Shadows Whisper | | Azriel

24

Astryn, Azriel, and Cassian stayed in the Day Court for a day and a half before going home. Astryn still had some faebane in her system from what she had eaten, but as it made its way through her system and her power hung heavily in the air, Azriel and Cassian both knew it was a bad idea to be anywhere but at home when she got to her full power. Whatever power she had would probably be something that rivaled even Rhys's if it was this stifling when it was just the beginnings of it.

Azriel would have preferred to stay and let Astryn rest more, but staying here was too much of a risk. With how long her power had been on complete lockdown, there was no telling wheat might happen when the faebane finally was out of her system. If anything happened, it would be better if it happened at home instead of in Helion's court.

They made it home and Rhys was already fully recovered from the beating Azriel had dealt him before he left for the Autumn Court. Despite the lack of swelling and bruising, Azriel thought Rhys somehow looked worse than he had before. He clearly hadn't slept, and he looked entirely weighted down by guilt and shame and exhaustion.

All those things he was feeling seemed to double when he saw Astryn. She had healed some, but not enough. She could at least open both eyes now, but she still had cuts and bruises and swelling that hadn't gone down. She was sleeping so peacefully in Azriel's arms despite her injuries.

"Whoever did this to her is dead?" Rhys asked quietly, his eyes not leaving his sleeping sister.

"He is," Azriel answered with a nod, looking away from Rhys to look down at Astryn in his arms.

"Good," Rhys replied simply. It was then that he caught the scent of the tendrils of her power that had crept out. "Is that...that's her."

"It is," Cassian confirmed, "we were going to spend more time in the Day Court so she could heal more before traveling any further but we didn't think it would be wise to risk her reaching full strength anywhere but here."

"We knew she'd have a significant amount of power," Rhys spoke, trying to keep some semblance of calm, "it was why they kept her on so much faebane."

"Seems they thought her to be capable of killing you for good reason," Azriel muttered dryly before stepping around Rhys.

Rhys didn't speak, or turn to look at Azriel as he walked away with Astryn.

"He has been a little broody lately," Cassian tried to lighten Rhys up with the joke. "Overprotective mate things, I suppose."

"I can't blame him for it," Rhys mumbled, shaking his head before walking off in the direction opposite Azriel and Astryn had gone.

"What a bunch of fucking babies," Cassian said to himself with an annoyed sigh.

He trailed after Rhys, knowing none of this would get better any time soon if he left it up to Rhys and Azriel.

"So, did you spend the last few days brooding in here?" Cassian asked as he followed Rhys into his office and closed the door behind himself.

"How much damage was done in the Autumn Court?" Rhys questioned instead of answering.

"Two of Beron's sons are dead, the one they married Astryn to and one other," Cassian informed him, "more guards than I counted. Beron himself fled the moment we arrived."

"Eris?" Rhys prompted, raising an eyebrow.

"Astryn asked Azriel not to harm him," Cassian answered, "he complied with that request."

"She asked him not to hurt Eris? Do we know why?" Rhys inquired, clearly not very happy with this.

"I don't know," Cassian replied, "Azriel might know. He has talked with her more than I have. I thought it best to let them have their time, and I didn't want to risk asking any questions she wasn't ready to answer."

"Does she know he's her mate?" Rhys's voice was suddenly much quieter.

"The shadows told her, but she doesn't know what it means. She wasn't informed of the existence of mates. Or of much about any of the courts. They kept her education very limited."

"Of course they did," Rhys scoffed, a look of anger passing over his features before he spoke again, "I assume Azriel didn't question either of Beron's sons about who in the Hewn City was involved in this?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Cassian confirmed, "he had intended to but...any restraint he may have had to question him went out the door when he saw how badly she had been beaten. But I'm not entirely sure if he managed to get information or not. You should have that conversation with him."

"I don't think Azriel has any interest in speaking to me," Rhys muttered bitterly, and Cassian rolled his eyes.

"If you're content to sit back and do nothing, that's your decision," Cassian spoke dryly, like he was over this situation, "but there will be consequences to not mending what you broke, Rhys. Don't expect this to be something he just gets over with time. It won't be that easy."

Cassian left after that, deciding it would be best to let Rhys sit with what had been said and make his own decision.

Rhys knew he overstepped a boundary. He knew Azriel probably didn't have any clue what prompted him to overstep that boundary. He hated thinking about what Azriel might've assumed to be the reason he was ordered away from Astryn. He knew the types of things Azriel thought about himself, how that order probably drove him to think Rhys believed those terrible things about him too.

He felt terrible for contributing to the insecurities Azriel was too ashamed of to even admit existed. He felt terrible for trying to control his sister who hadn't ever known freedom. He felt terrible for controlling his friend who had been nothing but loyal to him for so many years now. He just felt terrible.