On Thin Ice: Azriel x OC

Chapter 17

Over an hour later, the Illyrians returned, seeing Azriel perched on the rooftop. Flying over, Rhys and Cassian looked at each other, Rhys' interest spiking, Cassian's eyebrows raised.

"Why are you sulking?" Cassian asked once they had landed on the roof, one Illyrian at each of Azriel's shoulders, standing behind.

"I'm not sulking," Azriel turned and shot him a glare, not moving from his sitting position, feet planted on the roof, hands clasped together, elbows resting on his knees, wings tucked in close to his body.

"What, did she tell you off or something?" Cassian prodded further, still unsure why he was sitting on the roof of all places.

"She went upstairs, and I was about to go insane in the living room," Azriel said, his voice flat, "So I came up here."

Cassian opened his mouth, then closed it and looked back and forth between Azriel and Rhys a few times before asking, "You had an entire town to sulk anywhere you want, and you chose to come up here?"

Azriel raised his voice, "I didn't want her to be alone and in danger."

"She is in Rhys' townhouse, the most protected place in the city, of which is one of the most guarded cities to exist," Cassian gave a faint laugh, "I'm sure the risks are extremely low here."

Cassian looked at Rhys, confused at his blank expression looking towards Azriel, not even surprised at the conversation.

Rhys wanted to side with Cassian about Azriel's unnecessary protection tactic, but he couldn't. He knew what it was like to have a connection like Azriel and Nova, to want to guard and protect someone from anything and everything harmful, to do what he can to keep her safe. He would do the same for Feyre.

Feeling Cassian's gaze on him, Rhys looked over but stayed silent. When the gaze lingered, he shrugged.

Dismissing that topic, Cassian shifted impatiently, "Is Nova gonna start working?"

Rhys finally spoke up, "Not yet."

Azriel didn't take his eyes off the town when he spoke, his voice raised, tone harsh, "I'm not sending her out of Velaris with that asshole still alive."

Cassian looked at Rhys, surprised at his brother's sudden display of emotions, "So we're gonna kill him?"

There had been a few wisps of shadows around Azriel's neck and hands, which continued to swirl around and grow in size as Cassian repeatedly tested his patience.

"If anyone's gonna kill him, it's gonna be me or her," Azriel said, his voice still raised, Cassian tensing at his harshness, Rhys' dark presence quickly entering Azriel's mind, his voice gentle, an attempt to calm him down.

Are you sure you want to do this right now?

At this point, I'll fucking scream it from the mountaintops.

"Why you?" Cassian asked, trying to be considerate, but still clueless about the situation.

In an instant, Azriel was on his feet, facing Cassian, wings fully extended, hands balled into fists, his blue siphons flaring, ready to strike at any moment. Cassian took a shocked and cautionary step backward, as his red siphons flared involuntarily.

Azriel yelled his response, "Because she's my fucking mate Cassian."

"Holy shit," Cassian thought about it for a minute before saying, "Well that explains a lot from the last few days."

Azriel let his arms drop to his sides, relaxing out of the fighting stance he jumped into.

Turning to Rhys and noting his lack of surprise, Cassian pointed at him saying, "And you've known about this?"