To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 70: His heart stopped

 Raisa remembered her mother as if it had just been yesterday they had last seen each other. The desire to see her mother was still incredibly strong, but at least Raisa had so many good memories. While her mother may not have been a morally good character, Raisa still had loved her with her whole heart. How could she not? Her mother had looked at Raisa as if the little girl was the one who painted each star in the night sky. Her hugs had the power to make everything else in the world feel small and insignificant. In Raisa's eyes, her mother had been perfect.

There had been so many things Raisa didn't know about her mother and as a curious girl, she found herself unable to hold back her questions.

"Mama," five-year-old Raisa paused while braiding flowers into her mother's widely-curly hair. Raisa remembered this clear as day, the way her mom had met her gaze in the mirror and smiled at her with glittering cherry-red eyes. "What was your dad like?"

The old Queen had turned in her stool and placed a gentle hand on Raisa's cheek before kissing her forehead, "Honey, you've gone over your limit of questions for the day."

Raisa pouted, hoping her mother would let that rule slide. As she hoped, her mother sighed, unable to resist Raisa's cute little face. Her mom turned away and met Raisa's eyes in the reflection again, "Most would call him a monster, but he was my savior. He was the one who chased away my monsters."

"What monsters?" Raisa couldn't help but ask another question, receiving a stern look from her mother. "I'm sorry."

Raisa squealed as her mother lifted her up and flipped her upside down, tickling her stomach. "You're lucky you're so cute, my little shadow."

When Raisa's mother was done tickling her, she set her down in her lap and squeezed her in a hug, rocking her side to side while looking at each other in the mirror. There were many ways that Raisa looked like her father, but sitting with her cheek smushed up against her mother's, the resemblance was startling.

Her mother peaked her cheek with a kiss, "My father would burn the world down for the ones he loves."

That's what Raisa thought of as she saw Bryaxis cradling Wylla's lifeless body. Only moments before, Bryaxis had appeared from thin air and snuffed Raisa's power out as if she were nothing but a lit match. Stuck between relief and shock that she didn't blow up the whole place, she watched Bryaxis pick up Wylla.

What the hell is happening? Raisa had never been so confused in her life. Azriel had his wings puffed out in a fighting stance, Bryaxis was speaking nonsense about proving this was real with his death. In all her centuries, Raisa had never even considered the possibility of her grandfather dying. He was as permanent as the sky.

Bryaxis moved to the open door that led to his mirror. When the ward kept him from getting any further, he simply smiled and slid to the floor. His smile stayed on his face as he brushed away Wylla's curls. Raisa wasn't sure why Bryaxis would be looking at Wylla as if he cared, how would he even know the little girl?

"Your mother had curls like this when she was younger," Bryaxis spoke, still not looking up from Wylla's face. "She used to get so upset because her mother would brush her hair. She would get the tangles out but each time her hair puffed up- it made Calisarya so mad."

Raisa huffed a sad laugh, she could see the image in her head perfectly. Her mother had the most beautiful hair- perfect ringlets. When Bryaxis' eyes met Raisa's, for a moment, she could have sworn they were brown.

"You look so much like my little Calisarya," Bryaxis's eyes... they were brown. Brown like chocolate- warm and so incredibly fae.

She looked to Azriel to see if he was seeing the same thing, but his face was unreadable as his eyes darted between her and Bryaxis.