A Court of Shadows and Thunder // AzrielxOC SlowBurn Romance, ACOTAR FanFiction

Chapter 64 - Hollow

And so the truth has come out at last. In the worst way possible, like a storm whipping sails to shreds, like a mountain of waves crushing a ship to the depths of the sea. The truth was out, for all to see, for all to witness.

There was some part of the prince of the Strofades who knew, when all of this had begun, that all couldn't always go according to plan. That when he had first introduced the idea of making contact with Prythian, the Elders of the isles had shunned him against doing so for a reason. That, sending Brianna of all people, the one he loved, the one who was cursed, the one who could survive no matter what - that she would be so untouchable, so unbreakable.

And yet he has rejected the Elders' protests, he had ignored them all. He had seized Brianna's curiosity, he had led her here to the land of faes. His own curiosity, his own wonder for the world beyond his isles has grown far too wide, far too strong for him to want to remained trapped on the outside. When he had the opportunity to go further, Dorian had dared to venture.

And he had crafted such a picture of the Syrens for them all. He had told them as much truth as he could permit - from the beauty of his islands, the power of his people. The stain that was the Harpies, the isles of Nosseus full of dread that laid beyond the wall. He had showed it to them, to the Night Court, to Rhysand. He had exposed that much, he had allowed himself to be vulnerable. And Dorian hadn't seen the cracks that had formed in his walls, because he hadn't known they were there at all.

Perhaps he should have been more honest, from the very start. But he knew what it meant to have Brianna's secrets exposed, he knew what those who wouldn't understand would do to her, as they have done before.

And now, now it was all happening again.

Now Dorian could only look at Brianna, ignoring his own pain, knowing hers' was far greater than any of the Syrens in the room. Because while his ears bled, while his mind drummed with ache, all he could hear was the whimpers and moans that escaped her lips, the tears that fell freely from her eyes. He knew how much it hurt her to turn, how the claws that etched her fingers had torn through them, how the scales had pierced her skin and how - when she was turned unwillingly - that was when it hurt her the most.

And that sound, that horrible, dreaded ringing. He could still hear it now, though it sounded so faint in his own ears. But one look at Brianna told him that it was still like thunder in hers, how it was coursing through her mind, how it was pummelling through her limbs.

That was all Azriel could look at too. His mate, the one who had finally become his, the one he has swore he would protect for all eternity, was lying on the floor, in more pain than he has ever seen her in, than he could ever begin to feel. He knew this wasn't natural, he knew her pain was far greater than anything else. And some part of him knew, that whatever it was that had happened in the Spring Court, whatever Brianna and Tamlin had told him - it was happening again.

How she had heard a deafening sound ring about her head, how she had turned unwillingly, and how she had slain the monsters running rampage through Tamlin's lands. Whatever Amren had done, this was the result - a horrible and cruel punishment. And Azriel knew that, soon enough, Brianna wouldn't be able to control herself anymore, and that he had to try to stop it.

And so he made to go for her, his limbs moving on their own, his shadows writhing in unison to the thunder of his heart. He felt his siphons glow alight, already prepared to heal her, to do whatever it was he could to help her. And he was almost there, so close that he could almost grasp her, when he was suddenly flung back, as though something has hit him from beyond. Something hot and painful, that had made him bounce back instantly.

For a moment, Azriel did not understand what it was that happened. And then he tried to reach for her again, and Brianna's eyes met his, and watched how his hand collided with air, throwing him back once more. She bore her teeth at him, as though something had snapped within her. The white in her eyes had completely drained, overcome with wells of inky darkness as light and sparks flew all around her.