Shadowsinger

Chapter 26

"You got shot?" Nesta demanded, and Gwyn chuckled to herself,

"I was only lightly shot, I'm fine,"

"You got shot!" Nesta repeated, "What the hell happened?"

"We had to escape, one of the males there recognized us,"

"Not exactly," Azriel interjected, "My brother recognized me, Gwyn only came to warn me, she was implicated by her association with me," Gwyn shot Azriel a look, and he shrugged, ignoring her clear insistence that he stop blaming himself. She cleared her throat, drawing his attention back to her, narrowed her eyes and almost imperceptibly shook her head, but Azriel visibly relaxed, the tension in his back and shoulders lessening as he slouched for the first time since escaping the mortal palace. He didn't need to respond, Gwyn was satisfied with the recognition of her message in his eyes, and the calmer, slower pace he took as he continued explaining, "Gwyn was in disguise and searching the rooms when she heard them talking and gave us the time we needed to get out," the others were nodding, but Nesta was still glaring at Gwyn,

"And how did you get shot?"

"You've heard of this new invention called a 'bow', right? It fires what we call 'arrows' and when they hit you, it hurts," Nesta was still glaring as she spoke, and Gwyn dropped the joke, "I had to go on foot, Az couldn't fly fast enough with three people, so we'd have all been in danger too long, the arrow hit the boning of my corset, it didn't even touch me, Nes," Nesta sighed, and narrowed her eyes, trying to discern the truth in Gwyn's words, finally deeming them acceptable before letting it go, 

"Don't get shot again,"

"Believe me I'll be trying," Gwyn chuckled, slipping her hand into Nesta's to reassure her again that she was safe, it was hard for her, letting someone else, especially someone she considered a sister, go into danger without her, she'd already lost one sister that way, even if she had found Feyre again, Gwyn didn't want to be the reason that she dwelled too long on those memories. Thankfully, Azriel was already finishing explaining their return home, prompting discussions about the next steps. Obviously, the ambush plan was priority number one, but there was also Azriel's brother to consider, they couldn't simply ignore him forever, and the fact that the rebels now had clear external support, if any airborne fighting took place, the Darkbringers would be useless, but the loyal Illyrians were now outnumbered by the rebels. Asking for external help would be risky, Drakon and Miryam would help at a moment's notice, but no-one wanted to drag them into yet another war, Thesan would likely commit his Peregryns, but then word would be out that the Night Court could not even maintain peace within its borders, and places like the Autumn and Spring Courts would take the chance to push their agendas. 

For once, the room was silent, the only sounds the breathing of those beside her, the wind outside, her own heartbeat. There was no way out, not this time, Gwyn leaned forward onto the table, staring at the Illyrian mountains where they were inked onto the map, it all seemed so small here, so easy, but out there, in real life it was far from easy. She narrowed her eyes, shuffling from foot to foot, desperately hoping that some idea would spring to mind,

"We can't face them in the sky, correct?" She ventured, maybe talking would help someone think of something,

"Exactly, and we can't ask for help without inviting a political nightmare at best, an invasion at worst," Rhys added, clenching and unclenching his fists as he thought, as if an enemy he could fight would appear, allowing him to protect the people he loved, that was one of his greatest strengths, despite his flaws, he cared, he really cared about the people under his rule, all of them, it was what made him a great High Lord, not merely a good one,

"But on the ground we would have the advantage?"

"Yes, with the Darkbringers, and the troops stationed elsewhere across the Court,"