To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 7: Promised death

Ouroboros. That's all Rai said before drifting back to sleep. Azriel let her continue to hold his hand but he couldn't help the chill that ran over him. What does she want with the mirror?

It was a pride thing, he thought. The Mirror of Ouroboros showed one's true self. It could drive people into insanity as they witnessed every horrible or insignificant part of themselves. He had never seen it in person, even he feared it, but he knew his High Lady had looked into it. Many people had let it shatter their minds, but Feyre had not.

He remembered Feyre saying she had seen herself as a beast. She was afraid at first, but came to terms with it. Now, she was the owner of the mirror.

If Rai wanted the mirror, she would have to go through the High Lady of the Night Court. He sighed, knowing Rai was doomed to fail. Even if she did get to the mirror, there was a small chance she could actually look into it and walk away. Did she know that?

What was the saying he had heard his father utter time and time again? If children want to play with fire, let them. They'll learn their lesson once they get burnt. Azriel thought about letting Rai get burnt, by letting her see the mirror, but he knew better than anyone that there was a difference between getting burnt and searing like a pig at a roast.

He didn't want her to sear, even if she was an enemy of his court. He wanted her to get better. Maybe even reassure him that she was an ally, but he was smarter than that, allies didn't break down wards.

He continued to rub his temple. His mind was a mess. He should have let her die, but looking down at her angelic features, he couldn't help but feel grateful that she was alive. It had been five days since she got attacked by the amphisbaena. He stayed by her side ever since, passing his babysitting duty to Cassian and Nesta. Nesta bitched about picking up her nephew but Azriel saw a hint of a smile as the three of them walked out the door.

For four days, Azriel had stayed with her. He barely ate, slept, or even got up from her bedside. Rai drifted in and out of consciousness, occasionally taking long gulps of water or small bites of bread or an apple. Her mentioning of Ouroboros had been the most she had talked.

He wanted answers.

Around midnight of the fifth night, he woke up to her stirring and mumbling something. He flicked on a tableside light to see her sitting up, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the light. She looked a mess but better than she had been. The fever had passed and the venom was out of her system, now her eyes held a new alertness.

He stood as she peeled off the blanket and stumbled off the other side of the bed. He was instantly at her side, trying to push her back in the bed.

"Don't think about running off," he held her up by both arms.

She looked pissed off and embarrassed as she looked up at him, "I have to use the bathroom."

Oh, he let her go and watched as she slowly made her way to the bathroom connected to the bedroom. Minutes passed before he heard the bath water start to run. As long as she's not running away, he listened to the shadows of the bathroom and heard her presence. Heard her pained breathing, her clothes dropping to the floor, and the water sloshing as she stepped in one foot at a time.

Mor would be happy to hear the guest was making herself feel at home.

Half an hour later, Rai was coming out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel. She looked much better, her hair was clean, skin flushed with color, and even her arm was scarring over nicely.

She stopped a few feet away from him, looking like her pride was hurt as she crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "May I borrow something to wear?"