Shadows Whisper | | Azriel

12

"Which one of Beron's sons did she get married off to?" Rhys demanded, anger flooding his veins.

"You'll know soon enough," the female answered, lips curled up into a smile that promised only violence, "if you don't give her back, he'll be coming with his father and brothers to take her. And he'll be well within his rights to invade since you kidnapped his wife. He could kill you for it and face no consequences."

"I'd like to see him try," Rhys scoffed, a glare set on his face, "not a single one of Beron's sons is smart or strong enough to get near me, let alone kill me. They'd sooner set themselves on fire by mistake."

"Such arrogance from a foolish boy," she commented disapprovingly, "that will be what gets you killed, Rhysand. If you hand her over to her husband, at least you'll live long enough for her future child to kill you instead. Don't you want to meet your nephew?"

Astryn felt like her entire body was on fire. This couldn't be real. She thought she had escaped marriage and she had escaped the possibility of being forced to have a child. She thought she was free. But this was all part of the plan. She never had freedom, not for a single second.

"Don't look so afraid, darling," Astryn's mother spoke to her with entirely fake sympathy, "you've known the male your entire life. You were born to marry him. You're living your life exactly the way you're supposed to."

"I won't have his children," Astryn said, her voice shaking, "I'd sooner die."

"Good thing it's not up to you then," she mocked her daughter, grinning at the tears that welled up in Astryn's violet eyes.

"Shut your mouth," Azriel growled, prowling forward like a predator about to pounce on his prey. "Another word and I'll rip your tongue out."

"Will you keep it as a trophy?" she asked teasingly, batting her eyelashes at him.

"I'll feed it to pigs," Azriel replied dryly, to which she pouted.

"For such a pretty male, you are remarkably boring," she complained before she glanced back to Rhysand, "anyway, as lovely as this has been, we're done here."

"That's really not for you to decide," Mor spoke up for the first time, and the female laughed.

"Well, dear, I hate to have to tell you this, but I've been stalling. My daughter's husband is coming for her. Good luck."

She winnowed suddenly and reappeared right in front of Cassian and grabbed a dagger that was sheathed across his chest. In a blink of an eye, she stuck the blade right into her own heart. Astryn's jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she watched her mother fall dead to the ground.

They heard shouts out in the hall and began taking off in that direction, though Rhys stopped to look to Azriel and Astryn.

"Get her out of here," Rhys requested, almost sounding fearful. "That is your only priority, do you understand me? Your only job is getting her out of here safely."

Azriel only gave a short nod in response. He didn't like that he wasn't going into whatever this fight was going to be with his friends—his family, but he was relieved that he got to be the one who stayed with Astryn. He knew anyone in the group would protect her, but there was something in him that knew he'd die before he let her be hurt. He'd give his life for her, and he decided that made him best suited to look out for her.

Azriel and Astryn went in the opposite direction than the rest of the group. They ran until an arrow pierced Azriel's shoulder. It tore clean through his shoulder and into his wing. Another arrow flew threw the air and this one went into his stomach, making his steps falter. A third arrow, this one through his thigh, is what finally made him lose his footing and drop to his knees. It all happened so fast.