Chapter 40 Azahara #2
A gasp from Azahara drew his attention. “Stop!” she called out, her tone filled with painful resignation.
He threw his hands up, halting the onslaught of a dozen or more Gorruk heading their way. His eyes narrowed as the sound of metal meeting flesh echoed.
Turning quickly to Kaed, she saw the body of the High Elf fall to the ground with a swift kick. The blade was now covered in crimson, and he was breathing heavily. She silently thanked the Mother that it hadn’t been Kaed who had been stabbed through the heart.
Kaed and Zhal stepped side by side, blocking Illyan and her from the man’s view.
“Please, let the woman speak. She may convince me to spare your lives.”
Zhal snarled, barely fazed from the fighting she had just engaged in. The High Elf that had been kicked by her slowly got to his feet and stood beside the male.
Now that she could look at him, he was distinctly human.
With bright blonde hair and pale skin, they might have been mistaken for a prince, except for the numerous large scars that riddled his face.
One of them crossed over his lips, which were curved into a smile as he stared straight through her protectors.
“Why—why did you kill the Elder Fae? What do you want with his Magic?” She began with the obvious, knowing she wouldn’t get many answers.
“No introductions first? It’s also rude not to look at someone when you speak to them.”
“It’s rude to attack someone when they are lost,” she countered.
He laughed. “You are not lost.”
“I was,” she said, moving between Zhal and Kaed, her still-dislocated arm resting at her side. “I wasn’t meant to be here.”
An expression of understanding crossed his face. She could see his eyes now, one sapphire blue while the other a hazel blend. It was eerie, being stared at by two different eyes from the same person. The intensity of his gaze was imposing, and she felt a strong urge to look away.
“Fair enough. What is your name, and then I will answer your question.”
“Azahara,” she quickly replied.
Humming, his eyes narrowed. “My name is Thall Mozzehs, but I think you already assumed that.” She had, but didn’t put too much weight behind it. “I took them because I cannot get exactly what I want without the power of the Fae Magic. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I struck.”
“What exactly do you want?” she pressed, but he shook his head at her, moving his finger from side to side.
“Then I’d have to kill you. Plus, it’s my turn to ask the questions.” How did she always get sucked into these question games? They were tiresome.
She wanted to turn to see if Illyan had opened the portal, but odds are they hadn’t. Kaed and Zhal would have grabbed her and ran. They promised.
“But first, I’ll need the Magic back. You see, I went through a lot of trouble to get it, and I can’t just let you take it.
” He tilted his head toward his Elf minion and gestured for him to move forward.
Azahara shifted her gaze toward the Gorruk, who were trembling, cracking their bones, and appeared antsy. At any given moment, they could attack.
The Elf walked toward her, and she used the moment to turn and look at Illyan, who was struggling to open a portal. Through the winnox, she called to Illyan, You can’t open one further than this room, can you? She noticed the pause on Illyan’s face.
“No... It’s like this room is...”
A Fae has warded this room, Illyan. She saw them tremble and look at her. The pain in those purple eyes conveyed a million apologies. Give him the Magic. We will find another way.
To her despair, Illyan shook their head. “I can’t...”
The Elf walked past her, and she sucked in a deep breath. You will kill us all.
“They can’t have it. They can’t have him.” Her heart was breaking, and her eyes burned as tears flooded them. She blinked, letting them fall down her cheeks. “We can fight. You can fight.”
It was then that she shook her head. She wasn’t even sure how to activate whatever had happened last time. There had been no time for her to figure out what these new powers of hers even were, let alone try to use them in such a confined space.
“I promise we will get him back,” she said aloud. “Please, give them the Magic.” Her voice was pleading, and she could feel Kaed moving toward Illyan. Zhal stood steadfast beside her, never moving an inch from her side.
She turned back to Thall to find him staring at her. “They said you’d be beautiful, but that seems to be an understatement.” There was no reaction from her, which made him release a throaty laugh. “I suppose you hear that often.”
He gestured for her to come closer, and she complied. Zhal immediately grabbed her good arm and stopped her. “It’s fine.” She looked up at her. Their eyes locked, and a silent message passed between them.
Zhal hesitated at first but then reluctantly let her go.
“Don’t touch her,” Zhal warned.
“Not even a handshake?” Thall had a peculiar demeanor. Here he was, poised to hold the most powerful Magic in the realm, and making jokes.
She swallowed when Zhal stepped towards him but ultimately decided against it. The Gorruk were itching to attack, and they didn’t want to give them a reason to do it now. Behind her, she could hear Kaed and Illyan scuffling, as if he were trying to convince them of the same thing Azahara had.
When she was nearest to Thall, he gave her a warm smile. “Even better up close, though seeing such a person bleed is upsetting, especially when I didn’t cause it.” He laughed at himself. That was more annoying than his feeble attempt at a joke.
“Let me fix your arm.” He stepped closer, and she heard Zhal shift. “Oh, don’t get your big panties in a bunch, Vaeragi.” Leaning in, he placed a hand on her shoulder. His following words were a mere whisper. “I hate an audience anyway.”
With a loud pop, he readjusted and put her shoulder back in place.
Her lips pressed into a tight line as she let out a groan.
He stepped closer, his hand still on her shoulder, massaging it gently.
His height resembled her own, maybe a half-foot taller.
Their chests were now pressed against each other, and she lifted her head to meet his gaze.
“Why are you here?” It was specifically directed to her. There was no mistaking he knew why Illyan was there.
“I don’t know,” she said truthfully. His eyes raised, to whom she could only assume was his Elf companion, for confirmation, before bringing them back down to her.
“Okay, that is fair. Though, sad, don’t you think?” He was so close to her she could smell the sweet wine that lingered on his breath.
“Thought it was my turn?” That made him smile wider than she had yet to see. The pleasure in his eyes only intensified their strange appearance.
“I like you,” he said, and nodded his head.
She stepped away from him, seeing at the edge of her vision that the Elf was walking back towards them. There was crying and screaming behind her, and she knew it was Illyan. Which meant that Kaed had finally convinced them to give up the Magic.
“Will you let us go now that you have that?”
“Yes, of course.” He didn’t pull his gaze from her, but put his hand out for the crystal. “This was the plan all along.”
Azahara felt her hand twitch, and she had to stifle the urge to run.
“He said that the great-grandson of the Elder Fae would likely come to be a hero. These aren’t my words; I think it is sweet.
” Her eyes narrowed at Thall as he spoke.
He was very exuberant in his story, drawing the line between mocking and true heartfelt feelings.
“He said that he wanted to prove he wasn’t a disgrace.
I needed a Fae to pull the Magic from the wings into, well, this.
” He lifted it into her view, her blood still smeared on it.
“And now I don’t have to eat them. Not sure how that would have worked, but this way, it’s so much easier to control. See?”
He put a finger to her forehead with the crystal in the same hand, and within a second, a force as though someone was pushing down on both of her shoulders shoved her to her knees.
The strength of this Magic was like nothing she had ever felt before.
It wasn’t like Illyan’s or Jaakobai’s. This took her entire body and made it willfully do as it said.
No element was behind it; it was just true, unfiltered power.
Kaed was the one to scream for her, but she quickly raised her hand to halt any of them from progressing. “Stop,” she said through gritted teeth. “He’s just proving a point.” Her head tilted up, and she looked at him through her eyelashes.
Thall’s hand moved from her forehead down the contours of her cheek to her jaw.
“Are you done?” she asked, feeling the pressure still pushing her down.
“I’ve heard a good many things about you.” He knelt down to her level, his hands no longer on her. “I think we could be perfect partners. Truly.” He looked over her shoulder at her family. “I would never trick you. Unlike them.”
That joke actually made her laugh.
“Mmm, that was nice,” he said as his hand waved in front of her, and the pressure on her released. “I bet your moan sounds even better.”
By the time she had wrapped her arms around herself, Kaed was at her side, helping her up.
His arm was around her back while the other was across her chest, turning her towards him.
When she saw the look on his face, she feared what he might do, like a deranged animal ready to strike its prey, and Thall was the target.
“As promised, you may leave. We will escort you.”
Thall moved aside, gesturing for them to return the way they came. Something felt wrong about him letting them go, but he hadn’t given her a reason to distrust him for now.
Azahara put her fingertips to Kaed’s cheek and turned him to look at her. She said nothing but held his gaze. He was livid, and she knew there would be no words to soothe him.