𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬

Ch 40: The sacrifice: Part 1

"I released my wings as I too, flew in."

Aelin POV

I retreated silently after Aedion and Rhys marched onto the battlefield. Rowan was with me because he refused to leave my side after I told him what I was about to do. Rowan had slowly lifted me with the winds, above the chaos that was now the burnt battlefield. Reluctantly he dropped me onto the sidelines so that I could easily slip out without anyone, hopefully, noticing. He changed in mid-air as his feet hit the ground, and he looked at me.

"Aelin, you're pregnant. This is like Lyria all over again, I-I can't" he stammered, and I felt bad for him, I truly did, but it would kill me if I stood by and watched as Dorian slowly died knowing that it should've been me. I stopped and turned to face him. "Look at me." I demanded, but he kept his head down, trying to hide his tears. I stepped closer to him and wrapped him into a hug, and he responded in kind.

I pulled away a minute later, "Rowan, I love you. More than anything. But it would kill me- this will kill me even if I'm still standing by your side. This is my responsibilty, it has been from before I was even born, and I can't take Dorian's chance at a life, at kids of his own just because I was too scared." I reasoned. Tears were flowing down my cheeks as well, as Rowan looked in my eyes, hoping for even the smallest hint of doubt - but there was none.

Dorian POV
I was sending waves of fire to take out as many valg as I could, and I kept waiting for Aelin to join me. People were crowding the sky which was helpful, as I took took the sky with wings of my own, fire erupting from my hands and turning everything it touched into ash. I knew Aelin hadn't used all of her magic, not by a longshot, yet she was nowhere to be seen. The vantage point from above helped me keep a lookout but then I saw something I was hoping I wouldn't. She was standing near the edge of the forest a little ways away, crying while she consoled Rowan of something, who was outright weeping, the rock-hard warrior nowhere to be seen.

Realisation struck me as to what was happening in the last moment as Aelin ran into the forest with Rowan going after her. She was fucking pregnant and going to forge the lock. That stupid selfless girl. All thoughts of war were already gone as I followed her from above as she ran through Oakwald.

I landed next to her as she stopped at the entrance of a cave, using her fae speed to run she hadn't taken long. Rowan was standing beside her, his eyes glazed over as if he was somewhere else entirely. My wings disappeared as I walked closer to her, she turned towards me, determination and nothing else shining in her eyes, but I had known her long enought to know she was terrified. "What the hell are you doing!?" I asked her, anger seeping into my words. If she noticed, she didn't react to it. "That army is endless, and Erawen and Maeve haven't even come onto the battlefield. I am going to forge the lock while you shut up and go live your life with Manon." she said as she took a step inside but I caught her hand before she could do any further.

I had been thinking about this ever since Aedion's little breakdown and this might be the time to voice it. "What if we both go in? It'll take half from me and the other half from you. We might both come out alive." I reasoned, and I could feel Rowan's eyes lift up and stare at the back of my head. "Yes. Yes please. Aelin I can't- I can't lose you, please." Rowan pleaded as he made his way towards us. I was looking at Aelin now, and I could tell the gears in her head were turning. She turned towards Rowan and saw the desperation on his face, and then looked back at me. She took my hand in hers and nodded as a smile made its way onto my face. The next thing I know, Rowan is hugging me with all his fae strength, "thank you." he whispered in my ear before letting go. Aelin and I turned towards the cave, still hand in hand as we stepped inside into the darkness, together.

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Aedion POV

There were ilken flying in the air everywhere, and the winged soldiers from that other world were doing their best but the sky was filled with endless black, it was as if someone was regenerating them again and again. Rhysand, despite my dislike towards him, was doing a fine job as he sent blasts of pure darkness towards the aerial and ground forces, doing significant damage. When he first used his powers I was taken a little by shock, his powers being the exact opposite of Aelin's, but I dismissed it because all that mattered was that it worked against the valg.

Aelin was nowhere to be found as the rest of her court fought beside me, using their magic or their swords. Lysandra leaped over my head in snow leopard form as she bit down on a valg's neck, killing him instantly. Gavri- my father, was using his sword and healing fellow soldiers that weren't too severely wounded, simultaneously. A creature that looked part human and part wyvern lunged at me, bringing me out of my thoughts as instinctively drove my sword through his torso, and decapitated him in the second it took for it to recover.

Someone shouted from the air and I looked up to find Rhysand desperately pointing at something while talking to the soldiers at his command. I looked where he was pointing to find wyverns, huge and blacker than the night, wyverns as they flew towards us. I was about to shout to Lysandra to help take out the iron-teeth witches but something red cought my eye as it waved with the air. It seemed like a cape, something too familiar for comfort, when it hit me - Manon. She was here with the Crochans she promised. Without wasting another second I shouted with everything I had towards Rhysand who was flying in his place, looking worriedly at the witches.

"Rhys! Don't attack them, they're allies!" I shouted and he looked down at me, giving me a confused look as if he couldn't hear me. I repeated myself as his face morphed into a look that said 'shit!'.

He took off into the distance towards his soldiers that were moving towards the wyverns, about to attack. He moved in front of them, raising his hand in 'stop right there' motion. I tore my eyes away from him, and breathed out a breathe I didn't know I was holding as I resumed cutting the valg down.