A Court of Shadows and Stars (Azriel Fanfiction)

Sixty Four- Where you go I'll follow

Sixty Four- Where you go I'll follow

Azriel's POV

Velaris was in ruins. The Vlag had torn through the entire city leaving it in pieces, much similar to the destruction at the Autumn Court. Aelin and I raced through the ruins of the summer house until we came upon a wounded Cassian who was helping both Nesta and Elaine. On seeing me Cassian looked relieved but when he noticed that we were one person short he raised an eyebrow in question.

"Not now," I said as I eased a limping Elaine off him. Nesta had a deep gash across her thigh and Elaine wasn't better off. "Where are the others?"

Cassian gestured towards the balcony, "Feyre was badly injured but Rowan got to her in time,"

"The baby?"

"Alive,"

The horror in Kaira's eyes when Orcus had told her about Feyre, wounded and heavily pregnant with child was genuine. She hadn't know about it. Rhys had Feyre heavily glamoured knowing very well that there were a lot of people out there who wanted to hurt him. An unborn child and its mother was the prime target.

A traitorous part of me wondered if it had been necessary to keep Kaira in the dark about it.

Suddenly Aelin was pushing pass us before she sprinted towards the balcony where Rowan stood with his arms crossed over his chest. On seeing her, relief washed over his otherwise hard features and he pulled her in for a tight embrace.

I looked away. Angry at myself for thinking about her.

She betrayed us.

But she loves you as well.

I forced my thoughts away from her and back to the matter at present. Helping Elaine to the balcony I found Rhys and the others. All seemed unhurt, Feyre included.

"Where's Kaira?" Mor asked with concern.

I exchanged a look with Aelin who only turned to Rowan. A look passed between the two of them and he nodded solemnly.

"You knew," I said, realization dawning over me.

"We stayed around the Vlag long enough to recognize one easily," Rowan said, "However, she's not like them,"

"What do you mean 'like them' ?" Rhys asked before he stilled, his face turning ash in the process, "She's Vlag?"

Aelin nodded, "She is Maeve's and Orcus's daughter, the heiress to the Vlag throne," her eyes glittered with intensity, "We confronted her about her lineage and she did come clean to us-,"

"And you didn't bother to tell us about this?" Cassian asked with a low growl.

Aelin matched his growl with one of her own, "Her loyalties were with Prythian, she doesn't consider Maeve as her mother- she chose to pick this side,"

And ended up paying for it with her life.

I felt for the fully healed wound at the centre of my stomach. Mor caught the stain of blood on my tunic and her eyes widened, "You're hurt,"

I shook my head, "I was but not anymore,"

Before anyone could come up with conclusions of their own I filled them up on what happened. The incident with the commander, the Vlag power Kaira had used to obliterate him, the destruction in the autumn court, Orcus's ultimatum.

"And she's with them now?" Dorian asked, his expression aghast. His hand wrapped around his throat as if feeling for an invisible wound. Aelin was by his side and she held his shoulder comfortingly.

Rhys shook his head, a sign that he was at a loss for words. "She- she let you both go," he sighed, "what happens now?"

We all looked at one another. It was simple and at the same time it wasn't. She was both an ally and an enemy.

"But she's unpredictable," Amren said as if reading my mind, "The fact that she's in the hands of the Vlag mean that there's no hope for her now." Amren's eyes were solemn, "we have to think this through before we do anything stupid,"

The others nodded in agreement.

"Then we just leave her? To the hands of the Vlag?" The growl in my words didn't go unnoticed.
"We can't afford to do that," it was Feyre who spoke, her voice soft yet hollow, "yet getting to Orcus right now isn't the right option. He has an army while ours is scattered. If you want to save her you have to think smart," she said her eyes meeting mine, both empathy and understanding shining in them. We'll get her, they seemed to say and yet I couldn't fight down the urge to go back to her and fight my way through whatever defenses Orcus had put up.

The healed wound at my stomach seemed to stir, reminding me that there was a lot to loose.

But damn the consequences.

She was my mate and as much as either one of us didn't like the idea of it, we needed each other.

I needed her.

Rhysand laid a hand on my shoulder, understanding shining in his eyes, "we'll get her back," he said, his tone determined. Just then a portal opened and a disheveled looking Tarquin stumbled through it. He was bleeding, skin glistening with dirt and blood. Mor was beside him in a flash, helping him stand straight as he put half of his weight on to her.

"The Vlag," he panted, "they've taken over my court,"

Rhysand shared a devastated look with Feyre, "we need to assemble the High Lords and retaliate at once,"

There was a flurry of commotion and last minute decisions were made before it was decided that the meeting should be held in Thesan's court, one of the few courts untouched by the Vlag. Cassian was dispatched to assemble the night court armies and it was only when he grasped me by the shoulder did I realize that the same order was issued to me as well. "We won't get anywhere without a strong enough army," he said as he strapped on a dagger to his belt.

I nodded mutely, mind turning over the different means I could acquire to get to Kaira. There was a lot to lose but I was willing to sacrifice everything.

I stared at the remains of Velaris. The destruction that had been brought upon us thanks to Kaira's secrets. Her lies and manipulation. Anger boiled through me but I couldn't bring myself to hate her as much as I wanted to. I sighed through my nostrils, frustrated with myself and the tornado of emotions that had me swaying back and forth between staying back and helping Rhys and the rest of the night court and going after Kaira.

The look of horror on Dorian's face was proof that she was in danger.

She needed me even if she's not going to admit it.

Before I could follow Cassian, Rowan moved into my way stopping me in the process.

Never having spoken to the King of Terrasen I was taken aback when he gestured towards a more private part of the balcony. I followed until we both were out of earshot.

"I know what it's like to have my mate taken away from me," Rowan said in a lieu to an explanation. I went still at his words, the word mate still foreign and odd to hear from the voices of others, the acknowledgment that Kaira was indeed my mate, the twin to my soul.

Rowan continued, "I can help you track her down, Dorian too. We can cross through the borders of the worlds and get to her,"

I stared back at him, "You would do that?"

He only shrugged, "I don't want anyone else to endure the same suffering I went through when I once lost Aelin," he cleared his throat, "Meet me at the library once you're done with the armies, I'll be there with Dorian," and with that he stalked away.

Fearing that my relief would give way to what Rowan had just laid out for me, I took my leave and made my way to the camps, hope burning fiercely within me.

A decision had to be made. Save Velaris or save her.