𝒜 𝒞𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝑅𝑒𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒮𝒸𝒶𝓇𝓈 | ᴀᴢʀɪᴇʟ

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Arwen sat in her bedroom, breathing heavily, and attempted to lose that feeling in her stomach again. The bag next to her feet had been filled with trinkets that she cared to take with her. Amren had offered her apartment once. Under the condition that she remained quiet and came alone, both of which Arwen could fulfill. There was no way she could stay in the town house any longer. Not now that she knew how her presence had come to be a burden on its owner. He wouldn't want to see her and she didn't want to see him. If Cassian truly wished to talk to her the coming day, he would find her.

Pushing from the mattress, she left the bag by the foot of the bed and set her mind on something to eat. The only thing that had reached her stomach that day was a few bites of bread and a mouthful of orange juice. Arwen had dismissed breakfast after the events with the servant that infuriated the hunger out of her. Lunch was supposed to be served after the meeting with Thesan and Helion and—

And Arwen hadn't exactly felt like staying around to sip on tea and eat dainty sandwiches with Tamlin sitting across from her.

Holding her stomach, Arwen ventured into the kitchen and let her eyes wander to find what would catch her interest. The apples and other fruits were far too sweet for her complaining stomach. The scent of bread nauseated her even more. Not in the mind for cooking, she passed over anything that would require more than a minute's work to prepare.

Nuts. She could eat some nuts. Not sweet, could be eaten by the handful. Perfect.

They were sitting in a crumpled paper bag that she had placed down days ago from a trip into the city markets. They had been salted as well. Arwen pinched them and plopped them straight onto her tongue. Swallowing, she waited for her stomach's response.

Not as good as she was hoping, but she kept nibbling at them slowly. Until they too started to curdle inside of her. The packet dropped from her hand, contents spilling along the floor but Arwen had already sped away. Barely making it to the sink, she clutched the metal lip and threw up. Her stomach clenched in on itself, making her heave over and over again, each one burning her throat more.

When she had finally given everything she could give, Arwen slumped and opened her eyes. Her lips dried at the sight within the sink. Black ooze splattered across the otherwise silver metal, dripping down into the plumbing. At the sensation of wetness on her chin, she reached up and swiped a finger across it. The same black liquid covered her fingertips.

~

In the House of Wind, Rhysand's office had become the victim of a raging storm. Or something close to it. He sat in his chair, the flat of his boots pressing into the lip of his desk. He had thrown his head back to stare at the ceiling, unable to take in their faces as well as their words. "I know." The words fell from his lips on repeat. He knew he fucked up—and he didn't need them to tell him that. He realised the moment he heard that necklace touch the floor.

He had stopped his rambling then. Nothing was on his mind but the way she looked at him and he couldn't speak. He was going to—he would have found something to say to her but then his arm started burning and he lost all sense again. So when she asked to leave, all he could do was dumbly nod.

Mor led the assault against him, which was deserved but no less infuriating to sit through. Azriel stood at the side of his office, alternating his glares between Cassian and him. He snapped away from the wall where his shadows stormed around him. "I'm going to see her."

Cassian, as if already suspecting the movement, had been waiting near the door. His wings sliced through the air, wide and defensive, and blocked the doorway. He bulked his body to match. "No, Az, you're not."