Flames of Cobalt and Crimson

The Rescue

Azriel

I was back in that forest on the eastern border of the Summer Court. Hybern's soldiers had known we were coming. I'd scouted our route myself and it was at least partly my fault that I hadn't realized they were prepared for us. They crashed against us in the valley, arrows flying, soldiers going down on both sides with screams of agony.

Our lines were breaking apart and I could hear Cassian bellowing over the din and shriek of battle. 'Push, PUSH! Hold that line!' I swung my blade in sweeping arcs with arms that had already gone numb, angling for that voice at the front line. 'FIX IT, GODS DAMN YOU,' he bellowed at Keir, who managed to rally his Darkbringers to press back against the enemy.

Rain began to pour from the sky and my boots slipped over blood and mud and gore. I pushed harder, my siphons dark and power already expended. Cassian couldn't be in much better shape and I had to find him to protect his back. This was bad. I cut down one after another, not really seeing their faces, blinking the falling drops from my eyes.

'CAVALRY!'

'Cassian, WAIT!' Rhys's roared command cut through the chaos.

I saw Cassian break from the fighting, wings propelling him up and over the front line to crash into the midst of the charging enemy, blade already swinging before he landed. Fuck . He'd barely had the power to shield for that jump, siphons only faintly glowing.

A flash of gold from the corner of my eye and Mor was there, blocking a blow that had been aiming for my side, hair plastered to her head by the rain. I met her eyes briefly before turning away, sword singing, trusting her to stay at my back. With her help, we plowed through the lines toward that bellowing voice.

I lost sight of him then, and couldn't hear him, but somehow I felt like I knew where to go. I broke through just in time to see the Hybern commander's sword slam into his gut, ripping up to his sternum.

'NO!'

I was there in an instant, dispatching the commander and grabbing Cassian, feeling his blood wash over my hands as I held his stomach together. I was screaming, screaming for Mor to help me, screaming at the pain I swore I could practically feel in my own abdomen. My hands were the only thing keeping his guts inside. She was there, hauling us away, blade swinging as she shrieked at the soldiers around us to cover our retreat.

'Azriel...'

A glint of steel in the corner of my eye, and a blade was swinging for his neck. He looked up at me, his face ashen-

"Azriel!" Cassian's voice sounded frightened. My eyes snapped open to find him kneeling over me, gently shaking my shoulders. My darkness whirled around us. "Az, I'm here. You're safe. You're in the Day Court."

He's safe.

I spooled in my shadows slowly, one breath at a time, and the bright light of late morning illuminated the room. Cassian looked alert; his hair was combed and he had already dressed. I scrubbed my face with my rough hands, trying to clear the blinding panic and the fog of nightmares from my mind. I could still feel the phantom pain in my stomach. His stomach. My mouth and throat were dry, but it didn't feel like I had actually been screaming, so that was a small blessing.

He stretched out next to me, gathering me against him, and ran a soothing hand up and down my arm. "I'm sorry," he said, sounding regretful. "I went to the bathing room and I figured I would let you sleep a little longer while I got dressed." He hesitated. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but do you have nightmares often?"