Xander was still breathing hard when Rhys winnowed them back to the House. When his feet hit the solid ground he immediately started to hurl whatever little food he managed to eat this morning.
A hand was smoothening his back and forcing him to breathe properly. His ears started ringing and the eerie feeling he felt in the prison came back a thousand times stronger.
Don't forget to close the door Prince.
Close the door.
Close the door.
Close—
"What the hell happened there?" Azriel growled looking at Cass and Feyre. Pure anger and raw agony etching his features.
"We would like to know as well," Rhys took a step towards where Xander was standing. But he froze as Azriel let out a growl of warning.
Xander looked at Rhys.
Don't come near. I will handle it.
Rhys relented and stood near Feyre.
"It's fine," Xander said, his throat burning with acid. Azriel turned to look at him. His eyes narrowed and pain visibly rippled through him.
"You closed the bond," he whispered.
"I know. I had to. I had to know more," Xander raised his hand where the golden thread was still woven around.
"Is that—"
Azriel touched the golden thread and looked at Xander. Xander nodded his head.
"The carver knew what it was," Xander said and explained to all of them what happened after Feyre and Cassian left him alone.
Azriel's jaw flexed as he listened to everything. Anger and shame washed over the bond. Xander felt the need to hug Azriel. He caressed the bond and Azriel let out a breath slowly.
"It sounds dangerous," Rhys said. His eyes flicked to Feyre and back to the gold chain on his hand.
"Everything we do is dangerous," Xander said, exhausted. He wanted to see what he looked like. He wanted to know if he looked as bad as he felt.
He turned towards Azriel.
Azriel's mental wall of shadows slithered away as the tip of his dagger touched it.
And he was right.
If it was possible he looked worse than he felt. Tears marred his face like lines of whips. His eyes were red rimmed. And lips so pale he looked cyanotic.
A sadness that wasn't his own overtook him. Anger battled with sadness and anger wielded the victory.
"We are done now," Azriel growled.
Only then he realized that that wasn't his anger. It was Azriel's.
Azriel's hands wound around his body and shadows swarmed them both.
Xander was numb when they reached the cabin. He didn't talk as Azriel undressed him, he didn't say anything as Azriel removed the gold chain from his hand. He didn't say anything as Azriel scooped him up and stepped into the bath.
Xander was on the verge of breaking. The cord holding him together was taut. He was going to collapse.
But he couldn't. If he did, he would lose whatever was left of his broken family.
And so he weaved a new cord. He was filled with so much anger. It was no difficult task to find it and weave it. He built himself in the arms of his mate as Azriel cleaned him up.
"I am here," said Azriel as he held Xander close to his body, "I am here. It's alright if you don't want to talk. Just know that I am here. I will always be here."
Xander burrowed into Azriel's body and let everything go.
Just for a moment.
He promised himself.
"Why aren't the leathers enough?" Xander asked as he watched Azriel take out a slick black suit from the closet for him to wear.
"You are going to the Court of Nightmares as the High Lady's brother. Not as a warrior."
Xander noted that Azriel was wearing his Illyrian leathers. With all of his seven siphons, twin swords and Truth Teller.
Xander nodded his head and got dressed.
"Listen minxie," Azriel said, straightening the lapels of Xander's black suit, "at The Hewn City I—"
Azriel hesitated to say whatever he wanted to.
"At The Hewn City you may see a side of me that you won't recognise. The Torturer. A side I never wanted you to see—"
Xander cut Azriel off with a kiss to his lips. Azriel reacted immediately and pulled him close by the lapels of his suit.
"There is no side of you that I won't love, Az," Xander said, "I love you. All of you."
He kissed both of Azriel's palm and tears welled in those beautiful golden eyes.
Every scar and wounds.
He loved them all.
"Your sisters have been moved to The Townhouse."
It was a good thing Xander supposed. Them not being cooped in the House of Wind all alone. He should have done that a long time ago. Maybe being somewhere else might help his sister.
"Shall we?" Azriel extended his hand for Xander and he took it. Shadows engulfed them both as they disappeared from the confines of their safe haven.
They were the last to arrive. Feyre and Rhys were standing first at the procession. Nesta and Amren standing behind both of them followed by Mor. Xander joined Nesta at her side and kissed her cheeks. Nesta to her credit kissed him back.
Azriel stood behind Xander. He could feel him near. Xander knew he would drift away with Amren once they reached inside. Until then he could be near.
The Court of Nightmares lived upto its name. Xander knew as much when he saw the doors to the throne room. Great scaled black beasts were carved into it. Nests of claws and fangs carved so accurately they looked alive. Some beasts were devouring each other, fighting and sleeping. Vines of jasmine and moonflower twined together.
Xander didn't balk at the sight as they walked past the gathered crowd. Unlike Nesta he ignored the gathered crowd as if they were dirt under his shoes. The throne of those black beasts loomed in the front. Everyone except Rhys and Feyre stopped at the foot of the dais.
"Bow," Rhys's voice echoed in the cavernous throne room. And Xander did. Gripping Nesta's hand in his own, Xander did.
And then it happened. As if testing their new found faeness. Tendrils of power snaked toward him. And by the way Nesta tensed beside him, he knew she must have also felt it. Nesta just squeezed his hand as if she knew what he was thinking.
Xander let them creep near him.
And then he wrapped his own power around it. Smothering and suffocating it. The magic faltered. Xander followed it back to its owner and entered his mind as if it was an unlocked door. It was a golden haired male. No wonder related to Keir.
Xander was ready to melt his brain when he decided against it. Only when Nesta tugged him up did he realized they were going to move.
Amren bowed her head when they reached the dais where his sister and Rhys were sitting, "By your leave, High Lord."
"Go enjoy yourselves," Rhys said. Xander caught Feyre's eyes as he turned around. Pure malice and disinterest danced in her eyes.
But a shadowy talon scraped on his mental wall of daggers. And Xander sent a thumbs up in answer.
A few heads turned their way as they walked away. But a bob of Amren's head, they looked away.
Hewn City would be beautiful if not only for its wretched occupants. Nesta and Xander followed Amren as she guided them away. When they reached a bronze double door, Amren laid her palms on it and the doors clicked open. Amren jerked her head and motioned for them to step in. The door clicked shut as they entered the room. Fae lights bobbed to life and Xander stifled a gasp of pain as he felt the magic around him.
It was sinister and cruel and tricky. Some outright sneered at him and others begged him to touch it. He didn't know what he was doing until he was jerked away by Amren.
"What do you think you are doing?" Amren growled.
Xander blinked his eyes. That was when he noticed his hands drifting towards a black chest on the table.
"It just... it called me," he said, rubbing his hands and trying to erase the mark of that trickster magic.
"That is what it does. That is what you are here for. Take out that chain and feel. Do not touch anything," she said looking between both Nesta and him, "You can not wrap your magic around everything. Be careful or it may eat you alive otherwise."
Xander looped the gold chain around his forefinger and clasped it at his forearm.
Power as beautiful as a night melody flowed into him. And the objects in the room started shrieking. In glee or fear he did not know. Xander let his power coat the room without making contact with anything. He let it feel everything. And he came in contact with something.
Xander hissed as another power slithered inside the room like a predator. Stalking and waiting. Making everything balk in its wake. Xander let his own wrap around the power and got a feel of it.
It was so cold. And hot. And stifling. He hasn't felt a power like this from anyone. But he knew the feeling. He knew where it came from.
Something inside of him urged him to take it and tear it away. But Xander didn't. He controlled every instinct of him and let the power slither away.
Is that you Nes?
He asked without turning away from the blade he was examining.
A beat passed as he waited in Nesta's head. It was like their sitting room. Back in mortal lands. It was designed like that. And there in the distance a door opened. And her voice answered.
Yes.
Did you—?
Yes, I took it. It took something from me so I took something back.
Every nerve in his body urged him to rip it away from her. Tear into her and drain her dry.
He immediately escaped from Nesta's mind. And Nesta turned around to look at him. Xander braced himself on the table and hung his head down.
Take it.
Take it back.
Tear it away.
A melody sounded in his head and Xander roared back in response.
It was his sister. And he would not harm her.
It was his sister.
Xander raised his head and met Nesta's stare.
I know.
He said and let her see. Let Nesta see everything. A single tear rolled down her cheek and her power in the chambers slithered away from him.
It's alright.
Said Xander and retreated back from her mind.
Xander continued to look around the things in the room. Avoiding Nesta's power at all cost.
"Did you get a feel of the magic?"
Amren asked after several minutes.
Xander and Nesta nodded their heads.
"Now find a tear in the magic."
Nesta and Xander looked around and settled their gazes on the tapestry hung on the wall.
Midnight black cloth sewed with silver thread. The designs depicted whereas fae and beasts together.
"That one," both of them said together.
"Now both of you try to mend it," Amren said, coming to stand near both of them.
That was going to be a problem. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if he let his magic mix with Nesta's.
"I will do it," Xander said looking at Nesta and Amren.
"Both of you need to learn how to work together if you are going to repair the wall," said Amren, looking between both of them suspiciously.
"It's not that. We—" Xander licked his lips before continuing, "Both of our powers are volatile. We don't know what will happen if we combine it together."
"Volatile?" Amren bit out, baring her teeth at both of them. Xander winced.
A shadow as cool as night wind caressed the mating bond. He let Azriel know it was nothing.
"What do you mean—"
"Someone's here," Xander said, cutting her off. He pulled both of them together and flung his power through the door, he caught hold of whoever it was on the other side and locked their limbs together.
Xander looked at Amren and she nodded her head.
"Well well well," Xander said, approaching the golden haired male from earlier, "look what we got here."
He slid his hands into his pockets and smirked at the male before him.
"One of Keir's lackeys."
The male looked between all of them and sneered in response.
"I will have your head for this you mortal filth," he hissed.
"Is that all you got little boy?" Xander clicked his tongue and picked at his nails, seemingly uninterested.
"If you didn't notice I have you by the balls," he squeezed his neck and the male struggled and clawed at his throat.
"Are you hungry, Amren?" He asked her.
Amren had a wicked smile on her face and the male wetted himself before passing out.
"Wipe his memory," Amren told him and waited.
Xander wiped the male's memory of their interaction and found the root of his questioning.
"Keir sent him," he said, straightening his cuffs, "to follow us and find out what we are doing."
"I am going to eat him whole one day," Amren growled, "let's get out of here."
They stood outside only for a few minutes before the other party joined them.
Are you alright?
A shadow curled around his ear and asked lovingly.
I told Nesta.
Xander told Azriel, looking at him.
Is she —?
Yes she is fine. How did it go there?
Azriel arched one perfect eyebrow at him.
How do you think it went in there? With Keir, Eris and Mor in a room together?
That bad?
Xander grimaced. Azriel slid his hand around his waist and shadows swarmed them.
You will find out soon enough.
If that wasn't cryptic.
"Why?" Mor's voice broke as she whirled towards Rhys the moment they stepped inside the Townhouse.
She slammed her hands against Rhys's chest and shouted, "Why?"
"Eris found Azriel. Our hands were tied. I made the best of it. I am sorry," Rhys said, his throat bobbed.
Azriel's mental wall of shadows lowered and Xander saw what exactly happened while he was with Amren. He saw Keir and he saw the smug bastard Eris. And what they did.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Mor whirled towards Azriel, Her finger raised.
A growl escaped Xander's throat as he stood before Azriel. Towering over Mor, his eyes a brilliant gold.
Mor took a step back and looked away. As if looking at Xander's eyes hurt her.
Azriel's hand slid around his waist and Azriel tugged him back to his chest.
Azriel's chest rumbled as he spoke, "Because you would have tried to stop it. And we can't afford to lose Keir's alliance and face the threat of Eris."
Xander watched as Cassian took Mor's side and looked his brothers down.
Are you alright?
Xander let one of his own shadows caress Azriel. Azriel looked at him and his hands stroked his abdomen.
Yes. Yes I am fine. We will be fine.
Azriel promised him.
It was an emotional slide from that point. The talk of wars and allies finally were made solid and it was going to happen. Whether he wanted it or not it was. There was no stopping it.
"You are talking about the Ouroboros," Amren said. Right, she didn't know about the visit to prison. She still thinks it was Azriel who remodeled that gold chain in his hands, "Why do you want that mirror?"
Azriel's shadow swarmed Xander and his shadows danced in tune with Azriel's. Obscuring them from Amren's view. Lucien slipped away to his room. Cassian placed himself near Nesta. Rhys near Amren and Mor behind Feyre. He had no doubt that Lucien would whisk Elain away at the sign of trouble. They would be fine if Amren decided to unleash herself. Xander burrowed down. Deep into his bones where he stashed Amren's power that day. His power recoiled from it but Xander willed it to wrap around the hideous thing.
"Call off your dog," Amren tone was lethal as she bared her teeth at Xander and then back to Azriel. Azriel slid the Truth-Teller into his hand and his other hand further tightened around Xander, pushing him behind Azriel. But Xander stood his ground. His eyes flashing gold, holding Amren's withering glare.
Everyone sucked in a sharp breath of air. Knowing well that there wouldn't be much left if Amren and Xander battled it out.
"Why won't you tell us?" Rhys asked from where he remained standing.
Azriel's shadows caressed Xander and let the terrible power slip out of his hold. His magic shuddered in relief. It coiled around him like usual as if it was glad to be rid of Amren's other worldly power.
"Because the stone beneath this house has ears—all of it listening, and if it reports back... They will remember, they have not caught me. And I will not let them put me in that black pit again."
Xander felt Feyre's magic locking in place as she shielded the room so no one could hear it.
To lose one's identity was the most horrible thing one could undergo. He knew what it felt like. His sisters knew what it felt like. And Amren did too.
'We are the same,' she had said that night. 'We do not fit the mould they shoved us into.'
The difference between them was she was willing to change her identity for freedom. Whereas he and his sisters didn't have a choice. She could have been all powerful if she remained where she was. And yet she suffered for placing her needs and curiosity above others. She suffered, she suffered a great deal. Without light, without wind she wasted away.
Azriel's understanding flowed down the bond and Xander fought to control his powers. He fought to keep the instinct to kill those who harmed his mate, his beautiful Azriel.
His mate.
His love.
Locked away in the dark.
Azriel's presence near him grounded him and steered his mind away from the fury. On Amren.
To forget one's name. To forget one's nature of who she was.
"Oh," Elain said standing near the stairs, the shield of air fell away as Xander walked towards her.
"Do you need something?" He asked her, holding her delicate fingers in his hands. Azriel was behind them in an instant.
"No I was sleeping, but I heard," she shook her head. Blinking, her eyes shifted to where Lucien had gone up. Up and down she looked between them. "I didn't hear you."
Azriel stepped near Xander taking his other hand, "But you heard something."
Elain looked at Xander, he gave her a nod of his head. "I think I was dreaming," she murmured. "I think I am always dreaming these days."
"It's ok to dream," Xander gave her a nod of his head.
"I can hear her—crying," she said and started climbing the steps. "Everyone thinks she is dead." She kept walking. Xander held his breath as he waited for the other shoe to drop. "But she is not. Only-different. Changed. As I was."
"What did you see," Azriel asked following Xander up the stairs. Elain froze in her steps and turned around. Regarding Azriel with curiosity.
"I saw young hands wither with age. I saw a box of black stone. I saw a feather of fire land in the snow and melt it."
Xander refused to turn around and look at his other sisters who were thinking about it. No. No he wouldn't. He—
"It was angry," she whispered. Dread pooled induce his stomach like hot lava. Hot and cold at the same time. Xander stood there frozen. "It was so so angry that something was taken. So it took something from them as punishment."
Blood roared in his ears and he tasted bile acid. He couldn't move. His limbs felt heavy and his head spun in circles. Azriel's warmth engulfed him and they winnowed away.
"It was angry," Xander said, staring at Azriel, "it was angry."
"Why was it angry, baby?"
"Because it was robbed," he said silently, "because Nesta stole from it. It was angry that she took it."
"I felt it," his voice trembled as Azriel's shed both of their clothing. And held him close to his body. Xander's skin brushed against Azriel's. The warmth of his mate poured into him.
"I wanted to rip it away from her. I wanted to take it from her," Xander shuddered in Azriel's arms. "Please don't make me do it," he asked Azriel. Tears springing in his eyes. Azriel pulled him close to his chest and whispered, "I promise I won't."
A dreamless sleep took him over and Xander succumbed to it.