A Court of Horizon and Shadows

22.

AZRIEL

The Spymaster stared at his mate, sitting on the grass with the wolf beside her.

He couldn't help but be transfixed by the beauty she held. The sunlight shined down upon her, making her golden-brown skin glow. He could even see her dissipating shadows dancing around her, but she paid them no mind.

Help her strengthen her shadows, Rhysand said.

His mate was like him, a Shadowsinger. The Daughter of Dawn was of the Night Court. He couldn't wrap his mind around the realization, mostly because it's something that was unheard of. It took every court by surprise, including Beron.

He remembered seeing the expressions on their faces when they had destroyed hundreds of Hybern's soldiers on the battlefield. They were shocked, Rhysand included.

After the war, Rhysand and Helion met many times to discuss what they were going to do with the Children of Dawn. It was clear that answers needed to be found, but there was one obstacle that stood in their way: The High Lord of Dawn.

The High Lords of Day and Night sent him five requests to meet with him in those past three years. Azriel knew that much, but he did not know that Rhysand planned to bring Auriella back to the Night Court. He believed that they were going to have a simple conversation with Thesan, but that was not the case.

Azriel was outside his cabin in the forest, sharpening truth-teller when he felt it. The bond had shifted. His mind informed him that she was close, that she was there.

The Spymaster immediately went into the skies, flying to the House of Wind with her in his thoughts. The emotions that flooded through him were mixed with relief and anger. He was relieved that he was going to see her again, to see those beautiful green eyes that mesmerized him the first time he saw them.

But he was angry that Rhysand and Cassian, knowing that she was his mate, did not let him go along to the Dawn Court, to take her back to Night himself.

During those three years, the Spymaster was in agony. After the war, his mind was jumbled, begging him to go to Auriella, yearning for the sight of her. For a time, his shadows tugged in the direction of the Dawn Court. But all the Spymaster could do was ignore them, even though he wanted so badly to give in.

And as time passed, the Shadowsinger could no longer hide that something was bothering him.

His emotions eventually got the best of him, his anger turning into rage. He would fly to any part of the forest, letting out his rage on the trees, beating them until they were knocked down. Then he would go to another one, doing the same thing.

Azriel had done that for several nights until Rhysand and Cassian found him, covered in sweat and his knuckles bleeding, dripping blood onto the dirt.

Cassian whistled, looking at the downed trees, "Ah, so this is what all the commotion was about. You caused quite the scare, brother." He said, leaning against a tree.

Rhysand crossed his arms, "What the hell are you doing, Az? What is the meaning of all of this? If you need to let your frustration out, beat one of the Illyrians in the mountains, or go have sex with someone." He says.

Azriel takes a deep breath, that single word was enough to awaken his thoughts with her. He pictured Auriella beneath him, writhing, moaning, close to...

He closed his eyes, willing himself not to think about her, especially not like that.

The Spymaster sat on the ground, wrapping bandages around his open wounds. His brothers stared at him, trying to figure out what was wrong.