A Court of Shadow and Flames

Chapter Two: Azriel

He was pacing the hallway, waiting for some sign of their return, when a surge of power halted him in place. Were they finally back? Azriel quickly went to where Rhys was, knowing Feyre would be in the nursery. The new mother had barely left the room since the twins were taken from our home. He had held each of them for a fleeting second before Rhys and Feyre soaked up as much time as possible with their babies.

Rhysand was in his office staring at the gift Helion had sent shortly before their birth. Something that should have been a joyous time and a heartfelt gift was now a bitter reminder.

"Did you not feel that surge of power?" Azriel asked, wondering how Rhysand couldn't feel it building even now. The warrior's shadows danced in anticipation of whatever lay ahead, growing restless with each moment. The power grew at an unimaginable speed, consuming the air in his lungs, and the image of a shooting star surfaced in his mind. In all of his years, he had never felt such power.

"No." Rhys gave him an odd look, and Azriel let Rhys into his mind so the High Lord could feel the tension building. Without a glimpse of agreement, they were both in the nursery. Feyre was sitting on the floor with Gwyn, both lost in conversation, when the pair winnowed in. The look on their faces must have been enough to trigger the female's bodies into motion because Feyre and Gwyn were beside them in a second.

"Are they-"Feyre's face searched her mate's, but no one had a real answer to the question.

Suddenly the Bone Carver was standing in the nursery. To Azriel's surprise, he looked like he had been through hell and had just enough energy to winnow himself into Velaris. No one was in his company, just empty upturned hands revealing that the children were not home. An unsettling feeling crept up his spine as the tension from the power made his head pound.

"Your questions will be answered momentarily, and as I assured you before, I will not live past the exchange so there's no need for anyone to plot my death as you all would like."

Blue flames licked up the walls as the silhouette of a high fae crashed into the room. That's the energy. Azriel took a deep breath, moving Gwyn behind him and preparing to fight off both attackers. Rhys did the same with Feyre, who allowed him to shield her.

"How could you?" The voice of a female cut through the flames as her body came into view. She was dressed in fighting leathers, her face painted with what appeared to be a mixture of blood and sweat.

The Bone Carver gave her a sympathetic look, like whatever he had done to cause this distress against the female truly pained him. "You will understand in time, Dragonheart."

"Blood will have blood." She spoke, and the shadows of night spread from her fingertips. The female stepped towards him before his body tore into itself, leaving hundreds of pieces of remains and black blood coating the nursery's walls. No one moved, whether from pure shock or something else. He couldn't place it, but everyone stayed put while she stood there looking at the mess.

Azriel took note of her fists clenching, and that same feeling of power surged. Darkness encased the room, removing any chance of leaving with it as the last shadow fell past the window. Her fingers touched one of the paintings Feyre had made for her son. Immediately the sentimental piece was turned to ash.

Another figure winnowed into the nursery, looking as disheveled as the female and Bone Carver, but there was a light in his eyes that the female lacked. "Aris."

His voice was cautious, as if the female standing before them might kill everyone in the room if he spoke too fast.

"This is the place he spoke of?" She asked, running her finger along the lace of the bassinet before it erupted into flames.

"Stop!" Feyre's voice snapped everyone out of whatever paralysis they were trapped in.

The woman's head tilted to the side in amusement as the air in the room became still. She extended her hand to the High Lady, and Rhys pushed his mate further behind his frame.

"Aw," she pouted, "no fun."

"Velaris, no!" The male's voice commanded the attention of everyone in the room before his arms were wrapped around her frame. Her eyes snapped to Azriel, and the tension in his chest drained away with such a simple look like she was home - then the two were nothing more than vacant space. The darkness dissipated from the room, leaving them with the burned pieces, remains, and a hollowness in the pit of his stomach at this revelation.

Feyre dropped to the ground, unable to hold herself up as she processed the scene in front of her. The sanctuary she built for her son, then when she found out, the twins, was ruined.

"Velaris." Rhysand's voice caught the attention of everyone in the room. "Her name is Velaris."

"Your daughter." Azriel realized it seconds after they disappeared— my mate.

"So he must be- "

"Your son."