Azriel's Heir

7: Ash

Ash wandered through the snowy gardens, his feet were cold and his nose stung from the cold. His face burned despite the cold when he thought back to his conversation with kova a week ago.

Something about her made him believe that maybe he was worthy of being his fathers son, maybe. It was never like anyone had ever treated him badly, Cass and Az had never gone easy on him neither had either of his parents but anyone else he met treated him like he was almost a God.

He remembered a girl called Rose one day coming to the townhouse with her father who was an envoy from the day court. She had been blonde with stunning gold eyes but the second they had been alone together she had tried to seduce him into bed.

It had always been like that, girls either wanted him in bed or they were too scared to even make eyes contact with him.

Until Kova, who had quite literally leaped into his life. She had never treated him in any way as if he was royalty. She was respectful but it was easy to forget his title when they talked freely.

Looking ahead Ash watched Kova sitting next to Thayer her white hair identical to the freshly fallen snow around them, her skin was pale no hint of a blush that the cold brought out on his own cheeks. She had begun to open up to him a lot more since leaving the Spring Court, her more mischievous side of her gleaming through.

She had already shoved him into a snow drift so deep that it had taken Thayer and Kova to get him out, but not before laughing at his desperate attempts to haul himself out which got him deeper sunk in the snow.

Kova's eyes were sparkling as she glanced at him waving him over. Thayer had his arm around her shoulders, the two of them enjoyed bouncing off each other, challenging the other to do stupid things like run naked into the pond; Thayer had returned shivering, his wings had covered his body when he came back to a smiling Kova.

Who had then been dared to fix Kallias chair so it broke when he sat on it that evening. Even Ash had chuckled at the High Lords shocked face, as he lay sprawled in the floor.

Ash never ever considered that Kova had a playful side to her that Thayer brought out and that she was willing to share with Ash. The two of them had even got him to join in with their games.

For the last week the three of them had lived in a small bubble of innocent joy. Kallias had not informed them of the illness that was spreading nor any news from the night court. But Ash knew all three of them felt it, in the small silences between them their faces often tighten and Kova's would darken as she looked north in the direction of home. Ash knew it couldn't last.

And it didn't.

"Asher" Kallias spoke from a few feet away, materialising next to him. Kova and Thayer seeing Kallias walked over to stand by Ash's side.

"Asher" Kallias repeated and Ash knew it was serious. People only used his full name when it was important. "We received news from the Night Court". Ash felt like he had joined Thayer jumping in the icey pond. His hairs stood on end his power buzzed at the sound of his home. He glanced at Kova, the light was gone from her eyes. Her shadows back around her moving restlessly.

"Who?" He asked quietly,
"Rhysand" Kallias extended a piece of paper, to Ash horror blood splattered it; Night Court Blood.

His mothers blood.

Ash growled as he smelt it, anger burning away the cold air. "Ash" Kova's voice whispers in his ear. Flames were curling around him, Kallias and Thayer had backed away but Kova remained, her hand on his shoulder. His mother's power that flowed through him stopped when he felt her tug at that strange strand that connected.

Ash skimmed the note, it was short obviously written in a rush. It wasn't Rhys' usual writing, gone were the usual elegant swirls and precise letters, in their place  was a scrawl as if his fathers hand had shook so badly he could hardly write.

'The Court of dreams has fallen into shadow. Do not return to Valaris. Follow Kova, she will understand what you must do. For Asher, the road that lies ahead is not easy and I wish that you wouldn't have follow it, but it must be done for the sake of Prythian. Tell Kova that it is time to cut the tether that holds the shadows'

"What shadows?" Thayer asked he and Kova having read over his shoulder. Ash just shrugged, as none plussed as Thayer. Kova's face abs gone grim. "It code, Rhys know that Xavier will have read this in some way no matter how careful he was." She was striding back up the path towards the palace.

Thayer and Ash shared a glance before hurrying after her. "There are things that must be done, if this is the route Rhysand wants to take them things must be bad" Kova spoke ahead of them. "What's happening to my family?", she ignored him.

"Thayer go and get ready to leave, we leave in an hour" Thayer nodded seeming to understand what needed to be done. His golden wings spread wide as he shot onto the sky.
"Kova!"
She gave him no answer as she led him to the armoury. She strung her two blades across her back in and x shape, she was already dressed in her Illyrian leathers. Her shadows swirled around her and for the time as saw her as the shadowsinger she had been raised as, who was feared and lethal.

Ash strapped on his sword and bow. "What are we doing and what does my father mean?"
"My father has taught me everything there is to know about protecting Rhys and you, this plan was originally intended for my father to carry out."
"What is that" Ash felt his pulse rising as adrenaline kicked in.

Kova took a deep breath turing away from him, her shadows pulled back as she raised her hand murmuring under her breath. She reached out to garb what seemed to be air but a knife gleamed in her clenched fist as it materialised.

"Truth teller " Ash gasped, she smiled at him.
"Go with Thayer High Lord , I will meet you there"
"Where?"
"The last place anyone would ever suspect you to go..." she paused looking up at him.

"The Court of Nightmares"

——————————————————
A/N They are off to the court of nightmares! What do you hours think will happen?

How are you guys finishing the story so far?

Thankyou so much for the support and all your lovely comments, I love reading them. We hit 200 reads!!! Thankyou so much!

Tess