Twilight Entwined (A Maasverse Tri-Series Crossover)

Trouble In Paradise

"Nesta!? Gwyn!? Emerie!?"

The girls look up from where they crouch near the male from the other world.

Cassian and Azriel.

"See, told you they would come", Nesta remarks. "Watch him. I'll...calm them down."

The girls nod and Nesta's boots crunch on the gravelly trail as she walks away, confronting the two Illyrians. "We're right here. Don't freak out."

Both of them look at her in concern. Cassian crosses his arms and Az glances over at him, something unsettled in his eyes. Nesta doesn't miss the flicker of it.

"You were supposed to meet us at—", Cassian starts.

"I know where we were supposed to meet you, and we couldn't. Something...happened. And before you go all crazy possessive male on me, let me just explain. To you both, okay?"

"It feels...off", Azriel murmurs to her, hazel eyes full of concern.

Cassian raises a brow at his brother, looking between him and Nesta.

"I know", she says. "I can explain."

"Well, we're waiting."

"We found a wounded male and he needs a healer—"

"What? Where?", Cassian goes to push past her but she places a hand on his chest.

"Cassian! Just wait a minute. I-I have to tell you both something, and you cannot fly off the handle."

Cassian furrows his brow and levels a stare at her. "What?"

Nesta swallows and her blue-gray eyes slide to Azriel, for silent companionship. "Well, he...uh...I don't think he is from here. But that does not mean he is a threat. He is severely injured, and I think it would be better for us to help him than leave him here to die."

Azriel's eyes light up with instant understanding. "Midgard", he breathes. "He is from Midgard, too?"

She nods, looking up at Cassian's whose gaze is quite stony.

"Cass...he can't hurt a fly, he's near dead."

"Do we know that isn't a good thing?"

"I bet many High Fae thought that of Enalius when they let him bleed out. I'm sure your Illyrian buddies thought it was great when the first Valkyries were being slaughtered and prevented you from helping. People are too fast to judge. I would know."

His brown eyes soften a bit as he sighs. "Rhys is going to have an absolute fit."

"Who cares? I'm sick and tired of his feelings being law. This is about doing the right thing versus not. Same as when I helped Bryce save her entire planet. I don't regret that, no matter how much you all hated me for it. I would have wanted someone to help me..."

Azriel lets out a breath. "Alright, if he needs help, perhaps we should help him off this mountain."

Cassian bristles a bit but nods. "Right."

"He actually has no memory. I am not sure if it is because of his injury. It-it looks like he was harmed with one of those gun things from their world. That's how I knew. Plus, his magic...it's like it called to mine."

"Like calls to like", Az says softly.

"Perhaps there is some stock in what Bryce told me when she gave me Gwydion", she replies.

Cassian shoots Az a look that he wholly ignores, that calm mask of indifference on his face.

Nesta leads them to where Gwyn and Emerie are and the male groans again as he lifts his face to the towering Illyrians, his eyes widening at their wings.