Chapter 37 Azahara #3
“During the Rite, my father wasn’t there for the admission of my grandfather as Elder.
I’m unsure whether it was because you injured him, or my grandfather was so angry he didn’t allow him there.
” Azahara opened her eyes to look at Illyan, who looked down at her with sympathy and love. “I’m so sorry.”
Azahara closed her eyes, centering herself and seeking the sense of calm that would keep her grounded.
After a moment of silence, she asked, “How did the Yuul get to Howl in the first place?” It had been on her mind, but now felt like a good time to ask.
“Right after the Yuul provided who had murdered the Elder Fae, a portal opened. At first, we weren’t sure what was going on.
” Kaed ran his fingers through her hair as he spoke.
“Then both Zhal and I smelled Fae, or well, Illyan. It was very overwhelming, and we knew then that it was Howl. The Yuul also knew and charged right through.”
“Did you even try to stop it…” Illyan said under their breath.
“No, but why would we?” Zhal said with a hint of anger.
“We had thought you opened it, Illyan, to be honest.”
“It wasn’t me,” they quickly said. “My plan had been to find Ladybug once the Rite was complete, then wether us back to So’ol.”
Azahara tuned them out as they continued talking. Her mind wandered back to her cage moments before chaos erupted. A bright light had opened, and warm arms wrapped around her. Sam… The person in the cell beside her, they must have been a Fae. It was the only explanation.
He had said he wanted to take her away but couldn’t. Could he have opened the portal to the closest thing to her, Kaed and Zhal? How would he have known to open it right where they were?
The other unanswered question was whether the frail fingers she had touched and the strong arms that held her could have belonged to the same person.
“Illy.” She interrupted them, unsure of where their conversation was headed. “Could someone open a wether somewhere without knowing where it goes?”
They took a deep breath and sighed. “No, it’s like a door; you have to know where you are opening it to, or at least the person on the other side, or have a damn good description of it.”
“Could they sense someone through you? If someone was with me and they wanted to send me to someone close to me, could they do that?”
They let out a puff of air, exasperated. “Sure, but the Fae would need to be thousands of years old, if not older. You’re talking about deep Magic; they don’t teach that now. It’s dangerous to be able to transport to someone else’s deepest desired place.”
Azahara turned her head to look up at Kaed. He was studying her face, his hand cupping her cheek and brushing his thumb against her lips.
“Why, Ladybug?”
“There was someone in the cell next to me. I think he helped me, but I don’t know.”
“What was his name?” they pressed.
“He wouldn’t tell me, so I called him Sam.” The three of them laughed together, which made her laugh. It was funny in the context of her situation, giving a random person in a cage such a simple human name like Sam. “He didn’t correct me,” she added through her chuckle.
The conversation then turned to Illyan and questions about what they had been up to during the days leading up to their escape.
Azahara was in and out of the conversation, catching important details like their inquiry about why she knew black Magic and whether they had been the ones to teach her.
They had planned on using Magic to interrogate them after the Rite was completed, but they all knew how that had ended.
The need to know more about the Four Points of the Star drew her deeper into a spiral.
History stated that Rah had proved his loyalty to the Mother.
He would recreate and shape the world anew, providing safety for her and its inhabitants.
Nothing had ever been written about Before Rah, and the prospect of someone that powerful erasing history and reforming a new realm was terrifying.
Rumors suggested that before Rah, the world had been on the brink of collapse, the only reason anyone would be gifted with such power.
These were only rumors, though, not truths.
However, this was an entirely moot point since one of the points represented Power, symbolized by Dragons.
They had been exterminated almost four thousand years ago.
Ilkiz was now a wasteland inhabited only by the ruins of a forgotten civilization.
No one, including the king and his armies, ever ventured across the seas for nothing.
Furthermore, the thought of consuming Fae wings made her sick.
Jaakobai is delusional. I just wish I had known about his involvement in Helio’s murder. I may have been able to ask better questions and figure out what his end goal really was. She was lost in her own thoughts that she missed the several calls for her attention.
“Ohhh, Azahara Starfall.” A gentle whisper in her ear pulled her from her reverie.
“Hmm?”
“Does the plan sound fine to you?” Illyan asked, their face mere inches from her own.
“Sorry, do you mind repeating it?” She leaned forward and lifted herself off Kaed’s lap.
Kaed let out a throaty chuckle. “Don’t apologize, Red. We were just discussing that we should locate Thall and—”
“What?” Her sudden outburst seemed to surprise him.
“Yeah—we can go to the Outpost closest to us, which Illyan confirmed we can wether to, and gather some information. If we can locate Thall, we can go and—”
Azahara was on her feet quicker than Kaed or Zhal could react. “Are you insane?” She turned to them, eyes wide and mouth agape. “Zhal, tell me you aren’t in agreement with this.”
She remained silent.
“He killed an Elder Fae,” she reminded them. “I’m sorry to say this, but if we can’t even stand against ordinary Fae, then we are absolutely no match for someone like that.” Her tone lacked any trace of apology.
“Ladybug, it wouldn’t be about fighting him.” Illyan stood, attempting to reason with her.
“Are we supposed to become spies now?” Her heart raced, and she didn’t realize her breathing had become erratic. “No, absolutely not.”
She watched as Kaed looked at Illyan and then to Zhal.
“I knew it was a bad idea to come to So’ol.
” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and shook her head.
“And we see where it got us. Where it got me!” Her voice rose, and she took a step back.
“Let us take the information we’ve learned back to the king, to the Order; I don’t care.
Let them handle this.” She moved away from them, her back against the railing by the stairs.
“Aza—” Kaed began to stand.
“No! We’re not soldiers!” Her voice was raised, and the three of them slowly retreated. “Mihan—” she addressed Zhal using her official title. “Illyan—” Her eyes burned as she looked between them. “I forbid it.”
The pit of her stomach dropped as she realized what she was doing, and before she could apologize and take it back, she ran. The room seemed to close in around her, suffocating her.
The front door opened and slammed shut behind her in a matter of seconds. She heard her name echoing behind her as they called out to her.
Starlight was there, and she mounted him without a pause. The door to the house opened, spilling light into the darkness. They called for her to stop, but she ignored them, clicking her heels and racing into the forest ahead.
Tears welled at the corners of her eyes as she heard Illyan’s voice. “Ladybug, come back, please.” Hearing their voice through the winnox caused her to scream. She immediately shut the window into her mind.
Her hands gripped the reins as she leaned forward, becoming one with Starlight, and disappeared into the night.