A Court of Surprises and Twists

Chapter 9

-Azriel's POV-

Ava had sunk to the floor, her whole body shaking. I moved the chair, so it was out of the way and knelt in front of her.

I scooped her into my arms and tried to calm her, but I knew it wasn't likely, not after what she had just admitted.

My innocence was taken from me a while ago and I won't let you do the same.

She had just said, I hoped that didn't mean what I thought.

"Rhys, I can't believe I'm saying this but put her to sleep," I said quietly, not wanting to startle Ava, who was now silently sobbing.

He got up and crouched next to us, looking into Ava's wide, terrified eyes.

"Just a couple of hours, ok, then it will all be over," he told her gently.

She didn't answer him, just tucked herself closer to me and closed her eyes.

He put a hand to the side of her head, and she went limp in my arms. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and nodded at me.

"She will sleep until the meeting is over," he told me quietly.

An enraged Amren appeared behind me.

"What did you do to her?" She snarled at the room.

"Not now Amren, take her home, Azriel will come and get her after the meeting," Rhys said, she frowned at him but nodded.

I carefully passed her from my arm's to Amren's and she nodded at me before winnowing away again.

"What did she say Az?" Mor demanded.

"Not here, not now," I replied, setting Ava's chair back in place and sitting once more.

"That child means more to you than just a ward," Helion commented.

"She is like a daughter to all of us, she has no parents of her own. She likes Azriel and Amren the most, but we have all tried to help her." Feyre told him coldly.

"Why those two?" Thesan asked, surprised.

"I can have a normal conversation with her, so can Amren, in a third language, now I suggest we stop talking about Ava and get back to the reason the meeting was called." I said, still angry over what Ava had unwillingly admitted.

-Ava's POV-

I felt the wind rushing past me as I woke.

"Hey Az," I muttered.

"Hi, we are just flying back to the others," he told me, holding me a little closer while I snaked my arms around his neck.

"Did you tell the others what I said?" I asked, a little afraid for the answer.

"I didn't, but they all want to know, I will warn you of that," he explained.

"Ok, I should tell you all anyway." I said, looking away.

"Don't feel like you have to, we won't push you about it if you aren't ready," he reassured.

"I need to get it off my chest, I've never said it aloud." I admitted.

He landed on a balcony and set me down. I walked into the room and saw my family sat with Helion.

"Hello Ava," he said with a small smile.

"It's ok, he knows," Rhys said.

"I guessed," Helion corrected.

"Oh, thank god, talking in Arabic was getting annoying," I sighed, sitting with Az.

"Arabic?" Helion questioned.

"The name of the language where I am from," I explained.

"Ah, we should sit and have a talk one day dear, it would prove to be very interesting," he said with a smile.

"Do you know many languages Helion?" I asked, brow raised.

"No, just the one, though I hear you know many," he replied.

"Seven, how did you guess?" I asked.

"When Tamlin said what he did you reacted too quickly for the shadows to have translated, the others are too stupid to realise, don't worry," he told me, eyes sparkling

"I told you my emotions would make me screw up!" I groaned.

"I hope to have an in depth discussion with you soon, but I know when I am no longer wanted, have a good evening," he said, leaving us alone.

"Thanks for giving me an out Rhys," I said softly.

"That's ok Ava, but we all want to know what happened if you are ok to tell us," he replied.

"Well, the translation to what I said is, my innocence was taken from me a while ago and I won't let you do the same," I let that sink in.

Mor and Feyre both looked sick while the males all looked ready to kill someone.

"I will tell you what happened, and I will tell Amren when we get back, but I do not want your pity," I told them, they all agreed.

"When I was fourteen, my father fell into debt and was threatened with losing his house and job. The man to whom my father was indebted gave me a bad feeling, so I stayed well away from him. One day while he was at the house demanding the money my father owed, I didn't know he was there and went into my father's office to tell him I was going out for an hour. The man saw me and told my father that if he let him take my virginity all debts would be paid. My father immediately agreed, as if he hadn't just sold me off. The man dragged me up to our spare bedroom and raped me while my father watched. The other people who he owed smaller debts to heard about it and demanded the same thing, my body instead of the money. Without my knowing he organised for the five men he owed to come to the house. They raped me together and one of them got me pregnant. I starved myself to get rid of the baby, I couldn't keep it, I wouldn't be able to take care of it. I hate myself for that decision every day, but I didn't have many options. That's why I don't eat much anymore. My father saw that I could survive on less food than he was giving me, so he didn't buy as much." I finished with tears running down my cheeks.

Azriel wordlessly pulled me against him and held me as I cried. Mor and Feyre came and joined the hug, I was so lucky to have this family.

I ended up falling asleep in their embrace.