A Court of Shadows and Stars (Azriel Fanfiction)

Thirty Nine- Carving out eyeballs out of boredom

Thirty Nine- Carving out eyeballs out of boredom

Azriel's POV

His scent. His damn scent was all over her, in her hair, her neck, arms, legs and it didn't take a genius to figure out where else he had marked her with. He got his way, seduced her and used her to his own will.

She looked damn content with it.

That was what irritated me the most. The contempt in her eyes as she stated that she did sleep with him- that the first Fae she gave herself up to was none other than Eris.

Fucking bastard.

I could almost hear her cries of pleasure, feel the soft skin he had run his hands over. The ridges of the scars her body bore that he had kissed. Fury burned bright inside me and I couldn't help but sit there at the table sulking quietly. If she noticed it, she didn't show- those intense gold eyes of hers doing anything but focusing on me. I knew she put her pride before anything but I also knew that she wanted nothing more than to turn her gaze to mine.

I wanted nothing more than that as well.

And I hated myself for it.

She was Hybern royalty. If she had realized that I didn't know. By the looks of it she had chose to not acknowledge it. Rhysand wanted me to keep a close eye on her and I couldn't help but be mad at the bastard for finding my entire situation humorous considering the current predicament I was in.

She laughed at something Mor said, her eyes crinkling in the process. By the Cauldron she was beautiful. The thought of Eris having his way with her made me want to rip his throat out. He had no right! Especially when he knew everything.

I kept my gaze focused on my food as Rhysand cracked yet another joke which had both Cassian and Kaira choking on their water. They got along well, Cassian even going as far to commend her fighting skills. It was well deserved. She was a skillful fighter. Deadly yet graceful, body honed to withstand any fighter thanks to years of training. Klaos had trained her well and by the tell tale scars that dotted her arms, it wasn't easy training. Every now and then, at the mention of his name I could see the pain in her eyes- feel it like it was my own. She owe him her entire life and the demon used her like she was nothing but a mere liability that could be easily replaced. I've seen the determination in her eyes, the fierce stubbornness that kept her above the rest of the people, that had helped her earn her position among his men.

I hated that I had something to do with someone so sinful. The opposite of what I believed in. She was the image of pure darkness, her vicious cruelty honing her to be a predator.

My eyes flitted to Elaine. She was sitting beside Nesta, her head bent over her soup as she took delicate sips of it. She had finally started eating, her gaunt figure filling up gradually. I hate to see her like this, so weak, fragile and all because of me. I could've saved her when she was thrown into the cauldron but I was too weak.

I was useless.

I remember the softness in her eyes when I apologized to her. Only understanding shone in them and she had asked me to set my guilt aside for she had forgiven me long ago.

Mor's and Kaira's raucous laughter cut through my line of thought. "You vicious, vicious mortal! Tell me you didn't actually carve his eyeball out just because he took more than three seconds to corporate!" Mor looked excited as she inquired Kaira who sat at her seat looking like a Fae queen in the flesh. She had a wicked glint to her eyes as she nodded and both Feyre and Mor gasped, the latter looking almost proud of what Kaira had done.

"I had no other option," she said, shrugging in the process, "My uncle wanted the goods delivered on time and I wanted the stupid bastard of a port master to stop blabbing like a newborn and give up the information I sought," she looked across the table, her eyes meeting mine for the first time and knocking my breath away in the process. Almost as if reading my mind, she spoke, "It had to be done,"

"So that's how it's always been? No second chances?" Cassian looked intrigued as he leaned closer. Everyone was, she was from an entire different world that worked very differently to ours. I tried not to look too eager as I listened.

Kaira shook her head, "the last time I showed someone mercy, my uncle threw me out to the streets. I ended up working as a street runner for another crime lord who taught me most of my thieving skills," at that she twisted her knife theoretically before lifting up a pearl earring in the process. Morrigan gasped, "How did you-,"

"A simple trick or two, it's not that hard," she said shooting her a wink. Rhysand looked impressed and I couldn't help but feel the same. Here she was, turning every sour situation to her advantage. People like here were to be feared. They were the most hard to cut down.

The conversation carried on for the rest of the night before it was almost morning when we all decided to get back to our rooms to catch a bit of sleep before we all had to head out to a meeting with the High Lords. Her room was corridors away from mine and yet I couldn't help but take the longer route.

Just as I was to change my mind and turn back I bumped into her just as she turned into the corridor. On seeing me her eyes widened by a fraction before they returned back to cool indifference. We stared at each other, neither of us willing to speak. She was stubborn but so was I and I didn't mind standing here for eternity as long as I had her in my sights.

She finally relented and moved to push pass me. Before she got away I reached out and grabbed her gently by the wrist.

"What?" She asked as she turned to face me. I could tell that she was angry. Heck, I could feel her fury bubbling inside her, she wanted to hurt me and I wanted to do the same. Hurt her in such a way that she would never recover.

"Be careful,"

She seemed almost surprised as I was. After every hateful thing I had to say I ended up saying this- but it had to be said. She needed to know who she was dealing with.

She nodded, "I know what Eris is capable of," her voice was soft, the edge to it gone. She looked up and met my eyes, "I will be,".

I could only manage a gruff nod in response as I let go of her and left her standing there.

She was sincere. I knew it. I felt it. She would definitely manage to hurt Eris in the most unthinkable ways if he did step out of line.

But I wasn't going to sit by and watch as Eris got his way with her. He had the two of us to watch out for. Not just her.

If he dared to harm her I'd make sure that he wouldn't survive. I'd do the most unimaginable things to ensure that he'd never live to see another day, consequences be damned.

I didn't care.

Nobody gets to hurt my mate.