Winds of Fire [ACOTAR]

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

With Rhys and Cassian's help, they brought Thesan and the captain into the sitting room, Feyre disappearing to collect a first aid kit as they sat down on the sofas. Rhys's face was pale as he pulled off Thesan's jacket, a nasty wound deep in his shoulder and pooling with blood. He balled the jacket up, using it to apply pressure to the wound. The captain shrugged off Cassian's fussing, focusing on his lover who was in a worse state. Prim was tucked slightly behind Orion, the pair watching, ready to help if need be as Feyre returned, Azriel following shortly after.

"What the hell happened?" He snapped, closing the sitting-room door behind him. Elain was still in bed, recovering from the birth and likely tending to Leo as Azriel joined the others, his brows furrowed and his wings tightly tucked behind him. Shadows engulfed him as he looked to Thesan and his lover.

"The Autumn Court," said the captain, a hand on Thesan's shoulder, "They attacked early this morning, it was a complete ambush."

Feyre knelt down, beginning to attend to the wound on Thesan's shoulder as Rhys cleaned up the gash on his cheek. The captain refused Cassian's help again, taking bandages from the kit and dressing his own wounds. A single call from Elain had Azriel leaving, Cassian taking up place next to Orion. Prim clutched Orion's hand, their fingers intertwined as she leant into his side.

This isn't your fault.

Prim turned to Orion, her eyes wide. His voice was like a whisper in her mind, caressing the walls of her brain. He had spoken to her through the bond, had reached into that darkness and shouted into the narrow halls to comfort her silently, to let her know he's there. She squeezed his hand as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

Thank you.

The door swung open and Azriel reemerged, followed by Mor who was cooing at the babe in Az's arms. Mor stepped to Rhysand's side as Azriel sat on the empty sofa, rocking Leo gently while still watching where Thesan and his lover sat. Prim moved to sit on the arm of the chair beside Azriel as Orion moved to assist his father, taking the blood-soaked rags and heading to the kitchen to retrieve fresh ones.

"How's Elain doing?" Prim whispered, chuckling as Leo peered up with wide eyes to his father.

"She's not able to move much, she's sleeping right now so I'm watching this one." He explained, pressing a feather-light kiss to Leo's head.

Prim reached down to brush her knuckle gently over Leo's cheek, "Bless her, she must be exhausted."

"She is, and all this isn't helping." Azriel sighed, nodding to where Thesan and the captain sat bleeding on the sofa. His hushed words caught Cassian's attention, his eyes widening at the sight of the baby in Az's arms. The Illyrian made his way over to his brother, sitting beside him on the sofa and peering down into his arms.

"Wow..." Cassian whispered, "Hey there little man, I'm your Uncle Cass."

Azriel adjusted Leo so he could properly see Cassian, his curious eyes taking in the man before him. Leo lifted a hand, gripping Cassian's hair in a fist as he lent willingly over the newborn. Cassian's eyes glossed over with tears, a chuckle slipping between his lips as Leo tugged on the strands he could reach.

"As much as I hate to interrupt," started Rhys, looking over at them, "But I need your attention to discuss... all this."

Prim was the first to move, joining Orion where he knelt on the floor, resting a hand on her mate's shoulder. Cassian sat on the arm beside the captain and Az moved to Rhys's side, Leo comfortably snuggled against his chest and beginning to drift off. Thesan lent back on the sofa, his bare chest covered in bandages and wraps, red blending in against the bronze of his skin. The captain took his hand, raising it to his lips and pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

"Someone should alert Helion," said Thesan, eyes darting over them all, "And I need to go back, see what happened to the rest of my warriors."

The captain's eyes went wide, "You can't, Thes. It's not safe anymore."

Thesan shook his head, "We can't just leave our people, surely there's somewhere they can go."

"There is." insisted Cassian, looking to Rhys, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Rhys nodded slowly, "They won't like it but... Any remaining soldiers can move into the Illyrian Camps we have in the mountains. It will be a tight squeeze but it's one of the safest places right now."

"My wife and chil-" Cassian started, blinking a few times before continuing, "My wife and daughter are there, but myself and Az can join you and your ranks to keep an eye on things."

"No," Azriel said, everyone turning to look at him, "I can't, not with Leo here now. I won't leave him without a father."

Rhys turned, laying a hand on Azriel's shoulder, "It's okay, Az. I understand. I can find someone to take your place. Stay with your wife and son, brother."

Azriel smiled, nodding to Rhys and nuzzling his nose against Leo's head, taking in his gentle baby scent. Orion stood up from where he had previously knelt, turning to the Illyrians, "I can take his place."

"No, absolutely not." snapped Rhys, ignoring the hand that snaked around his waist. Feyre lent into her mate, no doubt whispering silent words to him that they couldn't hear.

Orion sprouted his wings, stretching out his span and flapping, a gust of air surrounding them. "I'm Illyrian too Dad, and I want to help. Let me go with Uncle Cass... please."

Rhys looked to Cassian, the other male nodding with a gentle smile.

It was Feyre who spoke instead, "You can go, sweetheart, take your sister with you. And I'll be going to the summer court with Primrose and Mor. It's time Tarquin realised what's right and what's wrong."

Prim gave Feyre a nod, Mor smiling between the two females and running a hand through her golden locks. Orion grinned, winking at his Uncle who was smiling deviously.

"I'll go with the captain to collect any survivors, then we'll go to the camps. Az, it's just going to be you and Elain here, are you okay with that?" Rhys asked, watching as Theran attempted to stand. The captain wrapped his arm around his lover's waist, letting him lean against him.

"More than okay, we'll be fine just the three of us." He smiled, rocking Leo gently as he slept.

Orion pulled Prim against him by her waist. "I'll see you soon, okay?" He whispered against her hair, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he pulled back.

She nodded, nuzzling her nose against his, "Okay. Stay safe."

He nodded gently, I love you.

Prim grinned, I love you too.

Prim moved between Mor and Feyre as Orion joined Cassian and the captain. Rhys wrapped an arm around Thesan to keep him up as he stood beside him. They were separating again, spreading out across Prythian. Primrose didn't want to be away from Orion, could already feel that string inside her pulling tight to stay by his side. She knew the price of war, but that didn't mean she wanted to pay it.