Wind Wielder

Chapter 25 - Rooftops and Revelations

*** AN: Pls listen to this song I attached after the first "⤧" symbol I BEG you <3***

https://open.spotify.com/album/2gjv60Hb1NZO60kv88aqow  (spotify link for the same song)

The next morning Azriel wasn't at training. Nor the one after that.

Zara had asked Cassian and Mor, who had filled in for Azriel in his absence, and they had merely said he was preoccupied with work.

On the first day, Zara had done a self led workout, even going as far to experiment with the winds a little. Zara held her practice knife with perfect form, going through the eight pointed star, whirling the winds around her like an extension of her blade. It was the first time she had tried combining her powers with her fighting, and she wasn't sure if it actually worked or not... but she liked it. And she was grateful for the opportunity to try it out.

On the third day of Azriels absence, Zara began to worry.

It was only during training with Rhys, that Zara allowed herself to ask. "Where is Azriel?"

She wouldn't dare ask what she really wanted to know – if he was okay. Rhys was far too smart for that.

Even so, Rhys's eyes lit up in cautious wonder at her blatant question. But he took one look at the venom she was ready to spew if he dared make fun of her for it, so Rhys merely offered the truth. "We found Autumn Court spies south of the Hewn city, a whole group of them. Azriel is busy carving answers out of them."

Zara grimaced. "You didn't tell me about the Autumn spies infiltrating your Court."

Rhys offered her a sly smile. "No, I didn't. Because I knew if you really wanted to, you could find out about them and locate them before we even sniffed out the first one."

Zara was stunned by his candor, and that cheeky grin widened. "Just like I know that if you really wanted to, you could find out every little secret about your history that Amren has been working so hard to uncover. And if you wanted to, you could listen in on every single High Lord meeting happening in Pyrinthian as we speak."

How did...? Struck stupid, Zara didn't offer a single word of rebuttal or denial. And Rhys chuckled, a feline smile taking the place of his grin. He tucked his hands behind his back. "You want to know why I haven't told you hardly a damn thing since you arrived here, Zara? I know you're intelligent enough to realize this was intentional." Rhys leaned in closer, though there was no malice or ill intent or resentment in his gaze. Merely fond amusement and mild exasperation. "Why offer something up on a silver platter, when that person has everything they need to get it themselves?" 

Rhys tilted his head to the side, and let the dampers on his power release. His presence suddenly ballooned to fill the entire clearing, star filled shadows filling the space behind his head, utter darkness pooling from his feet. The scent of him, of the most powerful High Lord in history suddenly threatened to overwhelm Zara, and she felt the behemoth of her own power suddenly surge forwards in answer, in challenge, as Rhys knew it would from the look in his eyes.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and it was all Zara could do to sink to a knee before Rhys and stifle the beast that was rearing its ugly head. She clenched her eyes shut and desperately willed it to go away. To settle into its cage like a good, obedient monster.

She felt a gentle hand beneath her chin, lifting her face to him. Rhys was waiting for her, and Zara was horrified to realize that her entire vision was tinted blue.

Rhys bit the inside of his cheek to suppress his smile. One that was full of genuine excitement and acceptance and pride. And she looked into the reflection of his eyes and saw that her eyes were flickering between her irises and full electric blue.