Chapter 42: Something Worth Fighting For

𖤐••{AZRÆL’S POV}••⛧

A fortnight has passed since I last breathed the same air as Rhiannon.

When you’re an immortal who has lived as long as I have, time becomes meaningless. A day, months, even years can pass without leaving much of an impression.

But the past fourteen days have been the longest of my entire existence.

At first, I thought it wouldn’t affect me much. I thought I could carry on with my life as if she had never existed.

I was wrong.

Now I just feel like I’m being tortured.

I understand why she’s angry with me, but being forbidden from even seeing her face is simply unreasonable.

She has invaded every corner of my mind, leaving me no room to think of anything else but her.

Every night, I lie down in bed and close my eyes, only to find myself staring at the ceiling for hours until sunrise.

And no matter how many times I tell myself to stop because it only makes things worse, I still find myself lingering outside her chambers at least once every day, leaning against the door and listening to the steady beat of her heart on the other side—just to make sure she’s still there.

But if there’s one good thing these past two weeks have given me, it’s the realization I can no longer deny.

I have fallen hopelessly, helplessly, and completely in love with Rhiannon Aurelian.

I raise my wineglass to my lips, but I pause when I hear footsteps coming from behind me.

I don’t even need to look to know who it is.

"Azeria," I say quietly.

She steps beside me and leans against the balcony railing.

"What are you doing out here at this hour, brother?" she asks, her voice calm.

"I should ask you the same question," I reply, taking a slow sip of wine.

A small smile curves her lips. "Fair enough."

We stand in silence for a long moment, gazing into the night as the cool breeze brushes against our skin.

"You haven’t been coming to dinner," she says. Then her eyes fall to the glass of bloodwine in my hand. "And you’ve been drinking a lot lately."

She straightens and steps closer, searching my eyes for a few heartbeats.

"You’ve also been moodier than usual these days," she says softly. "Something is bothering you. What is it?"

I ignore her, fixing my gaze forward and raising my glass to my lips. But before I can drink, she seizes the glass and takes it gently from my hand, setting it aside on the railing.

"Talk to me, Azræl," she says slowly, her tone pleading. "We’re family. I can tell when something is eating away at you."

My shoulders sag as I let out a heavy sigh.

"It’s Rhiannon," I mutter. "She hates me."

Azeria’s brows rise. "Oh."

I can’t quite read the look on her face. But she’s neither shocked nor surprised.

"Well..." she narrows her eyes, angling her head slightly. "You did ruin what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. You killed the man she was about to marry. Then you dragged her away from her family and forced her into a marriage with you. Rhiannon has every reason under the sun to hate you," she gives a light shrug. "That’s hardly news."

I throw my head back, letting out a tired groan. "Please, spare me the lecture, Azeria. I am very well aware of everything I’ve done and I’m not proud of it."

"Then what is it?" she asks, crossing her arms.

My lips part, but I hesitate for a heartbeat before answering.

"She barged into Delilah’s chambers and found me in bed with her," I say quietly. "Then she got angry and practically dragged Delilah across the floor by her hair."

Azeria’s eyes widen with surprise. "Now that is something I would’ve loved to see."

I give her a dry, unimpressed look before I continue.

"Rhiannon lectured me about breaking our vows, insisting that as her husband, I’m supposed to remain completely faithful to her. But how is that supposed to work when I’m not allowed to touch her, yet I’m not allowed to seek pleasure elsewhere either?"

"Then what happened?" she asks.

"I saw through her anger and knew she felt jealous after seeing me be intimate with Delilah," I answer. "So... I tried to pull the truth out of her."

Azeria’s brows slowly knit together. "How?"

"I..." my gaze drops to the railing. "I touched her between her thighs."

For a moment, there’s nothing but silence between us until she starts laughing.

It’s not loud or hysterical. But I’m starting to regret opening my mouth in the first place.

"Oh Gods," she breathes, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "I never imagined a day would come when someone would bring the mighty Azræl Bloodbourne to his knees."

"If you’re here to mock me, Azeria, just leave," I grumble, shooting her a wounded glare.

"Calm down, brother," she chuckles, playfully nudging my shoulder with hers.

We fall quiet again, but in that silence, I find myself gripping the railing so tightly that the stone cracks beneath my fingers.

"Did you know she’s forbidden me from seeing her for the past two weeks?" I mutter, sounding more like a sulking child than an emperor.

"What?" Azeria asks, her tone confused. "Why?"

A bitter laugh escapes me as I rake my fingers through my hair.

"For the first time since I brought her here, I felt like we were finally getting somewhere. Like she was beginning to see me as something more than the man who destroyed her life."

I pause, swallowing hard.

"We talked. We argued. We kissed." A faint, almost disbelieving smile touches my lips. "And for those few moments, I swear, Azeria... there was something between us. Something neither of us could pretend wasn’t there."

The smile disappears as quickly as it came.

"Then she told me how trapped she felt. She said she couldn’t stand being confined to her chambers anymore and she wanted to go outside to feel the sun on her face. To walk through the gardens. To ride a horse."

I lower my gaze.

"And I said no."

When I look at my sister again, there’s only a look of sadness on her face.

"Ever since then," I continue, "I’ve been asking myself if I was too harsh... if I was being too inconsiderate."

I turn away, staring out into the darkness.

"You should’ve seen the look on her face when she screamed at me to get out," I mutter. "She fucking hates me."

I reach for the wineglass Azeria set aside and she doesn’t stop me. With a single gulp, I drain everything that’s left before setting it down.

"Azræl," she says softly. "Drinking while brooding on a balcony all night isn’t going to change anything. You won’t know for sure if she hates you the way you think unless you talk to her."

"But she forbade me from visiting her chambers," I counter.

"Then fight for her," she says firmly. "Love isn’t always about being welcomed. Sometimes, it’s about refusing to give up."

My fingers tighten around the edge of the railing.

"Fight..." I repeat under my breath.

Perhaps that’s what I’ve been doing wrong.

I’ve been treating Rhiannon’s anger as a wall I have no right to cross. But... maybe I need to be the one willing to chip away at it until there’s nothing left standing between us.

A small smile curves my lips as I glance at Azeria.

"Thank you," I murmur.

Her face brightens. "Oh, what would you ever do without me?"

A chuckle escapes me as I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

Without another word, I turn around and leave the balcony, my heart beating with newfound hope as I head toward my wife.

꧁ ✧༺ ❦ ༻✧ ꧂

••{RHIANNON’S POV}••

It didn’t take long for me to regret what I did.

It was only after I pushed him away that I realized just how much his mere presence meant to me.

I watched the doors every single day for the past two weeks, hoping—praying—that he’d suddenly walk through them and stay with me even if he doesn’t say a word.

But if it’s been this long and he still hasn’t... then maybe he never will.

And it’s all my fault.

Suddenly, I hear strange sounds and footsteps coming from outside my chambers. I slowly sit upright, pulling the covers off and climbing out of bed.

As I take small steps toward the door, my heart gallops against my ribs.

Could it finally be him?

Oh Gods, I hope it is.

The door slowly swings open and my shoulders drop.

It’s not him.

It’s just a guard.

I exhale shakily, wrapping my arms around myself.

"What was that noise?" I ask. "Did Azræl send you to see if I’m alright?"

The guard suddenly drops to his knees then collapses to the floor with a heavy thud.

My eyes widen with horror as his head rolls in the opposite direction of his body, blood spilling from his neck and spreading across the floor.

My hands fly to my mouth as I stumble backward, nearly tripping over my feet.

My whole body freezes when I look up.

Four cloaked figures are standing outside the door, their faces almost entirely hidden beneath black hoods.

They step over the guard’s body as they slowly enter my chambers, then all four of them begin to smile.

And the moment I notice their fangs...

My heart stops.