Azriel POV

The forest is quiet even to a fae's heightened hearing, yet I can hear more, thanks to the shadows whispering in my ear. Cassian touched down gently beside me, and scanned our surroundings.

We were hunting a group of foreigners that had entered the Night Court and were moving closer and closer to Velaris. We had tracked them to a forest just to the south of the Illyrian steppes. Not too close, but their general direction would take them directly to the City of Starlight.

My shadows were scanning ahead, behind and around, looking for any sign of them. Cassian and I had only caught up to them once, and that time they had winnowed away as fast as they could.

Nothing, it was all quiet. In fact, it seemed too quiet in the area. Behind us and to our right was tittering with forest wildlife, but in front, no birds called, no rabbits or mice rustled the undergrowth. Complete silence.

I held my hand up, signalling to Cassian to follow silently. We prowled forward through the undergrowth. A cave came into view.

I sent the shadows into the cave, and found the shape of a body curled up on the floor of the cave. A body with… wings.

We moved in, and came across a female wrapped in her wings, but she wasn't Illyrian. Her wings weren't black, they were bone white.

"Who the hell is she?" Came Cassian's soft whisper. She stirred, and we froze. She settled once more, and her wings shifted, revealing a body covered in rags, and decorated with scars. This wasn't one of the people in the group, but something told me I couldn't just leave her here.

I whispered to Cassian. "She might know something about the people we were tracking. Should we take her back?"

Cassian nodded. "If we take her, she won't be able to put up much of a fight. She looks like she hasn't rested or eaten in days."

I scooped the girl into my arms, and grimaced at the dirt that was left on my arms and clothes. We trekked out of the caves, and took off for the moonstone palace. We couldn't risk taking her to Velaris if she was indeed part of the group we were hunting.

I felt a tap on my mind and, sure enough, Rhys found his way into my mind.

What's happening? Did you find them? His questions sounded through my mind.

Not yet. But we found a girl we think might have something to do with them. There was silence after my reply then.

What does she look like? Do you know who she is? I could tell Rhys was curious.

I don't know her, and neither does Cassian. She was asleep so she didn't get to tell us her name. She's covered in scars, they look to be an assortment of whip lashings, burn marks and weapon scars. Again, silence, like he was processing what I said. Cassian flew beside me, keeping an eye out for the group we were hunting.

So if I understand correctly, what happened is you picked up a random girl in a forest while she was sleeping, didn't ask her or tell her, and are flying for the moonstone palace. Rhys was clearly amused. It laced every word.

Pretty much. Was my response. Also, she has wings. But they aren't like ours, they're bone white, and seem to be made out of the same thing as ours, although the shape is different and there aren't any talons.

That's odd. I'll meet you there. Rhys left my mind, and I said something to Cassian.

"There's something about her that seems familiar. Do you think you've seen her before?" I asked.

Cassian shrugged, and we continued flying.

Malidia POV

A cool breeze dances on my face, too cool to be on the ground, so I must be flying. At first, I think it must be a dream, how can I fly while I'm asleep? Then, I understand I'm being carried.

I writhe, trying to escape the firm grip they have on me. I twist and turn, kick and hit. They merely grip me tighter. A male chuckle comes from my left. I open my eyes, but I can't see. I panic.

"Relax." A male voice from above me said. "It's a blindfold. We don't want you seeing our territory." His voice is smooth, yet it sends shivers down my spine. It's eerily familiar.

I scent him, trying to find out if he's been near me before. I'm overwhelmed with the smell of cedar and night-chilled mist. He was clearly from the Night Court. And the only winged species in the Night Court was…

I cursed, causing the male holding me to start. "Shit. You're Illyrian?" I blurted before I could stop myself. I picked up on his confusion, then a gruff voice from the left said something I couldn't pick up on. His voice then grew louder and he addressed me.

"How did you figure that out?" He was clearly surprised. I had caught them off guard then. I remained silent.

I only heard the rush of the wind past my head, and soon it smacked me hard on the head. I was in the Night Court. That was a problem.

I started wriggling again, desperate to get out of the male's grip and fly away. If I was in the Night Court, and these were Illyrians, the chances that I was either being taken to the High Lord or to one of the camps were high. Neither of those options were particularly enticing. It was either being stuck in a camp of stupid winged males, where I would no doubt be a slave or sold off to the highest bidder, or being taken to the most powerful High Lord in history, and possibly imprisoned. Not exactly the best options.

I make up my mind, and jump into action.

I buck, and feel his hands let go of me in surprise. I start flying away, but I can't see anything through this damn blindfold and my wings are weighing me down. However, my other senses are perfectly fine, so I use them to my advantage. I listen, and hear deadly silence, before some sixth sense alerts a burst of power come towards me, and I tried to dodge, but another one was waiting there. My arms and and legs suddenly stick together, and I realise binds of power are forming around my ankles and wrists, then my wings. I start to drop.

I tried, I really did, to shake off that power, but I was falling, and fast. Suddenly, male arms had wrapped themselves around my waist, and I was being hauled back into the sky.

"Damnit." I said, causing the males to laugh. Illyrian males, what had I gotten myself into? I felt his grip being adjusted, and suddenly I was lying on my back, with his arms supporting my back and legs. This was very uncomfortable.

"Where are we going? Why am I here? And who the hell are you?" My barrage of questions is stopped by magic being slapped over my mouth.

The smooth voice whispered. "Be quiet, and stay still." I'm so confused, but before I can try and ask, the bonds around my ankles and wrists lifted, and a new one fell into place. It was around my waist, binding me to the male who held me.

I opened my mouth to object, but a thud on my head made me shut it. My head started pounding, and another thud hit me, knocking me into unconsciousness.

Azriel POV

The girl had figured out enough of where she was to panic. Somehow, she discovered that we were Illyrian. I had been forced to blindfold her at the start of the journey, since we didn't know if she was some sort of spy.

She had put up a fight, I had to give her credit for that. She tried to fly away, despite being clearly exhausted and barely able use her wings, as well as being blind to her surroundings. Cassian had bound her so she wouldn't kick, and I caught her when she started to fall.

As we approached the palace, I had to keep her quiet and still. No one else could know about her being here, in case they tried to rescue her, or kill her. She had seemed terrified when she figured out we were Illyrian, and she was so pale, exhausted and thin that it seemed likely she was on the run from something. And anyway, the court of nightmares was below us, and who knew what sort of evil was watching.

She opened her mouth, and I was about to tell her to be silent again, when I felt Cassian bind her to me, and knock her unconscious. She went limp, and the thread of power was all that kept her from falling out of my arms.

I glared at Cassian, and he grinned back.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked.

"It makes it easier to take her in. If she was awake, she would have said something, and something else would have happened." He grinned again. I rolled my eyes, and landed on one of the balconies of the moonstone palace.

I strode inside, holding the girl tight enough to stop her from falling to the ground. It struck me then. We didn't even know her name, yet here she was, in my arms, and already I was considering any threats to her. Yes, she was here because she was an intruder in our territory, but we just picked her up while she was sleeping and carried her here. And she was terrified.

I shook my head clear of these thoughts, and followed the shadows to where they said Rhys was. They flitted back and forth past my ear, whispering things into my ears. Secrets, plots and dreams and hopes. Everything. The shadows heard everything. There was very little I didn't know, yet I knew nothing about this girl in my arms.

I walked I into the room that Rhys was waiting in. I knew that Feyre would have come, but she was helping the volunteers help rebuild Velaris. His brows lifted when he saw the girls limp body in my arms.

"So this is her." Not a question, but I nodded anyway. "And do you have any idea who she is?" He asked.

"Not a clue." Cassian said from behind me. "But there is a possibility that she's a spy."

Rhys looked thoughtful, but I cut in. "It's also incredibly likely she's on the run from something, and she seemed genuinely terrified when she figured out we were Illyrian." Cassian's eyes widened as he took into account all of the things I had just said. Rhys just stared at me.

"What do you mean, she figured out you were Illyrian?" He asked. I played my thoughts back to the flight.

"She was blindfolded so she didn't see where we were going, as we don't know if she's a spy or not, but then she suddenly stiffened and said 'Shit. You're Illyrian.' She didn't answer us when we asked how she figured it out, then she panicked and tried to fly away. Then I caught as she fell, and then we continued flying." Rhys processed this, and then cocked his head as he gestured at the unconscious girl. "And then Cassian knocked her out." I added.

Rhys rolled her eyes and said. "We don't know if she is a spy, so don't put her in a cell. Make sure she's in a bedroom, but also make sure it's warned against winnowing, that there isn't a balcony she can fly off and seal all the windows. Also, make sure the door can only lock from the outside."

"So basically she's a prisoner that's not staying in a cell." I said sarcastically.

"Pretty much." Rhys smirked. I rolled my eyes, and I left the room, the girl hanging from my arms. She stirred, and I tightened my grip just a bit, so she didn't slip out of my grasp.

She cracked open her eyes, and since we were already at the moonstone palace, I saw no harm in her being able to see.

She tilted her head upwards, and blinked blearily at me. She surveyed our surroundings and then looked back at my face. Her eyelids began to flutter closed, but then they snapped open. She looked up again, and her face blanched when she saw me.

Malidia POV

I looked at the male who was carrying me, seeing his face for the first time. I took it in, then looked at my surroundings. I almost fell back asleep when it hit me in the head. I looked at him again, and cursed mentally.

Shit. Oh shit, shit, shit. This was bad. This was horrible actually. The male holding me was Illyrian, yes, but one of the Illyrians. It was Azriel, shadowsinger and spymaster of the Night Court. Which means that the other male who was with him before was…

I cranked my head to look behind me and felt my stomach lurch. Cassian, General of the Illyrian armies and Lord of Bloodshed was following Azriel. Double shit. And suddenly my location was obvious.

The moonstone palace above the court of nightmares. I hadn't been here for over a century and a half. I shook my head, trying to wake myself up.

I shut my eyes, and blinked, but when I opened them, they were still there. I schooled my features into confusion before I gave away who I was. If I could keep that a secret, I was good. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep.

Cassian's rough voice cut into the silence. "Don't try that bullshit. We know you're awake." I sighed, and opened my eyes.

Azriel looked down at me, before asking me, "What's your name?" His voice held secrets and shadows and was so familiar I wondered how I hadn't picked up on it before.

I kept my mouth shut. My identity was not something they needed to know right now. All I needed to do was find the right time to leave. We passed through a door, and I heard it click shut behind us. Then I heard the lock twist. I was trapped. I looked up to see Cassian sealing all the windows shut with his power, and there were no balconies. I had no way out.

They had taken into account every way I might try to escape. The door was locked, there were wards against winnowing, and I couldn't fly out. I might as well have been in a cell.

Everything went quiet in my ears. I heard a rush of wind, and I felt a calm fury wash over me. It gave me strength, and I kicked. Azriel dropped me in pain, I had hit him right in the stomach, and he was winded. I fell onto the floor, and pushed myself up.

I swayed, barely able to stand, but I steadied myself, and looked at Cassian. Azriel had recovered and was looking at me curiously. Cassian took a step forward, but I backed away, my legs shaking with my weight.

Suddenly, I was hit with a dizzy spell, and without having eaten properly for weeks the room started to spin. Cassian kept walking forward, and I kept moving backwards, until I pressed up against the wall with nowhere else to go. He reached for me, but I cringed away from his touch.

It was too much, my legs gave out from under me. Before I hit the floor, strong hands were gripping under my arms and pulling me up.

I turned to see Azriel holding me, supporting me so I didn't fall. I tried to shake off his grip, but I was too weak. He put my arm around his shoulder, and Cassian came to my other side, doing the same. Together, they lifted me off the ground and walked me to the bed.

I was too exhausted to fight them as I was lowered onto the mattress. Cassian let go, and pulled back the sheets. Azriel laid me down, and then pulled the sheets over me. I was shaking. Not with cold, or fear, but hunger.

Out of nowhere, a bowl of soup was floated over on a red tinted breeze. My stomach growled and I almost fainted with relief. I gripped the spoon with my shaking hand, and ate a mouthful.

I groaned in relief. It felt so good to have hot food singe my throat in its way down. I greedily ate more, until I broke out in sputters. My stomach heaved, but I wanted more. I went for another spoonful, but scarred hands stopped me.

"No more." Azriel's voice told me. I opened my mouth to object, and reached for the soup again, but he floated it away with a siphon breeze. I lay back, collapsing onto the pillows. I felt like I could sleep for years.

He started speaking, but I zoned out. All I could think of was the predicament I had gotten myself into. I was in the Night Court, Cassian and Azriel were currently in the same room as me, and I had no way to leave. It couldn't get any worse.

"Are you even paying attention right now?" Cassian's voice jerked me from my thoughts.

I folded my arms, rolled my eyes and drawled. "Does it matter if I am, winged warrior brute?"

"Yes, it does, you little she-devil." Cassian replied. I narrowed my eyes.

"Well guess what, you overgrown bat, I don't give a fuck." I smirked.

"You will when you find out what we were talking about, you slimy worm." He taunted.

Azriel cracked a smile, and before I could spit out the retort on my tongue, he interrupted. "As interesting as it would be to watch you both trade insults for the rest of the night," We both scowled at him, "I was asking you some questions." My brows nudged towards each other in a silent question.

"We don't know if you're a spy or not, so we're asking you some questions to figure it out. Please answer them truthfully, we will find out if you lie." Azriel said.

"Is that a threat?" I asked.

"Just answer the damn question." Cassian said.

"I wasn't talking to you, you lazy brute." I retorted instantly.

"No, but I answered anyway, you overgrown bacteria."

"Enough! Both of you, shut up! Now, please answer these questions." Azriel struggled to keep from yelling more. "Okay, first things first. What's your name?"

I stared at him, and crossed my arms. "Any question but that one I'll answer. Got it?" I made sure my face displayed some unspoken threat.

Azriel narrowed his eyes. "Fine, but I will find out sooner or later."

"Later, then, if I have anything to do about it."

"Okay, first question. Why are you in our territory?"

"I don't know." At least I was being honest. There was nothing I knew about why this had been the place I naturally winnowed to, but I was here now.

Cassian snorted, but Azriel looked over me carefully. He stared into my eyes, and I continued looking at him, not afraid of what he'd see. I had told the truth, and I knew he could figure that out.

"Very well. Do you have any idea of why there are other people in our lands, and why they were heading in the general direction of where you were?" He scanned my face, as if looking for a reaction he got one.

I felt my face fall, and knew there was unchecked terror running across my features. He had asked this question to get me on uneven footing. I school my features into neutrality, before replying. "Possibly." Not an answer, and he knew it.

"Just answer please." He sounded exasperated, and before I could stop myself I said something.

"They're following me. I escaped, and they're hunting me down." I clamped a hand over my mouth, stopping myself from giving more away.

Azriel watched me, and I knew I had just confirmed what he suspected. He was too smart not to piece it together. And I knew what the next question would be, and there was no way I could have prepared myself for it. "Where are they from?"

I swallowed, before answering so quietly I knew that only Azriel would hear because of his shadows. "Hybern." I breathed.

Cassian looked confused at how my mouth has moved but no sound came out. Then, he looked at Azriel and understood. Only a shadowsinger could have heard that.

Azriel nodded. "That's all. Sleep, we'll ask some more questions in the morning."

He turned to go, but Cassian grabbed his sleeve and whispered something in his ear. I strained to hear, but couldn't. Azriel murmured something back, and then turned to me.

"We've called a healer to help with your open wounds. They'll be here any minute now, alright."

"No! Not alright. I can heal my own wounds perfectly fine thank you very much." I stared him down.

He sighed, and was about to respond when Cassian cut in. "How exactly are you going to do that when you barely have the strength to speak, let alone stand. And also, how would you heal yourself? Those are some pretty nasty cuts." I opened my mouth, but he continued. "Unless, you have magic and won't tell us."

I stared at him, and started to reply when the door was unlocked and a healer walked in.

He hissed as he looked at me, and I winced. It must have been worse than I thought it was.

"How the hell did you do that?" He swore. He moved forward, and started examining the cuts and bruises on my face and arms, before telling me to lie back.

I crossed my arms. I wasn't backing down on this. Cassian rolled his eyes. "Just lie back. The sooner you do, the sooner this will be done." I glared at him, before doing as I was told.

The healer placed some herbs to ward off the infections starting to kick in, and sealed the cuts, before telling me to roll over so he could look at my wings.

"No." I hissed. "You will not touch my wings."

Azriel looked at me sympathetically and took the healer aside quietly. Soon enough, he returned, but this time he was holding the herbs, and the healer looked at me before leaving the room.

I didn't know what the hell he thought he was doing, and said as much.

"If you won't let a healer look at your wings, then I will." He said.

"Fine. Hurry up." Azriel moved forward, and I rolled onto my stomach, flaring my wings. There was a quick intake of breath, and then I felt soft hands dance on my sensitive wings.

He made light work of it, but even then I was breathless when he finished, and when he finished I shuddered.

I rolled onto my back and lay there. I was exhausted. I felt Azriel take my hand, and squeeze, and for some reason I found comfort in it.

My eyelids closed, and I was about to drift off, when I heard him call Cassian over. Cassian released an impressive string of curses, before grabbing my hand himself.

I remembered then what marked my hand. Two triangles of scars, looping between each other, making it look like six pointed star. I ripped my hand out of their grasp, but it was to late. The damage was done.

"There's no way. It just, it can't be possible." Cassian swore again.

I braced myself, I was ready. At least, as ready as I could be. I mean, they figured out the one thing I was trying to keep a secret.

Azriel spoke up, his voice heavy with shock.

"Malidia?"

Ok, so Cassian and Azriel know who Malidia is. Her plan to keep her identity hidden backfired completely. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this, if you did, please leave a review. Anyway, thank you so much for reading my stories, it really means a lot.

-CrystalShadowStar