𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬

Ch 39: The Destroyer

"and I needed to do it now."

Aelin POV
The killing calm descended on me as I beheaded my second soldier. I couldn't see them anymore- the valg. Images of Cairn's sadistic smiles and knives that he dragged across my body for days plagued my vision. I was thankful that I had left everyone behind as I blindly but effectively slashed at the enemies, taking one out after the other. My flame was begging me for release, for letting the wildfire free and rein in destruction like it was born to do, and I would grant its wish, as soon as I reached closer to the centre.

Chaol POV
Yrene and I had been travelling on a ruk, followed by Nesryn and Sartaq who were commanding the Southern armies, for two days now. We had just flown past the castle of Orynth which was deserted apart from some really old men that were dressed luxuriously enough to label them as the lords of Terrasen. The sounds of swords clashing and battle cries could be heard from even this high in the sky which told us that the battle was close. Yrene was going to set up a med-bay with anyone even remotely good with medicine as I fought on the ground alongside Aelin and Dorian. I pressed my ruk to go faster, getting restless.

We were flying above the camp in under five minutes, as I directed my ruk to start descending and dropping me on the battlefield. Thanks to being well rested, I could walk for now, as I leaped off of the ruk, my sword already in my hand. I stood beside Dorian who was staring at the battlefield, waiting along with every other soldier for Aedion's command to attack.

I looked around to find Aelin, but she was nowhere to be found, about which I asked Dorian. He looked at me suddenly as if he hadn't known that I was standing beside him as he pulled me into a rib-crushing hug. I hugged him right back as he whispered in my ear, "you can walk again."

He pulled back after a minute and stared at me for a minute before a smile took over his face as he looked back at the battlefield. Aedion was pacing in front of the army, staring at the valg intently. "Where's Aelin?" I asked again as I watched Aedion glare into the enemy ranks. Dorian pointed towards something in the middle of the valg, his eyes never leaving it. I looked to where he was pointing to only to see almost nothing. All I could make out was the valg breaking ranks and going towards that point, but never returning. Something golden twirled and destroyed like it was a dance they had been performing since before time. "What is that?" I asked, as I squinted to see anything I could of the point. "Aelin." Was his short answer. If I was drinking something right now it would have come spurting out as I sputtered to find a response. He looked at me with a knowing look, "yeah" he said with a sigh as he turned back. "Damn, that girl is angry" I commented as I looked towards Aedion again, trying to understand what the hell he was waiting for.

Before I could go to Aedion though, a raven haired male with beautiful huge wings protruding from his back stepped forward, awe on his face. He asked Aedion something I couldn't make out, as Aedion responded "I'm waiting for Aelin to take the front lines. I don't want half our army to burn when she releases it."

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing to the figure that Aedion just replied too. "Aelin escaped to another world after she was captured by Maeve. She found out her mother was from there originally and had a son over there before shr came here. That's Rhysand, Aelin's brother. She managed to bring armies to aid us from that other world too. That's what Elide told me." he explained. "What!?" was the only reply I could muster. That was a hell of a lot to take in. When the fuck did Aelin get captured by Maeve. And I asked as much. "You missed a lot buddy" he said clapping me on my back.

A white hawk flew above us from the camp behind us straight into the battlefield towards Aelin.
Rowan.

Rhysand POV
'Aelin could fight' - understatement of the year.
I stood there in awe as she took out one valg after another not even stopping for a second. I saw a white tailed hawk flying towards Aelin, who I had found out was Rowan in his 'animal' form which was something every fae had here apparently. The massacre lasted a minute more as the sky burst into flames. It was contained, more or less, as every single valg in the front lines burnt to nothing in a matter of seconds. The fact that Aedion predicted that sort of ticked me off, not for any reason I could comprehend.

"Did she have a burnout there in your world?" Aedion asked me looking skeptically towards the blazing figure standing between the burning grounds. "She had one little burst, didn't cause any real damage." I answered, shrugging. He sighed at my response, like he couldn't decide if he was happy or not. "That's not her full power. She's reserving it for the lock." He said, and I could practically feel the sadness coming off of him in waves. "What lock?"
"The gods chose her for a sacrifice that is required to save the entire world. The decision was made long before she was even born." he said, leaving me in shock and anger. "What!? Absolutely not!" I exclaimed and he gave me a weird look.
"I tried already, and I'm her brother. What's your deal? Someone got too close?" he asked, looking curious as too my protests. All I could focus on though was the fact that he called himself her brother. "What do you mean you're her brother?" he kept looking at me, like he was trying to figure out if I was serious. "Our mothers were sisters" he explained, still staring at me for an explanation.

He was my cousin too. Shit.

"I-I uh."
"You...?"
"Evalin, Aelin's mother she was originally from my world, and sh-she was married to the High Lord of the Night Court. I'm her son." I explained.
"Oh" he responded, looking down at his feet as he took it in, his hands folded across his chest. He looked up after a minute, staring into the battlefield. "We grew up together, I'm her brother." he said finally, turning towards me and giving me a glare. Suddenly, he didn't seem to like me very much. Before I could react though, he turned on his heel and faced the army.
"To Terrasen!" he shouted, raising his sword. They all echoed his words as Aedion turned around and charged into the field, screaming a battle cry.

Getting over the shock of whatever the hell just happened, I released my wings as I too, flew in.