A Court of Stars and Shadow

Chapter 50

I was running, my breathe curling around my face in a frost that was all but natural for the dawn court. Shit, shit, shit.

It was one thing to outnumber us, it was another thing completely to use the weather against us. Even now I could feel the Montesere army sling on coats and jackets while our soldiers wore thin fighting leathers, the winter court being the only exception. If we didn't die from the fight, we would die of hyperthermia. I needed to disable that stone now.

Carnel led In front of me, the space between us never growing more than a couple feet as the both of us kept a steady but brisk pace. The battle flashed by through the gaps in the surrounding trees, sometimes the bush too dense for me to see which side was winning. When we had arrived the half of the army we had left was just barely holding their front line against Montesere. Cassian hadn't hesitated to drive two legions through the circle surrounding our army. We merged seamlessly to all of our relief and Cassian with the help of Carnel established a new front line, one where we had the slight advantage on the small hill. Every single soldier was exhausted, and that was exactly what Montesere was banking on. Carnel found me as soon as Azriel traded spots with him on the field and we slipped off into the surrounding forest undetected.

"Faster Luna" Carnel breathed into the wind and we both ran faster. I pumped everything I had into my legs, avoiding roots that stuck out of the ground. I knew I could move them away without half a thought but with my power almost at full again, I had to save every drop for when it really mattered.

Higher and higher we went up the mountain, running to not risk being seen flying to the overlook. Sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, the sun high in the sky as the noon heat was supposed to come in a wave from over the mountain tops, cold goosebumps marred my skin instead.

A smooth cliff appeared in my vision ahead, the edge leading into the blue sky and I raced hard the last couple yards. Carnel and I both basically dropped to the edge, wanting to get a proper look from above of the battle. The wind whipped at my hair, even bound in a tight braid but I took in my surroundings; not the overlook I saw in my vision. We were high above the ground, high enough that I could just barely make out Feyre and Rhys at the edge of the battle with some of the other high lords. They were to join the thick of the fight soon, even Feyre; she insisted even against Cassian's recommendations for her to sit out since she had still yet to train for a battle this large or with any of the legions. Rhys had looked like he was about to agree with Cassian but Feyre went off on him before Rhys could ever speak up. 'I sat out of one war" Feyre had said, 'and my mate died. I am not taking that chance again'. The whole room had flinched when she said it but that was it, the topic wasn't discussed again but I would be a fool to believe Rhys wasn't trying to talk her out of it even now.

Farther ahead in the sky a dark cloud of Illyrians and Attor's waged in a battle of their own. Cassian would join them soon if he hasn't already, Azriel as well. I looked sideways to Carnel to see him already staring at me. He took in the emotion in my eyes and his own hardened.

"Don't even think about it Luna. I'm staying with you until Cassian tells me to join them"

I scowled. The way he could read me so easily irking me. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You don't even know what I was going to say"

He smirked in a way that made the butterflies in my stomach flutter, even now, even amongst all this. Damn him.

"I know you Luna." His brows scrunched together. "What's your last name?"

"What" I asked confused, he's asking me this now? Was... was he just trying to distract me from my upcoming task?

"your last name. you never told me"

"oh" I guess in the whole commotion I had just forgotten. "It's Villarreal. Luna Villarreal."