Chapter 40 Azahara #4
Thall brushed her thick curls behind her ear.
“We can discuss specifics when it’s just the two of us, hmm?
” His fingertips grazed her lips. “Have I earned your trust?” The sharp tip of the crystal pressed against her skin at her back as he pulled her closer to him.
They were still mere inches from the edge, and the vision gifted to her by Magic was gone.
“Yes.” Her voice remained as steady as she could manage.
He then turned her around to face her family. Illyan had opened the portal and was staring directly at her. Kaed, on the other hand, had his head down. Zhal had her eyes fixed on Thall.
“Say goodbye, then.”
Then, Kaed looked up at her, and she met his gaze. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t meant to be this way.”
There was only one shot at this; she had to take it now, or she would be stuck here forever. “You got this, Sunshine.” She didn’t need the encouragement of the voice, but she was thankful for it. Sam.
Time seemed irrelevant then, as if her hourglass had tilted in the opposite direction, slowing down time.
She slipped from Thall’s arms, taking him by surprise and not allowing him to gather his thoughts. Her leg lifted, and she kicked him square in the stomach, which wouldn’t have been a big deal, except he was at the ledge and was now falling out of sight.
Azahara then kicked off the balls of her feet and rushed towards Kaed, who had his hand out towards her. Shouts of anger from the lined-up Gorruks came as no surprise, and the High Elf began charging after her.
It didn’t matter; she was already with him, her hand gripping his forearm as he pulled her to his side. Illyan extended their hands to Kaed and Zhal, who took them without hesitation. They were inches from the portal when a thundering scream echoed, and she knew whose it was.
It had been the only reason she looked back.
It wasn’t Thall who faced her, but an axe flying through the air directly toward her.
She turned quickly to push through the portal, and by some grace, the strength of its Magic pulled them through, ripping and pulling them from the cave’s darkness.
It thrust them out across a grassy floor with a force unlike anything she had felt from the wether before.
Azahara let out a groan as a heavy weight pressed down on her. Kaed was in her vision, just ahead of her, while Illyan was rolled on their back, coughing and attempting to catch their breath. It was then that she realized Zhal was on top of her.
Her warriors chest pressed against Azahara’s back, squeezing her to the ground. She was too heavy, and Azahara felt the air being ripped from her lungs. “Z-Zhal...?”
She wasn’t moving.
Adrenaline surged through her, and with a strength not her own, she lifted herself up and pushed Zhal off her.
Her eyes were fixed on her and the massive axe embedded into her back. “Zhal…” A whimper of her name.
Azahara put her hands on her shoulders and shook her.
There was no movement. The grotesque flesh that was split open from the axe bled like a river, spilling over her hands and across her lap. It had shattered her spine, pieces of it splintering upward.
Tears marred her vision, and her mouth was wide in utter shock. The axe was meant for her, not for Zhal.
“Please…” Her entire body was shaking then. How can I stop the bleeding?
“No, please don’t do this.” With utter rage, she screamed so loud that her ears popped. She was at her feet with her hands on the axe’s hilt, tearing it from Zhal. Her Zhal. MINE. “No!” The axe came free with a guttering sound of flesh and bone ripping from its rightful place.
“NO, DAMN IT!” Azahara was on her back, her hands pressing down onto the jagged gash cutting into her own hands, trying to stop the bleeding. Hot tears fell from her eyes like a river.
Zhal never moved.
Azahara shifted off of Zhal and lifted her arm. “Don’t leave me! NO! I’m so sorry!” She tried to tug on her, but the blood on her hands only made her slip and fall backward.
Coming to her knees, she buried her face in her hands and leaned forward. Another guttural scream escaped her throat, burning from its ferocity.
Realization hit her, and she quickly moved back to Zhal, wrapping her arms around her beautiful head. “I didn’t mean it. You were more of a protector than I deserved. Please don’t leave me. Mother, please! Goddrick, please don’t let her die. Please! I beg of you, take me, not her!”
She swore she’d never beg Goddrick for anything. If her screams weren’t powerful enough, that was.
“Don’t take her from me, Death! Don’t! I’ll do anything!”
She felt hands on her then, pulling her away. “Let me go! Don’t touch me!” A dozen or so people were around Zhal as she was being dragged. They all wore the Order’s uniform and held medical supplies.
“Ladybug, stop.” Overwhelming exhaustion washed over her, and she turned to see Illyan with their hand on her shoulder.
“Stop… please…” Her eyes drooped to half-mast as Kaed, in one strong swoop, tossed her over his shoulder.
How could they take Zhal away from her? How could they be so cruel?
“—and you can’t protect me as hard as you try.” Would those truly be the final words she spoke to her?
I really am a monster. They should lock me up and throw away the key.