The Whispers of Shadows - Azriel

47

Her arms trembled as she clawed the rocks and climbed. At this point, she didn't know if she wanted to make it to the bottom. Once the sword was in reach, Aurora moved it with outstretched fingers until it fell. She caught it and used it to stand. She prayed to the Mother that the wards were set off and her warrior was in the skies. She looked up and saw pine branches, small specks of moonlight breaking through. It would only be an hour or so until the sun came up, so Aurora thought maybe she could find a clearing and wait. Although, as she peered down the mountain side, there was no true clearing. She'd have to be almost at the bottom before the trees grew sparse. Aurora cursed the one that built this mountain and allowed trees to grow on a rock cliff.

Down she went. Trembling knees made it nearly impossible to get the right footing. Aurora's boots finally touched grass and shrubs after countless minutes, purple hues overtaking the sky. She didn't even know if she was breathing anymore, each time she tried, a sharp pain stabbed into her. Her eyelids were heavy, as well as her arms and head. Her legs begged to give out and she was ready to let them. She didn't make the mistake of sitting down, though. Aurora knew that if she did, she wouldn't make it back to her feet. Instead, she dug her boots into the grass and zigzagged her way down. By the time the trees spread out and the ground leveled out, the sun was higher in the sky. Aurora guessed it was probably near eleven.

A stream trickled just a few feet in front of her. Aurora drug her feet to it, falling to her knees. She cupped her hands and drank the water. What felt like swords ripping through her throat made an appearance with each swallow. Aurora's head tipped back, body threatening to fall. She kept her eyes on the sky, hand limp on top of the hilt of the sword.

The ground shook, and she knew she was saved. Aurora looked over her shoulder, tears streaking through the dirt and blood on her face. It was Cassian. He stalked toward her from behind, eyes wide with concern.

"Aurora?" He spoke, kneeling beside her. Aurora was sure her head was hanging to the side at an awkward angle as she stared at him.

"Hi, Cass," she squeaked out. His hands were gentle as he pulled her into him. When her cheek rested on his chest, that's when she let her body fall limp. Vulnerable but surrounded with safety. He laid her in his arm, reaching to grab the sword and then brought her forward. Cassian sheathed the sword on her back and stood. He didn't say anything as they shot into the air and to the estate.

When they touched the ground, he walked her through the doors and called out. Her ears were pounding with her slowing pulse. Another set of hands tugged her from Cassian's hold. Aurora settled into the chest of who she guessed was Rhysand as he carried her somewhere in the house. When her back hit a soft surface, she let her mind fall into unconsciousness.

When Aurora's eyes opened again, she heard screaming. Something hurt terribly in her arm, leg, and ribs. Aurora tried to move, to see who was screaming, but Madja appeared above her, hands pressed into her shoulders.

"Stop, Aurora! I'm setting your bones, you can't move!" She shouted. Hands wrapped around her arms and legs. Aurora tried to fight against it, and then realized the screaming was coming from her.

"Stop moving!" Rhysand's voice boomed. Her screams fell into whimpers as she lifted her head. Rhysand was holding her legs down. Aurora looked to each side, Nesta to her left and Cassian to her right. Madja was sliding a bandage beneath her back to wrap her. That's when Aurora noticed she was nude. Now, not only was she in absolute agony, but had to fight the urge to cover her body from the eyes around her. She noted that Rhysand was either looking at her face or the other people in the room. That settled her anxiety.

"It's okay, your bones were healing wrong and she had to re-break them. They should be healed completely in a few hours," Nesta explained, brushing back Aurora's hair. Aurora pushed her head back into the pillow, panting. Sweat or tears, she didn't know which, dripped from her face. Her body felt as if it were being clawed into by flaming talons.

"I-I can't," Aurora whimpered, closing her eyes and shouting through gritted teeth when Madja pressed down to seal the bandage on her midsection.

"Only a few more minutes, Aurora," Rhysand cooed, his thumbs rubbing against her shin where he held her down. Nesta continued to brush back Aurora's hair, whispering sweet things that she couldn't comprehend at the moment.

"Turn her," Madja ordered. Her cold hand took Aurora by the waist and hip and tugged her towards her. Aurora let out another scream, pain biting at every inch of her body. Cassian shoved a part of the pillow into her mouth, muffling the sounds. She bit down on it when a wet rag ran over her back and side. "The wounds are healing well. We just need to watch her bones. She cannot move for at least the next four hours, after that, she is free to get up," Madja explained. The pillow fell from Aurora's mouth as they all began laying her back down. Madja took a thin blanket and threw it over her body, which Aurora was grateful for.

Aurora's eyes closed as her breathing became level again. Another wet rag was now being ran across her face. "You can sleep for the next few hours, rest. I'll go get Azriel," Rhysand spoke. Aurora's eyes snapped open at the mention of her mate. Cassian and Nesta had now let go of her and were both standing on either side of Rhys.

"Where is he?" She rasped, voice sounding like she'd swallowed the rocks on the mountain. She noted a faint blush on Rhys's cheeks as Nesta and Cassian turned away.

"He's... He's tied up at the moment. He will be here when you wake," Rhys explained, rounding the bed and giving Madja a grateful smile as he passed her. He settled on the side of the bed, kneeling down. "Do you remember how you ended up like this? Do you remember what injured you so badly? Do you remember what your bargain was?"

Aurora swallowed, grimacing at the stinging sensation as she did. "I beat Eris. I told Beron I refuse the throne and I want to come home. He had me make a deal with him that if I attempted to take the title, I'd die at the border. I'm fine with that, I don't want to run a Court," Aurora breathed out. Her words were slow and strained.

"And the injuries?"

A small laugh left her throat, and then she cringed at the feeling. "Beron did bring me home, but he brought me to the mountaintop and kicked me down it. I was already injured from the fight with Eris so I couldn't stop. I fell almost halfway down, a tree stopped me. I fell a few more times on my way down to the bottom." Aurora grinned over at Rhys, at least she thought she was. Her face hurt too much to tell.

"Get some rest, Aurora," he murmured, his palm running over the top of her hair. It hit her then, the exhaustion and heavy weight over her body. Aurora's eyes fluttered shut, falling into darkness where she didn't feel the pain any longer.