Intangible - An ACOTAR story

Twelve: Don't Concern Yourself

Ellius knew he was in deep trouble. The countless risks he was taking, all the ways this could go wrong, weighed on him like stones. He was treading a very fine line when it came to revealing information, and the all-too-familiar pain in his head had started again. Ellius knew it was a warning. A cautionary hand from the bargain with his master after his explanation about the Serebors. He also knew it wouldn't be so gentle the next time. Perched stiffly on a plush couch beside Azriel, Ellius tried to brace himself.

"This is where it all unravels, boy. This is where you-"

"You really need to shut up!" he snapped into his mind. The shadows fell silent, seemingly stunned by his outburst. Good. Azriel's apparent control over his own shadows had made him realise something. The Shadowsinger was proof that he did not need to let the darkness control him. He could take control.

"Ah, but you forget weakling, you alone do not own us." A hissing voice said into the temporary silence. The rest of the shadows started up again and Ellius gripped the couch cushion, trying to stay present in the comfortable sitting room. They were right. They were always right. He just couldn't be in his own head for this conversation.

"What did the cushion ever do to you?" Azriel asked slyly from beside him. He felt his lips twitch and tried not to look at the male. Another distracting voice, although for a completely different reason.

"Alright Ellius, what can you tell us?" The high lord's voice sounded terribly empty, the question coming out flat. This was not the confident, unruffled male he had first been introduced to. Not even the swaggering, arrogant one he had seen under the mountain. No, Rhysand had felt the full effects of the Serebor's power. Ellius knew that feeling all too well. The memory of the first time he encountered one of the creatures resurfaced. It had felt as though his soul had been rent apart, the darkest parts of his past exposed to the world. Exposed to him once again.

"There's only so much I can tell you, high lord," Ellius began carefully. "I have lived in the Spring court since the war with Hybern ended. To my knowledge, the Serebors have roamed the territory since just before Ninsar last year-"

"The damn things have been there for almost a year!?" Cassian blurted. Ellius jumped at the harsh tone, causing the spymaster beside him to shoot a glare in the general's direction. He silently berated himself. I really need to control my reactions.

"Yes. Well, that's how long I've known about them at least." A slight throbbing started in Ellius's temples. Shit.

"Do you know how many there are? Do they reproduce?" Feyre asked.

"I'm not sure exactly how many there are now. I had to- I've seen over a hundred of them and I think there are more. They don't exactly... reproduce. Not in the normal sense at least. I don't... it's..." Gods, his head was hurting. Ellius tried again, but each word was interrupted by a pulse of pain through his skull. He squeezed his eyes shut as the lights became too bright, his breathing too loud in his ears.

"We need to know how to get rid of them, not how to make more," Azriel cut in softly. "Do you know anything else about their power?" His voice was like a splash of cold water. A wash of clarity. Ellius shot Az a grateful glance, not wanting to contemplate... whatever the male was doing to him. He couldn't contemplate it.

"As I said before," Ellius continued, "they attack living things by incapacitating them, making them relive memories, and then the core of their flame burns the victim's physical body. That's what the snake is. It's not solid, it's just a different kind of fire." Ellius felt Azriel tense, but the Shadowsinger said nothing.

"So... don't touch the fire?" Mor clarified.

"Don't touch the fire." Ellius parroted.

"But how were Rhys and Helion ambushed so easily when Az had enough time to try and summon his shadows, and for you to show up?" Feyre asked, brow furrowing. Ellius waited for the throbbing to start again. It didn't.