Rhysand's Sister Isn't Dead - discont'd

fifteen

Chapter 15: The Difference

"Siblings will take different paths and life may separate them... but they will forever be bonded by having begun their journey in the same boat."

- Unknown 

...

Third Person's POV

"Eralyn and Azriel, work together on the information gathered. From there, we can start with our moves. We cannot afford any mistakes, understood?" Amren said sternly. Az and Eral just nodded, Eral not bothered enough to snap a remark. In an instant, they vanished within the folds of his shadows.

They landed in the library of the house. It wasn't as grand as the main one in Velaris but it was just as silent, peaceful, and informative.

They sat themselves down in a small secluded nook at the back of the library, Az staring into Eral's seemingly lifeless eyes. At that moment he knew why Amren sent him here with her: to talk to Eralyn.

Eralyn, it seemed, was oblivious to that. Or not.

He summoned the papers Eralyn had given him beforehand as well as nice warm cups of tea, even though both of them knew they weren't going to drink any. He was tempted to make it iced glasses on alcohol, but he decided to save it for later.

As he opened his mouth, Eralyn interrupted, "I don't wanna talk about it." He widened his eyes a bit before nodding quietly and reaching his hands up to grab some papers and leaf through them.

Without the notification from his shadows, Azriel noticed Eralyn's stare on his hands. The atmosphere soon became awkward to him after knowing that so to clear it up, he started talking about what he'd gathered beforehand what the papers she collected did to advance him in his search. She nodded but kept her gaze on his hands. He licked his lips a bit.

He placed his hands on the table and opened his mouth but without any acknowledgment by him, her hand reached up and grabbed his. He resisted the urge to jerk his hand away.

On Eralyn's side, she met Az's gaze on her and noticed self-consciousness perhaps, swirling in his eyes. She ignored it nonetheless as she lightly brushed her thumb over a knuckle.

"Do you need something?" his voice sounded a bit strained, and worried, perhaps full of pity. Pity, she almost spat, I hate that. Her grip hardened on his hand but loosened as she remembered the purpose of grabbing his hand.

"I used to look at my hands and remember yours." She could feel him tense and then loosen as if he was reminding himself that it was just Eralyn, someone harmless.

Someone utterly broken.

"I would think of them, at a time way before Aelin, and wonder what you were doing; if you were doing better at playing the spy game then me," she sighed and released his hand, but his brows furrowed.

"I thought Aelin was the one to give you the title of the spymaster."

"She did... she knew the true definition of spymaster, my previous master, however... did not. To her, the title of 'female spy' stood for 'whore'. The damned lady knew I was a child, but she made me give up my jewels to males just for information."

It was then Azriel realized how truly broken Eralyn was, why she didn't want to come back. She felt like she had done wrong. Like she didn't deserve to come back. Like she wasn't enough. He knew that feeling.

"I know that feeling," Az said quietly.

"I know," she whispered quietly, "I see it in your eyes."

His eyes flashed before he blew out a breath, "Tell me... everything. Tell me it all."

Eralyn didn't want to. She was ashamed, by all of it, but some small part of her wants to break open and say it, in hopes the pain will be released.