A court of water and worlds

Chapter #31

They arrived at the east side of the lake and before they could move a muscle Azriel heard someone say
"I was wondering when you'd arrive."
He looked around for Koschei but could not see him.
He spoke again.
"I'm assuming you are here for your friends," his voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere and nowhere.
It sounded like the loudest scream and also the quietest whisper.
He kept turning and checking his surroundings, still not letting go of Gwyn's hand.
"Where are they?" Azriel said in a deathly calm voice.
"I'm afraid you will have to be more specific. Which friends exactly are you looking for?" Koschei asked, still not appearing.
Why would Azriel have to be more specific?
Who else does he have?
"Where are Nesta and Cassian?" Azriel asked, getting impatient.
Azriel felt something start to buzz.
He looked down to find his dagger truth teller glowing.
He looked to Gwyn and found her eyes doing the same.
What was happening?
"What is this!" Azriel heard Koschei yell.
Koschei was now standing not five feet from them his white hair looked like it was on fire like silver flames, and his eyes were so black like they absorbed any light that hit them.
He snapped his fingers and three Carrions were surrounding them.
"What is that?!" Koschei asked, his voice ringing in Azriel's ears.
One minute Azriel and Gwyn were surrounded, face to face with Koschei. the next everything went black.
"Azriel," he heard a familiar warm voice say, "Az get up."
Azriel shot straight up, chest heaving and opened his eyes.
They were no longer by the lake, they were in a forest.
His head was pounding and there was blood and dirt caked on his body.
He managed to clear his mind.
Where was Koschei?
Where was Nesta and Cassian?
He felt a warm hand touch his icy skin.
"Are you alright?" Elain asked, kneeling on the ground next to him.
Elain?
Why was she here?
This wasn't safe for her.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, looking into her deep brown eyes.
"Saving your ass apparently," he heard Lucien say from behind him.
Why in the actual fuck is he here?!
Lucien did not make Azriel happy to say the least.
Then he remembered Gwyn.
He turned to see the unconscious priestess laying on the forest floor next to him.
He touched her cheek and she took a sharp inhale and slowly opened her eyes.
They were teal again, they no longer had the ethereal like glow.
She sat up and he heard Elain ask from next to him.
"Are you ok Gwyn?"
Gwyn looked at Elain and nodded.
Gwyn then did a double take looking at Elaine again.
"What are you doing here?" Gwyn asked, eyes locked on Elaine.
Elaine opened her mouth to speak but just then Azriel heard something moving behind him.
He turned to find Both Nesta and Cassian holding each other crying.
Azriel didn't know how scared and upset he felt about losing Nesta and his brother until he saw them and he felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.
He didn't ask for his vision to go blurry with tears.
He quickly blinked them away which took more effort than usual.
He saw Gwyn jump up and run to Nesta tackling her into the ground with a hug then do the same with Cas.
Azriel slowly got up and walked over, falling to his knees in front of Nesta.
She looked at him with tears in her eyes and wrapped her arms around Azriel, and he just held her tightly smelling her strawberry and vanilla scent.
She was ok.
He took a breath and he had never felt more relieved.
She was ok.