A Court of Lightning and Shadows

Twenty-eight

TW: torture

——

The days and hours flew by. She didn't know what day it was. They brought her bread at the most odd times. Not that she ate it anyway.

She slept away most of the days, trying to escape her beatings and pain.

Briar passed out most of the time. She had never been happier about passing out.

Her father and brother asked her questions about the Inner Circle. She didn't answer any of them. That's how she earned her beatings.

What she didn't get, was how they couldn't get the information themselves. If they were smart enough to break the wards around the High Lord en Lady's home, they could certainly get information.

Maybe they were scared. Briar almost laughed at the idea. She would love to see them get caught.

She would love to see Azriel kill them. Or do it herself.

The cell door opened and the familiar figure of her father stepped into the room.

"Get up and walk. Don't ask questions."

She did as he asked. He put a blindfold before her eyes. Her heart started beating faster.

He shoved her forward. The bastard knew about the wound he had created on her back.

He had opened the scars of her wings too. She could feel the familiar aching coming back.

Briar could see her feet, but she didn't see her surroundings.

Every step she took hurt. But she had to keep going.

——
Azriel POV

Two weeks had gone by. Two weeks.

Azriel couldn't remember the last time he had truly rested. He was gone for most of the day, searching for answers.

He hadn't found anything.

He had searched the dungeons of the Court of Nightmares himself the first week. Everyday.

She truly wasn't there. He had stopped after a week.

He had searched her house in her old camp, which was empty.

The Illyrians in the camp didn't know about anything either.

Every time he entered the river house, or the House of Wind, he got worried looks from the Inner Circle. He ignored every single one of them.

Staying at the House had been easier than staying at the river house. He couldn't be heard when he left and he could avoid everyone.

He spend the nights on the roof, watching the stars as he hoped Briar could do the same.

He hoped she wasn't locked away. Azriel had a bad feeling that that wasn't the case, that she was being tortured at this very moment.

He heard wings ruffle from behind him. Someone sat down.

"Are you okay?" he kept his eyes on the stars. He hadn't talked to Rhys in days. He hadn't even seen him.

"I know it's painful-"

"What do you know about this, Rhys?" he snapped.

"I know how the mating bond can make it hurt more." he said, "We will find her."

Azriel shook his head, "What if she's already dead?" he tried not to show his emotions as he swallowed back the feeling of crying.

"She isn't. You would've felt it."