Wingless Illyrian

Part twenty three

Rhysand and Feyre returned to the townhouse after their visit to the prison to be greeted by Azriel and Amren waiting at the door, and Mor in the foyer lounging across a chair. The latter shot up as her cousin entered the room with his followers behind.

"How'd it go?" She asked as they settled on the couches.

"The Bone Carver," Rhys said, "is a busybody gossip who likes to pry into other people's business far too much." Mor gave him a look to continue. "He can also be helpful given the right encouragement."

"So what do we need to be doing?" Azriel asked, his shadows pooling at his hands, hiding is scars.

Rhysand looked around the room, noticing that two people were missing.
"Where's Cassian and Keena?"

Azriel looked down at his shadows swallowing.
"They're going through something."

"We're about to go to war, Azriel, they should be here to hear this?"

"We can tell him later, Rhys. They were talking when I got to the house, privately. You could've moved and entire Illyrian legion through that house and he wouldn't have see it. She was asleep when I came back down, if you want to call him here by all means but he didn't look like someone that was going to be leaving anytime soon. I smelled tears, and not just hers. Don't mention it to them, but whatever they were talking about wasn't good. They'll be here when they're okay."

Rhysand stared at his spymaster, never hearing the man speak more heartfelt words in his life.

He finally nodded his head and began explaining everything he knew about the cauldron, its power and the information from the bone carver. Azriel asked the most questions out of everyone, coming out of his shadows to better gauge their expressions.

"None of your contacts, Azriel. We aren't trusting anyone outside of this room, except for Cassian and Keena. We can't take risks in anyone telling the king."

"If we cant use Azriel, how are we meant to find the missing half. What do you have planned exactly?" Mor cut in—perhaps for Azriel's sake as his hands clenched and unfurled at his sides.

"The attacks he's made on the court show he's not trying to be our friend, in my eyes it's an act of war. He knows what side we fought for in the War and won't waste time in attempt to sway us. The ones who were able to get out of the mountain undetected likely reported everything back to him."

"We'll have to go to Hybern if the cauldron is there. Nullify or bring it back. Not to think about all the wards and shields they'll have around us. To get in undetected, let alone out again." Azriel said quietly.

"We start now, get the book together and swiftly move before they know we have both halves."

They talked for hours coming up with a plan that was the closest to fool proof as they could, and even that being not very.

Dinner arrived with a knock at the door, Rhysand answered to find his brother, wings flared and a look that could murder in his eyes. But behind everything, Cassian was broken.

"Is everything," Cassian shook his head, not needing to hear the rest.

"Not even close." He looked at Keena, whose eyes were bloodshot from crying.

"Sorry, we missed the meeting, it's my fault," Keena mumbled as she stepped into the house.

"It's not your fault, princess. Rhys can fill me in." Cassian said softly. She mindlessly walked forward, Cassian trailing a few steps behind as Rhysand closed the door.

Cassian took his usual place beside Keena, wrapping a blanket over her shoulders.

"Thanks, dad," she said quietly, "I'm not really hungry."

"Do you want to stay here, or lie down?"

"Can I go outside? Just to the garden?"

"Of course, do you want company?"

"No, you eat, I'll be okay." She gave him a forced smile before slipping out. His eyes followed her out of the room, the blanket billowing around her.

No one commented as Rhysand sat, his eyes landing briefly on her open seat.

Cassian's mind wasn't in the right place to be discussing plans for the upcoming war. Not when he had Keena to worry about. He'd lost his mother, Rhysand's mother and sister, their father never cared enough for his to miss in any way. He couldn't lose her too.

"Cassian," his head snapped to Mor. "Won't you tell him he's crazy."

"Yeah, yeah sure." He agreed mindlessly, staring at the food he'd been pushing around his plate.

Mor opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a deep rumble of thunder outside that left the house trembling. Cassian shot out of his seat and towards the door she's disappeared out of to the garden.

Rhysand and Azriel quickly followed with Feyre staying close to the former.

The darkness outside made it hard to see but their fae sight helped immensely. The entire garden had been overgrown by thorns, and in the center was Keena. Blanket around her shoulders, kneeling.

A loud clap of lightning caused Feyre to jump into Rhysand, whose sole focus for once wasn't on her. Both he and Azriel watched Cassian make his way through the growing thorns, not caring that they were catching on his clothes.

"It was clear earlier, how is it?" Feyre asked.

"Keena has control over some of the natural elements. I've personally only seen it get this bad once before." Rhysand said quietly, his eyes never leaving his girl.

Cassian now sat at her side although she never acknowledged his presence. Her eyes were dark and haunted, staring off the side of the garden.

"Let it out Keena. I know, you're angry, and hurt, and scared. Let it all out, you don't have to hide it anymore, not from me. They won't touch you anymore, no one will unless you say. You're in control now, you get to choose what happens next." He didn't touch her as he spoke. "Let it out, no more bottling it up. Scream, shout, do whatever you need. I'm here for you"

Her eyes met his. So dull. So empty.

And then she let it out.

Her power erupted in the sky, lighting the court with lightning that made it as bright as the day. And then everything was left in the dark, the thunder following a beat later in clap-like explosions. Tears streamed down her face as cool rain began to pour from the sky in sheets.

The electrical storm ended over an hour later, lightning slowly retreating back into the sky, the rain continued long after she'd fallen forward onto her arms gasping for breath and Cassian carried her back inside, ignoring everyone as he carried her to her room.

"Dad," his head turned to her to see her eyes barely open. "Thank you."

"I have something for you, you left him here in my room before everything." He pulled a familiar stuffed dog from behind his back with a weak smile.

"Mr Bumble," she said tiredly. Her eyes slowly drifted shut as Cassian blew out the small, flickering flames at her beside.
"Dad? Can you stay? I know I'm too old, but just until I fall asleep."

"Of course. I'll always stay if you want me to, even when you're all old and grown with your own." He settled on the armchair and listened after her breathing relaxed and she was sleeping.

Five more minutes, he told himself, just to make sure she didn't wake up again.