To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 59: Deafen

If someone told him six years ago that he would one day be on his way to kill the King of Vallahan and save his mate, Azriel would have thought they were insane. Before Rai showed up in his life, he didn't think much about the king. Caius reminded him a bit of Jurian or Kier, but before that, all Caius was to him was a washed-up warrior turned king who fought on the wrong side.

He had almost forgotten to say goodbye to Wylla as soon as the bells rang. He wanted to get to Rai's room as fast as he could but Wylla's task was just as important as his- actually, it was more important. He could tell that the little fae was nervous, but he placed his hand on her shoulder and told her what he believed with every fiber in his body: "You can do this."

Wylla had given him a firm nod as if she was a soldier receiving an order. And then she was throwing her arms around his torso and mumbling, "come back alive."

That was their goodbye. It could possibly be the last time they ever see each other and all he had given her was a word of encouragement. He didn't let himself think about a negative outcome of this day; they were both making it out alive with Rai.

Azriel didn't bother with any doors. He couldn't give a fuck about being polite, he materialized from the shadows directly into Rai's bedroom just as he had five years ago. Instead of witnessing her walk into the room, completely unaware of his presence, the room instantly lit up with a bright white light.

"I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting," Caius was standing at the foot of Rai's bed. He tapped his chin as his eyes lingered on Azriel's wings. "It certainly wasn't a..." his face turned sour, "lesser fae."

The insult meant nothing to Azriel. Not when Rai was passed out in the bed with a pulsating dark magic wrapped around her throat. Caius held his other hand towards her as if all he had to do was make a fist and the magic would slice right through her neck.

"Perceptive," Caius smirked.

A deadly calm took over Azriel's body. His breathing was even, his thoughts clear, and his shadows hummed. His body was his only sense of control and because of this blessing, he analyzed what he could do.

Azriel lifted his chin and stared down at Caius with a cold unreadable face, "You would kill your own wife?"

The bastard shrugged, "I don't think anyone would really miss her, it's as if she's already dead."

"Did you ask me to come here so you could kill her in front of me?" Azriel believed the sick bastard would.

Caius laughed as if Azriel was the funniest creature alive, "No, dear friend. Why would I do such a foolish thing? She's my insurance so that you don't kill me."

That was another thing Azriel considered. Caius had nothing against using hostages, he proved that by taking Harani's son.

Right now, it seemed like Caius held all the cards. Azriel could try to kill him before he got the chance to move his hand, but he wouldn't risk his mate's life like that. He could negotiate her safety, but fancy words have never been his strong suit. Options, he needed more options.

"I'm very glad you and your little friend came," Caius said. He had a dramatic way of speaking, as if every word demanded emphasis. "If I'm being honest with you," he looked towards Rai and sighed, "I've missed her. This was all fun and nice the first couple of years but now I'm bored. The two of us have a special bond no one could ever comprehend: we hate each other so much you could almost call it love. I've been lost without her hatred."

Azriel grinded his teeth, refusing to let it show that Caius was under his skin. The king must be delusional if he truly believed he shared a special bond with Rai.

"Hopefully little Wylla can get Raisa out so that she can see you again," Caius leaned against the bed and narrowed his eyes at Azriel.

Azriel knew what the king was trying to do. He was either trying to rile Azriel or this was a test to see if his feelings for Rai were stronger than his hatred towards Caius.

Rai came above everything for Azriel. He would even sacrifice his own life if it meant she would be okay.

It seemed that Azriel's calmness was starting to tick Caius off. He clearly wanted a reaction and he was asking it from the wrong fae- Azriel had mastered the art of being stoic.

Caius' smile had anger behind it, "And when Raisa sees you again, you'll be in pieces. Your head will be in a box and I will pin your wings above her bed so that they'll be the first thing she sees when she wakes up."

Azriel sighed, "Is that all you had to say to me?"

"I had one other question," he glanced at the clock and clicked his tongue. "I was hoping to ask it when our next guest arrives. She should be here any moment."

The realization sunk to the bottom of Azriel's stomach. Here he was hoping to fight Caius one-on-one, but of course, the coward summoned the one capable of weakening Azriel. Two wraiths passed through the wall first, bringing the smell of death and fear with them. And then, to make things even worse for Azriel, the lightsinger appeared in a beam of light.

Sinna looked miserable. Her transparent eyes focused on Azriel, his heart skipped a beat right before she spoke.

"Deafen."

A blinding white light blasted from her, he had to bite his tongue to hold in his cries of pain as his shadows burned away under the horrible light. He felt their pain; the feeling of being burned alive. It was too much. He knew exactly how it felt to be kissed by fire and this was so much worse. He was brought back to the memory of when he was a boy screaming as his hands burned. But now it felt as though his skin was evaporating from his flesh, his bones were melting, he would become nothing but ash.

It had only lasted a few seconds. The light passed through him in a flash. His vision was spotted from the light but he could still feel that he hadn't burnt into a crisp. He hadn't burned at all.

And then, the silence followed. Not only was he blinded by the light, but there was a ringing in his ears. No... not a ringing. It was silence. True and utter silence he had never known. The whispers of his shadows, ones he had spent centuries acquiring and forming bonds with, they were gone. His shadows had been the ones to burn into nothing.

Azriel didn't hear nor see it coming. Something wrapped around his throat. He frantically tried prying it off but the harder he pulled the tighter it became and then cuffs went around his arms and burned into his flesh. He held in his screams and desperately thrashed his magic against the bonds but that only seemed to make them stronger.

He wished he could have seen Rai one last time. Hear her laugh. See her smile. Kiss her until her toes curled. There was a whole lifetime he wished he could have had with her, but he could feel his last breath coming near.

"I won't kill you yet," Caius said.

The bond around his neck released and Azriel gasped for breath. He hadn't even realized he had fallen to his knees. His vision was slowly coming back but it wasn't enough to see Caius approach and slam his foot directly into Azriel's face.

Azriel recovered, climbed to his feet as quick as he could and blindly swung his fist, connecting with something hard that cracked like a jaw bone. His shadows made it simple for him to fight without sight, but now he had to do it without their guidance.

Caius dodged the second swing and went for hitting Azriel in the ribcage. It hurt, but it only made Azriel more aggressive. He reached through the air, trying to make contact with someone but before he could, something squeezed the pressure points on his legs and had him dropping to his knees. The bonds around his arms tightened so much that his arms were numb and the one around his throat began increasing pressure again.

"Now I can ask you my question," Caius grabbed a fistful of Azriel's hair and forced his chin up. Azriel couldn't see his face but he could imagine the king was no longer smiling. "Was fucking my wife worth it?"