A Court of Shadows and Pain

Thirty-five

The only thing Valery felt was hurt. That he could even think about her doing that made her stomach turn.

Valery walked through the familiar hallways in the castle of the Hewn City. She had been walking through some of the more deserted hallways for a while now, trying to clear her head.

Her shadows were following her closely, but they luckily weren't clinging to her like they sometimes did.

She would be returning home with Rhys's Inner Circle soon. She couldn't wait for that moment.

Rhys had tried to enter her mind multiple times now, but all she wanted was to be left alone, so she just send a signal of life back. After a few times he got the message and left her alone.

She hadn't realized how fast she had been walking until now. And with heels on, it didn't do her feet any good.

"Good to see you here alone." a male voice said out of the darkness.

Valery shadows immediately turned to strike. She grabbed two daggers from the sheaths around her thighs. "Who's there?" she questioned as she looked into the darkness while backing up a few steps.

The sound of boots made their way towards her, making her back up more until she bumped against something hard. She turned around quickly.

Valery's breath hitched as she saw what she had bumped up against. A tall Fae male grinned down upon her.

It didn't take her a second longer to send her shadows to the male, strangling him. The male looked shocked at her action, struggling against her shadows.

She had completely forgotten the footsteps behind her, causing her to get yanked backwards. Her head hit the ground with a loud thud, making her groan in pain.

She blindly threw a dagger. It definitely hit someone, the scream told her enough.

Valery moved back to her feet, seeing that her shadows accidentally let go of the male. He was moving towards her to strike again. Panic took over.

The other male was also coming towards her, a sword in his hand.

Valery cursed under breath as she threw another dagger towards the male behind her, sparing her enough time to try and strangle the other again.

Her shadows shot out towards their target, wrapping around the males throat. He struggled again. Valery stabbed a knife in his stomach, twisting it and pulling it out. The blood came rushing out of the wound.

The male fell to his knees, clutching at his stomach. When she was sure he would stay down, she turned her focus on the other male again.

He had pulled the knife out of his leg. Even though blood stained his pants, he kept a grin on his face.

She grabbed two other smaller dagger, walking towards the male.

Her shadows bought her more time as they blocked his view, letting Valery charge forward without getting noticed.

She put her knife in his arm and pulled down, cutting the entire length of his arm open. He let out a loud scream.

Valery had the chance to run, so she took it, her shadows following close behind.

She made it a few feet further until a stabbing pain took over. If she hadn't already been covered in blood, she was now.

She stopped running and pulled out the dagger that stabbed her arm, letting out a yelp as she did. Blood poured out the wound.

Valery clutched her arm, but remained upright. It wasn't laced with Faebane as she had expected.

There weren't many times she liked that her shadows didn't follow her direct orders, but gods was she happy that they did now.

They had charged forward, forming tightly around the males throat and choking him.

The Fae male clawed at her shadows, trying to get them to move, but they held on tightly as Valery stepped forward, limping slightly from the pain. She held a dagger ready to plunch into his chest.

In that moment, familiar shadows rushed in, followed by the slight rumble of power.

Valery kept her eyes on the male while anger took over the blinding pain she felt.

A gentle voice snapped her out of her trance. "Val." Rhys spoke from behind her.

Valery stopped her steps towards the male, lowering the dagger, but she didn't turn around.

She could only feel the need to kill. And it felt so good yet so wrong.

"Val, turn around." his voice sounded more demanding now.

She let out a hard breath, refusing to let her eyes wander from the male who had now lost consciousness.

Her shadows released the male and he fell to the ground with a loud thud. Only now she dared to turn around. She found Rhys and Azriel standing behind her, both looking at her with wide eyes.

If Azriel hadn't already hated her before, he would now. How could he like someone who enjoyed feeling this way.

Valery's eyes darted from Rhys to Azriel and back.

"Lower your dagger Val." Rhys demanded softly.

She immediately listened, letting her shoulders shack in relief.

"Is it your own blood or theirs?" Rhys asked with worry in his voice.

"Both." she mumbled. She was now starting to feel the throbbing pain in her arm.

Her eyes fell on Azriel and the feeling of relief vanished, being replaced with anger again. The Shadowsinger had clearly noticed her eyes on him. "Are you okay?" he questioned.

"You shouldn't talk to me." she snapped back in a warning.

Azriel visibly flinched, but he collected himself quickly after.

Rhys watched them, curiosity lining his face. "Azriel, please take them to the cells. I want them questioned the moment they wake up." Rhys ordered his brother.

With a quick nod of his head, he passed Valery, not looking at her again. He then disappeared into the shadows along with the two males.

"Let's get you home." Rhys said, stretching out his hand and winnowing them back to Velaris.