Battle Scars

Battled and bruised

Eris was nowhere to be found in the lands surrounding the queens' castle. Nor was Eve. The bond was still there- something Az was holding on to now with all his soul. But it was silent. Far more silent than it had been in the past few months. He did not like it one bit.

Azriel had encountered a passing human merchant on the road from the palace, who hadn't hesitated when he'd been asked whether a Fae male or female had recently arrived. He readily supplied that a red-haired Fae male had been dragged into the castle the night before last. He'd heard in the tavern that the male was to be taken soon to another site. But where was Eve?

"We'll wait here until they leave the castle. Then trail them from the cloud cover," Azriel said, face dark. His best chance was here- there was a high probability that Eve was with him. Cassian grunted his agreement and dragged a hand through his hair. They both had barely slept.

Cassian and Azriel hadn't discussed their brother's bargain, which would doom Rhys should Feyre not survive the labour. To lose her would be unbearable, but to also lose Rhys ... he couldn't think of it without feeling sick. They were beyond Rhys's and Feyre's daemati range, though. They'd have no news of anything.

"Four fucking days," Cassian hissed from where he and Azriel monitored the castle. "We've been sitting on our asses for four fucking days." Azriel sharpened Truth-Teller. The black blade absorbed the dim sunlight trickling through the forest canopy above. He would use this very blade to kill those who had taken his mate from the Night Court like cowards in the dead of night. "It seems you've forgotten how much of spying is waiting for the right moment. People don't engage in their evil deeds when it's convenient to you." Cassian rolled his eyes. "I stopped spying because it bored me to death. I don't know how you put up with this all the time." "It suits me." Azriel didn't halt his sharpening, though shadows gathered around his feet.

It would suit him very well when he finally found her again and took his revenge with her on his side.

Cassian blew out a breath. "I know I'm being impatient. I know that. But you really think we shouldn't go up to that damned castle and peek inside?" "I told you: their castle is too heavily warded, and full of magical traps that would trip up even Helion. Beyond that, Briallyn has the Crown. I have no interest in explaining to Rhys and Feyre why you died on my watch. And even less interest in explaining it to Nesta or my own mate."

Cassian stared toward the castle. "You think they are alive?" The question haunted Az with every breath these last few days. "Yes," Azriel said, pausing his work and looking up at Cassian, leaving no room for doubt. He tapped his brother's chest with a scarred hand. "Right here—you'd know, Cass." Just like he himself did. His mate had to be alive. She was a survivor after all.

"There are plenty of other unspeakable things that could be happening to her," Cassian said, voice thickening. The shadows deepened around Azriel, his Siphons gleaming like cobalt fire. "You—we—trained them well, Cassian. Trust in that. It's all we can do." Cassian's throat tightened, but a motion drew Azriel's gaze away. Cassian shot to his feet. "Someone's leaving the castle." The two of them wordlessly launched into the skies, entering the cloud cover within moments. In the chill, thin air, Cassian glimpsed only what the gaps in the clouds offered. But it was enough. A small caravan had left the eastern city gates, departing down the bare road that led through the hills.

"I don't see a prison wagon," Cassian said over the wind. Azriel's gaze remained on the earth below. "They don't need one," he said with quiet venom. Cassian had to wait until the next gap in the clouds to see. No, they hadn't needed a prison wagon. Because riding atop a white horse at the front of the party, side by side with a hunched, small figure, was Eris and in his arms was Eve- unconscious. "Stupid asshole," Cassian snarled. "She snared him with the Crown."