A Court in Flames

Chapter 31

Aedion's POV

It had been six days. No word from either of them. Rowan had finally ordered me to take half of the army to check it out four days ago. Just in case I told myself. She was still alive. The mating bond held true. We'd been travelling along Oakwald forest.

"General!" A soldier came riding a horse to me. I growled in warning. 

"What is it?" I ground out. I was pissed as hell. My wife, my mate was out there somewhere and she may even be hurt.

"Dragons. Two dragons spotted due East." He panted out as he pointed behind him. Shit. Dragons. 

"Be ready to fight. Just in case they decide to attack." I sent my horse towards the place where they'd been spotted.

"What's happening?" I asked as I arrived.

The just pointed towards the two bright points in the sky. "They were over our army earlier and we just watched as they circled before heading back East. They didn't seem like they wanted to steal anything."

"Be on your guard," was all I said before heading to the front.

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It had been a few hours since we'd seen the dragons. I was worried they'd come back and slow our journey East. And now we were nearing Perranth. 

I was about to call to pack up for the night when a dragon landed in front of me. It had come out of nowhere.

I blinked in shock and then there was a girl. No older than six.

"Please hold your fire. My mother wishes to speak with you." I dismounted as she glanced at the archers who had their arrows trained on her. There was a shout and I was shocked when I saw that the bows had been burned to ashes. "They will be arriving soon." Her eyes lingered on me. It was as if she was trying to memorize my features. Just like I was surveying her.

I blinked when my eyes met hers. Her Ashryver eyes. She turned as I gave the order to hold fire. Not that anyone had anything left to fire at her.

A group of people came. Amongst them stood Elide, Lorcan, Manon, Petrah, Bronwen and... Lysandra.

"Beautiful work, Elentiya." A woman with golden hair stepped forward. Elentiya's mother, then. 

"Lysandra... We thought that you'd been captured." I was dazed.

"Please. As if I'm that easy to capture." She smiled at me. "Missed you like hell, though."

I hugged Lysandra and then turned on Lorcan. "Lorcan. Where the hell have you been? Rowan gave you the order to return to Orynth immediately."

He shrugged, "My Queen ordered me to help her disassemble the army station East of us before we moved on to Suria." That was the best lie he could come up with.

"Aelin's dead," I deadpanned.

"Am I, now? Dear cousin, I would've thought you of all people would've realized I don't go down that easily." I turned to the golden-haired woman who tugged back her hood and she met my eyes. And I realized that they were a mirror reflection.

Someone hissed through their teeth at the sight of her, "Shifter."

"Please. If anyone could detect another shifter it would be me. She's really Aelin," Lysandra said, sharply. Aelin smiled and I felt a tug on the blood-oath. The oath that had been severed. I fell to my knees. Aelin. Alive.

"How?" The question was barely more than a whisper.

"I'll explain later. Right now, Feyre and Mor are going to winnow us and the army to Suria." I watched as Aelin made sure that half of the army was ready before one of the females had grabbed their hands and they vanished before my eyes.

Manon, Petrah, Bronwen, and Elentiya held hands and disappeared as the other female came back.

Aelin started preparing the other half of the army when the first female came back. "Do you need a minute?" Aelin asked her.

"We don't have a minute. The place we scouted out. It's a blood bath. We have to get the rest of the army there and fast." Aelin nodded. 

"Mor should be back in a minute. Aedion, Lysandra, Lorcan, Elide. Can you hold hands? We need Mor to get us there as fast as possible." She turned to the female. "See you on the battlefield." The female nodded while smiling and the rest of the army vanished.

Two seconds later I watched as Aelin grabbed a hand and we vanished before appearing on a battlefield.

"Mor. I need you to get Elide and- WHERE THE HELL IS ELENTIYA!" Mor visibly flinched.

"She shifted and flew off the second we got here. Aelin. I'm so sorry." I didn't think Aelin heard because she was cursing the filthiest foulest words I had ever heard.

When she had stopped she turned to Mor, "Take Elide to the healer's tent we visited. She can help out there." She nodded and Elide vanished again before Mor appeared again. Aelin smiled. "For Terrasen!" Her shout rang loud. As she charged onto the battlefield. Goldryn in hand.

Elentiya's POV

I had disobeyed a direct order from my mother. And now I watched as flames sprouted from the edge of the battle and moved towards the center.

I flew high in the skies. I would cover any soldier that needed it.

I started an attack from the skies. My wind shredded the wings of the huge birds that tried to attack from the skies.

When the blocked that with iron I attacked with my claws and teeth. I had little experience and the bird-riders could tell. I shouldn't've done this.

At least I had size with me. I shout a plume of flames at the bird-riders as they circled me. Then a plume of ice as the closed in from behind.

Cauldron! What was I thinking?

I caught a glimpse of silver hair. My father. I turned to look at him. Only to find him overwhelmed with twenty soldiers attacking at once and his magic was sputtering. And I realized then why I had chosen to do this.

It was to save him. So I might one day know him. So my mother might see him again.

I sent a wave of flames straight out of me. A shield that burnt anything it touched. As I dove for the ground I watched as he missed a swipe and blood flooded from his arm.

I landed behind him as he fell and let out the fire that burnt all I wished to ashes. That destroyed and hurt and protected. He would feel the heat, but he would not be harmed. 

He turned and saw that I was there. Another plume of flames saved him from a second attack.

Then the third hit. The one I hadn't seen. The trap that had been laid for me. I roared in agony and fell as iron chains spread over me and an iron knife was in my tail. And I knew it would be pointless to try to shift so all I did was let a burst of flame shoot towards the sky.