On Thin Ice: Azriel x OC

Chapter 10

Over the next 10 days, Nova's days were almost exact replicas. She woke up at dawn, trained with the Illyrians for a few hours, trying to focus on making as much progress as possible. She had also been working on using and mastering her powers again, as she had not been able to use them much when she was locked up. After that, she would bathe and eat with whoever else was in the townhouse at the time. Then she usually walked around Velaris for a bit, scoping out her favorite stores or places to go, before returning to the townhouse for any meetings or updates with the rest of the inner circle. They all had dinner together after that, and then the rest of the night to themselves until everything repeats the next day.

Nova tried to do anything she could to prepare herself for the meeting, but she had no idea what to expect. Alex could be too afraid of everyone finding out the truth and stay silent. But that wasn't like him. Nova knew he would admit to it eventually, and with her there, to tell the truth, it would probably happen sooner rather than later.

It wasn't like him to not flaunt his accomplishments. Nova assumed he would count her situation as an accomplishment. The only factor that could change his mind is the fact that his job is on the line.

After dinner on the 10th night, everyone migrated to the living room of the townhouse to talk about the meeting, and what Alex might do.

"Last time I talked to Kallias, he wanted to act like the situation never happened," Rhys said, sitting down on the couch.

"Well, of course, he wants to act like Alex is innocent, Kallias doesn't want his people turning against him for trusting him," Nova continued, "If we're lucky, Alex will admit it in the meeting. He's always wanted everyone to know about his success stories."

Cassian pitched in, "Well you're here now, so I wouldn't say it was a success story at all."

"He got me down there in the first place," Nova said, averting her eyes from everyone else's.

"So we just have to get him to admit it, and it's over?" Mor asked.

"Seeing how much Kallias trusts Alex, even if he does admit it, he'll probably find a way to cover it all up. At least minimize the situation a little." Rhys responded.

Nova looked back up at Rhys, "At least if he does it in the meeting, a lot more people will know the real truth." She looked around the room at everyone else, "And I'm pretty sure we all know how fast the gossip spreads in each of the courts."

Feyre and Rhys exchanged glances before she said, "So best case scenario, Alex admits to everything in the meeting and then he's fired from his job." When no one responded she continued, "And there won't be any punishment for him."

Mor responded, "Most likely," and everyone could see the anger building in both her and Feyre.

Feyre raised her voice, "That's bullshit. How do these people keep getting away with all this?"

Mor raised her hand in agreement saying, "That's what I've been saying since the beginning."

The room went silent, everyone getting lost in thought.

It stayed like that for a few minutes before Mor said to Nova, Feyre, and Nesta, "We need to go out tomorrow to get clothes for the meeting." Each of the girls nodded.

Cassian and Azriel said their goodbyes and left for the night, Amren and Nesta followed them out.

Nova stood up and asked Mor, "What time tomorrow?"

She replied, "Twelve-thirty, we can go after lunch."

Nova said, "Sounds great, goodnight." before turning and heading towards the stairs.

She slowly went up the stairs, hearing murmuring coming from the living room she had just left, she listened but they were talking too quietly for her to get anything out of it. Then she heard Mor say goodnight and the front door close.

It was only about 9, so Nova decided to go on the roof for a little bit.

After about 15 minutes, Rhys joined her saying, "I figured I'd find you up here."

Nova sighed, not looking away from the rest of Velaris.

"Four more days." She continued, "Until I have to see him again."

"He lays a hand on you, and he's dead." Rhys looked at her, "And I'm not sure which one of us would get to him first."

When she didn't respond, he added, "Unless you'd like to be the one to do it."

Nova chuckled, "That'd be great."

Rhys looked out to Velaris, and Nova started talking, "All my life, I was always afraid of death. I was always afraid I would do something wrong, and it would end up with death. When my parents died, I kept going over every single thing I ever knew about them. What they could have done wrong. But they did everything right, and still died." She paused, "I'd sit in the corner of my cell. Rethinking every little thing I ever did my whole life. I always thought that everything happened for a reason. I was trying to find a reason."

She paused again before turning to look at Rhys, "Down there, death became less scary by the day. Hell, a couple of years in I was praying that I would die, just to get out of that cell. Now that I'm out, I'd rather die than even get close to being in that situation again." Rhys looked back at her as she said, "I'm sure you feel the same way about Under the Mountain."

Rhys nodded, saying, "It was hell, but I wasn't tied up and tortured."

"You were trapped for a lot longer than I was, and I know what went on down there, it wasn't pleasant." She responded, then looked back out to Velaris.

Rhys looked back out too, both of them silent for a moment.

"Did you ever tell your mother? About everything Alex did when you were younger?" Rhys asked.

"No, but she knew. He was just like my father, so she knew." Nova replied, "She never asked. I always expected her to, after all the cuts and bruises I came home with. I always thought she would ask, and I would have to make up some excuse, but she never did. She just knew."

Rhys nodded, adding, "They always know."

They sat in silence, looking out to Velaris for a while.

"Goodnight," Nova said, walking back inside and to her room. She waited by the door until she heard Rhys' footsteps go down the hall, and the master bedroom's door close.

Silent tears streamed down her face, the ones she didn't dare to let show outside with Rhys. All the memories with her mother came rushing back, followed by her darkest days when she was locked up. She slid down the wall, sitting down next to the door. She just sat there, letting the tears fall, silent, thinking. About everything.

She was there for so long that she cried until no more tears would fall. Then she just sat there, her mind empty, but yet there were so many thoughts at the same time. She didn't even care to change, she just slowly stood up, laid on top of her bed, and then stared out her window, at the stars, for what felt like forever before she drifted off to sleep.