Chapter 30 Azahara
Azahara
“Good morning, little bee,” Broan called out to Azahara as she made her way down the stairs of the Idle Fox. “How are you feeling?”
Surprisingly, she was dressed and felt no hangover. “Pretty good, actually.” She found a seat at the bar. “Can’t say the same for my family or most people down here.”
Scattered across the floor of the Tavern were not just several, but dozens of passed-out patrons. The candles had all burned out, but the sunlight pouring into the main area provided ample illumination.
“It’s nearly past lunchtime. Would you like breakfast?”
“Please.” Before Broan returned to the kitchen, he placed a glass of what seemed to be orange juice in front of her. She gladly took a sip, feeling it quench her thirst like water in the desert.
The sounds of snores and heavy breathing filled the air.
The atmosphere felt like that of a battlefield after a hard-fought victory.
It was strange to think that just hours ago, this calm was unimaginable.
Her mind drifted to the night before, bringing a smile to her face.
What surprised her the most was her ability to remember most of it, with only a haze surrounding one person: Jayce.
Something about him was off-putting, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. A lingering feeling suggested that she had met him before, and not just a few days ago here at the Tavern.
While she would have loved to dwell on him, exploring all the possibilities, there were other matters demanding her attention. As much as she wanted to forget about Goddrick, she was less than a hundred days away from her remaking. Would the trial in Parádeisos be over? What would be its outcome?
What was the gift that Death had given her?
Why didn’t she have a hangover when she rarely drank?
And why had the scratch on her face disappeared completely this morning?
The last question was something she had noticed in the mirror before she ventured downstairs, and needed an answer to. The fall had left her with a scratch over her eyebrow and cheek, but this morning it was completely gone. The evening before, it had been there but seemed to be healing.
Broan returned not too long after with a generous serving of eggs and oats, accompanied by toast and jam. “Thank you,” she said, picking up the fork. “By any chance, do you have an empty notepad or journal, or perhaps just some paper? And a pencil, too.”
Azahara spent the next hour writing. She hadn’t had the time to do so in several days and needed to catch up on noting everything that hadn’t been written down in previous journal entries. It took nearly a whole booklet that Broan had graciously provided to get everything down.
As she finished the section regarding the Idle Fox, and saw Jayce’s name on the paper, an inexplicable urge compelled her to erase it.
It felt as though an insistent force was driving her to remove the name entirely and forget about the encounter.
It made her stomach turn, as if she were starting to feel ill.
Illyan was the first to arrive, coming down with several men. Azahara was glad they hadn’t been left out of the fun from last night.
Then, nearly minutes later, Zhal arrived, her stoic expression unchanged.
At least she wouldn’t let the excitement from the night before change her demeanor.
She approached Azahara and inquired about her well-being.
While neither of them had a hangover, Zhal had slept longer than she cared to admit.
Not too long after Zhal, Kaed came downstairs with their bags.
Unfortunately, he had a hangover, evident from the way he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Zhal scolded him for not letting her and Illyan know so they could help with the bags, and Azahara had to agree.
She could have assisted as well. He insisted that everything was fine and that he could handle it, though it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had bent over and vomited right then and there, given how green he looked.
They ate while Azahara bid a final farewell to Broan, explaining her hope to visit him again soon.
She made sure to document everything she had learned from him and the patrons of the Idle Fox.
That way, when she returned next time, there wouldn’t be any surprises.
Illyan and Kaed were also aware of her desire to return, even in the new year.
After saying their goodbyes, they headed toward the southern gates, which surprised her because their original plan had been to head back north. She wasn’t aware of any reason for them to be in the South.
“So, what’s our plan?” Azahara finally asked as the tall bordering wall came into view, nearly identical to that of the northern gates.
Initially, no one said anything, causing her stomach to knot with impatience. She adjusted the bag on her shoulders, waiting for a response. It seemed like they were all waiting for someone else to speak up first.
Finally, of all people, Zhal spoke. “We’re going to So’ol.”
Azahara narrowed her eyes. “That’s... very random. Why?” From the corner of her eye, she noticed Kaed rubbing his temples, probably regretting the alcohol at that moment.
“To find a Yuul,” Kaed said, his tone tinged with regret.
She came to a sudden stop, and everyone followed suit as if on cue. “A Yuul? There’s no way I heard you correctly.” Her gaze shifted slowly from Illyan, who immediately looked away, to Kaed. “Why?”
“I told you to tell her.” Zhal grabbed the bag that Kaed was holding and continued walking. “I’ll meet you at the horses. Come on, Fae.”
Illyan scurried along, almost skipping. How can they be okay with this? She was internally screaming. They had nearly been killed by one, or did they completely forget about that?
“Red, listen—” She crossed her arms and regarded him with a stern expression. His throat quivered as he swallowed. “Illyan said that the Yuul are connected with the afterlife.”
“They’re also incredibly dangerous.”
“I know, I know.” He stepped towards her, and to her surprise, she took a step back.
“Do you?” she asked, her tone skeptical. “Why do we need to make contact with the afterlife, anyway?”
His eyebrows furrowed. Keeping her distance from him hurt, but this was ridiculous.
“I do know. I’ve thought about it, and I hate the idea of putting you in danger. That’s why when we get there...” He hesitated briefly, perhaps in response to her shaking her head, but then continued, “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her response came with an incredulous tone. “You think I’m concerned about me?”
He replied with a heartfelt sincerity. “No. I know you aren’t, but I am.”
Frustration laced her voice as she questioned their decision.
“Then why are we going to find a Yuul, of all things? They are the definition of immortal. They regrow their limbs and heal almost ten times faster than Fae.” Her exasperation was evident as she threw her arms up and started to walk in the direction they were heading, but Kaed’s firm grip on her arm halted her progress.
“Illyan said that if anyone knows who killed the Elder Fae, it would be a Yuul,” he explained, keeping her beside him.
“Why would they tell us anything, even if captured? This is so stupid. We should let the Fae handle their own business.”
Kaed’s voice carried a note of somber obligation as he replied, “I was ordered to find out who did it. By the king.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and she turned her gaze back to him, confusion etched across her face. “What? When...”
“They sent a letter while you were napping yesterday. It wasn’t a request.” The pit of her stomach tightened, and she felt a wave of nausea. Did my outburst with the king cause this?
“No, no, he can’t just…” Her chest heaved as she struggled to draw in a deep breath.
“Aza, it’s going to be okay.” He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her neck and holding her tightly against his chest. “I promise, nothing will happen to any of us. We won’t be fighting a Yuul; instead, we’re going to try and trap it, just like they did with Illyan.”
She shut her eyes tightly, pushing away thoughts of the ‘what-ifs’. She wrapped her arms around him, letting go of her anger and frustration. Ultimately, she knew her emotional outburst the day before had caused this, and it made her sick.
“It won’t be easy,” she whispered.
Kaed chuckled, running his fingers through her curls. “Nothing ever is, is it?” He gently leaned her back and kissed her. “Please, don’t be mad at me.”
The frown on her face indicated her displeasure, though not necessarily directed at him. “I’m not mad at you, but I am frustrated with this situation. And why didn’t you tell me yesterday?” She playfully swatted his butt.
“Hey—!” He mirrored her action, giving her a playful smack that elicited a laugh from her, bringing a smile to his face.
“I didn’t want to worry you before your party.
And…” He leaned in to kiss her cheek, then whispered into her ear, “I wasn’t sure we would have had as much fun if you were thinking about this all night. ”
Blushing, they headed over to Zhal and Illyan, reuniting with their companions: Moondancer, Starlight, and Noxus.
The next fourteen days dragged on, filled with fatigue and exhaustion.
Although it had been the calmest period they’d experienced in the past few weeks, the weather grew increasingly hot as they ventured south.
Coupled with the arid landscape, it left them feeling irritable.
Despite having spent some time together, they were still relatively new as a group.
Azahara got along with each of the three individually, but that harmony didn’t extend across the board.