A Court of Light and Darkness

Thirteen: Freesia

The cold bit into her skin as she ran through the trees, her breath like shards of glass in her throat. Her legs barked in protest as she pushed them to go faster. She didn't  know where anyone was. Didn't know who was alive and who had died back there.

She had ran. Like the coward she was, she ran from the danger, instead of staying to fight back. He had told her to run, so she did.

It was following her, though. She could hear it as it crept closer. Feel it as it slipped into her mind. Smell its stench of pure evil. She ran faster, still, pushing her body to near breaking point.

If it followed her, then she was leading it away from the others. Good. At least they would be safe. They would be alive. She could die to save them. She could sacrifice all of herself, like Elain had told her to do. Like her dream had showed her. For her family. For Azriel. For Mor. She had to.

She stopped dead in the middle of a break in the trees. A circle of plain grasses. Wild flowers grew all around her, their color still prominent in the night. She turned, slowly, until she was facing where she had came from.

In front of her stood the creature, towering over her like a god over a mere human. She pushed the fear from her mind, pushed the sorrow and dread from herself, pulling all her strength and magic into her, burrowing down into it as it built up.

The creature inched closer, its long claws scraping on the ground as it crouched, ready to pounce on it's prey. It's teeth, daggers in its gaping mouth, covered in the poisonous slime that now seeped into Mor. She hated the creature. Hated it for hurting Mor. For attacking her family.

She held onto her anger, using it to build her fire and light even more, until the light turned into dark, the fire into the hottest flames that burned in the depths of hell. She felt them, the hell fire and darkness traveling through her blood, up her arms and down her legs.

She was death. She was hell fire. She was darkness.

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                                                                             Four Days Earlier

Freesia didn't know what came over her. What took over her body to give her the confidence to stand naked in front of him, dripping water. She didn't regret it. Not even close. But it was so unlike her to be so forward.

She liked this new version of herself. The person she had become in the weeks of being here. The person he helped her become.

Azriel. Her mate. She still couldn't believe it. Her mate.

That was two days ago. And every night since then Azriel had stayed with her to sleep. To just sleep. Because Azriel wouldn't go all the way until they were mated. Until she was fully ready. She loved him for it.

They did do other things though. Learned each other's body, and sounds. Memorizing every curve and lump on one another. The sounds she could draw from his mouth made her toes curl just thinking about them. And his wicked mout-

Azriel's hand squeezed hers as they walked down the hallway of the High Lord and Lady's estate, heading for Rhy's office.

"Whatever your thinking about, it's showing all over your scent." Azriel whispered into her ear, a cocky smirk on his lips. Freesia's cheeks warmed as he pulled away, wrapping his arm around her waist.

She quickly thought about something gross and displeasing to get the scent off her as Azriel knocked on the door and opened it without waiting.

"That's better." He smiled as the High Lord and Lady turned towards them in acknowledgment of their arrival.