Chapter 13: Safe
AZRIEL
Upon his return, the House of Wind was peacefully slumbering and deeply shadowed by the twinkling night sky.
When Azriel banked and turned in midair, he caught the starlight on his jet black wings. He could confess, he was elongating his celebratory circle of return, and he banked hard against the sweet pull of racing wind, the scents and familiar prickle of air felt delicious against his wings and bare arms. That is the only way he could truly feel it… only way he could feel the ancient and noble House enveloping his rising dark presence.
It's own ancient power reached out to his shadows as it had done the first time Selene had brought him in with Rhys, Cassian, and toddling Nyx.
"Chase me shadowsinger," Cassian dared him, "come on faster you wimp."
Azriel smirked, for once allowing the shadows to envelop him as he cheated the same way Rhys had, tagging a royally pissed off boy Cassian.
"No fair! No magic," Cassian had hated when they used their magic to get he upper hand, "give me a ten second head start this time cheater!"
"You have to run faster, numbskull!" Rhys was always the winner, having all the capabilities they both lacked, but that didn't make it any less fun.
A rather mute Azriel let Cassian have his ten seconds.
He was just excited that for once an Illyrian didn't fear him. That all three of them had become closer than ever before at the insistence of Selene as their surrogate mother, and to the shrieking joy of a rather adorable Nyx.
How Azriel wished for a moment of those days to return, just to listen to Nyx's peels of laughter, and chasing after all three of them as if she was born to do it.
Azriel shoved the bittersweet memory away before it became too much, and focused on making a safe landing.
By the light of the crescent half-moon, it caste the House and mountainside in a milky white glow. It showed Azriel the way as he entered from the balcony entrance, his wings cold and tired from overwhelming flight, and they settled and tuckered against his back as his feet landed on the ivory tile floor. The way back home had lasted a dragging hour after winnowing into the Night Court lands.
Crossing Velaris' magical barrier was another matter entirely.
Sure, it had recognized him this time around, which for those that knew was half the battle, but the sheer suspicious and capricious nature of the sentient barrier had stolen the remnants of Azriel's strength and forced him to take a jog through a once well-known short-cut through the Galra Mountain caves. It was as if he had entered into a wild winter marathon. A marathon filled with teeth-chattering encounters with Nigh Court beasts, coming face to face with winged creatures like himself, and others that were not so much like him.
They were creatures as old as shadow and frost, and they were dealt with Truth-Teller and cowardly mad dashes into shadow to escape their teeth and claws. As a last resort he had almost lost himself in said shadows, tempted to winnow straight into Velaris and set off Rhys or Mor's attention, but at least he would be alive and not in the maw of some hungry winter beast.t
Even the brave Illyrian warrior in him, the one that had survived the Blood Rite, felt the desperate need to get back into the safety of open air rather than risk another second in the dark and dank mountain caves.
Azriel thanked the Cauldron when his wings stretched and flapped him back out from the cave's mouth, with only the evaporating mountain mist that dripped from with him as he soared once again free along the ridges of Mountain leading back to Velaris. The rough tickle of wind brought back the memory of Kianna's ghost-like fingers brushing against them earlier today. It sent a shudder through him. Her brave and curious fingers were all the warmth he needed to make it back home.
One thing was certain as he spotted the glitter of Velaris, the flight to the Spring Court weighed heavy on his unaccustomed body. Azriel would need to learn how to conserve his energy on his future trips or find a way that would not cost him so much of it.
It was a welcomed reprieve as his feet took to the tiled floor of the House of Wind, the burden of his weight once more on his thighs rather than the wings connecting into his back. Like a baby bat learning to crawl, his wobbly feet led him to the twin beds of Nuala and Cerridwen. He expected them to be dead asleep after a day with Mor, perhaps smiling in their sleep, dreaming their innocent dreams, and found their beds empty.
That was the first red flag.
The second was when Azriel's shadows nudged him to be very alert… of the person sitting behind him.
Azriel swiveled in an abrupt stumble to see that he wasn't alone, that someone sat in a sofa-seat next to the balcony's drapes. Azriel had missed his presence, because he had become so accustomed to it that he had let it catch him without any worry to his own tired senses. For the first time in history he regretted it. "Did you have a nice day out Az?"
"Rhys." There wasn't anything he could say, he already knew, "you stayed up."
Rhys made no comment. Suspicious, and yet calm in their observation. His eyes shone like twin violet daggers, so polished and gleaming Az was sure his High Lord could tear into his mind and rip every answer he felt the shadowsinger was keeping from him. And yet… Azriel was only left with the shame at keeping his brother in the dark.
Rhys already knew. His tired sigh after reading his thoughts confirmed it.
Azriel still asked. "You know?"
"Of course, I know." Rhys rubbed the lines on his forehead, he did that when he was tired, or pissed, he looked both now as he continued. "When Mor told me to watch out for you, I thought," he shrugged. "She's making a big deal, she always makes it bigger deal where your concerned, especially when Cass and I bug you, she just wanted to chop our balls off, and I bet you love to hear that." Azriel did feel a bit better, but knew it was not worth what came next. "But," Rhys paused. "When Cass told me that something was off, that you weren't going out anymore, that you had gone missing for the entire day when you were supposed to join him at the camps… that was when I knew," he waged an accusing finger at him. "That is when I knew you had not let her go. That you went straight to see her when I told you not to."
"Where is Cerridwen and Nuala?"
"Don't change the subject Az, not even Mor is not going to save you this time, so sit," he motioned for the seat on the sofa facing before him, "sit down."
Az had no choice, so he did.
He was judged instantly. "Look at you." Rhys noticed how filthy Az was against the clean soft material of the sofa seat. "What did you fall into this time?"
"A Galran snow beast," Az picked at the green gunk of blood on his shirt, it still had some of its white fur that he had sliced into for the sake of avoiding it's thousand teeth, "well what was left of it."
"Right." He hissed, "not only do you have to deal with the beasts in the Spring Court, now you must take the long way to Velaris as if I wouldn't already know how to track your sneaky ass." That chilled Azriel. To think that Rhys would follow him to those savage Galran caverns. What if one of those beasts had landed a lucky shot, would Rhys go searching, put himself in danger like that? He didn't need to ask. Azriel cursed under his breath.
Rhys took it as his own confirmation. "Do you not see what is happening here, the lengths you are willing to go for her? It isn't right Az, it isn't right that you can die from this."
"She was fine." That is what he had been itching to know. "Better than fine. She was so happy." Azriel finally caved, finding no reason to hide it from Rhys, when the benefits would enforce his reasoning, "this was the answer that I needed to know. I needed to know for sure that she made it out, that her brother did what he was supposed to do-"
"Her brother?" Rhys voice was eerily calm at the mention of Tamlin the Traitor.
"It wasn't like that Rhys."
"How was I supposed to know?" There was more hurt in his voice than Az had expected him to have. "Did you share fathering tips? Did he thank you for approving his brotherly methods?"
"Rhys stop it."
"Did you tell him about how you lied to me?" Now that was too serious for Az to ever get him to stop. Rhys accusations made him feel like the traitor. "That you would betray your High Lord just to see if his little sister was… happy?"
"It's more than that Rhys, and you know it."
"Then explain it to me," Rhys encouraged him, clasping his hands before him as if in prayer. "Make me understand why you would do this.
"It's just-"Azriel was not sure how it was more than that, or he didn't know how to explain just yet.
It was not curiosity when it came to Kianna. His soul flourished and calmed at the thought of her safe and happy instead of at the hands of terrible High Lord brother. "I have let too many people be pawns in other Masters' games." First his mother, then it was Mor's abuse, Selene and Nyx butchered, Cassian forced away from his mother, and even Rhys…. Azriel would be damned to have another on that list. "I am not going to stand aside and let innocents like her suffer. I made her a promise." A promise was a sacred thing. Rhys knew that. "I promised she would be safe if I left her there with her brother, and that was what I was doing."
"You went without my permission, you went without thinking."
"I took precautions for us, for Velaris." Azriel made that very clear. "I made sure I wasn't seen by anyone other than Kianna."
"She saw you," Rhys repeated Azriel, but his words had no relief in them. "You both spoke to one another, and shared stories. You told her quite a bit."
"Not about Velaris."
"You still told her things." Rhys pointed out, and Az could not deny this. He didn't feel the need to until his High Lord questioned him. "What if she tells Tamlin all the information you gave her?"
Azriel immediately rejected that idea. "She wouldn't."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
"You can't know that Az," Rhys did have a point. That nagging voice at the back of Azriel's head groaned dread at the thought that she would go running to her brother with this information. No matter how earnest his last request was not to tell anyone of him, and her simple declaration to never tell anyone to keep him safe. "Even if you believe her, you can't know for sure if she was or wasn't going to tell Tamlin." Rhys repeated himself. "What if Tamlin is the one that set her up to talk to you?"
"No."
"Did you talk about Mor," Azriel's guilty face said it all, Rhys continued on in his interrogation. "What about Cassian, and even me? What if he is planning an attack on us, and you gave him the information he needed to get us?"
"No, she isn't like that." That may be Tamlin but that was not Kianna.
"What if the next time you go," Rhys played the scenario out. "He'll be there instead, and I lose my shadowsinger, as well as a brother. He would start a war with me, and I would have no choice but include all the Night Courts and Illyrians too. Is that the position you want to put me in?" Now it was Rhys turn to look in pain. "Now can you see? You see why I can't let you do this to yourself? Come on," he slapped Azriel's lap. "I have to show you something."
Azriel did not feel like staying with him after he had shattered his future with Kianna, let alone following Rhys when he would rather sit here and wait for his twins, hide his upset with caring for them, and more importantly doing his job by meeting with his spies that were meant to have informed him hours ago.
Rhys head peeked back into the room, "Az, you coming?"
Azriel sighed, never letting go of this feeling as he rose up from the safe plush of the sofa seat, and followed his High Lord with tired knees and deadweight wings.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
They took their time getting to the town-house in Velaris.
The grand front window was wide open, the curtains drawn to let the rich warm yellow play out on the cobblestone street. The scene displayed a Morrigan that was hanging holly vine with Cerridwen and Nuala, her smile was visible from even her, and it brought its own warmth to Azriel. She had once told him she loved the winter season, and in this moment Azriel thought it suited her.
Seeing her now, unaware of how far he had gone without thinking of Velaris, of her safety, of all their safety, only distracted him from the reason why Rhys brought them here.
"What are we doing here Rhys?"
"You'll see." Rhys walked up the steps, not bothering to knock as it was his home. Azriel followed, his head hung low as he entered the warmth his weary bones soaked to the core, and warmed his once frozen fingers and lungs.
"Az! You made it!" Mor said his name with so much happiness as she got down from the ladder, unleashing too much of that blinding smile, that he lost the words he was supposed to say. "I knew you would make it!" She showed the bells and garlands. "HAPPY YULE!"
Azriel's stomach dropped.
Mor went on cherry as ever. "We have a few things you can help with now that you are here. For one can you tell Cassian to stop eating all the food before we even begin our Yule prayer! He doesn't listen to a word I say!"
Az felt his eyebrows reach his browline. Yule prayer? Yule feast? Yule gifts? He groaned at the disaster of it all.
"You're late Azzy my boy." Cassian was drunk, patting his shoulder harder than he should, good-tempered he may seem, but his alcoholic breath and uspet eyes said something else. "Mor and the girls were going to start with out you. I told you not to be a sorry ass and stay at the camps, but no," he burped in Azriel's disgusted face. "You can't work yourself to death Azzy, that's my job." Cass winked at him, just in case he didn't notice that he had just covered for him in front of Mor and the girls, covered that he hadn't gone to the apparently dangerous and double-agent Kianna.
"What kept you Azzy?" Cassian knew exactly why he had been late, and why he had been gone in the first place.
A grim shake of Rhysand's head only made it worse. "I already talked to him"-
"And I am here now, so just leave it be." Azriel bit out, shutting them both up.
"He wouldn't miss this." Nuala piped up for once amongst the group of adults, and Cerridwen close behind with adding, "he promised us that he would not forget! We were planning on making cookies, right Azriel! Make cookies with us!"
Azriel knew he was an idiot, a complete and total idiot.
"You forgot?" The Fae female caught on, an expert on his emotions before he even knew them. "Az! I reminded you yesterday to go shopping," Mor pouted her lip too, and Azriel shrugged in his utter defeat. It would seem he was just a compelte mess and Rhys should just give him some other torture than this one, nothing was worse than seeing the light of happiness leave Nuala's and Cerridwen's eyes at him forgetting. The disappointment in Mor's eyes… he couldn't even look at her to see it.
"He didn't forget." Rhys produced two gifts out from thin air, "we made a few stops before coming, these are for you two." He added, with a playful wink. "from Azriel."
"Yes, yes! Thank you so much Azriel!" the twin girls grew so excited as they pounced and tore open their gifts of something shiny and expensive. Things Azriel certainly did not buy.
Azriel frowned to himself as Cassian whispered something to Rhys like, good save, and he distracted himself by putting down his coat at the peg, followed with his scarf, having to awkwardly nudge by Mor that looked like she was debating arguing with him now or later.
Azriel did not have the energy now, not even the energy to argue with her disappointment or with Rhys' constant need to include him.
As he brushed his snow from his hair, he knew Rhys didn't have to do things like this.
His High Lord didn't have to save his lying ass when he had obviously messed up one promise in favor of another. Kianna had received the gift of his presence this Yule morning, but he had in turn forgotten of how Nuala and Cerridwen had begged him about the gifts and cookies. Both had expected more of him, they all expected him to be here, his… family. Azriel hated the pain of knowing he had let down his family.
"You didn't Az, don't beat yourself up anymore." Rhys was right there to help him dust off his coat from the frosty night, he had taken his other side as Cassian came over to look between them, tempted perhaps to say something inappropriate, but stood silent after a look from Rhys and Azriel.
"I could beat something into you-"
"Don't Cass," Azriel beat him to it. "You don't have to add your two cents."
"He really can't help it. Cut him some slack." It was Rhys that whispered to him, very chatty today it would seem, "you see what I was trying to tell you. How important our family is. We may drive you crazy." He repeated himself, "but we have your back Az, just don't lie to us. That doesn't help us trying to save you when the time comes."
"That's right sour puss." Cassian agreed, tired of the somber mood between his brothers, too drunk to care it would seem, and in a hugging mood as he put in Azriel in a very uncomfortable position, too close to his alcoholic breath and embracing arms. "You are stuck with us Azzy, if you like it or not, we have your ass on lock-down from now on. No more adventures unless we go with you," he said in a mocking tone, "do you understand soldier!"
Azriel rolled his eyes, Cassian always knew just what to say, even if his word choice was not what he was used to with lurking in the shadows of his Lord father's mansion, nor in the cunning whispers of treasonous nobles. "Thanks," Azriel said, letting Cass hug him for a moment, before pushing him off, "but I don't deserve this."
"Oh yes you do, this is Yule!" Mor had snuck up on them. "Everyone gets gifts! Even the boys already got their gifts." She had warm brown eyes, and they were wide and enchanting as she walked into their space, and she bit her lower lip as the Illyrian blooded men waited for her to explain the gift she was holding in her hands. Whatever her reason, she was stealing all of Azriel's attention, and maybe his breath too, "and this gift is for you." She handed him his first gift of Yuletide. "It's just a little something the girls and I thought of, and it would have been a crime not to get it for you."
He felt worse. "You got me something?"
"Just open it."
Azriel took it in his scarred hands, the gift was too pretty for the like of his frostbitten knuckles.
The gift was wrapped in expensive golden paper, the same color as Mor's glittering dress during the Ceremony of Rhys becoming an official High Lord. She had looked so ethereal that night, so devastating to be anything but the future High Lady, and now she had given a piece of it to him. This memory was a gift in itself.
"Oh," was his answer, clearly overwhelmed with the situation.
"You have to open it Az." She teased him.
"I know." Azriel was extremely careful with the Mor's perfect wrapping, not wanting to tear or ruin it in any way. "You didn't have to do this." Nuala and Cerridwen were paying attention to them now, shadowing Mor's warm gaze, as if it mattered what his reaction would be. As if… his happiness was theirs too. "Thank you girls," Azriel let the words tumble from his lips, humbled, "I don't know what to say."
"How about you open it," Cassian's smart remark broke the moment, "or you could let me open it. I am sure I would enjoy it more than you ever would."
"No," Azriel pulled it away, making them all laugh, and the ghost of a smile played on his lips when he opened his gift, and his heart melted at the sight at what they had taken the time to find and gift him.
It was new and leathered gloves, slim and comfortable to the touch, perhaps a bit too comfortable for the likes of him, but they would be perfect to cover his hands and wrist from the cold. He put them on and groaned at the feel of them, it was as if they were made for him.
"Do you like them?" He was not sure whom asked him, but his surprised smile made them give rounds of laughs and giggles.
Nuala and Cerridwen knocked into his knees, hugging, and snuggling into him like kittens, and then settling in his arms when they drank and reminisced on simpler times on the sofa seats. They reminisced of Selene's cooking, of Nyx singing Yule songs, and with their hearts opened wide Azriel understood what Rhys meant for him to see.
You put this at risk. You were betting this, for a girl you barely knew.
Azriel knew Rhys was right, his methods of showing him might have been a bit too personal, hitting a bit too close, and his eyes met with Rhys.
I wanted this for Kianna too. I wanted her to feel as safe as Nuala and Cerridwen, as safe as you make me feel.
Rhys eyes widened and after a deliberate moments of contemplation, he nodded.
Azriel was not sure if he understood, but he was beginning to understand his High Lord's perspective. Respect him more now, and his need to protect their family before all else. That was something he could stand behind. When Nuala and Cerridwen went off to bed, Cassian and Mor whispering on the couch over a bottle of wine, was when Rhys was right there waiting for him. "Get ready to leave."
"Don't you two be gone too long," Mor slurred, her cheeks a beautiful cherry.
"We won't." Rhysand put a scarf around his bulky clothing, Azriel did too, and the new gloves that he had already grown fond of. They were more than prepared and rested.
When they got outside, Rhys had a look in his eyes, one that meant their business was not finished. "I have one last thing to show you."
"Alright." Azriel followed him down the street, until walking was not fast enough, Rhys revealed and formed his own Illyrian wings, and both of them took to the Velaris' skies.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Azriel was expecting Rhys to take him to the graves of Nyx and Selene.
To remind him of those first nights of terror and mental torture, and whom was responsible for making Rhys the last living member of his blood family. Of what Spring Court family had forced the High Lord responsibility on him at the tender age of thirty-five, too youthful for the weight of the title, but if anyone could do it, Rhys could.
"Thanks Az," Rhys got this eat-shitting grin on his face as they climbed the grand steps to the center of Velaris. "I know, I know your thoughts are private, but come on, you let that one get too loud, it's not my fault when you yell your compliments to me." He slapped the shadowsinger's tense back, "geez you can relax it is must me." He reminded him as they walked, "I hear more than my share of Cass and Mor's thoughts." That brought him no comfort as they walked in the direction of the library. Even if they both were in a better mood. "For the record, you want to know why I can't let you get killed? I'll tell you," he pulled on Az's cheek, "because you are the softie of our group, can't have a group without one, you are the bread to our butter, the pudding to our dessert."
"I am not soft Rhys, and I am definitely not dessert," he brushed off Rhys attempt at making him beyond uncomfortable. This time, he could blame it on the two bottles he had hogged to himself back at the townhouse, he could not remember the last time Rhys was so drunk, or so touchy. He had to remind him to keep his hands to himself. "Stop it Rhys, you know I don't like that." Az's grim mouth grew at the sight of the library's keepers, mutilated Fae females, and it grew deeper at Rhys taunts at having the hots for the priestess, perhaps Mor could dress herself as one for him later on tonight.
"Yeah and then I could have Cassian wear one for you. Bet your so drunk you couldn't tel the difference."
"Did you just make a joke?" Rhys eyes were comical, as if he doubted his own ears.
Azriel kept the truth to himself as they made it to the front desk of the library, a priestess with a crown of limpid stones across her head waited there for them, and a mangled hand that she covered in her pale blue robe as she bowed. The heavy robes seemed to swallow her rather skeleton frame, and for some reason that sad thought reminded him of his mother.
Welcome High Lord. Azriel's shadows for some reason whispered the priestess' silent mental welcome. Welcome High Lord and his Shadow, may I be of service.
"Clotho," Rhys knew her, very easily hearing her same thoughts. "Thank you for your assistance, but I am merely touring your Grand Library with my spy master." That was the first time Rhys had called him that. Weird. He had never thought of Rhys as anything more than his brother or High Lord. To hear their public relationship reminded how much trust and knowledge they shared with one another. Of how incredibly important his position was to Rhys, not only as his brother, but as a spy master. Yes, he most certainly would not forget.
Of course, I will let you tour the Grand Library, she bowed her head in the same salutation the people of Velaris gave their High Lord. A respect that Azriel never got tired of, call me if you need any assistance my High Lord.
"Of course," Rhys walked forward, Azriel following him as the mutilated female Fae watched them, her skinny frame and big blue eyes kept on them until they turned around a mountain of shelves.
The priestess intrigued Azriel, he felt the need to ask. "Did a human cut out her tongue?"
"No." Rhys said, finding the stairwell with open air beyond, a behemoth dark hole below, a hole he looked directly into. "Her High Lord gave her it." Azriel had a feeling it could only be two High Lords as he took the place beside him, the stairwell digging into his stomach. Rhys was probably talking about a certain one by the sounds of it.
Rhys pushed. "Do you want to know what for?"
"I bet this is why I am here. I am listening Rhysand," that was something Azriel did very well. Possibly too well.
"The tongue was for taking a Lesser Fae as a lover. Mor found the sentinels that did it, took care of them," Azriel felt a smidgen of pride in that statement, even she understood freedom. "Our Morrigan was tempted to go after Tagnar as well. In the Spring Court," Azriel gritted his teeth, knowing Rhysand would use this as his defense against Kianna. "In the Spring Court, Tagnar forbade any inter-racial relationships between High Fae and Lesser Fae, let alone a Fae with a human. That sentence would have been death."
Azriel had a feeling that was not the only thing Rhys had to tell him. If he thought that Kianna would ever be that for him then he was sorely mistaken. "Why did you really bring me here Rhys?"
Rhys leaned on the railing, daring to gaze deeper into the dark pit beneath them. It seemed to swallow everything, Azriel thought that it would swallow them too if they dared to go into it.
"My mother brought me here once." Rhys reminisced, "told me to look down in the hole, told me that a great monster lived down there, and if I misbehaved again by flying off then she would make me go down and see it."
He could not imagine a sweet Selene daring to put her son in that situation.
"Oh, she really did Az." Rhys read his mind. "Do you know why I brought you here to look down?" Azriel let him answer his own question, "because I now understand what my mother was doing, she was saving me, by scaring me."
For all the dark and monsters Azriel was not afraid.
"I was afraid you would think that Az. So, I am going to have to scare you with your own monster."
Rhys sent an image into his mind, one that was despicable.
"No." Az recoiled from the image, it was unbearable to remember, "you wouldn't."
"I would if it meant you would not die on me Az." Rhys shook his head, "I hate to be this person, but you left me no choice. I can't lose you, not so soon after I lost both my parents, and Nyx. Cass and Mor feel the same, but I knew you wouldn't listen if it came from them, maybe Mor, but I had to be sure."
"You wouldn't do that Rhys," Azriel swallowed the heavy feeling in his throat. "To take my memories of Kianna would only leave me with a bigger hole. How could you take that from me?"
"I would do it for Velaris." Rhys said passionately, turning his piercing eyes on him, "but more importantly I would do it for you."
"Not me Rhys." Even the thought of having his mind tampered with... and to have Rhys of all the people in the world to do that to him. "Don't say something like that." I would never trust you again, he urged Rhys to understand. "Perhaps it could be for Velaris, because if you asked me again, I swear this time, this time would be different." Azriel squeezed his eyes, hating the words as they came out. "You could trust me, I would not go see Kianna. If I knew it would cause this much trouble, then I would have…" but would he have not gone? Probably not. Rhysand's eyes darkened, probably knowing it too. "But I know now Rhys, you wouldn't have to do that. I can rest now knowing she is happy, knowing she is safe."
"Her life could change Az," he reminded the shadowsinger, "not everyone stays safe. You know that, we learned that this year."
What a year it had been. A year could change everything, change it too much. Nyx, Selene, his father, they would never get them back. Who would have ever thought that last Yule would be the last one Rhys would have with his family? All his mother's traditions, and she would never enjoy them again.
"I never expected things to end up like this," Rhys agreed too, ever sombre when it came to Azriel's ever darkening thoughts. "Most nights I wish it was me Tamlin and his brothers had found instead of Mother and Nyx. Perhaps my father would still be alive. Perhaps they would have the answers to the mess I was left with. My father would have known what to do, my mother could have helped him-"
"Don't say it like that Rhys. I don't know, we couldn't know for sure-" losing Rhys to the enemy seemed like too steep a price. Losing his family had been a blow, but Rhys imaginary death... was just too unforgivable to think of.
"But it's true," Rhys butted in, "this proposition for the Wall can go haywire the moment we accept it, my father knew that. Especially the incantations needed for the wards and the anti-spell we would need to cloak it in for the humans daring cross… it will take all the High Lords coming together, combining our strength, and that's no easy task when working with Tamlin in person." He rubbed his face, "I might as well save myself the trouble and declare War on him now."
He didn't have to say it like that. "Perhaps Mor and I could go. We could deal with the preparations for the Wall, that is what we are here for, let us help you."
"Mor yes." He eyed Azriel's wings. "Your presence would not be good for Kianna, not if she were to bring attention to you both. What if Tamlin saw the way she reacted to you? Would he send her away in fear, and make an example of her? Make an example of you?"
It gave no comfort to Azriel to know the power Tamlin had over Kianna's life. That one day, perhaps in fifty years, a hundred years, she would have to face the norms and expectations of a daughter and now sister to a High Lord.
"When the times comes…" Azriel left it in the air, "we can have this conversation again. I am part of your team Rhysand, I am part of your family," and that right there was the closest he had ever come to saying it. Rhysand knew how hard it was for him to confess that, after the history he had with his mother as practically a slave in that Lord's house. Seen first hand what family could do to a person.
Rhys corrected him. "Our family Az."
"Ours." Azriel's proud smirk made the word too good to be true. "After today, you reminded me how precious that is. I won't forget it."
"I know you won't." Rhysand patted him on his back, a rare sign of brotherly affection he would usually see in one of Cassian's taunts, but Rhys meant it in a good way. Dare he say it in a loving way that made him feel safe and uncomfortable rolled all into one. "I want you to remember this moment Az, remember this the next time you get it in your head to visit Kianna. She is part of Tamlin's Court, and no matter how much you want to trust her… we can't take the risk."
"I know." Azriel knew that now. Even if he hated it, "I know Rhys."
How did you like this Azriel chapter? Any parts you want me to look into :)
What of Kianna's next chapter, want to go into any topics of interest.
As always, I look forward to hear what you guys think,
thank you so much for sticking to this story, your reviews always push me to do better,
thank you and have a wonderful rest of your weekend,
Odeveca
