Shadows Whisper | | Azriel

25

Azriel remained by Astryn's bed as she slept, like he was standing guard. He stiffened up when he heard footsteps, but relaxed slightly when he caught the scent of who was coming—confirmed that it wasn't Rhys.

Mor walked in, her expression controlled so carefully. She looked at her cousin, a glimmer of sadness in her eyes but her expression blank otherwise.

"Beron's son are charmers, aren't they?" she muttered sarcastically, staring at the bruises on Astryn.

"I killed her husband," Azriel told her, "I saw what he did to her and...I meant to question him. I meant to question him and get answers about who else was involved but I saw what he did to her and I lost it. All I could do was kill him."

"Did you kill Beron?" Mor asked, and Azriel let out a scoff.

"He fled the moment I arrived. He'd sooner die than give us answers anyway," Azriel responded, "it would have been satisfying to kill him but he wouldn't have told us anything. But...she asked me not to harm Eris. I don't know why yet but the only reason I could think of is he helped her in some way. If he helped her, he might be willing to offer up anything he may know."

"Trusting any information from Eris would be foolish," Mor spoke tensely, "I don't know what he did for her, but whatever he did was more for himself than for her. He wouldn't help her if he had nothing to gain from it."

"I know," Azriel replied with a nod, "but if he had anything to gain from helping her, he'd have that same thing to gain from telling us whatever he knows."

Mor only nodded in response before she turned her gaze back to Astryn.

"I can feel her power," she muttered, "or at least what has managed to push through the faebane. That kind of power...it would have been so hard to contain for that long. I don't think I want to be around to see what happens when it's finally allowed to breathe."

"She won't know how to control it," Azriel mumbled, "not for some time. They took away her chance to learn as it developed."

"Keir had to have been involved somehow," Mor said after a few moments of heavy silence. Her voice was filled with pain and hatred when she spoke her father's name. "It wouldn't be the first time he has attempted securing an alliance with the Autumn Court."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was behind all of this, but we have no proof. We can't do anything about it," Azriel muttered, cutting himself off there when Astryn squirmed in bed. He smoothed her hair back gently, and she relaxed at the feeling of his hand on her.

Her eyes drifted open slowly, like her body wasn't quite ready to be awake yet. She gave him a tired half smile that made his heart face. Her violet eyes staring into his brought him a peace unlike any he had ever known before. Looking into those eyes now, he didn't know how they had ever reminded him of Rhysand's eyes. She was something entirely different.

"Hi," she mumbled out the greeting, reaching up and ghosting her fingertips across his jaw before letting her hand fall back to her side.

"Hello," he muttered back, a small smile forming on his face. "How are you feeling?"

Mor stood back and watched with awe. In all the years she had known Azriel, she hadn't ever seen him like this, so soft and gentle. Even the shadows were different in Astryn's presence. A few of them broke away from him and caressed her lovingly. It was truly a sight to behold.

"Very hungry," Astryn answered Azriel's question, "I'd like to have those things I had when I was here before...pancakes, I believe. And bacon. If it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all, darling," Azriel replied, his deep voice carrying a bit of a hum to it. "Shall we go to the dining room or would you like to eat here?"

"Here, please," she requested, mostly because she wasn't ready to leave this room and risk having to face Rhysand. At the thought, her eyes drifted to the third person in the room. Mor, she recalled the female's name. "Hello," she greeted with a detached politeness, nothing like the way she spoke to Azriel. "I apologize, I hadn't seen you there."

"You don't have anything to apologize for," Mor dismissed, "I'll leave the two of you alone to eat." Mor began to leave but paused, looking at her cousin with such sadness. Astryn had had so many years stolen away from her. Mor ached just thinking about it. "I'm happy you're home and safe now, Astryn," Mor told her, "if you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to come to me."

With those parting words, Mor left the room. The food appeared shortly after she left, plates for both herself and Azriel.

"The shadows keep referring to you as my mate," Astryn brought up as they ate, "could you please explain to me what that means?"

"It's...it's an odd thing to explain," Azriel stumbled over his words a bit, unsure of why his face was heating up and he was so nervous. "Not everyone has a mate, or finds their mate but it's a, um...it's a predetermined sort of connection. The pair is supposed to be perfectly matched, equals. They're meant to be together."

Astryn stared at Azriel in wonder, and he felt so unbelievably nervous. What must she be thinking right now? Would she resent being bonded to him? He couldn't stand this. She deserved so much better than he could ever dream of being.

He cleared his throat and pushed away those insecurities and continued speaking, "mating bonds can be rejected. There will always be a glimmer of it left even after a rejection, but it is entirely possible to refuse this. And if that's what you choose, I will respect that choice completely."

Azriel decided against mentioning that, if that's what she chose, he would very likely go mad. It had happened to so many males before. He'd like to believe he had better self control than that, but the bond was a primal thing, and if it snapped, he could very well lose his mind. So, if she chose to reject him, he would leave. He'd leave his home so she could stay, he'd leave everything he has ever known so she could have a peaceful life here and not worry about some bond she never asked for with a mate who would never be good enough for her. He didn't want to tell her these things.

"Why would I reject you?" she asked as if the idea was absurd. "You're lovely."