it had been near - impossible to pull herself away from the inner circle ( from her brother ) but as she had turned towards the fae that had gathered below the elevated dias in the throne room, fear contorting the hope that had once shone from their faces, amaris knew that she was needed elsewhere. azrael had his general and his spymaster by his side, formidable even without the use of their siphons and only a fool would assume seren was harmless without her ancient gifts, but those that were cornered by the possessed fae had no such skills. strapped between her wings, the twin swords had been ignored as mere accessory upon her back when she had walked into the throne room that morning ─ as she drew the swords from where they had been sheathed, as long and wide as her arms, the lady of the night court had been intent on clearing a path for the others, using her wings to shield stumbling bodies even as claws dug into the leather span.
with her charges trusted into the safety of the dining hall that had been transformed into a base of operations, guarded by those capable of fighting, amaris had limped back to the throne room in spite of the concerns of others, desperate for any news of her brother. reassurance had come from his second in command, shouted words over the clamour but time itself seemed to stand still when her eyes rested on the shadowsinger, the noise of the battle deafened by the rush of blood to her head as she stumbled towards him. malik must have sensed her, his head lifting to scan through the conflicting crowds but she had not reached him first, mouth dropping open in a horrorified cry as one of the creatures approached him, coming close enough to grab onto him. ❝ mother above ... mother, no. ❞ there was still so much unsaid, memories of their last evening together when he had pressed his mouth to her head so gently, the smell of his illyrian leathers remaining in her room when she had roused that morning to find him gone. ( he could not die. not when she had not found the courage to acknowledge what had passed between them, the fragile bond that she refused to breathe life into. ) ❝ malik ! ❞
her brother would cuff her over the head if he had seen her, pushing through and calling for the spymaster ─ it was the one thing she had been warned against, as a girl training to be a warrior, to keep her from distracting them when their focus needed to be on their opponent, but malik had cut through the creature with ease, their eyes meeting for the first time since that morning when she had exchanged a look of commiseration with him over the breakfast table at the thought of the pomposity of the treaty signing. ❝ malik ... ❞ her mouth formed his name with a sigh of relief, eyes burning with unshed tears as she collided against his chest, arms wrapping around his middle tightly as she tucked her face against his neck, feeling the thrumming of his heart beneath her hand. tucked in his arms, amaris felt safer than she had even with her swords in her grasp, gasping little cries against his neck even as he pulled away. her body went unwillingly, arms loosening but her head was the last to lift, brows furrowed even as her fingers trailed up his arms in search of any injuries.
❝ run --- ❞ indignation colored her cheeks ─ would he always see her as an underfoot girl, forever needing his protection ? the thought infuriated her for some odd reason, as it always had when the boys had playfully formed a protective circle around her. with azrael and koray, it was natural and welcomed but she did not want malik to treat her as such. ❝ i did not run away, malik, do not make me sound like a coward. i went to help the others get to safety. i am perfectly capable of holding my ground and i ... why am i even explaining myself to you ? ❞ she owed him nothing. they were nothing to each other. ( even as she hissed at his scolding, her eyes were shining with tears, relief blinding as she pulled him closer. ) somewhere in the distance, something shrieked and her shoulders drew in tight at the sound, hands tugging him away from the danger.
❝ i am fine, malik. you can safely tell my brother that you did not fail, spymaster. i --- i don't know why you care ! you trained me, do you have no trust in your methods or do you just think i will always need you ?! ❞ ( always. she would always need him. )