A court of water and worlds

Chapter #33

Azriel was currently waiting on the stairs for Gwyn.
He was about to get up and look for her when he heard someone sprinting down the hallway.
"I'm here," Gwyn said breathlessly.
Azriel smiled looking at the disheveled priestess.
"You nap?" He asked and Gwyn nodded.
"You?" She asked and he shook his head.
She gaped at him, "you didn't sleep?"
He shook his head, "I've never been great at taking naps," he said, holding his hand out for her to take.
Azriel could never nap.
It was hard enough falling asleep at night.
His mind was always moving, always thinking, he could never shut it off.
So, he could never take naps no matter how hard he tried.
She took his hand and he asked, "ready?"
"Ready," she assured and he winnowed them to the mountain palace.
—-
Gwyn had been to the mountain palace two days prior but she didn't really notice anything because she was so worried about Nesta.
Now that she was here she actually had time to fully take in the place.
"You guys are rich," Gwyn said gawking at the moonstone hallway, and the fact that there were no doors or windows.
It was snowing outside but she couldn't feel the bite of cold.
"How is it not cold," Gwyn said marveling in the light breeze flowing through the palace.
"Magic," Azriel said, leading her to a room.
They walked in and Gwyn immediately saw Emrie sitting on one of the lush couches.
Seriously, these people had money.
She ran to Emrie who stood up to hug Gwyn.
"You're ok," Emrie said, smiling into Gwyn's shoulder.
"Are you healed?" Gwyn asked, looking for any traces of pain in Emrie's abdomen.
"I'm fine, I fully headed this morning," Emrie said but was interrupted by Nesta and Cassian entering the room.
Nesta ran over to Gwyn and Emrie and hugged them both.
"Now that everyone is here, I think we should get started," Gwyn heard the high lady, Feyre say.
Gwyn turned around and found that there were a lot of people here.
Feyre was standing next to Rhysand by the door way, Cassian was next to Mor on the couch, and Elaine and a red haired man were sitting opposite to Mor and Cas.
She had seen the man before when they had gotten Nesta back from Koschei.
Gwyn still doesn't understand what happened but seeing as Elain was here she could probably Explain it to them.
Gwyn also saw a woman with cropped black hair and grey eyes.
She was trying to remember where she saw the women before.
"We need to discuss what happened with Koschei," Rhysand said, "for some reason the rebel Illyrian camps have not tried to attack again which is good for us. It gives us more time to rebuild camp windhaven, but it doesn't make sense as to why they stopped attacking us.
"We are weak and right now would be the perfect time to attack but we haven't heard any news on the camps preparing for battle."
"How would this be connected to Koschei?" The woman with cropped black hair asked.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out?" Rhysand said, rubbing his temple.
"When we went looking for Nesta we found Alac and Drystan," Cassian said looking towards Azriel who nodded.
"They mentioned that they made a deal with Koschei, to support them in the war if they brought Nesta to Koschei," Cassian finished.
"That still doesn't explain why the rebel camps stopped attacking," Mor said from the couch.
"Actually it does," Gwyn said, just realizing that she said that out loud, she continued, "if Nesta was never delivered then they never completed the deal and they would no longer have Koschei's support."
"But I was delivered," Nesta said from behind Gwyn, "the Carrion took me to a rebel Illyrian camp and then they gave me something that made me unconscious. The next thing I knew I was next to Cas like nothing ever happened."
"You don't remember anything?" Feyre asked Nesta who shook her head.
"I guess that brings us to Elain," Rhysand said, "how did you manage to free Nesta and get everyone out."
Everyone was now looking toward Elain who looked uncomfortable, like she didn't know what to do with all of the attention on her.
"I had a vision," Elaine said in a monotone voice as if she was bored.
"I couldn't winnow so I asked Lucien if he could get me to the lake," she looked to Lucien who looked back at her as if there was more to the story.
"When I got there I offered a vision for Nesta's freedom and everyone's safety," Elain finished but everyone kept looking at her as if she would say more.
That didn't make sense, Gwyn thought.
All the stories she read about Koschei he never wanted visions or material items he always wanted wives.
But maybe this vision was important, maybe it was information he needed.
"What was the vision?" Gwyn asked Elaine who focused her big brown eyes on Gwyn.
"I can't remember," Elain said, "once I give the vision away it is no longer mine."
Gwyn nodded, still confused.
"So if Elain gave something to Koschei in place of Nesta, therefore fulfilling the illrayin deal with him. That means the rebels still have his support," Feyre said, crossing her arms.
"But there is something I still don't understand," Azriel said, "my half brothers spoke of Nesta as some sort of ancestor."
Everyone looked at him confused.
"I don't think that has much importance because If Nesta was some ancestor that he needed he wouldn't have given her up so easily," Gwyn heard the red-haired man say looking towards Elain.
Gwyn watched as Elain locked eyes with the red-haired man as if they were having some sort of silent conversation.
"So if Koschei is still working with the rebel camps then that is where we set our priorities," Cassian said, pulling back Gwyn's attention.
"You can't defeat Koschei," the woman with cropped black hair said, taking a step towards them.
Those were the words uttered by Azriel's brothers.
"Unless the rebel camps make a move I think it is best that we be ready but do not attack. If at all possible I think It would be smartest because if we risk attacking them we risk Koschei's wrath. I think we wait till they make a move," the woman finished.
Gwyn nodded agreeing with the woman.
Gwyn did not know of a way to defeat Koschei, so it would be smartest to stay away.
But they would have to face him eventually.
She looked back towards Elain.
She wanted to ask her more about the deal she made with Koschei.
She found Elain already looking at her.
Well, not at her, at her necklace.
She felt Azriel stiffen beside her.