Chapter 31
T
he amount of nerves that were running through her body was teetering on unhealthy, maybe even life threatening.
It had been a few hours since she left Jayce with her letter.
A wave of queasiness rolled through her, a constant unsettling churn in the pit of her stomach.
Was it a cowardly move to put that into a letter instead of just telling him?
Probably. Was it easier? Yes. How was she supposed to just, bring that up to someone?
This situation was far too unique, and it had been plaguing her for weeks—well, months now.
She tried her best to sit tight while Alyse and Kaen worked on her hair. They griped about her coiled curls making it a real challenge to do anything fancy. There would have been no complaints from her, but alas, neither of them was going to go down without a fight.
They’d wet it, and immediately got to work.
Nonetheless, this was the reason behind her prolonged preparation time.
Kaen had focused on adorning her facial markings, a customary ritual for them.
In light of her fair complexion, red paint was chosen over white, a decision she justified by noting that white wouldn’t be visible.
Alyse nearly burst into laughter, the irony of the sun denying her any hint of color adding a playful sense of defeat to their jest.
Kaen delicately traced dots beneath her eyes, gently arching them until they seamlessly reached her hairline.
Continuing from the midpoint of her brow, she sketched a line that extended gracefully down to her chest, concluding precisely where the dress would commence.
Taking her preference into consideration, a crescent moon was artfully drawn at the focal point of her forehead.
They finished almost simultaneously, affording Azahara a moment to appraise her decorated face and styled hair before donning the dress.
Ordinarily, she would have staunchly resisted wearing anything even remotely as revealing as the ensemble they had crafted for her, but its beauty was undeniable.
When they revealed it to her, she was left speechless, and the revelation that Kaen had personally designed it only heightened its sense of awe.
The silver dress was a breathtaking sight, its allure heightened as candlelight danced across the crystals intricately sewn beneath the lace that adorned the silk fabric.
Although the neckline was cut entirely too low between her breasts, a detail she wasn’t entirely pleased with, the customized sizing ensured there was no risk of any nipple slips.
Despite her reservations, she opted not to ask how Kaen had precisely determined her measurements, particularly in the chest area.
The dress’s second key feature, and perhaps its most captivating, was the back – a straight, downward plunge that revealed the small dimples of her spine, drawing attention to her Connection.
Akua, along with Kaen and Ilkiz, emphasized the significance of this design element, as it would be the focal point during the sealing ceremony with their eldest descendant.
Despite the revealing aspects of the dress—the low-cut chest, the silk barely reaching her thighs, and the lace fabric comprising the rest—the standout feature was the inclusion of wings.
Crafted from silver metal, meticulously bent, melted, and shaped, the wings adorned the shoulders acting as the dress’s straps.
They gracefully curved over her collarbone, traced down the sides of her chest, encircled around her breasts, and descended to her stomach, forming a captivating wing-like structure.
Acting almost like a corset, they accentuated her already slender waist. The wings enveloped her shoulder blades, with the scapulars terminating just shy of the connection point.
“You look incredible,” Azahara turned to see Xol standing in the doorway, admiration in her gaze.
“Hey!! We said no one is to come in here!!” Kaen was preparing to burn the damn place down.
“Kaen, it’s fine. Xol is escorting me down, remember?” Azahara feared that woman. Not because she didn’t think she’d win in a fight, but with just how destructive and unpredictable she was.
Almost instantly, Kaen lowered her hands. “Oh, yeah, that is right.” She turned to Alyse. “I think our job is done here anyways. We should go get ready.” And with that, they vanished, leaving behind the rattling of their pod as they hastily retreated.
“I thought the men were insufferable. Women are just as bad.” Xol groaned, closing the door behind them before stepping further into the pod.
Azahara put her hands together in front of her and laughed nervously, “I would have to agree, but less so than men. You’ll come to learn that, in time. I have a feeling we will have a lot of it together.”
A gentle smile lined the colorless woman before her, “When did you figure it out?”
“I always had this strange feeling around you, not a bad one, just—like I knew who you were, but I didn’t at the same time. As though we had this crazy adventure, but I didn’t know your name, what you looked like or anything.”
Azahara walked over and settled onto the bed, crossing her legs at the ankle, and leaning forward.
The absence of the familiar sensation of her hairbrush against her shoulders felt peculiar, almost making her unwittingly disturb the crown of braids Alyse had meticulously crafted for hours.
Fortunately, Alyse had thoughtfully left a few strands around her ears for moments like these, providing a comforting source of diversion when nervous.
“So, then, your kind don’t seek out Fae wings to destroy the realms?”
“No,” Xol crossed the room and settled beside her.
“We seek them to be released from our immortal forms. Typically, it takes the Magic of an Elder, but thanks to being released into Howl I was able to feed on enough wings to suffice. While I’ll still live an eternal life, my body is no longer that of a creature that cannot be killed. Or as hideous.”
They shared a harmonious laugh.
Azahara smiled, not at the fact she inevitably killed Fae, but in the confirmation that Xol was indeed the Yuul who had rescued her from captivity.
A peculiar sense of relief washed over her, as if a lingering uncertainty had been lifted, and now she could truly move forward with her relationship with Xol.
“They hurt you, don’t feel bad for them,” she said, placing a hand onto Azahara’s leg. “They deserved what they got.”
“I know,” she looked into her sea blue eyes, “trust me, you don’t have to convince me. I suppose I am curious though. Your connection to me, was it built just off me being the means to your salvation? Or was there something else?”
Xol grinned, letting out a soft chuckle, “You were the reason I was released, whether you brought me there or not, I owe you that. However, it was when you grabbed me just before you went through the portal with your Fae friend.”
Thinking back, she wondered where the courage had come from to grab a Yuul like she did. As if it couldn’t effortlessly shred her to pieces with a mere flick of their wrists.
“You disregarded all fear of what I was for someone you loved. While I had no mind to understand at that time what it meant, when I was reborn into my eternal self, that act of kindness molded me to be sane.” Xol placed a cold hand against her jaw, holding her with a gaze filled with gratitude.
“My kind feared release from our immortal bodies, not for death, but if their minds would allow them to succeed. I thought only of you when I came to, and it guided me.”
Azahara felt the familiar sting in her eyes, “I’m so glad…”
“Don’t cry,” Xol gently pressed a finger beneath her eye, physically pushing back the tears.
“They will try to kill me if you mess up their work.”
“Sorry—” She took a deep breath and centered herself. “Your eyes, and your appearance—was this who you were before?”
Xol shook her head, “I modeled them after you, for the most part. Time was much different than what it is today when I was mortal. Returning to my original form would have been, I believe, too much for this world.”
Azahara would not ask; she refused.
“Now it’s strange calling you beautiful,” she quipped, placing a hand down onto Xol’s thigh, which was dressed in fine leather. “But you are. Thank you, it’s very flattering. Maybe too much so.”
They both let out a hearty laugh.
“I didn’t mold everything after you though,” Xol had a quirky expression on her face, “I know why you see me as a female, but since I basically created myself, there was no point in picking just one.”
A dense fog enveloped her mind, rendering everything blurry.
The strength of the heat that gathered in her face made her start to sweat, and she feared ruining the paint on her face.
Swiftly averting her gaze from Xol, she withdrew her hand, apprehensive that she might soon discover precisely what Xol was alluding to.
“W-Wait—should I—wait, then, are you—?” The heat intensified, prompting her to spring to her feet. “Oh jeez, I need some air.” Xol found herself almost rolling on the bed with laughter, while Azahara, flustered, paced back and forth.
Only after a moment of digging a line into the floor, Xol grabbed her hand and stopped her from fainting.
Her other hand rested gently on her shoulder, the coolness from her palm permeating through the metal against her skin.
“Don’t worry, I only told you because I knew I’d get that reaction.
” Azahara lifted her gaze, watching those dark lips smile widely. “Thank you, Aza, for setting me free.”
Her anxiety shifted, and she smiled in return, “Thank you for being here with me.”
They shared a smile, savoring a moment of shared silence. She had many questions about her life, and she knew they had plenty of time to do so. Azahara was so thankful for her, and the thought of never meeting her or setting her free tugged at the strings of her heart.
“Let’s go.” Xol said, beginning to step towards the door, when Azahara pulled her back. “What is it?”
“First, about Jayce. Do you know who he is?” she asked, and the surprise that washed over Xol served as a sufficient response. Lowering her gaze, she groaned, “My intuition really is shit.”
“Don’t say that,” her voice held a note of pain. She knew that Xol having to lie to her or, just not tell her, had been tough. “It wasn’t as if it was that obvious, at least not to you.” Xol paused, waiting to see if Azahara would respond before continuing, “Did he tell you?”
She shook her head.
“When did you figure it out?” Xol remained at a distance, giving her the space she might need after stepping away.
“I knew before we got to Ilkiz; Alyse sort of confirmed the rest of my suspicions,” Xol’s expression held a mix of understanding and concern. “I should’ve let you kick his ass when he couldn’t fight back.” A hint of laughter lingered through her following statement, “Now, I’ll have to do it.”
A mischievous grin slid across Xol, “Oh, I am excited to see that. Please, allow me the honor to watch him suffer.”
“I’m sure he is currently simmering,” she stepped towards Xol and put her hand into hers. “Especially after the letter I gave him.”
Opening the door, Xol raised an eyebrow, “Oh, do tell.”