Sweet Innocence and Gentle Sin || 𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐑

Chapter 14: Awaken The Firebird

It's quicker and easier to eat your young.

~)(~

The days came and went faster than I expected. Perhaps it was because I let myself enjoy them too much. They always say when you busy yourself-time flies. I wish that could be a lie. And I wished I could pause time-to slow it down so that I may never leave this moment, when everything was calm.

Rhysand was leaving this afternoon for Adriata, where he would meet with the High Lord of Summer and travel to the continent. My destination was further north, to the Night Court. All I knew was that when I make it to that court, my bargain will be completed. Then, I will be free to do whatever I wanted.

Part of me was thrilled... but, of course, there was always that small ticking time-bomb in the back of my mind that questioned everything. I wouldn't think about it-not now. Later, when it was all over, that's when I would have time for this kind of thing.

I was in my room packing everything away in a suitcase when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Azriel standing there and raised a brow in question. "Can I help you?"

He was holding a book in on hand, and didn't bother with a greeting before he went straight to the point. "Have you had any other visions-since I found out?"

I tried my hardest not to think about that one particular vision I kept hoping was a fantasy and not an actual vision of some variant future. I nodded slowly and said, "I... I saw the Cauldron. But it was far, far into the future."

"Nothing else?"

I shook my head, afraid that if I spoke, I would sound like I was lying. Which I was. But he didn't need to know that.

"Why are you asking?" I crossed my arms and let the door open all the way until it tapped off the wall.

"I thought I'd do some research on the topic," he said, raising the book for me to see.

I tried to hold back my smile-failing miserably at it. "I... I don't think you'll find much about the Sight. Little is ever written about such things."

"I thought I would try with seer abilities first-since they are similar. But I eventually found something on the Sight," he explained. "You can-in theory-control what you see in these visions, and I want to help you achieve that."

I raised a brow. "How?"

"Influence," he said. "When you had that vision about me, it was brought on from my touch. I think-possibly-that you can use your senses and emotions to trigger what kind of visions you see."

"You seem... very interested in this," I said, smiling wider. He did look rather excited to share his discoveries-excited was a loosely used word. Azriel's form of excitement was simply looking like he wasn't about to keel over.

"I think that with practice, you can help us win the war," he said, smiling.

I held my breath a moment before I responded. "You really think I'm capable of such a thing? A single High Fae, able to end a centuries long war, because of visions?"

He nodded. "Even the smallest of things can cause the biggest change."

I breathed a laugh and looked away from him, shaking my head. How could he be so... so hopeful? Even if I could influence them like he said, they were only possibilities. And if I wasn't absolutely sure of an outcome-I could cause serious damage. It was such a risk-too much of a risk.

And yet...

"Okay. But I don't think it will work," I said, looking back at him.

Azriel smiled again, nodding as he stepped back into the hall. "Alright, well, that's why it's more of an experiment."