A World Away

30. Welcome back

Six hours. That's how long Eve had been drifting back and forth consciousness. Az was beside himself with worry. He hadn't left Eve's side since he had picked her up. He felt harrowed. "Wake up Eve, please wake up." He begged her. Everyone had visited, even Nesta, all having a sorrowful look on their faces. "I should have looked after her better," Feyre had sighed when she had visited. Az hadn't replied, partly because he did blame his High Lady a bit.

Madja had said that she would wake up any day now. Her conclusion had been that Eve had been taking the help of Faebane to suppress her magic and thus, without it, only her body' energy and will were left to fight off the seizures. The Cauldron had made her Fae and given her powers that weren't settling in her body yet. And that was only physical... who knew how she was mentally and emotionally? To say Az was worried was the understatement of the century.

He held her hand and prayed to Mother to save the girl he had come to care so much for. He felt her fingers twitch. Az' head snapped up, "Eve? Are you- Eve?" he asked her frantically. She moaned. Immediately, Az sent few of his shadows to get Madja. Through his mind, he connected with Rhys. She is waking up. "Eve, I am here, wake up," he begged her, no, commanded her. She whimpered loudly and started shaking a bit.

Not seconds later, Madja bristled in, soon followed by Rhys and Feyre. "Move," Madja told him. He hesitated; he did not want to let go of Eve's hand. "I need to be able to look at her properly," she sighed. Az moved.

"What happened?" Feyre asked, clutching Rhys' hand. Eve looked pale. "She is finally waking up. Her energy levels are stable now." Eve's eyes fluttered open, as if on cue. Madja thrusted a bottle towards Eve and made her gulp it. "That should make her seizures stop." Turning towards the High Lord, Madja added, "I need to talk to you outside, if it is alright." "Of course." 

Before leaving Madja turned to Az, adding softly, "she will be fine spymaster."

Eve groaned. "Where the fuck am I?" She wondered out loud as her hands met with soft pillows. "Hey," someone said softly. She turned to the source and stopped breathing for a second. The next, she was onto him. "Hey," her voice came out muffled against Az' shoulders who held her just as tightly. Feyre discretely left. After some time, Eve finally let go of him, much to Az' disappointment.

She gave him a once over. His hair was disheveled, he looked as if he hadn't slept in days, his shirt's first few buttons were open and he had tense lines on his forehead. "You look terrible," she commented. Az blinked once before a grin formed on his lips. Oh, how he had missed the sound of her voice. "You are one to speak." He fired back. Eve snorted, "guess we both are bunch of losers."

Az shook his head, suddenly serious. "How are you feeling?" "Just peachy," came the reply. Az shook his head, frustrated, "I am not messing around. How. Are. You. Feeling." Eve looked at him for a long second before turning towards the door and muttering, "fine. Now, if you will excuse me, I need a shower."

"We aren't done," Cassian said, appearing at the door. Eve looked at him, "yes, yes we are."

Az sighed, other than hugging him, Eve had been cold. Granted, she had been distant and sarcastic in the past, but this felt different. She had never been cold or distant towards him.

"Come on, we are going to have dinner soon, Nuala will make sure Eve joins us." Cassian finally said. Az shook his head, "she will hate that." Referring to the group dinner.

*****

After the long bath which successfully helped Eve evade the Inner Circle, she decided to sneak off for the night. But, before she could take on her grand adventure, Nuala decided to show up at her door. "Everyone is requesting your presence in the dining hall."

"Well, everyone can suck it." Nuala blocked Eve's exit. "They will know where you went and will only follow you, creating more attention than what I think you want. Please, come with me," Eve huffed but went with her... she had a point after all.

******

Az waited along with his family and... Lucien. He did not understand why Lucien had to be there. They all waited patiently for Eve who seemed to have set her mind on making an entrance. "Does she really need to be here?" Cassian voiced. "We all want to talk to her, why not now? Besides, it might be good for her," Feyre said. Lucien snorted. When everyone glared at him he added, "she won't appreciate it." Az got annoyed. "And you know her better?" Lucien simply shrugged.

Before, things could escalate, Eve came in. She didn't greet anybody or gave a smile. She simply went and sat beside Lucien even when Az had made sure to keep a chair for her empty beside him. He didn't let the hurt show on his face though. Feyre cleared her throat, "how are you Eve?" everyone seemed to hold their breath as Eve stiffened and finally made eye-contact with Feyre.

Instead of answering, Eve countered, "how are your sisters?" Rhysand' face hardened. "You can visit them if you want," Feyre said, without missing a beat although the question did sting. "I will." Then she went back to her meal, only once glancing at Lucien who shook his head, "I already visited." And by the look on his face, it hadn't gone well.

"Where will I be staying?" Eve asked in general. "Wherever you want to." Rhysand replied. Eve nodded, not answering- she would think and tell him later.

After a long, excruciating dinner which had Az almost reach for his shadows' multiple times, Eve bid them all a good night and walked away.

"She is.... Different." Mor commented. Even after meeting after so long, Eve hadn't spared any of them one glance. She hadn't asked or talked about anything, and the cold demeanor around her kept everyone out.

"She went through a lot," Az stated, ending the discussion. "She will come around again. And we will be waiting," Rhys said softly to him. Az nodded, not voicing the nagging question, when?

Happy reading! the next chap will show how Eve is feeling now that she is back in familiar Velaris... 

XOXO,

the amazing author :)