A Court of Lightning and Shadows

Twenty-three

TW: talking about abuse and rape

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Azriel POV

Azriel was seated in the living room, a book open in his lap.

He had spent the afternoon reading.

Azriel had started to feel really tired a few minutes ago, he didn't know what caused it.

The front door slammed open and someone yelled his name.

He ran out of the room, making his way over to the hall.

He found a soaked Rhys and Briar, Briar unconscious in his arms.

He felt his heart sink.

He grabbed her from Rhys's arms and he ran up the stairs. He laid her down on his bed.

"What the hell happened?" he yelled to Rhys. His mind was full of rage. His instincts told him to attack Rhys, but that would only make things worse.

"She... we tried something and she used a memory and-.. It wasn't a happy sight."

Rhys showed him the memory through his mind.

Briar's eyes were closed, probably thinking of the memory Rhys talked about. 

The clouds above them started closing and turning darker. It started raining. Hard. Rhys called her name.

She didn't open her eyes. It now started thundering. Flashes of lightning were shooting through the air.

A purple light bulb formed around Briar as he saw tears streaming down her face.

The moment Briar opened her eyes, she let out a scream. He could hear the pain and fear in it.

Rhys pulled away and looked into Azriel's eyes.

"I saw the memory she was thinking about. I didn't know it was that bad." sadness glistered in Rhys's eyes.

"Her brother raped her." he said to Rhys. His nod confirmed his suspicions.

"And her father abused her." another nod.

Azriel calmed down a bit. But now that he knew what her father and brother had done to her. He now knew it for sure, and he would let them feel all the fear and pain they had let his mate feel.

"Get Madja." he said.

Rhys listened to his order and disappeared in a heartbeat.

Azriel knelt next to the bed and pushed a strand of hair out of her face.

Her skin was pale, but less pale than yesterday.

He knew it wasn't Rhys's fault, but he was still angry with him. He pushed her way too far, they had only just gotten to controlling her powers, not even close to controlling an entire storm.

Azriel placed a kiss on her forehead, which was way too cold.

Her entire body felt cold.

Her clothes were still soaked. Azriel knew she needed dry clothes, but he couldn't bring himself to undress her.

Feyre barged into the room, "Rhys told me."

He was happy he didn't need to explain it to her himself.

"Could you put dry clothes on her?"

Feyre gave him a soft nod as she walked to her closet.

Azriel left the room, not wanting to invade Briar's privacy, even though she was unconscious.

After a few minutes, Feyre told him he could enter. The High Lady was seated next to the bed. Another chair stood next to hers.

Azriel sat down and sighed.