The beginning of Gwyn and Azriel

I Was Too Late

  Waring: Contains mentions of sexual assault and violence. 

  Two years ago

  They were attacking the women and children in Sangravah.

  Azriel wanted to damn the Cauldron itself.

  Hybern soldiers had learned of the location of one of pieces of the Cauldron and were trying to get more information.

  Rhys had yelled at the Spymaster to hurry.

"They will show no mercy, Az. Please," he had pleaded.

  Azriel was flying through the temple, to the sounds of screaming and crying.

  His shadows were swarming around his form like a wicked trance and he could barely see through them.

  Something was so wrong.

  His siphons were not glowing with power, no, they were shining of a dreadful fear.

  The Spymaster flashed his teeth, preparing his savage face to confront his enemies. His pulse was roaring in his body as he charged towards....he did not know what.

  But the shadows sensed something so eerie...something that shook Azriel to the core.

  The screams of one woman.

  He smelled her blood..

  And a man's release.

  Azriel slammed onto the floor of the temple, the sheer force of him knocking several soldiers to the ground.

  He had his knives out instantly and before anyone could mutter a word, he was gutting several bodies.

  The first one's were the bastard's that had their buckles undid. They received a terrifying painful death.

  And then the commander.

  That pathetic man pissed at the sight of him, and Azriel swore when he saw her blood in the puddle on the floor.

  Then the Shadowsinger completely unleashed himself.

  He wanted his scarred hands to destroy every one of them.

  And when it was done, he stood breathlessly, in front of the shaking woman.

  Something inside the Shadowsinger broke that very second.

  The woman had tears running down her face, her hands were trembling beside her on the table.

  She was not moving.

  There was so much blood...

  She was gasping for breath, as if some invisible force was entrapping her.

  Azriel did not know what to do as she stared at him with sorrowful eyes.

  Her beauty...he could barely breathe.

  The sight of her torn clothing almost had him sob out.

  And then, without even a second thought, he unlatched his cloak and walked forward.

  He held out a steady hand, a signal that revealed that he would not harm her.

  The woman just stared at him, silently sobbing as he neared.

  And when he was close enough, he wrapped the cloak around her quivering shoulders.

  He held her for a moment.