A Court of Tears and Petals

Chapter 32

~LEO~

The first thing Leo noticed was the canopy of tree branches above him. The way the light bounced off of the leaves, how golden rays seemed to dance through the mixture of bark and kelly green vines. The wind would move around the trees causing the shadows of branches to skip over the forest floor, with the rustling of the breeze in the background like a melody. Leo was about to close his eyes again, when he noticed the wind was a melody, someone was humming to it.

Leo shot up, but before he could even get to his feet he fell back down, grunting in pain while clutching his side.

"Well, if it isn't sleeping beauty. Finally ready to wake up." Leo looked to his left to see someone sitting across from him.

Not just anyone, but someone he knew. Azalea, daughter of Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court. And then everything came flooding back to Leo, he followed Denton into battle and then he lost his cousin in the chaos. He got stabbed by a human, and almost died. He should be dead.

If that wasn't bad enough, he just barely noticed that his fighting leathers had been removed, along with any weapons he had on him.

"Where's my shirt?" Leo croaked, his throat was dry and scratchy.

"That's the first question you ask?" Azalea handed over a canteen to Leo, he was so dehydrated he didn't think to sniff the canteen for any poison, which led to him spitting the bitter liquid out in front of him.

"What is this!" Leo was sure that he was going to die. This was revenge, all planned out by the Spring Court. The High Lords daughter would kill or torture or hold Leo for ransom and he would never see his parents again.

"Relax, it's just water with some turmeric leaves, it will help with the pain." Azalea nodded to Leo's abdomen, which had been wrapped in some makeshift bandage.

Leo looked back at Azalea, the bottom of her shirt had been ripped off which was most likely the fabric that was covering Leo's wound. Azalea had a few small cuts and slices scattered on her arms, and there was dry blood around her ears. She looked completely different than on Calanmai, the wild excitement was drained from her eyes, and replaced with exhaustion and some other emotion she was trying to hide.

"What happened to-"

"Take a couple sips first." Azalea said interrupting Leo, he wanted to object, but the way Azalea was casually examining one of Leo's blades was rather intimidating. So he lifted the canteen to his lips, and Azalea tossed him his shirt and leathers.

"My name's Azalea, I was with the few Spring Court sentinels. My best guess is that you're from Night Court, but the only Night Court warriors fighting were Illyrians. But you've got the pointed ears, no wings, and no Illyrian tattoos. Yet you have Illyrian blades and leathers, so my question is this," Azalea pointed the Illyrian blade at Leo in a way that was almost lazy, Leo didn't doubt for a second she could kill him if she wanted to. "Who are you, and what is your place in this war?"

"Why do you know so much about Illyrians? How do you not know who I am? Where are we? What's-"

"Okay, one at a time, and I asked first." Azalea looked at Leo expectantly. Did she really not know who he was?

"My name is Leo." He waited for Azalea to recognize him, or his name, or anything, but she just waited for him to elaborate. "I was with my cousin."

"You and your cousin? Do you two have a suicide pack or something ?" Azalea really didn't know who Leo was.

"No! My Uncle is the commander of the Night Courts armies! You've literally met my cousin!" Azalea's face fell and she quickly stood up, realization reaching her eyes.