Shadows Whisper | | Azriel

16

Immediately after breakfast, Killan dragged Astryn back to their room by a tight grip on her arm. He shoved her down onto the floor as soon as they were in the room with the door closed and she didn't dare to get up.

"What did Eris do? Did he fucking touch you?" Killan demanded, looming over her.

"No! No, he didn't touch me. He didn't do anything," Astryn rushed the words out, a feeling of dread settled deep in her bones.

Killan grabbed her and pulled her up by a fist-full of her hair. He slammed her against the wall and pinned her there with a grip on her throat, glaring at her.

"I already have to deal with the shame of being married to a Night Court bastard. Don't be a whore too," he sneered, lips curled in disgust as he choked her, "if I catch you with Eris, I will rip you both to shreds and send what's left of you in a box back to your half-breed brother."

Shadows swirled around Astryn in a way they hadn't done since she had arrived. They had stayed hidden until now. But she couldn't breathe with Killan's hand around her neck. She clawed desperately at his hand while the shadows swirled and she swore she saw a hint of fear in his eyes when he realized the shadows were there. He squeezed her neck more tightly, and the shadows suddenly launched forward and hit him square in the chest before slithering up and wrapping around his neck. They squeezed only slightly, just a warning.

"Get them off of me," Killan ordered, though he sounded a little panicked, "get these damned things off of me."

The shadows tightened around his throat and he finally released Astryn, stumbling a few steps back. Astryn fell the the floor, gasping for breath. The shadows released Killan then and returned to Astryn, curling around her protectively.

"What the fuck?" Killan snapped, breathing heavily. "Did the shadowsinger send those here with you?"

"No," she denied, pulling her legs up and tucking them against her chest. She covered her head with her arms, making herself as small as possible. "No—I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."

"Those things could have fucking killed me," he yelled at her, prowling closer, "you bitch. I should kill you."

Astryn apologized again, the words choked up and full of fear. Killan started moving again, but stilled when the door opened.

"Oh, I do hope I'm not interrupting," Eris said sarcastically, eyeing Astryn curled up on the floor with a cold, passive disinterest.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" Killan snapped, whirling around to glare at his brother. "Get the fuck out."

"Unfortunately for you, I'll have to steal away your lovely wife. Mother sent me to fetch her so she can be measured for a custom gown," Eris informed him, "nothing we have now will fit her. She's so terribly tiny. I don't know how they expect her to have a child."

"Come get her later," Killan growled, "we have some things to settle."

"I'm sure you don't want me to tell father that you're being uncooperative," Eris replied, a cruel smirk spread across his face. "You know how he can get when we don't do as we're told."

"Fine," he conceded, "go ahead then. I'm tired of her anyway."

Eris crossed the room and helped Astryn up, his eyes zeroing in on the bruising forming around her neck above the faebane collar.

"I'd advise you against leaving her with any other bruises like this, brother," Eris told him as he linked arms with Astryn, "we can hardly parade her around as your happy, willing bride if she's covering in bruises looking like you nearly strangled her to death."

"I'll be sure to be more careful about where I leave bruises then," Killan muttered hatefully as he watched Eris lead Astryn out of the room.

Eris closed the door behind them and guided Astryn through the halls.

"You look a mess," Eris commented, eyes lingering on her for a moment before he turned forward. "What pissed him off?"

"You did," she muttered, "he was jealous."

"I can't say I'm surprised," Eris said dryly, "there was never much reason in that thick skull of his."

They walked quietly after that until Astryn finally spoke.

"Your mother didn't send you to get me, did she?" she asked, sparing him a brief glance.

"Of course not," Eris scoffed, letting out an amused exhale. "But Killan is foolish. He'll have forgotten about it entirely by tomorrow. And even if he doesn't...my mother would go along with the lie if I asked her to, which I do plan to. She would understand the importance of it."

Astryn knew what Eris was implying, and she could hear how sad it made him.

"Is your mother why you help me?" she asked quietly, watching his expression harden.

"No," he dismissed coldly, "your brother will owe me for this." He sent a glance towards her, to the shadows that still lingered close to her after Killan nearly killed her. "And I think even the shadowsinger may feel indebted to me for this. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement, darling."

Astryn felt a deep pain in her chest at the mention of Azriel. She had been trying not to think about him. She didn't expect to miss him so much. She didn't know why she missed him so much. She hardly knew him, but it felt like her soul ached at his absence.

"I seem to have struck a nerve, honey," he noted curiously, "don't tell me you managed to get tangled with the shadowsinger in your one day of freedom."

"I'm forbidden to speak of him," she muttered, sadness etched onto her face. "Your father was very specific about that."

Eris filed that information away for later use. He would look into it and see what it could get him.

"He'll be upset when he sees that bruising around your neck," Eris brought up, "and it won't be Killan he blames for it. Don't argue when he says it's your fault. I can save you from Killan, but not from my father. If you let him stand around telling you it's your fault and accept it, you'll avoid a beating. Hopefully."

"I thought he wanted me unbruised," she replied, sounding alarmed.

"I never said that. I said he didn't want you covered in bruises, where people could see it. He'll hurt you where it will remain hidden."