(Ashmeer POV)
I held her in my arms as we danced to a lively ballad. The dances in Andora were cheerful and classical. There was very little close dancing and a lot of clapping and foot-stomping. The Andorans were a cheerful lot. They had been spoilt by the riches of their kingdom and the sheer wealth of their nation. Yet, their very wealth and greed had become their downfall.
I frowned as I thought of the terrible calamity their greed had brought down upon us. It was just a matter of time before another Ruin was upon us. The brilliant sunshine and lovely music were not enough to keep the chill at my heart at bay.
I looked at Azriel, as I whirled her around for the dance finale. The tiny sapphires in her hair glinted in the sunlight, and her bun had become a little loose with all the dancing. Tiny curls had escaped and framed her pretty face. Her rosebud mouth was pursed in concentration as she followed the steps, and it took every ounce of my self control not to hold her against me and kiss her. I could smell roses on her and it was like an elixir to my senses. The rose water had mingled with Azriel's own unique scent to be my own personal drug. I could inhale it for the rest of my life.
Abruptly I stopped!
What was I thinking? Was this what I really wanted? When we had set out from Irismus, Ashdeer had shared his desire for a marriage alliance with Andora for me. However, it was assumed that I would be wed to Vizriel's middle sister. She was indeed a bewitching beauty and the toast of the Elaran Kingdom. Queen Ishatar herself had held a gala in her honour on her debut and there were so many offers for her hand. It was not only her beauty that was behind these offers, but the immense wealth of Andora and the dowry she would bring.
It could all stop now, in a few days alone. It was just a matter of time if we did nothing to stop it.
If I could stop it.
Ashdeer had made it clear that this was a reconnaissance trip before we investigated the blight that was affecting the mines of Andora. He had suggested we travel light, with a few trusted men and one of the famed 'whisperers' of Andora into the mines from where the Blight was beginning. It had begun deep in the lowest mines, but had travelled much in the past 9 months, reaching almost the levels near the ground. Andora's mines were on multiple levels and had been there for two centuries, since almost before the Ruin. Yet, such a phenomenon had never occurred there.
Yet, this visit had presented another strange problem in front of my brother and myself. Azriel.
We had sensed strong magic when we had neared the path of the ruined castle, and Ashdeer had bid me fall back from the rest of the party and investigate. It had been easy to slip a little distraction to Malvin and Galvin, who were anyway frivolous and foppish princes. They had barely noticed me slip away from the party as they rode ahead with Ashdeer.
The ruined castle had been a revelation in itself. I had been amazed at the magnificence of it, but the aura of magic was all around it. Mostly ancient, but then like a beacon, I had felt the new magic as well. It had been so strong I had felt compelled to transfigure. I had no idea if I was going to encounter a beast, a mage or a witch, but it was enough for me to change to my Phoenix form. The creature I saw there was half changed, a silver Phoenix, so rare they were born only once in many decades. Yet, it was not fully formed or transfigured. In fact, half of the human part and the Phoenix part were fused together. I had still been trying to comprehend it when the creature had almost fallen and I realized that despite its strong magic it was no threat to me.
And that had been how I had met Azriel.
It had disrupted all my plans for now, and I knew my life was not going to be the same again.
I saw Ashdeer look at us speculatively as we danced and our eyes met across the dance floor.
A chill ran down my spine as I saw the expression on my brother's face. I was not the only one who coveted Azriel, he did too. The magic in her blood was so potent it was affecting him as much as it was affecting me.
My life was definitely not going to be the same again.