Dance of Fate

Chapter Forty Seven

Nothing but open air and screeching wind surrounded me as I free fell through the sky. It was perhaps two seconds before Azriel swiftly caught me in his arms, pressing my body against his.

He'd made me promise him before we left- vow that I wouldn't do anything stupid. And not just nullify the Cauldron, but anything stupid. I hadn't been able to say no- not with the way he had been looking at me, with hope and agony and desperation in his eyes.

Neither of us spoke as we flew over open black water, each flap of Azriel's wings bringing us closer to the dark, cruel land that was the Kingdom of Hybern.

My breath caught in my throat as we flew over the dull, joyless territory, nearing the castle made of white stone, that looked to be so ancient it was crumbling.

Azriel held me tighter against him, and I knew it was more for his sake than for mine.

I squinted against the wind, examining the castle and the grounds around it as they became larger. There were no guards, because they were rotating- precisely why they had chosen this specific time.

I gasped softly as my power jolted, like a beast awakening from a deep slumber, desperate to be let out of its cage. "What?" Azriel asked, his voice impossibly even.

I swallowed. "The Cauldron." My voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the wind. I bit down on my tongue until I tasted blood, my power thrumming with urgency. I flinched as I leashed it down, forcing it to obey me.

"Easy," Azriel said softly. But as we came closer, it got worse.

Asteria, the horrible voice hissed. My power surged in response.

"You're okay," Azriel told me. And I didn't know how, but his voice seemed to soothe my magic, seemed to silence that of the Cauldron.

He grasped my hand in his gently, his scarred skin brushing over mine. He quickly slipped something onto my thumb- his ring. The one I had given him at Starfall, decades ago. I hadn't even realized he still had it.

"Keep it safe for me." Azriel says. I examined the ring, shadows swirling around it. "Just until we get back."

I forced back tears as I looked at him, finding his eyes already on me. Gods I loved him, loved when he looked at me like I was the answer to all of his prayers.

"Until we get back." I whispered, assuring that we would. Even though I wasn't sure I believed it.

We landed smoothly before a platform at the base of the sea cliffs, where there was small sea door. Mor waited for us there, sword out. Cassian landed a moment after us, letting Feyre down from his arms. Azriel let me down, and I reluctantly let go of him. As soon as I did, my magic surged, along with the voice of the Cauldron.

Child of the night, child of destruction...

Azriel glanced at me one last time before heading into the dark passage. I held my breath until he appeared again, the whispers of the terrible thing that lay inside the castle ringing in my head.

I held my breath until I sensed Azriel, before I saw or heard him. "Guards are down," he said. There was blood staining his ash tipped knife, but none on him. He locked eyes with Feyre. "Hurry."

...

With every step I took, my power grew more restless, my instincts telling me to run the other way while my magic urged me to go faster towards the Cauldron. I tried to keep my breathing even as the two forces threatened to destroy me, nervously twisting Azriel's ring around my thumb.

Cassian and Azriel walked in front of us, branching out to slaughter whatever soldiers we encountered. I sometimes joined them, if only to let out a bit of power- but did so from afar, either crushing their bones with my power or crushing their minds. I stayed close to Mor and Feyre, as I had been instructed to do.