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Ruks took to the skies, flapping toward the to their backs

"Has anyone warned the healers?" Elide pointed to the white banners waving so far out into the plain "The Healer on High?" Hafiza was down there, Yrene had said

Silence Then Prince Sartaq swore in his own tongue, and sprinted for his golden ruk He was spearing for the battlefield within seconds, his shouts ringing out Kadara dipped every few ure was in her talons Healers Grabbing as many of them as he could

Elide whirled to her co corpse and injured alike Orders went out in the language of the southern continent, and more soldiers on the battlefield leaped into action

"What else--what else can we do?" Elide demanded Aelin and Rowan only stared toward the battlefield, watching with Fenrys and Gavriel as the ruks raced to save as many as they could Behind them, Princess Hasar paced, and Chaol and his father ht fit everyone in the keep Those who survived

Elide looked at theain Looked at all of them

And then asked quietly, "Where is Lorcan?"

None of them turned

Elide asked, louder, "Where is Lorcan?"

Gavriel’s tawny eyes scanned hers, confusion dancing there "He … he went out onto the battlefield during the fighting I saw hian’s troops reached him"

"Where is he?" Elide’s voice broke Fenrys faced her now Then Rowan and Aelin Elide begged, voice breaking, "Where is Lorcan?"

From their stunned silence, she knew they hadn’t so much as wondered

Elide whirled to the battlefield To that endless stretch of fallen bodies Soldiers fleeing Many of the wounded being abandoned where they lay

So many bodies So, so many soldiers down there

"Where" No one answered Elide pointed toward the battlefield and snarled at Gavriel, "Where did you see hian’s forces?"

"Nearly on the other side of the field," Gavriel answered, voice strained, and pointed across the plain "I--I didn’t see him after that"

"Shit," Fenrys breathed

Rowan said to hi him back"

Relief crumpled Elide’s chest

Until Fenrys said, "I can’t"

"You didn’t use it once during the battle," Rowan challenged "You should be fully primed to do it"

Fenrys blanched beneath the blood on his face, and cast pleading eyes to Elide "I can’t"

Silence fell on the battlerowled, "You won’t" He pointed with a bloody finger to the battlefield "You’d let hiave hiain "Save him"

Fenrys sed But Aelin said, "Leave it, Rowan"

Rowan snarled at her too

She snarled right back "Leave it"

Some unspoken conversation passed between the in Elide’s chest went out as Rowan backed down Gave Fenrys an apologetic nod Fenrys, looking like he was going to be sick, just faced the battlefield again

Elide backed away a step Then another

Lorcan couldn’t be dead

She would know if he were dead She would know it, in her heart, her soul, if he were gone

He was down there He was down there, in that ar out--