A Bloody Crown

Chapter 33: Dreams

I could smell the sea long before it came into view. Instead of flying, I walked alongside Azriel, attempting to soften the blow of him not being in the skies with Cassian.

It was silent as we walked the latter half, the gravity of the world falling on each of our shoulders. As the battlefield came into view, and the mass of Hybern's soldiers began appearing, my blood ran even colder than I thought possible.

We kept walking, kept marching, kept flying to our fates. 

In the first portion of the walk, Feyre and Amren had caught me up on the plan, the suicide mission rather, that would stop Hybern. My job was to help them get there once they were on the field. That is, if I wasn't dead first, according to Amren.

That earned her a glare from more than one of the members of our party.

As we stopped upon a grassy knoll, the Court of Dreams stood together, Cassian landing in front of us. Hybern stared at us, their mass army of black more than off-putting. I swallowed, knowing the King was in there somewhere.

As if reading my thoughts, Azriel brushed the tips of my fingers with his for a fraction of a second, just enough to show he knew.

Cassian snarled, "The prick took every inch of high ground and advantage he could find. If we want to rout them, we'll have to chase them up into those hills. Which I have no doubt he's already calculated. Likely set with all kinds of surprises." 

In the distance, those naga-hounds began snarling and howling. With hunger. 

Rhys only asked, "How long do you think we have?" 

Cassian clenched his jaw, glancing at Nesta and Elain. Though I hadn't been around long, I could tell there was something between him and Nesta, but I never felt it appropriate to ask. "We have five High Lords, and there's only one of him. You all could shield us for a while. But it might not be in our interest to drain everyone of you like that. He'll have shields, too.. and the Cauldron. He's been careful not to let us see the full extent of his power. I have no doubt we're about to, though." 

"He'll likely be using spells," Feyre said, referencing something I didn't have knowledge of, though everyone else did. 

"Make sure Helion is on alert," Azriel offered, limping to Rhys's side. I didn't linger on how bad it shredded my heart to see him that way. "And Thesan." 

"You didn't answer my question," Rhys said to Cassian. 

Cassian sized up Hybern's unending army, then our own. "Let's say it goes badly. Shields shattered, disarray, he uses the Cauldron... a few hours."

A shuddering breath left my body, knowing what Feyre would have to do in that amount of time. How little time we had to stay alive.

"My shadows are hunting for it," Azriel said to Feyre, reading her face of dead as she opened her eyes. His jaw clenched at the words. Az was supposed to have been searching for it himself. He flared and settled his wings, as if testing them. "But the wards are strong—no doubt reinforced by the king after you shredded through his at the camp. You might have to go on foot. Wait until the slaughter starts getting sloppy." 

Cassian dipped his head and said to Amren, "You'll know when." She nodded sharply, crossing her arms. Cassian clapped Rhys on the shoulder. "On your command, I'll get the Illyrians into the skies. We advance on your signal after that." 

Rhys nodded distantly, attention still fixed on that overwhelming army. 

Cassian took a step away, but looked back at Nesta. Her face was hard as granite. He opened his mouth, but seemed to decide against whatever he was about to say. She said nothing as Cassian shot into the sky with a powerful thrust of his wings. Yet she tracked his flight until he was hardly more than a dark speck.