The Illyrian Warrior

Chapter Twenty-Two

Davina tapped the golden siphons that sat on the back of her hands. She woke up this morning to a box on her counter, Illyrian leathers laid inside, spaces waiting for her siphons. A single note laid on top of the delicate box that said, welcome back, meet me outside your apartment in an hour.

So here Davina was, standing nervously outside her apartment complex, tapping her siphons impatiently. Passerby's glanced at her, noting the siphons, the lack of wings, the armour, and then going about their business. And yet, she could here the question in their minds, a female Illyrian warrior?

She couldn't wait for Rhys to get here, because then she could leave and she wouldn't be sitting idle while people watched.

As if she'd summoned him, Rhys appeared in front of her, Cassian beside him.

"Look at you!" Cassian grinned excitedly, "you've got the armour and everything".

Davina smiled back awkwardly. She wasn't expecting Cassian, she figured it would be her and Rhys, although, Cassian was better than the alternative.

"Hey, Cassian", Davina said.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked seriously.

Davina swallowed down any feeling that wanted to object, "yes, thank you".

Rhys had stood watching their interaction, but only spoke up now as the silence turned sour.

"Cassian and you will be heading to Windhaven today", he said simply.

Davina tried not to blanch. Already? She was going to the camps now? She felt horribly underprepared. Was Rhys really going to throw her into the deep end?

"Now?" Davina asked.

Rhysand simply nodded, "Cassian will be there with you. Think of it like a test run".

So Davina would go to the camps and Cassian would be there to make sure she wasn't torn apart.

"We will only be gone for the afternoon", Cassian chimed in, "I had to go anyways so Rhys said you should come to".

"Did he now?" Davina said inclining her head towards Rhys.

He merely shrugged and said into her mind, "it's either Cassian or Azriel. Take your pick".

Davina sighed, rolling her shoulders to ease some of the tension.

"Alright", she said, "we best get going".

Rhys clapped his hands together, "perfect! I'll winnow you both there and be back to pick you up later this afternoon".

Rhysand held out his hands, Davina reluctantly grasped his hand and before she could blink they'd winnowed away.

—————

Davina forgot how cold the camps got, especially during winter. She suddenly wished Rhys had given her more heads-up on where they were going, at least then she could've worn thicker socks.

Rhysand didn't leave Cassian and Davina straight away. He seemed to turn his face into the one of the High Lord, Cassian turning into the general, before they marched forward. Davina followed behind, shuffling through the thick snow. She supposed she should wear a mask too, one that was fashioned from the kind of ice only the camps could produce. So, as they walked closer towards what Davina presumed was Devlon's tent, she too found a mask that suited her. The first Illyrian female to sit among the High Lord's Inner Circle, a girl of power and strength, someone to fear and respect.

"High Lord", Devlon said tightly, bowing slightly.

"Devlon", Rhysand said with distaste.

Devlon's eyes flashed to Davina, she ignored him, just like he ignored her.

"What do you want?" Devlon said through gritted teeth.

Rhysand smiled, it wasn't a friendly smile.

"My commander Cassian and my delegate for the Illyrian females will be overseeing their training today and into the foreseeable future".

Now Devlon could not ignore Davina. His eyes roamed her body, she tried not to tense up and merely glared at him fiercely.

"Why?" Devlon spat, still glaring at Davina.

"Because your attempt at providing training for the females has been lacking", Rhysand purred, "they will be in and out for the next week or so, if that's okay with you?"

Of course, even if Devlon had a problem with Cassian and Davina being there, he wouldn't voice it. Certainly not when Rhysand stood there, his presence a threat by itself.

"Where are the females?" Cassian said, "I certainly didn't see them training".

Devlon tensed but merely switched his glare to Cassian, "they are doing chores".

Rhysand tutted, "I told you, Devlon, chores after training. I don't like to repeat myself".

Devlon turned his gaze to Rhysand, not hesitating to hold his gaze.

"Of course", Rhysand said waving a hand, "this slip up could be overlooked if they start their training now".

Devlon huffed, but waved a hand to one of his soldiers who slipped past the three of them, growling at Davina, and then exiting the door. Davina rolled her eyes at the Illyrian's attempt at intimidation. It would take much more than a few growls to scare her.

"I will leave my two companions here", Rhysand said picking a piece of lint off his shoulder, "I will return later today and I expect to see progress".

Devlon reluctantly nodded and seeing his work was done, Rhysand swiftly left the tent, probably to winnow home.

"We will be training the females in the main ring, if you need us", Cassian said to Devlon.

Davina followed Cassian as they exited the tent. She fell into stride beside him as they made their way towards the rings.

"Devlon seems like a good time", Davina joked.

Cassian scoffed, "it is unfortunate that he's the best of them".

Davina nodded her agreement, "well, we are here to make it better".

Cassian smiled at her, "that we are, little warrior".

Davina smiled softly at the term of endearment. As they made their way closer to the ring, Davina could see the Illyrian females huddling in the cold.

"Their freezing!" Davina exclaimed, "they don't get proper uniforms?"

The question was more rhetorical than anything, of course they wouldn't get proper uniforms. And Davina thought she was cold.

"No", Cassian said clenching his jaw, "they don't".

Once they arrived in front of the females, they gazed at Davina with both wonder and suspicion. She had three siphons, females rarely got one, a good Illyrian soldier might get two. And yet, in front of the cold Illyrian females, was Cassian who had seven siphons and a female who had three.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all", Davina said reaching out to individually shake each of their hands.

Cassian raised a brow at her forward-ness, yet each Illyrian female reached forward and shook her hand, most were reluctant.

"My names Davina", she said, "I'm the newest member in the High Lord's inner circle and I will be helping you train today".

"And from now on", Cassian corrected, "she's going to be turning these camps around".

Cassian looked at her proudly, because he was proud. She had been nothing but a wingless, Illyrian female who could barely walk and now she was here, doing everything she could to make sure nobody else had to go through what she went through.

"Let's start with a lap around the camp", Davina said, "just so you get warm. I'll run with you".

And then they were off.