shadows don't lie

Chapter Thirteen, Part One

She bolted upwards, sleep having been torn away from her.

All seemed fine, and she hadn’t even been having a nightmare, yet she still woke up in a cold sweat.

She looked over and watched the rise and fall of Azriel’s chest, a soft white glow emanating from the moon outside their window casting a calm light throughout the air.

It was probably around midnight, she guessed, but she was still surprised to have woken up so early.

She listened to the soft chittering of her shadows, trying to calm her racing heartbeat and make sure that nothing was amiss. Once she was sure everything was alright, she turned over on her side and closed her eyes.

It was quiet.

Searing pain tore through her body and her muscles locked up, ridgid and unmoving, and blood roared through her ears.

A strangled cry escaped her lips and she gritted her teeth against a new wave of pain.

“Inei?” Azriel asked her hoarsely, already pushing back his covers and getting up, his wings flared.

She couldn’t speak, only a small whimper escaping instead.

Azriel crouched beside her bed taking her hand gently, and the pain subsided for a moment.

She breathed heavily, sweat coating her skin.

“Where does it hurt?” He asked with his shadow that was hovering somewhere near her head, but before she could try and respond, a new wave of pain washed over her and she uncontrollably squeezed his hand in a death grip as she cried out loudly.

Footsteps sounded from down the hall and Morrigan threw the door open, her hair skewed to one side, a small dagger clenched in her fist, her other hand covering her eyes for some reason.

She lowered her hand as Inei whimpered in pain again.

“What's happening.” She asked with a deathly calm, striding over and crouching down next to Azriel.

“I just woke up and she was like this- I don’t know what’s wrong.” His voice trembled almost imperceptably, and Inei grunted in pain as Morrigan’s nose flared, scenting the air around them.

“Oh.” She leaned closer to Azriel's ear and murmured softly, “It’s her period, Az.” He grimaced and looked back at Inei with sympathy in his eyes.

“Go see if you can get Madja, please. I’ll stay with her.” Nodding and standing up, Morrigan quickly exited the room.

Azriel got up, sitting at the edge of her bed, his hand still tightly gripped in hers.

“Inei, I need you to try and relax until Madja gets here.” She looked over, her eyes unfocused. “It hurts.” She whispered with her shadow, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

He reached up and wiped it away, trailing her face softly. He looked over at the door as if considering something, and he looked back down with a slight smile on his face.

----

“I’m going to move you somewhere more comfortable now, okay?” Her face collapsed in pain, but Azriel spoke softly as he gathered her up in her blankets. “I know it hurts, please just hold on until Madja gets here.”

Holding her tightly with her head against his chest, he walked out of the room and down the hall to the empty bedroom at the end, previously occupied by Rhys and Feyre.

Her soft pants tickled his skin and he stroked her arm comfortingly.

Using his foot, he nudged open the door and walked into the room, the large four-poster bed in the center of the room freshly made.