I Am Ruined (TDA Lord of Shadows Sequel)

[ XXXII ] Unseelie Infiltration

The Unseelie Court was just as Kieran remembered it; dark and cool. He realized with a start that it almost comforted him. The sun of Los Angeles pressed the air with an unbearable heat. He had always been inclined to prefer the cool weather; the chill of the Autumn air. The Wild Hunt was still home to him, though. The open air never stifling him, always a new and beautiful place to see. The freedom that came with riding through the sky at each day's end. Even now, in the Unseelie Court, he felt out of place. He was in Shadowhunter gear, the leather constricting him, heavy weapons weighing him down. They had suggested he brought more weapons, but even the three he had felt excessive and bulky. He was about to rip off the gear jacket, fed up with it, when Mark spoke up.

"Do you know where we are in the Court?" He, Cristina, and Jaime were looking around at their surroundings; they were in an open field, dark woods bordering the plain. The sky above was littered with stars, their unnatural brightness illuminating the area brilliantly. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the lands did not feel quite as familiar as he had first thought – all the living aspects of it were dead. A gray coat of what looked like ash sprinkling over nearly everything, it fell from the tree branches like a soft snowfall.

Before Kieran could answer Mark's question, Cristina's voice rang out in worry, "By the Angel, is this the blight? It has taken over everything."

He nodded, "It seems the entirety of the Court is affected. And I believe we are on the Western ridge, if we continue that way for a few turns of the stars, we should reach the sea's edge." He was pointing in a direction where there was a slight haze in the distance.

"The cave is near the ocean?" Jaime asked, adjusting the knives at his belt with a cough.

"In this season, yes. Each solstice the landscape shifts, in order to prevent enemies from memorizing its location." The light from the stars were shining on the group of them, and he noticed the way Mark's light hair reflected it. It glowed like snow. Mark coughed as well, shifting Kieran's focus away from his beauty.

"Are you alright?" Cristina asked before she had to clear her own throat. "I think the blight is affecting our breathing."

Jaime lifted his arm to inspect it, "My runes are dull. They're not working."

"As expected." Mark scoffed, "We don't have the use of any of them. So we need to move quickly, avoid any battles." His gaze surveyed them all before settling back on Jaime, "Do you have the element?"

Jaime pulled the small orange vial out of his belt with a nod. Kieran took his surroundings in again with a sigh, "Good, we should get moving. We don't have much time, and it is going to be tricky getting to the cave."

"But you do know where it is, don't you?" Jaime asked, irritation lacing his tone as he glowered at the faerie. "If you don't know how to find it, this entire mission is a bust."

Kieran snapped at him, his hair drawing darker even in the light of the night sky. "I know where it is located. I would watch your tone with me, Nephilim. I can just as easily massacre this mission as I can help us succeed."

"Kier..." Cristina muttered worriedly.

Jaime looked at Cristina in disbelief, "And this is who you trust? This deceitful faerie?!"

"Watch your tongue, Rosales." Mark spat, a look of scorn written across his features. "You are the one among us who is least trusted. Kieran has proved worthy of our trust, you have done nothing to earn such a thing."

"¡Dios mío, hombres! If we want this to work, we need to work together. Jaime – Kieran and Mark are my friends, so you are going to have to trust them. Kieran – We know that we need you for this, so get over yourself and help. Mark – Well, Mark you haven't done anything to piss me off yet, so keep it up." Cristina shouted, causing the three boys to turn and stare. Cristina was always the level headed one, the one who kept her calm even in the most tense of situations. No one knew how to respond, silence filled the glade until Mark started laughing. Cristina rolled her eyes, "Okay, Mark, now you've pissed me off."