Chapter 83 – Azaria
AZARIA
By the time I made it to the palace common room, I was hopelessly late.
The tenth morning bell was far behind me, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.
Not after last night. Not after finally letting go and letting Quin back in.
The madness of the past weeks had settled, and for the first time in what felt like ages, my heart wasn’t clawing at the inside of my chest.
They all said my anger was justified. But the truth? I’d been too harsh. I missed him. I missed his magic wrapped around me. Missed even the ache of wanting him.
I was deliciously sore in all the right places. Getting out of bed had been torture—the best kind. After a lot of half-hearted complaining—mixed with kisses and tangled sheets—we’d finally dragged ourselves out and faced the day.
Quin had split off toward Myrin’s office for his check-up, and I’d gone straight for our wing, bracing myself for the inevitable.
My squad noticed everything. And if they somehow missed something?
Kalias could smell it. I took a deep breath and pushed through the door into the cloakroom, then into the chaos of the common room.
“Look who has finally graced us with her presence,” Kael called from the sofa, a crooked grin already on his face.
“Good morning to you too, Kael,” I replied, trying for casual as I strode toward my desk, where Dain sat, reading reports, but watching me over the page.
The corner of his mouth lifted. Oh, he knew exactly what had happened.
Dain might be quiet and private, but he’d never shied from pleasure, whatever form it took, so he saw the signs.
“And what is that bruise on your neck, Cap? That wasn’t there before,” Zeph sing-songed from his seat.
Shit. That.
“That, Zeph, is what happens when you let men get too close to your neck,” I deadpanned, hoping humor would deflect the worst of it. I would never win against their teasing. Best to roll with it.
“Oh, so you and Quin have finally reconciled?” Lirael piped up.
“Oh, they reconciled all right. More than once, from the looks of it,” Reyna said, sprawled next to Kael.
“Quin didn’t come home last night,” Elias added from across the room, raising his cup as I glared at him—the traitor.
“I tend to agree. Quin’s scent is all over you,” Kalias said, voice calm as he materialized behind me—one moment wolf, the next man, bracing a hand on my shoulder with a wide, toothy grin.
“Stars above, Kalias—really?” I groaned, whirling to glare at him. He only looked delighted.
Thorne rumbled from his favorite armchair, “So that’s why you’re walking funny.”
Gods above and below. They’d corrupted Kalias, and now even Thorne was cracking sex jokes.
“Come on, can you see how relaxed she is?” Reyna chimed in, smirking. “Let the Captain have her afterglow.”
I ignored them as best I could, shrugging out of my coat, but I couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my mouth. It felt good to be home. To be here with them—all their chaos and nosiness and endless noise.
Dain’s eyes met mine, quietly searching. “You all right?” he asked, voice pitched low for me alone.
I nodded, letting out a slow breath. “Yeah. For the first time in a while, I really am.”
He gave me that rare, gentle smile—the one that said he understood, no words needed. Then, as if on cue, the squad started up again.
“Did Quin finally beg for forgiveness, or did you just have pity on him?” Kael teased.
“Where is he, anyway?” Zeph asked, eyes wide with mock concern. “You didn’t just have your fun and dump his body in a ditch, did you?”
I sighed, already resigned. “He’s with Myrin. She’s checking him for any side effects from the suppression artifact.”
“Is he all right?” Lyra finally spoke, her eyes a little anxious. “He didn’t look so great yesterday.”
“He’ll be fine,” I assured her, offering a smile. “But he should have stayed home and rested. Artifacts are no joke, Lyra. Next time, make him listen to you.”
“Oh, I don’t think anyone can make him submit except you, Cap,” Zeph said with a wink.
The teasing rolled on, a steady chorus of banter and laughter fading into the background as I sorted through the day’s reports. The energy in the room was pure chaos—rowdy, alive, easy. I’d missed this.
I stepped behind the desk to stand beside Dain. I was about to speak when the door creaked open and Quin strode in, looking more himself than I’d seen in weeks, though a little pale.
“And the man himself!” Zeph crowed, already launching into his next joke. “You need to tell me how you got our ice queen to look so soft today, because I’m telling you?—“
Thorne’s massive hand landed on the back of Zeph’s head with a satisfying smack. “Let the man breathe.”
Quin grinned, all cocky confidence, and crossed the room straight to me. He slipped behind the desk, and before I could protest, he pulled me into a deep, scorching kiss. For a heartbeat, the world narrowed to nothing but the taste of him, the heat of his mouth, the hush that fell over the room.
Behind us, Lirael groaned and fanned herself dramatically. “Guys, it is way too early for this kind of thing.”
“Oh, it’s never too early, Lily. I’m all in,” Reyna shot back, voice warm and wicked. Solmarin through and through.
The laughter swelled again, but I barely heard it before Quin released me, brushing a quick, lingering kiss to my cheek. He turned to Zeph, every bit the smug bastard, and drawled, “I’m good with my mouth.”
That earned a chorus of whistles and a howl of laughter. Quin sauntered back across the room, Kalias meeting him with a grin and a clap on the shoulder. I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure.
“Right, since everyone is here now…” I looked around the room. “There is something you must know.”
They all paid attention now.
“We all know what happened during our last mission. Quin was ambushed by Dravareth men. They used a suppression artifact to stop his magic and subdue him. I managed to interrogate one of them, and he provided some intel.”
I felt Quin’s blood magic pulsing faintly around my middle. He’d told me this morning that watching me charge in—rage and blood and fury—was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen. I disagreed.
“He told me that the man behind all recent sightings of Dravareth soldiers and beasts is…” I took a breath. “Is Torven Kaelor.”
“Torven Kaelor… one of our councilors?” Kael asked.
I turned towards him. “Yes. He sat on the Koulan council for years. We recently discovered that he has extensive Dravareth ties.”
Something clicked in that brilliant mind of his. “The councilor who was found beaten and then arrested… it was him, wasn’t it?” he asked.
No point lying now. “Yes. I was directly involved in his arrest. He was tried and imprisoned in secret. Later, however, his home district filed for relocation. It was granted, of course, and since then he has walked free.”
“That was around the time of the ball...” Reyna murmured. Then looked up at me. “You said you went to Thalor to meet with the nobles.” She was clearly piecing things together too.
“But that wasn’t what happened, was it?” Zeph concluded.
“No, it wasn’t,” I said quietly.
“You discovered Torven Kaelor’s treachery.” Thorne rumbled. This man barely spoke, but he missed absolutely nothing. “Something went wrong; that’s why you had to lie low,” he finished.
“Az, please tell us,” Lirael asked. I couldn’t possibly tell them Torven abducted me right after the ball and beat me senseless.
“Thorne is right. But it doesn’t matter what happened. The important thing is that Torven Kaelor has been selling my moves—our moves—to Dravareth for years. He’s been in league with Malphyr and his circles, and I have reason to believe he is in Dravareth now.” I had to push this along.
“You have intel?” Elias asked.
“Yes, I spoke with Korr. His men saw Kaelor in Draevenholt not so long ago. He’s pulling the strings from there.”
“What is his plan?” Zeph asked.
“The man claimed that Torven had given them a list of names to hunt down and kill,” I said. “Quin was on that list.”
“Who else?” Reyna asked.
“Well, me, obviously. Then Quin, Kalias, and Dain.” I felt Dain shift next to me. “His goal is simple—he wants to break me by killing the people I love. But I won’t let that happen,” I said.
“Why is he after you in the first place?” Zeph asked. “Why go to so much trouble?”
“He tried to kill me for years, Zeph. You weren’t here long, but I was on Dravareth hit lists way before this squad was properly formed. His efforts intensified after…” I had to swallow through the lump in my throat. “…after Eris died.” Dain squeezed my hand in silent support.
“So here’s what we will do.” I turned to Kalias. “I know your wolf needs to run, but with a target on your back, I cannot risk you being caught by them, Kalias.”
“I am stronger than they are, and the Abyss cannot claim me. But I will follow your command, Azaria,” he said. I nodded.
“Dain, no more side jobs for now. I cannot risk you going off alone and being ambushed,” I said.
Dain was quiet for a moment. “I understand. But there may be times when I do not have the choice.”
I swallowed. Tywin’s Blade. The High Lord may have need of him. I didn’t like it one bit, but I nodded.
“But it’s not just us four that should be on guard.
All of you, too—take precautions. If one of his men finds you, I have no doubt they won’t hesitate to attack you.
Stay in the palace as long as you can—the wards will alert intruders.
Always travel in twos or threes; never break off alone. And always be on your guard.”
“Even in Tempest?” Lyra asked.
“Especially in Tempest,” I replied. “There is nowhere truly safe anymore.”
“That’s all well and grand, Captain, but you still haven’t told us why Malphyr Draeven is after you,” Zeph pushed, shifting in his seat.
“No offence—you know I love you dearly, Cap—but you don’t have magic.
Sure, we’ve killed a bunch of Dravareth men in the past, but is that enough to entice Malphyr’s wrath?
I understand the Thornvale siblings, but—please help me out here—why you? ”
“He’s making a good point,” Lirael added. “Nothing we’ve done so far explains his obsession with you.”
Obsession. That was the right word.
I looked up at Zeph, then at Lirael. Everyone’s attention was on me now.
Kalias and Dain knew the truth—that I had magic, bound by a spell linked directly to Torven—and I suspected for some time that the nature of my magic was something both Torven and Malphyr were extremely wary of.
I wasn’t sure how much Kalias had pieced together; he wisely hadn’t spoken aloud about what he’d discovered.
Myrin knew too, but she spoke around it without triggering the spell.
Dain squeezed my hand, then spoke. “Azaria has something that he wants.”
Unease rippled through the room. “And… what is that, exactly?” Kael asked carefully.
“We cannot tell. Azaria is unable to disclose the details, and you all would be wise to leave it like that,” Dain said, his voice careful but firm.
I sent a silent thought toward him: Thank you.
He squeezed my hand in response. He’d heard me.
Reyna let out a bitter laugh. “You can’t expect us to just get on with our lives after dropping this on us, Dain.”
“Reyna is right,” Lirael said. “You’re saying Malphyr has tried to kill Azaria for years, and you didn’t think it was important enough for all of us to know? Why didn’t you say anything?”
I hesitated. I could feel Quin’s magic wrapping tighter around me—he was getting nervous. There was so much he didn’t know about.
My gaze darted to Thorne on instinct, and I froze. Thorne could read the room better than anyone. I’d long suspected his earth magic let him sense truth, especially from me. My Thalor heritage made me an open book to earth mages. He saw me tense and clearly rephrased what he was about to say.
“Because Captain wouldn’t be the one in peril,” he finally said. It would have put everyone you love in danger instead—that was what he did not say.
“You’ve been silenced…” Elias said softly.
“I need all of you to keep this to yourselves and not speak of this. For now, we stay vigilant.” I straightened.
I was about to leave when I looked at Lyra, standing behind the sofa next to Elias.
She was the most sensitive of us all—it was plain to see that what we’d just spoken about rattled her.
I walked over and put my hands on her shoulders.
“It’s all right, Lyra. I won’t let harm come to you or anyone in this room,” I told her.
“But what about you? What if he finally finds you?” she asked quietly. I tensed. I hated lying to my team. Now was definitely not the time to tell them my time was running out, and that the Abyss would claim me soon enough.
“He won’t get to her,” Quin said, stepping up beside Lyra. “I’ll burn Dravareth to the ground before I let that happen.”
“I’ll help,” Reyna added.
“Don’t forget the rest of us,” Zeph said, stepping closer to Lyra and squeezing her arm gently. “We won’t let that rotting bastard have our lovely Cap.”
I smiled at them all. They were my squad, my people, my family.
I’d do anything to protect them. Including throwing myself into the mouth of the rot, if I had to.