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Azriel POV
Azriel and Cassian were flying to the camp they got word from. They didn't know what they were looking for.
"Have you ever been to this camp?" Azriel shook his head.
He didn't like going to the camps, but this seemed urgent.
"This camp is one of the worst. Don't be flattered by what you see." he could see the rage in his brother's eyes, already expecting the worst.
The camp wasn't too far into the mountains.
They landed in the middle of the camp, it was quiet.
A puddle of blood lay in the middle of the area they stood. Cassian's eyes locked with Azriel's.
His shadows started whispering. He couldn't make out the sentences, but he managed to catch the word 'cell'.
"We need to look into the cells." Cassian nodded.
They walked towards the tent of the camp Lord, his name was Horar. A mad man.
They walked inside and found him talking to a man. Horar waved the Illyrian away.
"To what do I owe this pleasure, General." Azriel hated this man.
"We received word about some disturbing events." he said. Not his brother's voice, a Generals voice.
"We would like to see your cells." Azriel could've sworn he saw something flicker in Horar's eyes.
He led them to a staircase, into the ground. Their own little prison.
Horar passed Cassian a key. "This opens every single one." he said and disappeared again. The male was avoiding something.
They walked down the stairs. There were 5 cells on each side, isolated from the world.
It was freezing down there, only two torches alight.
Cassian grabbed one. "Looks like fun in here."
Cassian opened the first three cells, they were empty and cleaned.
On the other side they were all empty. Only the fourth one on the right side was used.
Cassian opened the door. It was dark inside.
He stepped inside, letting the torch show the room. Azriel stepped beside him.
What they saw, made Azriels stomach turn. He could've sworn Cassians face turned pale.
A woman was seated on the floor. Dried blood all around her in. She was Illyrian, she had round ears. But she didn't have any wings.
"Do you think?—" Cassian's eyes were still on the woman. She was sleeping or passed out, her face scrunched in pain and covered in blood.
"They cut off her wings." Azriel didn't want to say the sentence aloud, but he still did.
The woman didn't move, but she was breathing.
"We need to take her to Velaris. She needs real medical help." Cassian walked towards her and picked her up.
"What if she is dangerous?" Azriel knew they had to help her, but he still needed to be sure.
"I don't care." Cassian walked out of the cell, Azriel following him.
They could see two blood stained places on the back of her shirt, where her wings should've been.
Cassian walked outside, holding her in his arms.
The girl was still asleep, not moving. She was probably passed out from the pain.
Illyrians had come out of their houses to see what the General was doing in their camp.
Azriel looked every single one in the eye. All of them looked away immediately.
Horar came walking towards them, an angry man at his side.
"What are you doing with my daughter?" this man was her father. What kind of father would let his daughter rot in a cell?
Azriel knew all about it.
"We are taking her." Cassian walked passed them, eyeing Azriel to shut up and follow.
"You can't do that." the man let out a muffled laugh.
"I can. If she doesn't get help, which she won't get here, she will die." Cassian's eyes were full of rage.
The man looked at Azriel and the General.
"It's not like we will miss her. She was only a plaything."
Azriel wanted to punch the man, but Cassian held him back and shook his head, telling him not now.
They took off and flew to the river house.
——
Rhysand was standing outside. Azriel had contacted him about their unexpected guest.
Cassian walked inside with her, Rhys's eyes widened at the sight of the wingless Illyrian.
"Bring her to the guest room. I'll get Madja."
Cassian hurried upstairs, Azriel looked at Rhysand.
"I think her father did this."
The sight of her in that corner made his stomach turn.
Rhysand nodded. "We'll wait until she's conscious. If it's true, you'll get the honor."
Rhysand walked out of the house, getting Madja.
Feyre appeared in the room, looking confused. "What did you find?" She walked up the stairs, motioning for Azriel to follow her.
"Wingless Illyrian." Feyre stopped on the staircase, her eyes wide.
"Was that the reason of the fuss in the camp?" she questioned it slowly.
Azriel nodded.
They walked upstairs. The last door on the left side was open. Azriel's room was on the opposite side.
Feyre opened the door and found Cassian sitting next to the bed, waiting for Madja.
They didn't know how or when it happened, but the wounds were fresh.
"I'll get her a new shirt." Feyre hurried out of the room, her face going pale at the sight of the girl.
When Feyre came back, she waved Azriel and Cassian out of the room, telling them she wanted privacy for the girl.
Feyre cleaned her face and put on a new shirt, which would need to be taken off again by Madja, since she needed to see the wounds.
Cassian had gone back to the House, letting Nesta know about what they found.
Madja had arrived, Rhys at her side.
They entered the room. Feyre sat on the chair Cassian had been on before.
The moment they entered the room, the girls eyes shot open.
Her eyes went wide, a panicked look on her face. She backed up against the headboard of the bed and winced in pain.
Feyre tried grabbing her hand, but she pulled away. "Just breathe, you are safe."
The girl looked at Rhys and Azriel. Her eyes panicked, tears forming in them. She was shaking really bad.
Rhysand pulled Azriel out of the room, not wanting to make the girl feel uncomfortable.
She was probably traumatized by the Illyrians. Their wings and appearance triggering it.
Rhysand and Azriel sat down in the living area.
Rhys sighed while running his hand through his hair. "She will not go back."
Azriel was relieved by that sentence. If she was going back, she would be called a traitor for going with them, even though she was unconscious and had no choice.
A few minutes later, Rhys got word from Feyre over the bond, saying they could come upstairs. She needed them to see the wounds.
When they entered the room, the girl was unconscious again. Probably done by Madja against the pain.
She was on her stomach, her shirt off.
The sight of those two bloodied spots made Azriel feel really sick.
He turned to Rhys, noticing him going pale. The sight probably reminded him of his mother and sister.
Madja had cleaned the wounds. They had already started healing on their own, but they looked really messy. It wasn't a straight cut.
From the look of it, they were cut off with a knife. The scars that were forming looked like they could not be fixed.
"She will be okay. She will need to learn how to walk again. The weight on her back is missing." Feyre nodded to Madja.
Azriel and Rhysand were still speechless.
Madja excused herself out of the room. Feyre muttered a thank you to the healer.
"Have you caught her name?" the first thing Rhys said since freezing.
Feyre shook her head. "She didn't talk, Madja gave her something to fall asleep—" Feyre looked at her, "I couldn't get past her mental shields. I tried seeing what happened."
Rhys wouldn't try it, he didn't want to see it.
"She doesn't smell like an Illyrian." Rhys looked at the girl, confused.
"She looks like an Illyrian." Azriel had noticed her round ears. She had wings and Illyrian features, but Rhys was right. Something was off.
"She smells like a High Fae." Feyre nodded in agreement.
"Let her rest, we will check on her in an hour."
They all made their ways out of the room, leaving the girl asleep.