A Court of Horizon and Shadows

48.

AZRIEL

It had been three months without her.

Azriel didn't know what to do at this point, seeing as his mate hadn't contacted him in any way. His blood simmered underneath his skin, craving for the heat of her, wanting her lips on any part of him, and restless to be sealed.

He was starting to become hopeless, wondering if he should keep waiting for her to show up at his doorstep. But as his hope dimmed, he would feel the bond flicker at times, like she could feel his confliction from afar.

She knew the agony he held, and yet, she had done nothing to rid it from him.

All he wanted was a single word, sound, or feeling to rush down the bond and he would be satisfied with it. Even if she didn't want to speak with him, all he wanted to know was that she was safe and well.

He wished he could know if she wondered the same.

But even if he felt that his personal life was falling apart, the Spymaster still sought help from his mother, whom he had sort of mended their relationship after he showed up at her doorstep. He revealed mostly everything to her, including what his duties entailed to how he was fairing in Velaris.

Azriel had his head down through most of his explanation, but when he did look up to see his mother's face, she didn't show any emotion. She was there, listening to his every word. Occasionally, she would jump in to ask questions, but none that focused on the explicit part of him. She seemed to understand that he didn't delight in what he did, but that it was his duty to protect his court and his family.

But when it came to the topic of his mate, Azriel hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell his mother about Auriella. In reality, it still seemed surreal that the Daughter of Dawn, the most wonderful soul he ever came to know, was his mate. He had never really accepted the realization, but now that he was about to say it, his heart started to race.

And when he revealed that to his mother, a beautiful grin appeared on her lips.

The Illyrian woman was nothing but supportive of him. Even when the Spymaster broke down into tears because of everything that burdened him, his mother was right there at his side. He had never known how much he needed her until now; until everything had been said and done.

He had felt more open with her; had felt the weight of the world lifted off from his shoulders and placed into her secure arms. She would hold everything for him if she could, knowing that she had given up so much to be close to him when he was a young boy.

She could have left him on his own to suffer at the hands of those who hated him, but instead, she stayed and suffered with him.

It was yet another realization that shocked him, even when many centuries had passed.

But as Azriel grew closer with his mother, he learned that he wasn't the only one who had been busy. His mother worked as a healer in the camps of Ironcrest and Windhaven, both of who did not get along with one another. The Ironcrest Camp would always throw slander at Rhys and Cassian, believing them to be unfit to lead anything.

Azriel knew that Ironcrest would never dare say anything about him, mostly because the members loved their heads attached to their necks.

He knew that his mother was safe working for those two rival camps, seeing as they had nothing against the healers. During Amarantha's reign, help was needed everywhere, especially because of the havoc that she reaped. She explained that it didn't matter if she worked for one camp or more, but she had to be there for the days they assigned her.