A Court of Gold and Shadows

Romance is not dead if you keep it just yours - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Oriana Fireborn Belmond, Goldsmith, Enchantress, Mate

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

"Where's Az?" Cassian asked. They were supposed to have their weekly meeting at the River House. Rhys was there, of course, he was...but Azriel was nowhere to be seen.

"He's not with you?" Rhys asked, brows furrowing.

"No. I thought he was in Winter?" There had been talk about exchanging intelligence with the Winter Court in connection to Spring and whatever Tamlin was up to these days.

"He came home last evening. The whole thing was a bust," Rhys said with a sigh. "He got stuck in a bloody ravine," he recounted with a shake of his head.

Cassian pulled a grimace. That didn't sound particularly great.

"How bad was it?" he asked. "Was he hurt badly?"

"He said he was fine," Rhys waved him off."

"And you believed him?" Cassian asked incredulously. He highly doubted that one could just walk off a freaking ravine. Even with the quick healing of a High Fae.

"He's a grown-up," Rhys said tightly. "Besides, my worry wasn't appreciated."

"Have you tried reaching out?" Cassian wondered. "It's not like him to be late." Azriel was punctual to a fault.

He watched Rhys's expression tighten for a moment in concentration and Cassian waited.

Rhys swallowed.

"Nothing," he finally said quietly. "I get absolutely nothing, Cass. He's not out of my range, but I get nothing."

That...That really wasn't good.

He wasn't dead. That was something though.

"That's not good," he breathed. It was absolutely horrible. Because it meant that Azriel wasn't simply asleep. Even if knocked out, Rhys would probably be able to get something. But to get nothing? Nothing at all?

"No," Rhys agreed.

"I'll go check on his house," Cassian volunteered. "It's as good a place to start as any." Especially when the reason why Azriel couldn't talk to Rhys was far worse than what they imagined. "See if he arrived back home."

"I'll check in with Nuala and Cerridwen," Rys agreed. "Let me know once you know." Rhys hesitated for a moment. "Thank you, Cassian."

"He's my brother too," Cassian gave back quietly. "Let me know if you get anything."

The worry that churned in his gut...that was something else entirely as Cassian took flight towards Azriel's house.

If he was asleep Rhys would have been able to prod him awake, if he was knocked out, Rhys would probably get something. But to get nothing? That wasn't good at all.

He landed in the forest and then he promptly needed 5 minutes, before he realised that the wards that were set around the property had been gently redirecting Cassian away from it, without him even knowing.

He had never experienced something like that.

It pissed him off to no avail, that much was certain though.

They were also definitely not set by Azriel's magic. He knew his brother's magic, knew the taste and feel of it, the way it moved...

Rhys' magic felt like an avalanche. Azriel's magic felt like the eye of a storm, perfectly still until it wasn't, turning into a hurricane in a blink.