The Prophecy - ACOTAR

Chapter 60

Azriel had been lounging in the living area of the House of Wind with Cass, both of them taking it easy just as Madja had threatened them to do, when a chill ran down his spine. It wasn't a pleasant one, one that would spread through his body when Astrids lips were wrapped around his cock or when her pussy would tighten around him as she came. No, this one spoke of despair, anger, and fear. Something was wrong with Astrid, that was the only reason for this, that bounced around in his mind.

He shot up from his spot on his couch, startling Cass in the process, right as Astrid collapsed to her knees from a chaotic storm of shadows. The chaos of her shadows would have been the first tell that something was wrong, she would never show up somewhere like that. Her immediately falling to her knees was the most obvious sign that something was wrong. Something anyone could pick up on.

Azriel shot forward and pulled her trembling body into his arms, he held her tightly against his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She buried her face into his chest as she broke, her shoulders shook with silent sobs.

He didn't know what had happened, but he needed to fix it. It broke his heart to see her like this, to know she was hurting. But nothing mattered as much as being there for her. Holding her. Comforting her.

Azriel felt a set of eyes on them, so he turned his head slightly to find Cass perched on the edge of the couch with a worried look plastered on his face. Azriel shook his head slightly, the only way he could tell one of his closest friends that he didn't know what was going on, without disturbing his hurting mate. He turned his attention back to Astrid and began running a hand through her hair.

He hadn't found a time when she didn't like him playing with her hair, and it felt like the best thing to help her through whatever had happened in the Spring Court. It had to be something related to her cousins, either directly or indirectly, because he hadn't seen her like except for when she first came here. If he could, he would destroy the incestuous royals, but it wasn't his fight. It wasn't for him to decide how they found death, that honor was for Astrid. And if he was given the chance, he would make them suffer, he would give them nightmares in the afterlife.

Astrid's grip on the back of his shirt loosened as she took in a shaky breath, the shaking of her body calmed as she took in a second breath. Azriel pulled her back gently by her shoulders once he was certain she was calmer, but only enough that he could look into her red rimmed, violet eyes.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" He asked her softly.

Astrid sniffed and grabbed a tissue from the box that Cass was setting next to them on the floor before she answered, "I didn't think this would be so hard... but then Lucien..."

Azriel grit his teeth together but forced himself to remain calm in this moment, "What did that dead male do."

Astrid cuddled into him further, "He thinks I would let the Elain..." Astrid choked on her words as tears pooled on her bottom eyelids, ready to fall again. "By the Illyrians..." She managed to finish with a whisper.

Azriel didn't need to hear the part she couldn't say, he knew what others thought of their court, of the group he was born from. "How could he think you would let that happen..." He whispered angrily, the only way he could get the words out without growling.

"He doesn't know what happened in Hybern Az... but I thought he at least thought better of me... I know I'm letting him think it now because of what I said, but he asked if I would let that happen to her." Her words grew slightly angrier as she wound her arms back around his waist.

Azriel placed a kiss to the top of her head, "I know for a fact, that no matter what's happened to you, you would never let that happen."

"We all do." Cass added quietly.