Dance of Fate

Chapter Thirty Four

Azriel stared intently at Asteria as Madja finished wrapping her injured ankle. It was broken, the healer had said, along with her shoulder and two of her ribs. Most of her injuries were a result of jumping out of the castle's window, Cassian had told him. All because she was trying to get the antidote that would save him from Balekin.

Madja also said that she was out cold, and that her body was overly exhausted and needed at least a few days to rest. Which Azriel knew was because she had over exceeded herself with her power. Also to save him, and Cassian, from the Hybern soldiers. 

But she would make a full recovery, the healer had finally told him. That had allowed Azriel to finally breathe, to finally relax his fully tensed body. Though he knew he wouldn't fully relax until he heard the sound of her voice.

"Staring at her won't make her wake up quicker." Cassian's voice sounded from the doorway. Azriel didn't bother to turn to look at his brother. He kept his gaze pinned on Asteria, on the peaceful expression on her breathtaking face. 

"Did Madja take a look at you?" Cassian questioned when the other male did not respond.

"He would not let me." The healer replied for him, shaking her head softly as she finished packing up her things. Azriel squared his jaw, but remained silent. 

"Come on, Az."

"I'm fine." Azriel finally said. 

"Yeah right. You're not as tough as you think." Cassian shoved his brother's shoulder, who hardly moved. "A checkup can't hurt." 

Azriel didn't so much as spare him a glance. "I don't need one." He insisted. 

Cassian sighed loudly. "So stubborn." He muttered under his breath. Azriel pretended not to hear him, pretended not to notice the way his brother's eyes kept flashing from him to Asteria, a look of both concern and understanding in his gaze. 

To this day, Azriel did not regret telling Cassian the truth about Asteria. He had stayed true to his word and hadn't told a soul. Had even kept it from Rhys, which Azriel knew wasn't easy for him. And it was nice to have someone to be able to talk to about it, though Azriel rarely did. But Cassian understood; he understood that Azriel could not control himself with Asteria, understood that she was everything to him. 

"Well if neither of you need me, I'll be going now." Madja said to him and Cassian. Azriel forced himself to smile.

"Thank you, Madja." He said. The female smiled at him, then at Cassian, before leaving.

There were only a few seconds of silence, before Azriel heard another voice. "Madja? What are you doing here?" Mor said from the hallway. 

"They're in Lady Asteria's room." Was all the healer responded. 

Azriel held back a groan. He hadn't even thought of having to explain this to Mor. She was no doubt worried and pissed that they had been gone for so long and hadn't contacted her. 

"Uh oh." Cassian muttered as a very angry looking Mor appeared in the doorway. Her brown eyes widened, jumping from Azriel, to Cassian, and finally falling on Asteria. 

"What in the actual hell happened to you three?" She demanded, her eyes pinned on Asteria and wide with worry. 

"She's fine- well, she's going to be," Cassian quickly said. Mor turned to him, eyebrows raised.

"Explain." 

Cassian sighed, launching into a very long explanation of everything that had happened, from Azriel being poisoned in the Court of Nightmares, to Asteria's face off with Orion. By the end of it, Mor's brown eyes were impossibly wide, her red lips slightly parted in shock. 

"You two are useless idiots." She finally said. Cassian let out a chuckle, and Azriel felt a small smile tug at his mouth, even as he kept his gaze pinned on Asteria. At this point, he didn't think he could look away if he tried. Whether it was because of the mesmerizing curves of her face, or because he was afraid that if he didn't watch the rise and fall of her chest it would stop, he wasn't sure. 

"At least Balekin and Orion are dead. And we know for sure that the king is hunting Asteria." Mor said. Azriel clenched his jaw at the last part. What Asteria had told him, about Balekin's intentions with her... he hadn't felt that angry in a very long time. To think of another male touching her, especially that male being Balekin, made Azriel so filled with rage, he thought he might explode from it. The fact that Balekin was dead consoled Azriel, and he didn't feel the least bit guilty about it.

"Will you wait until Rhysand gets back, or write him now?" Mor asked. The question was directed at him, and Azriel finally forced himself to pry his eyes away from his mate. 

He hadn't thought of what he would say to Rhys, or when. Though he supposed there would be no harm in waiting until he got back, which would surely be in a few days. If Azriel told him now, there was a chance Rhys would abandon his mission in the Summer Court. Azriel knew Rhysand cared enough for his sister to drop everything for her, even if this mission was of vital importance to the war.

So Azriel decided, "we'll tell him when he returns to Velaris." Mor, to his surprise, did not question his decision. Perhaps she too feared what Rhys would do if he heard what happened, and of the state Asteria was in. Though in choosing to wait to tell Rhys, Azriel knew his High Lord would be pissed at all of them, especially him.

"Well if everything's in order, I'm going to take a very well deserved nap." Cassian announced loudly. 

Mor scrunched her nose. "Maybe you should take a very well needed bath first." Cassian raised a finger at her before leaving the room. 

The room was silent for a moment. Azriel was back to staring at Asteria, and Mor was now staring at him. Azriel could see the look of concern on her face in his peripheral vision. He sighed loudly. "Whatever you want to say, get on with it." He said to her. 

"You just..." her eyes jumped to Asteria, then back to the Shadowsinger. Mor pursed her lips, shaking her head softly. "Never mind. You should get some rest." 

With that Mor left the room, leaving Azriel alone with Asteria and his own racing thoughts. As much as he tried, as he watched her unconscious, injured body, he couldn't help but think that this was all his fault. 

How he had allowed himself to be poisoned, Azriel wasn't sure. He had been distracted, both by the lingering anger caused by his failed mission, and by Asteria in that dress. It was like she had been teasing him on purpose, wearing something much more revealing than she usually opted for. In fact, Azriel had been watching her when he took a sip of wine and unwittingly drank poison. 

Gods, Azriel though with a small smile on his lips as he studied Asteria's lovely face. She was going to be the death of him.

...

hey y'all... I'm back... im sooo sorry for not updating in so long i had finals and have had no time or motivation to write but now I will be back to updating much more consistently

this chapter was sort of just a filler, i'll post a longer one soon I promise

anyways thank u for being so patient ily all