A Court of Shadows and Stars (Azriel Fanfiction)

Seventy- Kaira Jones

Seventy- Kaira Jones

"Your armor needs fixing," Freda whispered as she came to stand beside me and tighten one of the straps. I lifted my hair out of the way and slipped it under my helmet. The room was quiet save for the slight straining of leather as she adjusted my straps and moved back to give me a once over, "Black is your color," she stated, giving me a small smile in the process.

I cocked my head to the side and looked at my reflection from the mirror. The armor was one of the best out there, made with both the infusion of father's powers and mine. Underneath it was the suit from the mortal world, the one I had refused to part with. An array of knives were slipped into the small pockets of the suit, easily accessible from the one I wore above it. Like Freda stated, my armor was indeed an onyx shade that made my eyes stand out from under the helmet. It was light and flexible, the intricate carvings in gold made it shimmer as the sun reflected over it.

A knock sounded at the door and Freda went to open it. I caught a whiff of Delian's scent and turned to face him as he walked inside. With a small nod, Freda left- leaving the two of us alone.

"What is it?" I asked as I turned to look at myself from the mirror, the necklace father had gifted me glittered at my throat. I saw Delian give it a weary look before he rummaged through his pockets.

"I know your father intends to throw the wedding after we conquer Prythian," he started as he pulled a blue box from his pocket. I stared at it, eyes widening in the process as he opened it to reveal a diamond ring.

I looked up to meet his gaze, "H-how?"

He gave me a small grin, "You thought you were the only realm crosser?"

I stared at the Tiffany box which was cradled in his palm, "You-," I began before walking to the doors of my room to make sure Freda wasn't standing outside eavesdropping. Locking the door after me, I turned to Delian, "Explain yourself,"

The prince stared at me for sometime, "I was born here, in my mortal Kingdom," he began as he stared down at the box, "But I was the second son, allowed to do whatever I pleased as I wasn't the immediate heir to the throne. On the eve of my eighteenth birthday, I came across a Fae Highlord and one thing led to the other and he granted me a gift in exchange for my secrecy,"

"What did you promise to hide?" I asked.

"Now it wouldn't be fair if I told you, now would it?" He asked before continuing, "I wanted to travel, that had always been my goal and this High Lord gave me the option of walking through worlds,"

"And you found mine," I said realization dawning over me.

Delian nodded, "I know who you really are, the woman you were before your father got his hands on you- stories of you were whispered in the streets. The notorious niece of the city's biggest crime lord. In my four years of living in your world, I picked up on a lot of things,"

"Why did you come back?"

"The war with Hybern. My brother was killed and I knew that I was expected to ascend to the throne. I had responsibilities here," he gave me a small shrug. "I fought with the fae, we won the war and I thought my problems were over- that I could be king someday and be of service to my people," a small pause, "That I would fall in love and give this to her," he looked down at the ring before meeting my gaze, "But then the Valg came and everything changed, another enemy to fight, more lives to lose,"

"Why are you telling me this?"

Delian's gaze turned fiery, "Because you play the biggest role here, like it or not you have the power to change the tide to the better,"

"What makes you think I don't want what my father wants?" I asked, the throbbing in my head beginning to form again. I gained in on him and stared him down, "What makes you think that I'd want something else?"

"Because you're too selfish, you don't want to rule under your father. You want it all to yourself but you know that with Orcus around you cannot achieve that," he said, eyes blazing into mine. "You had a life here before Orcus took it away, you had a purpose," his gaze flew to the necklace at my throat, "But now you're nothing but a pawn,"

Something in me snapped and I found myself flinging my magic at him, throwing him across the room, "How dare you," I began as I moved closer to him, "How dare you come to me and lie to my face," I raised my hand to strike again but the sound of metal tearing through the air stopped me short just as a piercing pain shot through my thigh. The ringing in my ears increased as I looked down at the wound on my leg and back to Delian who had a gun pointed at me.

"Yes," he panted, pushing himself to his feet, "feel the sting of the bullet, remember who you were or else we're all doomed to the misery that is to come,"

I stared at the weapon in his hand before looking down at the now healing wound on my thigh. The bullet had ripped through the metal and now it fell right out of it. I stared at it, ignoring the pain that was coursing through my body, the bullet. The one thing I had always relied on even when I didn't have my Valg powers. The gun. Those were who I was. The assassin, the sharpshooter, the terror of the streets, the notorious gang member.

"Get out of my room before I kill you," I gritted out as  the prince got to his feet. Before he left, he thrust the gun at me, "keep it, you'll need it," he said before walking towards the door.

I stared down at the gun in my arms and turned to face him just as he got to the doors. He gave me one final look, the intensity in his eyes burning through the air.

"We're all doomed if you let him control you. You're not someone to let that happen so remember who you are, Kaira Jones,"