A Bloody Crown

Chapter 22: Cathan

A firm voice woke me from my unconscious state. "Aelfrun," he said, his hand on my shoulder. "Aelfrun, wake up. You are safe now."

My eyes fluttered open, looking directly above me, into Azriel's eyes. "What happened?" I groaned, struggling to sit up.

"Can you stand?" he asked, extending a hand. I took it, allowing him to pull me up. His shadows entangled our bound hands, as if attempting to help me stand.

Looking to my left, I saw Marlia's body, saw the blade. On the other side of her were three limp bodies, the males who had come to kill me as well. My breathing became labored, adrenaline spiking again.

"Don't look at it," he said calmly, pulling my face back to him gently. "We need to leave. Do you have your belongings?" I nodded and took a step before he halted me. "I will retrieve them, just point."

I pointed to two bags in the corner of the room, one filled with clothes, the other with weapons and scrolls and parchment with important information.

He walked through the bodies, blood staining his shoes, and gathered what I requested. Walking back to me, he held out his arm. "Hold onto me."

"I can't leave her," I whispered, looking at Marlia's body.

His lips pursed, a face of concern looking between my eyes full of anguish and my bloody hand. "What would you have us do?"

My voice faltered, words not coming to me. "I.. I guess bury her. But we do not have time."

Azriel sighed softly, looking down, then back to me. "If you will come with me, I will return here and do as you ask. It is not safe for you to stay here, especially in your.. state."

I rubbed my nose with my non-bloody hand, sighing. "I can't ask you to do that, Azriel. You didn't even know her."

"I'll alert someone this happened, and they can handle this. Is that acceptable?"

I nodded once, looking at his chest, not being able to meet his eyes. He set my belongings down, and left the room, walking down the hallway. I just stood, waiting in silence, counting my breaths and pumps of my heart, trying to not pass out again.

Shadows drifted the floor where he just stood, swirling around my boots and shifting between the bags, as if inspecting their contents.

He entered the room a couple of moments later, nodding in confirmation. I wrapped my arm around his, picked up one of the bags so he wouldn't have to carry both, then we vanished.

We appeared in the mountains, snowy, cold mountains, right outside of a large tent. "Rhysand and Feyre are in there, waiting for you," he said calmly. I looked at his large wings, noticing the black sworls dancing and jumping around, whispering into his ears.

"Thank you." I replied, pushing aside the flaps and walking in.

Azriel followed behind me, a mask of ambivalence over his face. Quite different from the concern he had earlier. 

Feyre stood, walking towards me, but stopped dead at the sight of my hand and bruised cheek from where I had fallen. "What happened," she whispered, no emotion in her voice.

I stared at the ground, unable to answer. So Azriel did.

"Hybern," was his only reply. 

She rushed forward, taking both of my bags and setting them in a corner near her own. She took me by the non-stained hand and led me to a washbasin, allowing me to scrub it off gently.

Rhysand stood and approached Azriel, the two of them having a quiet discussion over what happened. 

"Marlia is dead, Feyre," I blurted, unable to hold it in.