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Feyre smirked, looking to her mate, "See, I told you he would say that."

"Mom, this isn't funny," Orion groaned, his hands balling into fists, "You can't go. Not alone, anyway."

"You are in no state to join us, Orion." Rhys snapped, though there were care and compassion in his fierceness. 

"If you go, I go. Azriel, you'll come?" Orion asked, turning to the spymaster.

He nodded, his wings tucked behind him as he turned to look across the table, "Yes, as will Mor and Amren. Not Cassian though, we can't bring him there."

"I go where Orion goes." Prim declared, feeling something inside her fall into place at the though of being beside him, "Elain, you can stay with Nova, right?"

Elain's nod was slightly hesitant, "Of course, only if you all promise to come home."

The room went silent, even Nova hid in Rhys's chest. They couldn't make such a promise when walking into the midst of a war. Couldn't make such a promise when it was possible one of them wouldn't come back. After Apollo, they knew not to expect too much.