A Court of Darkness and Melodies

Chapter 16

Azriel's POV

Gwyn wouldn't wake up.

It had been three days since the mating ceremony, since the day he had almost died.

He had been ready for it, ready for death to come and take him into oblivion, when Gwyn had come running after him straight into the fog and brought him back from the edge.

He still didn't know how that had worked.

He had been awake, the fog somehow not letting him lose consciousness, and every second had been painful. His eyes had been so heavy that they had closed, but he had heard and felt each of Gwyn's movements as she had tried to wake him up.

He had tried so hard to move in response to her frantic shaking, but his numb body had paralyzed and he had failed.

He had felt her hand on his cheek before she fell down next to him.

He had tried so hard then, so hard to get up, some natural instinct in him roaring at him to get her to safety.

But his eyes had slowly closed, and the mist had pressed at him until his lungs stopped working.

Then after a few minutes he had felt Gwyn's body jerk into a sitting position and he had heard her scream.

His heart hurt thinking about it as he sat beside her bedside now, the sleepless nights back.

He remembered when he had gotten oxygen into his lungs again, how his eyes had shot open as soon as the weight of the fog had disappeared. 

And he had seen Gwyn glowing.

Every bit of her exposed skin had been radiating gold, but her body had been convulsing.

Azriel had never known fear like that before, and he had quickly gotten up, his speed back as if the fog hadn't almost killed him just a few moments before.

He had picked up Gwyn in his arms frantically, and roared at Rhys to get Gwyn a healer from where he was standing with Cassian, dumbstruck, at the stage. Then he had winnowed to Rhys's mansion immediately.

Madja had arrived as soon as he had lay Gwyn on the bed. He had stood there in the corner, not a single shadow swirling around him, as Madja had rubbed her hands and put them on Gwyn's chest, her body still jerking uncontrollably.

After a few minutes, Madja had told him that everything was normal. Her heart rate was steady, and her vitals were fine. But she didn't know why Gwyn's body was convulsing.

And then all of a sudden Gwyn's body had gone still, the shaking coming to a stop, and he had run to her in panic, exhaling heavily when he could still hear her slow heartbeat.

"Help her!" He had begged Madja, desperate. "Please." 

Madja had turned to him then, sorrow on her face. "I don't know how."

And then she had left the room. Azriel had pulled up a chair and sat at Gwyn's bedside, unfeeling when Cassian had come into the room and hugged him in relief. 

Everyone had come to him, glad that he was alive, but he had sat through it all. 

Even Elain had held him, tears streaming down her face, but he couldn't give anyone else a thought, when the beautiful Priestess who had saved him was lying unconscious on the bed in front of him, all because she had almost given her life up for someone as worthless as him.

He sat beside her now, three days passing heart wrenchingly slow. 

His shadows had returned, but he kept his complete focus on the girl lying on the bed. Every little stutter in her heart rate and every falter in her breath had his heart pounding, expecting the worst.