Chapter 40 Azahara #3
After a moment of him soaking in her eyes, he sighed and nodded. It was relief then that she felt, at least briefly, that he wouldn’t be trying to do anything crazy.
Zhal and Illyan met them as they all walked back down the darkened corridor toward the cliffs of Hel.
They would be able to wether from there, at least she hoped.
The quicker they could be out of Helgum, the better.
They could assess the situation when they weren’t in danger of being killed by Magic or the Gorruk.
As the light broke upon their exit from the hall, they were again met with the path nearest the drop into complete darkness.
You have gained nothing from coming here.
She reminded herself. This had been nothing more than a colossal waste of time.
They were leaving with nothing, without Helio’s Magic, and still unaware of Thall’s intentions, or, truthfully, any more information than they had when they first arrived. We can’t leave empty-handed.
She looked at her family as they glanced at one another, whispering about where they should portal to. Illyan was already beginning to work the Magic in their hand to open the wether. Thall was a few steps behind them, with a few Gorruk in tow and his single High Elf beside him.
“He tricked you into coming here because he wanted to prove to his family he wasn’t a disgrace,” Thall said again, breaking their silence. Her eyes were on Illyan, and she saw them want to curl into a ball. Their shoulders slumped, and their nose pointed straight to the ground.
What Illyan had done was careless and selfish. Yet, she knew better than anyone about their relationship with their father and grandfather.
“He’d do it again. They all would, for their own sake.”
“And are you better than they?” she asked, watching the trio in front of her turn to look back in her direction. Illy, do not react. She stared at them and saw no reaction.
“Of course, I am no better, but I know who to betray and who not to,” Thall said, seemingly closer to her than he had been moments before.
Put a ward around me with minimal Magic. I won’t need much. Do not ask questions. Just do it.
Azahara then stopped, which caught the attention of Zhal and Kaed, who immediately did the same. Both of their eyes were filled with questions and concern. They were silently urging her to keep moving.
“I’m sorry,” she said, directing her words towards them.
“But he is right.” She then saw Illyan turn to face her, knowing her words would hurt them all.
“You betrayed my trust. After everything your father and grandfather did to me, you would turn around and do the same thing.” Heat built behind her eyes, and while the words weren’t meant to hurt, they did.
“You lied, for what? People who don’t care about you.
When I do. I’ve always loved you. I would have never done this to you. Never. I would have listened.”
Her eyes moved to Kaed. “And you,” she said softly.
My heart... I love you so much. She thought, before continuing, “You treat me like I’m a wounded feline and then fear me when I show my claws.
” There was instant dread in his face, and she felt like she was being punched in the gut.
“You love me when I’m weak but fear me when I’m strong.
You’ll never allow me to be anything but the damsel in distress.
You’ll never allow me the freedom and choice you always say I’ll have. ”
Her gaze finally fell on Zhal, and while she stared at her with emotionless eyes, she knew deep down she was afraid of what Azahara would say. “And you can’t protect me as hard as you try.” Her voice broke. “You’ll always disappoint me, like you disappointed your family.”
Then, she turned her back to them, her astonishment at not shedding a tear mingling with a deep sense of awareness. She understood that even a single slip-up could shatter her carefully crafted facade, jeopardizing the entire charade.
Even if it hurt like hell.
“How do I know I can trust you?” Her words were directed towards Thall, who was giddy with excitement. This grown man, likely older than she was when she was cursed, was nearly jumping for joy at the interaction she had just had with her group.
He stepped towards her. “May I?” Is he asking to touch me? She was unsure but nodded anyway. His hand slipped around her and touched her back. Noticing him looking towards his High Elf companion and being given the nod.
“She speaks the truth.”
“I need to know that I can trust you,” Azahara said again, her hands at her side.
“There is plenty of time for that. Your companions can leave, and we can talk about whatever it will take for you to trust me.” The back of his hand caressed her cheek. “The red in your eye, it’s like the sun coming over the horizon at sea. Or a fire ready to be let loose on the world.”
“Do not touch her!” Kaed shouted, his tone threatening.
“Your mate?” Thall asked, looking over her shoulder at him.
“He’s no one.” Her heart was beating so fast she hoped he couldn’t hear it. Those words seemed to please Thall as he leaned closer.
“Good. Then he won’t mind.” His lips met hers, and she closed her eyes, imagining herself in a place far removed from here. Her toes in the sand by the sea, the breeze gently tousling her hair as Kaed held her close. A world far beyond this one.
She tried not to focus heavily on his lips, the uneven skin from his scar, and the taste of liquor on his breath. It was difficult, but she played the part of an accepting mistress as best she could.
When he pulled away, she opened her eyes and looked at him.
A cheeky grin adorned his lips. “Thall.” She said his name, and that only seemed to entice him more.
“I need you to tell me how I can trust you before they leave.” His eyebrows furrowed.
“I’ve been locked in too many cages.” She put her hand up and rested it on his chest. “Prove to me that I can trust you, and I’ll stay and help in any way I can. ”
She could feel his heart thrumming faster under her hand and his growing arousal in his pants. “Any way?”
“Any way.” She bit her lip, adding to his insatiable desire.
His eyes were fixed on the High Elf, and she followed his gaze. “Does she speak the truth?” If she hadn’t been playing him, that question would have undoubtedly upset her.
“She does,” he said without hesitation.
“Aza…” She heard Kaed call for her. It hurt to hear him sound so broken, but how could he believe that she would really do this to him? After everything she had told him about how she feels for him. He must rely heavily on his ability to tell the truth because it destroyed him then.
“Tell me what it will take.” The arm around her tightened, pulling her closer to him than she had been before.
“Tell me something that, if I betrayed you and spoke of it, you would kill me for it.” Pure joy filled his expression as he put a hand behind her neck, gripping tightly. She was playing the fiddle, and he was dancing right on cue.
“He said I would have problems with you.” His eyes glanced over her shoulders, a wicked grin lining his lips. “I’m pleased to prove him wrong.”
After a beat, he removed his hand from her neck and took her hand. “Come, come see.” She laced her fingers into his as he guided her toward the edge. While heights generally weren’t an issue for her, not being able to see how far the cavern’s depth went, did.
There was hesitation as they got nearly an inch from the cliffside. The benthic depths were vast, and she knew the drop would surely kill anyone who slipped and descended it.
“I won’t let you fall.” She wanted to bite back with a snarky remark but held her tongue.
With a shaky breath, she stepped to the edge and peered down. Nothing but limestone formations and stalagmites could be seen until it was too deep, and then nothing but darkness.
“I see darkness.” She stated the obvious.
“But what do you hear?”
For a brief moment, all she heard in the wake of his silence was dripping water. That and scuffling from behind her, which she could only assume was Kaed or Zhal fighting to figure out what they should do. She couldn’t look at them, even if she wanted to so badly.
Suddenly she could hear footsteps as though someone had turned up the volume. Thousands upon thousands of them. They were muffled, but she could also hear groaning and grunting.
Swallowing, she looked over at Thall. “What is that?”
“The future. Or”—he let out a low rumble of a laugh—“lack thereof one.” Something in her face must have provoked him to clarify.
“Don’t worry. Our future will be bright.
It’s time a new power holds the tide. No longer will there be walls to divide.
No longer will the strong be punished by the weak-minded. ”
Azahara looked back down into the darkness. Something cold suddenly pressed against her temple. “Let me show you.” That clarity that she had earlier returned, and she was blessed with the sight of an Elder Fae.
She wished she hadn’t been.
In the depths of the benthic were thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of monstrous creatures that smelled of death. Gorruks, Orcs, Trolls, Liches—she could see the vast destruction that would lay in the wake if these creatures were released upon the realm.
Her hands trembled, and he took them quickly. “Do not fear. They would not harm you. I can’t say the same for everyone else, but not you.” Fingers caressed her cheek as a tear ran from her eye. She hadn’t even realized the oncoming emotions until they were there.
“You plan to release them?” Her words were but a breathless whisper. She dared not speak louder or say more for fear of Zhal, Kaed, and Illyan hearing her.
“We will, yes.”
“Why?” She despised the shakiness in her voice.