Dance of Fate

Chapter Thirty Five

The moment I was finally able to fully grasp onto consciousness, I immediately wished I was asleep again. 

My entire body was laced with pain, and I hadn't even tried to move. Especially my shoulder, as well as my ankle, though it didn't compare to the pain in my abdomen every time I took a breath. But none of it even came close to comparing to the pain behind my temples. My head pounded with such intensity I could hardly think, the agony seeming to echo inside my head.

I couldn't hold back my groan as I reluctantly forced myself to pry my eyes open, immediately squinting against the dull light in the room. My room, I realized as I slowly scanned my surroundings. It was nighttime, but the room was lit by multiple candles. 

Someone shifted, and I immediately sensed Azriel's presence, though my senses were so weak I couldn't tell exactly where he was until he spoke.

"You're awake," he said, his voice low and breathless. I turned my head the slightest bit to my right to look at him, gritting my teeth against the shock of pain that went through my head at the movement. 

Azriel's hazel eyes met mine, wide and filled with both worry and relief. I immediately scanned him, checking for any sign of injury. It felt like I could finally relax once I realized he was fine- on the outside, at least, although I sensed his fear, which he was evidently trying to mask. Gods, how long had I been out? 

"Three days." Azriel said softly, as if I had voiced the question aloud. I didn't have it in myself to wonder how he had read me so easily, especially as a million more urgent thoughts began to race through my mind. 

"Easy," the shadow singer muttered. 

"Is he dead?" I asked. Please, let him be dead, please please plea-

Azriel hesitated. "Most likely."

"What do you mean most likely?" I demanded. Azriel clenched his jaw. "You didn't check for the body?"

"We didn't exactly have time."

"What could have possibly been so important that you couldn't check if Orion was dead after all that?"

"You!" I immediately fell silent at the harshness in Azriel's voice, the pure desperation and panic in his eyes. "You were dying. Your heart almost stopped, so no, we didn't check to see if Orion was dead after he fell off of a very high mountain." 

I pursed my lips. I still thought he should have checked for the body, but I didn't say anything. I was much too tired to keep fighting, and Azriel seemed the same. 

His face softened, but he didn't apologize. Not that he should have, really. 

"Rhys isn't back yet?" I finally said, shifting the conversation to less argumentative matters. Azriel's shoulders seemed to sag a bit at the casualness in my voice. "No, but he wrote saying they'll be back in a week or so." I nodded- or at least tried to. "We haven't told him anything."

That was a relief. What Rhys, Feyre, and Amren were doing was much too important for us to distract him with what had occurred. Him knowing now would make no difference to him knowing in a few days, anyway. 

"Is Cassian-"

"He's fine." Azriel replied before I could finish. 

"And the Court of Nightmares?"

"It's all handled. You have nothing to worry about." Azriel assured. 

Yeah right, I thought. Nothing to worry about, aside from the fact that I had just killed two very well known former members of the Night Court, and close servants of the King of Hybern. And the fact that Hybern was hunting me. And the fact that my power already seemed so intense I had no idea what I was going to do to keep it under control, or to stop it from continuing to grow-