The Last Queen (An ACOTAR / Azriel fanfiction)

I Can't See

Daggerheart was lounging in a chair and reading a book when Azriel walked by her and she called him in.

"We are going to the mortal realm in three days." She told him.

"What for?" He asked.

"I live there." She leisurely turned a page. "And stop asking me so many questions, you are my prisoner. I do the asking here."

He glared at her until Cassian came in frowning and said, Daggerheart?"

She didn't look up, "Yes, Cassian?"

"There is blood in my ear, why is that?"

"It's bleeding, Cassian." She smiled at him and he rolled his eyes.

"I gathered that."

Azriel left them to bicker with each other because he could not stand to watch Daggerheart another moment. Back in his room, outside his window, lay the city that she had almost destroyed and where he had spent his life. The place that he valued more than life itself and that he had almost lost thanks to the woman two doors away.

However much he tried not to, he had to go with her to the mortal realm and he had to get introduced to her spies.

So, exactly three days later, she had dragged him out of his room and all the way to her house. It was just the same as before except that someone had removed all her books from the dining table. That led to a lot of frowning and grumbling on Daggerheart's part.

"Take that one down." She ordered, pointing to a book that was now sitting on a shelf. "It was here before and I want it back."

He mumbled a few profanities under his breath but obliged. There was a lot of confusion and a lot of "not this, that" involved but eventually she seemed happy enough.

When they settled down on her couches, he watched the vase sitting there. The smooth surface reflected the window across from it, the curtains, but not Daggerheart. There was no reflection and no movement in the vase from the place where she sat.

He opened his mouth to ask something, anything, but she sighed, "We can't go back tonight."

"Why?" He frowned.

She raised her eyebrows. You are my prisoner. I do the asking.

"Right." He looked away.

She swung an arm over the back of the sofa and crossed her legs, "There is going to be a storm. I can't fly."

He raised his eyebrows, "You admit your weaknesses rather easily for a Queen."

She chuckled, "I only admit the weaknesses that I know will not harm me."

"You know,-" Azriel said, "-if you were not my mate, I would have killed you in your sleep."

"I know." She smiled, "It's arguable that a warrior built like a brick house would be able to kill me. But I also know that even if I wasn't your mate, I wouldn't be the target of your anger."

He looked at her intensely, "I hate you."

"No, you don't." She laughed. The dark clouds stretched out over the sky and the wind picked up speed. "You don't hate me."

"You killed my people and attacked my home." He clenched his jaw.

"Did I ?" She gave him an amused look. "Did you hear me admit to being involved in that?"

"You were the on-"

"I thought you heard better than the rest of them, Azriel." She cut him off.