Shadows like mine

22

"Where could she be?" asked Feyre as they looked at the map of Prythian. They asked Jurian, but he didn't see a sign of her on the other side of sea. No strange stories about a woman in the wilderness, her only company swirling shadows.
    "I don't know," sighed Rhys. A hundred times they had been arguing. They couldn't leave Aurora. They loved her, but it was also dangerous and cruel.
    "I contacted Helion. He will look out for any rumours and has his spies on it."
    Nesta pointed at the Dawn Court. "What if she's at her birth place? It's the last place we would expect, a logical move." Cassian looked proudly at his mate for thinking about it.
    But Azriel immediately shook his head.
    "She's not there."
    Cassian frowned. "Why not?"
    He looked at his brother. His heart was pounding and looking at the annoyance on Rhys's face, Azriel was thinking too loud. "Aurora always thought she wasn't worthy of the Dawn Court, because of her shadows, appearance and she was born in the night. All the signs that she is a cursed child, there."
    The Dawn Court had conservative thoughts about that.
    "Okay." Rhys was massaging his temples. "Then I honestly don't know. She's not in the land of the mortals. She can't have gone to another Court, people would've noticed her..."
    No one knew who Aurora was, what kind of curse she was dragging along with her. The danger she could be to other people.
    They had to keep it that way. They couldn't take the risk that someone else would be looking for her. To try and control Aurora, control Death.
    They would turn Aurora into a weapon.
    It made Azriel growl and Rhys sigh, because he heard every single thought that went through his brothers head. Yes, thinking way too loud
    "What if..." started Elain.
    "What?" asked Feyre.
    But her sister shook her head. "No, it's probably not right. Forget it."
    "You didn't even tell us," said Nesta. "Every idea can have some value. We need to find her, Elain."
    Elain looked annoyed because of Nesta's dominant tone, but answered anyways.
    "What if she's here?"
    Everyone seemed to think about that for a second.
    "She can't be in the city," said Rhys. "We have looked at every corner already."
    Elain shook her head.
    "That's not what I mean. What if she never left the Night Court?"
    Azriel looked at his brothers. Of course. Death thought like a soldier. He was hiding Aurora right under their noses, knowing that the Inner Circle would think that Death took her away to a far, far away place, to get away from them. He lured them away.
    It made Azriel boil of anger because Death was smarter than you would think. It scared the life out of him knowing that Death had a consciousness.
    "Where do we start?"

Again, days passed like flowing water. Azriel still barely ate and slept. Knowing that Aurora might be right under their noses, just a couple miles away, made him work harder than ever.
    He didn't see his brothers anymore. Sometimes they flew together, sometimes alone. Rhys had his duties, just like Cassian. Azriel could go, for now. Rhys gave him the time he needed.
    Flying over the Illyrian mountains, Azriel looked at every stone and every bit of snow. He was looking for tracks, any sign of a living being in these horrible wildernesses.
    When was the last time he slept? When was the last time he drank? He had been flying for hours. Azriel got up before the sun rose in the air, and now the sun was gone again.
    It was almost too dark to see, until...
    Azriel never made such a dangerous dive into the woods. He could tear up his wings, fall down and break his bones, but he didn't care.
    Aurora was sitting under a tree.
    Her clothes were dirty, wet and damaged. Her lips were dry and her face pale. For a second, a fearful second, Azriel thought she was dead.
    Azriel walked up to her. He didn't feel relieved. He was still scared, so, so scared. He found her. She was here. He pushed his fingers against her neck.
    He thought he would throw up when he felt her slow heartbeat against his fingertips.
    Her skin was way too cold. Taking off his own jacket, he placed it over her shoulders, placed her cold and tiny body against his chest.
   "Aurora," he whispered.
    Relief started to flow through his veins when she blinked.
    She was alive.
    She was here. She was okay. Aurora was in his arms.
    Something that sounded like a sob escaped from him. Aurora, she was with him. Tightly he wrapped his arms around her, protected her. Her shadows were dense, but let him through.
    "You found me..." she said, her voice hoarse. When was the last time she drank water?
    "Of course," he said and his voice was shaking. "Do you really think I wouldn't have come for you?" Azriel dared to press a kiss on the crown of her head. "Silly girl."
    He caressed her hair, felt the skin of her face. Thank the Mother. Thank the Cauldron. Azriel couldn't remember the last time he was so relieved to have someone in his arms.
    Aurora blinked again and slowly moved her head up, so she could look at him. Her golden eyes locked with his.
    The world seemed to fall apart and rebuild.
    The stars, the sun and the moon were nothing compared to her eyes, the life he saw in it.
    It clicked. Fell into place.
    The fear Azriel had felt, came right back. Not because he was scared of losing her. Not because of Death.
    He saw it in her eyes. He felt it in his body, everything he was.
    Aurora was Azriel's mate.