A court of shadow and spying (Azriel X OC)

the sacrifice

My clothes were plain as I stepped into the small, worn-out bar. My gait was dragging, my shoulders drooping. I walked quietly, small and demure, so that no one could decipher that it was me. Never had I stooped to become like that. To the women who had given up and that's exactly what Keir knew. And that was exactly why I had to take on this role now. I would not draw unnecessary attention to myself if I could help it. My clothes hung shabbily on me and I knew I would need a long hot shower after this outing. Slowly I looked around, searching for my liberator. Me and Azriel had left immediately after Rhysand had told us that he had been spotted in this bar. The situation was simple. Find him, make contact and hope he didn't turn out to be a spy for the other side. But I knew he would not do that. At least i hoped it. It wouldn't make sense to me if he belonged to Keir, after all, he would then have let one of his newest most important people go free. Even helped in the escape. But I had to be careful, that much was clear. There was always the possibility that he was only acting for his own benefit and that had become clear to me not only through Azriel's warnings. Az hid in his shadows and watched me from one of the sides, but I couldn't make out exactly which one either. If he wanted to, he could almost hide from his mate. But only almost, I thought, as I sensed his emotions and they led me to one of the corners where he was hiding. There seemed to be a little more darkness there than in the others. But I didn't let my eyes linger on him, instead looking cautiously over the crowd before spotting my saviour. He was sitting in a secluded corner, but he was visible and trying to act as inconspicuously as possible. As I had heard, he changed the bar he appeared in each time, along with the time and distances, so that no pattern was traceable and we could just wait for him. And he did it again. I didn't really know what I was doing here either, I didn't even know if he was here for me or if everything we had suspected was pure speculation. Nevertheless, I approached him with slow, limping steps that could be dismissed as those of an old woman. His eyes were wary as I realised, they were resting on me, for I had lowered my gaze, like the submissive ladies of Hewn City, hoping he would not be dissuaded. I knew this whole thing was risky and stupid, but maybe this was our one chance for something more. More knowledge, more information, more advantages and ways to take out Keir and stop his plans before they had really begun. Goosebumps covered my body as I thought about why I was here last time and what had transpired. Maybe it even suited my role, I guessed, as a shiver ran down my spine and I couldn't stop the brief trembling. I was almost at my saviour's now and my heart was pumping in my chest, Azriel and I had made sure no one had followed us, yet I was uncomfortable and felt too watched. I knew that Az would be here in a blink and get me out, but despite this knowledge I didn't want to be in such a situation under any circumstances. I still hated to put my beloved in danger, especially if it was going to be something I was well able to handle on my own. Nevertheless, the circumstances were different now and I was glad that I had at least been able to stop the others from coming with us. I hadn't been keen on bringing a whole armada here and then dropping the role I had been able to maintain for so long because of them. So, everything had to go well today. I quietly expelled the air and lowered my head even further, because I was walking along next to one of the men and I didn't feel the need for one of them to pull me towards them. But I noticed my rescuer tensing as I walked towards him and involuntarily, I tensed too. I still didn't know whether I was his hope or his target and now I only hoped he thought I was just an old woman passing by. When I reached his table, I dropped a brooch with a slight movement of my hand and hoped he would understand what I was doing.
The brooch was from his coat, which he had lent me that day, and I had thought it would be easiest to steer him into a quieter corner, should anyone become aware of us. After the quiet cupping of chair on stone, I assumed he was following me and had understood the situation. I settled down in a corner near Az, the light was dimmed here and hardly anyone seemed to like to linger. I sat down at the farthest table and fiddled with the frayed thumb of my soiled coat. I knew I looked shabby, with dirt on my face and tousled hair, but it made me look like a cleaner and these were not uncommon here. I felt Az shifting closer to me now and I let myself sink into his safety for a moment. After all, it was good to know that he was close to me. I was not allowed to wallow in my thoughts for long, however, when something moved in front of me and I gingerly looked up through my eyelids and saw that it was the mysterious saviour who had settled down next to me.
'Well, that took a while', he muttered to himself and gave me a soft grin, but his eyes were serious and I knew he wanted to ask how I was. It was one thing that he had turned up here and was expecting me, but the other was that we hardly knew each other and he had saved me for a reason I couldn't fathom.
'Well, it wasn't easy to pick up your trail', I said quietly and wiped a little more fluff into my hair. It was better to overdo than to underdo it. At least that's what one of my friends who was also in the prostitute business had told me. It was easier to cover up the things that seemed too noticeable that way. The rescuer made himself smaller in his chair and I looked over at him for a moment. His face was sunken and he had rings under his eyes, which made me realise how long it had been since he had had a good night's sleep. Maybe they were looking for him, maybe it had just been an exhausting few weeks, or maybe it was just that he was one of the people who went behind Keir's back. His hands fumbled together, as if he was too jittery to sit here for long. Even then he struck me as very bright and curious, but today he seemed more serious, but he didn't lose his certain curiosity, one that keeps you on your toes, one that makes you want to explore further.
'What happened here?', I murmured to him, knowing that we had now staggered over to the more important topics and that things would now be much more confidential.
'Why did you save me?'
My question went unanswered for a moment as he eyed me, his eyes boring through me and it seemed to me that he was still seeing the last of the calluses healing.
'You're spying. I could tell right away. It seemed wrong to abandon someone who might also be acting against Keir', he said dryly, and I knew that was only half the truth. So, I asked him.
'Tell me the right reason', I said and looked up at him, so that he was now urged by my looks to might tell the truth.
'Just tell me why. I don't know you and you didn't know me, why on earth would you save a prostitute from the fate that awaits every woman here anyway?'
'Not every woman works for the High Lord.'
Ah, there it was. I tried to look composed, but I didn't really think I was succeeding. How on earth did he know I was working with Rhysand? We had never been conspicuous, had met in secret and discussed everything, had only let me go out of Hewn City when we were sure no one would miss me there. At least everyone except Keir. How could it be that this man seemed to know so much about me and yet I knew absolutely nothing about him?
'I don't know what you mean', I said quietly and tried to press myself closer to the chair, intent on shrouding my face in shadow.
'Oh, no?', His tone sounded slightly amused and I slowly looked over at him, noticing the slight smirk that played around his lips.
'So, you're not the prostitute that the Shadow Singer so officially paraded to the whole world that day? You are not the one who received a commission afterwards? Not the one who showed up at the Jackell bar one day, disguised of course, and invisible to all non-watchful eyes. Yes, you do, Jenna', I winced when he spoke my name, 'I have watchful eyes and they are everywhere here in the Hewn City. It's not just you trying to stop Keir.' He eyed me again and I was glad for the dirt on my face, it hid the glaring pale that had nestled over it like a white veil.
'So, what is it you want from me?' I murmured to him in a hiss, my eyes now holding a hot fire as anger rushed through me and I tried not to think of the numerous ways he could blackmail me with this knowledge. Had I been foolish to believe that this man really wanted to help us? Or had it simply been a desperate hope of my own, a hope for a better simpler future. One without Keir, without the rebellion that seemed to be forming, a life with some peace.
'I need allies, Jenna. And I have no intention of forcing them.'
I had to stop myself from letting my head swing over to him too quickly as those words left his mouth. Maybe, just maybe, it really had been worth a meeting between us.
'What do you have in mind? I doubt the High Lord will be able to take a stand on yours. It would be a statement that could say many things, if you think about it. How can these new allies help you?'
His gaze was fixed on the entrance, as if he had spotted something there, but I could see nothing. He continued to speak and his voice had now become quieter.
'This is not about blackmail or people, because we have enough of them. We live underground and we are desperate. When you were chosen back then, things got quite heated for a while because we didn't know who you were working for and whether you would even accept such an offer. Before that we never had you on screen, you were unimpressive, and yet we were aware that you were acting with Keir. That also made you more valuable to us, but we didn't know where your loyalties lay. So, we played it safe and watched you from a distance. As time went by, we saw less of you and we didn't know where you were until, after quite a while, you reappeared in the Jackell bar and only my best spies could decipher you. Until then, we didn't realise that you had already accepted our High Lord's offer and were in the middle of the missions. I had to figure out the best way to approach you. And then you disappeared again, all contact gone and no one saw you. But we knew we would need someone to support us. Someone who knows what it is like to live here, someone who can understand how bad our situation is, should we fall into Keir's clutches. That's why we kept trying to look for you and find you. It was clear to us that we wanted no one else but you. You were our key to the High Lord himself and when you stood next to me at the bar, I realised how great the chance was to gain a new ally. But when I saw you, your expression as if you were about to do something incredibly stupid, I knew something was not as planned. And we don't know everything about you and your life, so it did come as a bit of a shock when you left voluntarily with Keir's men. I didn't know which side you were on anymore; we never knew each other and all of a sudden hope collapsed a bit. Despite that, I followed you because I wanted to know which side you were on.'
His eyes found mine and I knew he must have heard most of the conversation and the ordeal before he could intervene. I turned my head down a little and sucked in the air. It had been bad enough for me to know that I hadn't been able to take on Keir alone, but for the rescuer to see me....
It was not a particularly pleasant thought and shame welled up inside me. Still, I pushed it aside, now was not the time to wallow in self-doubt. The Saviour hardly seemed to notice me, for his eyes were all over the room, darting intently to every corner and entrance of the bar. As I had suspected, he was probably of a very active disposition and could not sit still for long. He continued to talk unperturbed and I listened, soaking up the information he so freely presented to me. It was a little disturbing to hear them watching me, but apparently many had done so anyway, including the inner circle, when they had called me that day to sit with Azriel and play his mistress for a night. But things had changed and now we were facing the abyss that was slowly spreading at our feet.
'I could not intervene sooner; I hope you know I would have if I could. When I learned that you were still loyal to the High Lord, it was probably the only chance to save you and not let you be destroyed under Keir's captivity. I have no idea what he would have done with you, but the things we learn on a daily basis and the few spies who are untraceable make me think that something is brewing. And that is exactly why I need to talk to you, or rather the High Lord. I am not asking you for military support, I know that our Court as well as the others need a rest after the war. And I have many supporters in this city, and if a civil war were to break out on our sides, I am sure we could hold on for a very long while. The problem is that we can't supply ourselves and we can't sneak out of our camp on a regular basis, otherwise I'm sure one or two observant eyes would notice. And I'm not eager to give up my well-guarded hideout so easily. But if we get into an emergency, we are not prepared in that respect. And we are running out of medicine. I know that I ask you for things that are plain, yet I make this request of the High Lord and not of you. So, it would be advantageous if you could tell him about this meeting and thus become the mediator between the two of us, if the High Lord will accept the offer, which I will tell you in a moment. Does that sound fair to you so far?'
I just nodded; it was better if I remained silent. Too massive talk by a woman was not tolerated in the Hewn City, as long as it was man to woman talk. He presented us with a request that could be easily fulfilled, but I still didn't know if he could be trusted. He already knew too much and I, in turn, knew nothing of this man except that perhaps he took pity on me when he rescued me. Or maybe his story was true and he just needed help in a very delicate situation. I let him continue with a look and he seemed to be in a good mood for now because I listened to him for so long. My intention was to let him speak, not only he was a spy and I tried to interpret from his body language and facial expressions the things that remained inconspicuous for some people. That was how I had done it before with the men who had taken pleasure in me. It had been easy. Their body language bristled with pride and attention, a need to be seen. They came to me hoping to see the approval they had come to expect. And I had given it to them. They let off steam, used the power that was so readily available to them and enjoyed seeing a woman who was subjected to them suffer. They had not been pleasant memories, but they were the ones that made me look up now. The rescuer's expression seemed serene, but he was too jittery to appear truly relaxed and calm. His shoulders were straight and tense, his gaze too watchful, his body in a posture as if he were ready to leap at any moment, with the intention of escaping from here as quickly as possible and hiding in the grey-black corners of Hewn City where he would remain unseen. So, he didn't like being seen. He didn't like the vulnerability and attention that could quickly turn on him if he didn't disappear fast enough. That's why he seemed like he always wanted to leave right away, no matter where he was. So, I guess he preferred to do his things alone, relying on no one but himself. For a moment I wondered if he even trusted his allies, the ones who stood by him and fought for the same cause as he had said.
His voice pulled me back to the here and now.
'So, the offer is catering and a consent of security.'
'Security for what-'
'For his new potential ally.', the saviour continued and I judging by his seriousness and the fact that he was now fully fixated on me did not make the matter any easier to decide. We had hoped for an ally, we did, and the offer he made us here was good, nothing we couldn't have managed, and yet I didn't know why I was holding back my answer. Maybe the fact that he knew so much, or the fact that I didn't quite trust him despite my tyres. I wanted to see where he had his stash, wanted to get an idea of what we would be facing if we made this deal and how many people there were to vouch for.
'Show me the hiding place', I said quietly, but my tone left no room for any discussion. My gaze was cutting and as my rescuer looked at me, I wondered for a moment if he shouldn't have just let me die there. But it was already too late for that and too much had been achieved to stop me from this task now.
'Show me how many you are. I want to see it with my own eyes', I added, sensing the protest welling up in my counterpart.
'Do you think the High Lord will accept the offer when even I don't fully believe you? You will have no one on your side but me. So, you better do your best to convince me, otherwise this conversation is pointless and the risks you have taken with it. Show me what you stand for and that it is true and then I will try to give you what you want.'
His gaze was cool as he eyed me, doing now exactly what I had done when he had spoken. He was sizing me up, looking for places where I was vulnerable, but at the moment he didn't seem to find any of those. My only weak point was my family, my new one, and Azriel probably more than anyone else. But at that moment I didn't need to fear for them, for they were safe and Azriel close to me so that I could almost feel him.
'All right', the saviour murmured, swinging lightly to his feet. He extended his hand to me, a gesture not expected from the men of the Hewn City, but a nice one nonetheless. My hand gripped his and I wasn't sure what would happen next.
'Tell your shadow to follow us.'
My eyes narrowed in suspicion, how on earth was it possible that such an unassuming young man had tracked Azriel down? Azriel who had centuries of spying experience, Azriel who melted into his shadows, Az who had been called Shadow Singer for a reason.
He sees you; he knows you're there. How is that possible?
Azriel's restlessness flashed across to me and I felt him come closer to us.
He says you should follow us.
His silence was answer enough for me: he would have done that anyway. He would not let me out of his sight, not after all we had been through.
Following the saviour proved to be harder than I had thought and I had to keep moving unobtrusively and still keep an eye on him. Azriel was always in front and behind me, wrapped in his shadows, scanning the surroundings for danger. So, too, that the Saviour did not lead us into a trap. We both knew that this man was not to be trusted one hundred percent, so we preferred to be on guard before something happened that we had not seen coming.
We followed the long narrow paths and alleys of Hewn City deeper and deeper down, and I realised that we were approaching the catacombs that ran along under the city. My mother used to tell me that it was haunted and that anyone foolish enough to go down there would die there. When she told me this story back then, I had believed her, the rumours one heard about the catacombs were not good ones. They were dirty and barbaric and I had hoped never to be taken there in my life. And now we were heading straight for it.
'Are you sure this is the right way?', I asked the rescuer, but he didn't even turn to me and didn't bother to answer me. However, I also noticed how his shoulders tensed more than usual and he became more attentive, slowing down his pace. I didn't know what was dwelling in the catacombs, but if he had already seen it- well I hoped we would be able to avoid it. The alley became wetter and muddier and soon we had arrived at a small shabby house, sparsely lit, called the Spitz. It was a shack no one would like to be in and as we entered the smell of rotten food and extremes poked me in the nose. Involuntarily I wanted to retreat, but the rescuer stood next to me and with his hand on my back, led me to one of the back doors. No human being was to be seen here, but the slight shuddering and groaning made me hear something else. What exactly was going on here? And did we even want to go to this secret hiding place, if perhaps it wasn't so important after all, or was it just a trap? Unpleasant thoughts were running through my head and I was eagerly hoping to finally be allowed to escape from all this, but when the rescuer pushed open the back door and a trap door appeared in front of us, I felt queasy. After Azriel had entered behind us, still in his shadows, he closed the door and made himself visible for the first time that night. He was barely a metre away from the Saviour, towering over him with his full height and strength. When he was with me again, at my side, visible and healthy, I too felt a little more at ease.
'If you make one false move, if you hint at anything or try to ambush us, be assured that nothing of you or your little insurgents will ever see the light of day again.'
He unsheathed Truthteller and ran his thumb over the sharp flashing blade.
'And I'll have some special fun with you then', he murmured softly, yet audibly, and involuntarily goosebumps shot over my body. I knew how Az handled things, how he had always handled them, after all, he embodied nothing else in the Hewn City except the powerful mysterious brutal shadow singer who could make people talk with just a flash of his dagger. The rumours around him were seething with torture and violence and no one seemed to disbelieve them. For when the High Lord and his inner circle appeared, it was the Shadow Singer that people feared the most. I too had shuddered many times at the violence and the methods, and had hoped fervently each time that the inner circle of the Night Court would disappear again so that I could crawl into my bed shivering, wishing that fear had never been there.
I often forgot that I had feared the inner circle too, especially Az, who was now my mate. It seemed impossible to hate or fear these people, they did so much for this court and I had had to remind myself of that when we had worked together in the beginning. But now we were family and I hoped it would stay that way for a long time.
With a slight hiss from the saviour, I was brought back to the here and now and saw him set about sliding open the trap door.
'Why isn't it covered? I thought you valued your safety.'
His eyes bore into mine for a moment, but I only raised my eyebrows, it had been a normal question. How could he guarantee that no one would follow us and go that way?
'We are not there yet and the catacombs are very branched, I don't think anyone knows exactly where all the tunnels lead. We're going to walk a certain sequence of tunnels, one that I know will confuse most people, leaving them without any orientation and not knowing where they came from or where they need to go. So, you'd probably better stick with me. And be quiet, we don't want to wake the other oddballs who dare to go down there.'
With these words he descended the ladder that was exposed under the trapdoor and didn't seem to be waiting for us. Azriel went next. When I was on the last steps of the ladder, his arms wrapped around me and he gently set me down on the floor. For a moment he stood towering over me and I had to suppress the urge to press myself against him and soak up his warmth and safety. Our saviour had slowed down, but I didn't think it was because of us. He seemed to be listening to the surrounding sounds, waiting to see which tunnel to take and when.
Azriel's hand slid into mine and his shadows ran delicately along my shield. I intertwined our hands, glad for the rough scars on his.
Do you trust him?
No, he saved me, for that I am in his debt, yet I know not where his loyalties lie.
We followed the saviour and silence enveloped the air as Az and I communed in thought.
Do you think he will take us to his hideout? I mean we could be up against Rhys too, after all.
Azriel gave me a stupidly amused sideways glance and I rolled my eyes.
Could be, after all he can't know everything either can he? What if we just want to know where the hideout is and then rob him. It's possible, we want it all for ourselves....
I sensed Azriel's amusement at my suggestions, but it made the situation easier.
I doubt anyone thinks Rhys is a materialist. He has enough of everything. I rather don't think this guy in front of us thinks we're going to snatch everything there is the second he shows us into that lair.
The conversation died down for a while and the oppressive silence weighed on me. We went through tunnel after tunnel and soon we were rounding corners and curves until I lost my bearings to the core. So, I had set my task on not letting the Saviour out of my sight, for Az seemed to be eyeing everything with only mild interest. He still looked good even in this goddamn mudhole of a cesspit.
Can't say the same for you.
I slapped him gently on the arm, but the sound was drowned out by a hoarse scream and a surging explosion. Az pushed me behind him in one swift movement, his wings wrapped around us to protect us from what had just happened, his dagger already in his hand, ready to make it gleam with blood.
'You little rotten-you were really going to betray us?'
I pushed myself away from Az and the shouts swelled ever stronger towards us, in the channel to our right it flickered dangerously and I thought any moment we would be surrounded and completely at their mercy. I knew neither where we were nor how we could ever get out of this situation. But the rescuer only looked horrified before slowly turning his eyes on us.
'We- we are blown-', he muttered like someone who has gone slightly mad.
'We- the information we have to-'
All at once his eyes were clear and his voice firm as he said:
'I don't know who or how he found us, but if any of the information we already have perishes, we're all screwed. My office is on the second floor, if you follow this corridor and then the further ones to the right, there is a loose brick in the wall. Pull it out and behind it is a door opener that will lead you directly to all my work.'
He was more jittery than before, his eyes shone with anger and a spark of madness, but he was calm.
'Go and get everything, because if you don't, knowledge will come to light that would be good for no one. I have to get to my people. Get out if you have it, go and take it to the High Lord. I doubt if any soul will come out of here alive today.'
Another explosion echoed through the corridors, making me cringe. The screaming, the wail of struggling men and the roar of fire surged in my ears and the Saviour looked at us one last time.
'Can I be sure you will take it to the High Lord?'
Azriel nodded, I was unable to do anything but cling to him like a helpless child, but I had not fought in any war, had never been involved with the scale of it, and I did not want to.
'Then make something of it and be careful. Because if you make it out of here alive today, you are the only salvation the Hewn City, or the entire Night Court, may have left.'
He turned to go, and I broke free of my stupor.
'Stop.'
He was momentarily shaken as I lunged at him and hugged him, just briefly.
'Thank you.' That was all I could say as my throat tightened at the screams and the confusion of what was about to happen here.
'I wish I could do more', I whispered as I let go of him and he bowed to me one last time, as if I were a queen.
'It was an honour.'

And then all hell broke loose.