Chapter 33 #2
A smattering of laughter and gasps rose from the crowd, but thankfully poor Kat snickered behind her hand and was able to take a steadying breath before going on.
“Thanks Kaly. But this isn’t exactly supposed to be a party so much as a debut.
As you’ve all seen by now, there are two and a half dozen paintings on display throughout the greenhouse and forty-two sketches as well.
I encourage you to spend some time with each one because they really are all so beautiful, and I think there’s something special everyone here can enjoy.
But first, I’m honored to introduce the artist of all the work you’ve been admiring tonight.
You probably know him, some much better than others, but you probably don’t know that he’s so talented and creative and thoughtful and…
well, he’s just wonderful.” She swallowed hard, and her blue eyes fell on him. “Humans and demons, Azrion Zizreni.”
There was noise surely because he could see that the others were clapping, but Azrion could only hear his heart thumping in his chest. With every beat it reached out to Katarina, wishing to hold her, to tell her he loved her, to thank her.
How he hadn’t seen the artwork that was his own, he didn’t know, but just to Kat’s left was one of his best pieces, the canvas that Zaiya and Elliran’s bond had inspired, and to her right a set of three sketches hung from a trailing vine, studies of tormots drunk on fermented sytron.
The others converged, and their voices broke through the buzzing in his ears.
Compliments and well wishes and proclamations of delighted surprise faded in and out as hands clapped him on the back.
He nodded and murmured gratitude in response until his father was suddenly standing before him and his feet stopped, though he hadn’t remembered when he began walking.
Their eyes met, and Valinerath nodded with approval.
“Really?” Azrion asked.
His father nodded again, and his mother reached out and cupped his face.
Wordlessly, she told him that she loved him with the swipe of her thumbs over his cheeks, and then she guided his father off toward a row of sketches.
Historically speaking, that should have gone much worse, he thought.
Kat must have spent the last two days devising how to do magic all on her own.
His opportunity to find out was only a few paces away, standing by the bench she had bravely climbed to address the crowd.
She was blinking again, but a bead of sweat was trailing down her neck through the last of those nervous blotches.
He wanted to kiss it all away, but when his mouth opened, only one word fell out, “How?”
“Oh, well, I had a lot of help.” Kat sighed heavily, shoulders slumping with relief.
“Rosalind did most of the real organizing, and Laz and Dav provided the food. Kiz and Aofe let me use the greenhouse, of course, and while Mhot kept you busy at the mercer’s this afternoon, your sister transported your work here. ”
“I broke in,” Zaiya chirped, sidling up to Kat.
“But you know the security rune,” he said in a half daze.
“Yeah, well, I just wanted to see if I could do it.” She shrugged and sauntered off as sneakily as she arrived.
Kat giggled nervously then put on a tentative smile. “This is…it’s okay, right?”
“Okay? Katarina it’s wonderful. You listened when I said what I wanted but couldn’t do on my own. I don’t know how in blazes you got my parents to come and be composed about their son’s artistic endeavors, but I’m in awe of what you’ve done for me.”
She grinned wider. “Zaiya tricked them into coming. Or threatened them, I’m not sure.
But their reaction is totally genuine. I did tell them ahead of time just in case, and your dad didn’t speak for about half an hour, but I think he’s actually proud.
And if not? Who cares? Everyone else thinks you’re amazing.
Even…” She pointed, and Azrion glanced over his shoulder to see Melora admiring the piece he had done when he’d learned about Fioran’s bond years ago.
“Kat, you can’t possibly want me to—”
“I’m fulfilling my contract,” she said with a wobble to her voice even as she stood absolutely straight.
“When I found out Melora didn’t know about your art, I knew that was the key.
No one could know about all this without falling utterly in love with you.
You never needed to play any games, you just needed to tell her the truth. ”
“But the truth is—”
“Tell her,” she said and took a step back. The space between them felt like the Aldgate Scar, narrow but impossibly deep, and he knew there was no traversing it without matching her bravery.
Azrion turned away from Katarina even though every bit of magic in his body screamed to stay there and make her his. He had a duty though, and it had to be seen through. He strode up to Melora and cleared his throat.
Melora’s tail flicked and her shoulder’s stiffened, but when she turned, he didn’t couch his features into any kind of show. He just offered her an amiable grin and an awkward wave.
“You’ve been prolific,” she said, and there might have been derision in her words, but he couldn’t seem to care.
“This is only about half of it. The Kosteris have a few of my pieces, anonymously of course, as do the Sohraxi. Your mother’s even got one in her office, not that she knows it’s mine.”
Melora coughed. “The landscape of the square?”
“Not my best work, but it’s at least seven years old now.” He shrugged. “But from what I heard, she was most interested in the fact no one would tell her who the artist was. Feel free to finally let her in on that bit of gossip.”
Her mouth fell open, and Azrion used the opportunity to scoop her hands into his.
“Mels, we’ve known each other for most of our lives, and we’ve spent the better part of four years courting.
You’ve been a good friend, a lover, a confidant—well, except for that time you told everyone about my inability to perform after last year’s Lykalia, and that sort of suggests the whole lovers thing wasn’t exactly our strongest suit either.
And I suppose neither of us were very good friends when we stopped using our names for that year-long stint and just called each other an assortment of curses and insults instead.
I’m sure there were good times, though, or else why would we have stuck things out for so long?
Anyway, all this is to say, I believe we just aren’t—”
“I don’t want to be your mate anymore,” Melora blurted.
Azrion’s stuttered, and his brows narrowed. “I, uh…well, I was about to say—”
“We had a good run—or a mediocre walk, more like—but I simply can’t wait around for you anymore. I need a demon who’s focused on the future and whose horns aren’t constantly up in the stars, so I’ve already set my sights elsewhere.”
He growled lowly in his throat and glared at her. “Melora, you do realize I was already ending—”
“Let me have this,” she hissed, and her claws stabbed at his hands.
He rolled his eyes, and in his periphery noted the small audience that had formed. “Fine.”
She licked her lips and took a breath, straightening with her chin tipped up and a satisfied smile on her face. “We’re simply not meant to be, Azrion. I know that must cut you deeply, and I am very sorry for what it’s worth, but I must sever our bond.”
Azrion snorted but gave her a tight nod. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
Melora slipped her hands out of his and wiped them down the front of her dress, and then she drew in a breath that sounded different from all the rest. “Also, I think there’s someone who’s much better suited for you anyway.
I mean, it’s a human, so you’re not exactly trading up, but I’ve never…
well. I never would have done this for you.
” She gestured to the greenhouse that had been turned into a gallery of his work, and for maybe the first time she appeared to be completely sincere.
“I didn’t even know you were so talented, but you chose to share that with her, and then she displayed it for the world because she knew in spite of all your self-centeredness, you never would have thought that others would care as much as you do about all this.
If that isn’t love, then I don’t know what is. ”
You really don’t, he wanted to say, but there was no reason to be cutting. And much more importantly, he knew himself, and there was no better knowledge in the world. “Then this is finally farewell, but may I request one last favor?”
“I suppose,” she sighed.
“Can you work with your mother to ensure the humans’ safety and security here in Heck?”
Melora scrunched up her nose. “Yes,” she said carefully. “In fact, it’s already done. She thinks they’re too amusing to send away, and everyone else left on the council after Tarzul and Itcheran were arrested is in agreement that the humans are nothing but an asset to our city.”
“Itcheran was arrested? No wonder my father’s in such a good mood.” Azrion grinned.
“Anyway, here’s to not seeing you around.” She mimicked toasting him with an imaginary glass and sauntered off toward Fenthorn.
Azrion huffed, entirely too pleased until he turned to the small group that had gathered to watch, specifically Kat’s sister standing just in the middle, daggers for eyes aimed right at him.
“You did hear all of that, yes? Including the part where I tried to end things first, but was instead chivalrous and allowed even my greatest foe to preserve her honor?”
Kalypso crossed her arms, biceps flexing, face unreadable.
“Really speaks to my character, I think.” He patted himself on the chest then rubbed his neck as he wrapped his tail around his leg.
“Anyway, Ozzy, if you wouldn’t mind smoothing things over for me, or at least holding this one at bay, I would be forever grateful.
I have one more confession to profess, and I’m going to need my throat intact to do it. ”