Ruler of Shadows

Chapter 1 - Azriel

The ice thudded as I landed, behind my High Lady. Cassian and his red Siphons shone in the light as we made quick work of Eris and his brothers. Eris, who had nearly killed Mor all those years ago.  I growled, and flung myself into battle.

As I fought, Truth Teller slashing, I sensed a power. A familiar power. Something I hadn't felt in 500 years. I abruptly knocked out Eris and turned around, searching.

It can't be, I thought. Because she was dead. Gone. Forever. Still, that didn't stop me from looking around.

I slowly stalked across the melting ice, watching my steps carefully. One wrong step and I'd be an icicle. I flapped my wings for balance, sending my shadows ahead of me. Of course, if it was who I thought it was, my shadows wouldn't be able to do anything. Because she was powerful. The shadows were more hers than mine.

But if she was there, it wouldn't make sense. After that horrible day in that tower, when I watched her die in front of me. She was dead. She had been dead for centuries now. I had moved on.  Lie.  I shook my head in annoyance. Sometimes the shadows didn't know when to shut up. 

I missed her. With her beautifully tanned skin, despite living in darkness most of her childhood. Her warm brown eyes that were almost feline. Her sleek hair that I could spend hours running my hands through. And her laughter and joy. I could make her laugh and be happy. And she didn't flinch away from my scars. She didn't because she had the same ones. We were the same, essentially. Not only were we mates, but I loved her. The mate bond just amplified something already extraordinary, to love so deep, that there is no way to describe it. True love.

And she loved me. It was surprising, because I knew I didn't deserve her love. And yet she still loved me. That turned out to be her fatal mistake.

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I had reached the tree line. The trees in Winter Court were beautiful. The thin, skeletal branches, covered in snow and ice, and green pine trees standing tall and proud.

"AZ! Get a move on. Come on already!!" Cassian shouted in annoyance. I rolled my eyes and went to stand in front of them. Feyre gave me a gentle smile as I bowed. I then turned to Lucien Vanserra, the cowardly bastard.

I glared, making my shadows spread out and whisper his secrets to me.

It seemed that the youngest son of the Autumn Court was still angry over the slaughter of his lover. Huh, well he should've realized that his family was full of poisonous snakes.

My head filled with images of Mor's broken body, with a nail in it. I shook in anger, and realized that I was growling only when I heard Lucien wince.

Shaking my head, I gritted my teeth as I lifted Lucien into my arms and began the long flight back to Velaris.  With a redhead whose family had nearly murdered my friend. 

I turned back once.  And saw darkness running through the forest. I blinked, and it was gone.

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535 words.