***

"but if you close your eyes"

***

The streak of silver flying at her face was meant to kill her. At this point it was very evident that Elias, the ever obedient servant to her father, did not hold back during her training

Taking another deep breath in, she extended her right leg into the air, bracing for the sudden pain of the knife hitting her ankle in her efforts to knock if away from its path headed to her heart. As the knife handle collided with her already bruised ankle, she forced her leg down in an arc, bringing the knife clattering to the floor. She grimaced through the pain, readjusting her footing to get ready for the next blade being thrown at her. As she twisted to the left and prepared her leg to go up, the rising sun's glare blinded her momentarily. She heard the slight noise of the blade cutting through the air, and raised her leg up in instinct, arcing it out until she met the knife with her ankle. Stumbling back as she tried to regain her footing, she heard Elias unsheath another knife. Grumbling to herself, she attempted to dive to the floor to escape the sharp blade targeting her.

As she reached the floor, she heard a loud clang -- the knife meeting another weapon, before it unceremoniously dropped to the ground beside her. Letting out a mental sigh, she let herself relax on the floor for a moment before rolling over and propping herself up on her elbows. Standing in front of her with a smirk begging to be smacked off his face, was someone she did not feel like dealing with at the moment.

"Fou-"

"Shut up." she deadpanned.

Widening his grin even more, he sidestepped to pick up her dagger before turning around to prompt wave it in her face.

"I found you!" he exclaimed, "nine years of playing this absolutely stupid game and I finally. Found. You."

"Great."

"The great Zosime, finally, los-"

"Az," she said softly, "Please think very carefully before you finish that sentence". Pushing herself up so that she was no longer leaning on her elbows, she crossed her legs before continuing, "It is one hour after after dawn. My mind feels like there are kradtms trying to fight their way out. Elias was just trying to kill me," she seethed, "and my father," she spat out the horrendous word, "demands my presence at the High Court today".

Az's face softened as he processed her words. Wisely not addressing her last comment, he replied with a soft sigh. "The dreams?" he questioned.

Nodding, Zosime straightened her back to look straight at her one and only friend in the Court. "The nightmares," she replied back.

"Did you take the tonic that the High Priestess gave you?"

She scoffed, "Like I'd ever trust a word that came out of that hag's mouth. She'd sooner poison me and throw me into the Zükben then give me something to get rid of the demons in my dreams."

His mouth started to set into a hardened line, fists clenching he turned around and started pacing. Back and forth, the sand on the training grounds blew around him as his feet left angry imprints on the floor.

"We have to be able to do something," he exclaimed.

As Az turned back toward her, she saw the faint sparks appearing on his arms, his veins brightening with the heavenly lightning coursing through him. His control was slipping and Elias was still behind them. No matter how much she hated the King of Heavens, the one thing that they did agree on is that the Olympian power running through the demigod descendents was something that had to be kept a secret, for their own safety. She quickly pushed herself up, sand flying around her and tried to regain her balance. With aching legs she limped her way to Az and tightly grabbed his wrist.

Yanking him towards her, she pulled him down enough to whisper "Calm down."

She could feel his veins pulsing beneath her palm but she continued to tighten her grip and move forward. With her sights set on the Northeastern Tower, she dragged Az behind her, sparks flying off of his arms and landing on the sand, leaving scorching hot spots in their wake.
"Zo-" he started.

"Not now," she spoke in a hushed tone, "Listen to me for once and just keep walking."

She could see the muscles in his jaw working, but she didn't care. Her one job at this moment was to get him to safety. Her legs protested as she pulled him towards the Northeast Tower, her eyes flickering from east to west, canvassing the now empty training ring, save for the few guards.

As they approached the tower she shoved him inside before locking the heavy wooden door behind her. She pulled up the worn leather pants she was wearing to uncover two curved blades, gleaming even in the dark room they were in. Hooking her fingers through the holes on top of the dark handles, she flipped them up into her hands and gripped them tightly. Extending her leg to the stool closest, she wrapped her ankle around it before she kicked it to the door. Facing Azureus, she examined his still glowing body before moving away from the stool and pointing to the stairs with her knives in hand.

"Up," she commanded.

"Bossy mu-"

Zosime tightened her grip on the knives. "Up," she repeated, "now".

He took one glance at her before wisely making his way up the old stairs. With every step he took, the old wood groaned and creaked. She watched him move halfway up the stairs and looked at the door one more time before running up the stairs to catch up to Az.

"My chambers," she spoke softly.

He looked at her questioningly before nodding and climbing the last couple steps to her room. Az opened the old oak door and took a step inside the lavish room. Pushed against the wall was an elegant iron frame with a cot that seemed to be made of clouds. Plush pillows in varying shades decorated the cot. The separate sitting area was just as elegant, but covered in a variety of weapons ranging from simple knives to curved swords. As Az surveyed the new room, she took her chance to drop the knives and slam the door shut, bolting it closed with various locks. She ran through the room picking up various pieces of weaponry before clasping two curved blades to the leather belt of her training uniform and strapping the knives back to her legs. Picking up a silver longsword, she tested its weight and grip, rotating and flipping it in her right hand, before shoving it in Az's chest.

"Hold this."

"Zo," he tried to speak over the clanging of armor she was belting on. "Zo!" he yelled softly. When she didn't respond, he tried once again "Zo, what in the goddamn Heavens is-".

"What!" she exclaimed

"Zosime Aetós! What in the actual Heavens going on?" he shouted back, taking a step closer to her; the sparks still visible against his tanned skin.

She turned clasping on the last buckle on the shimmering gold armor for her chest before taking a look at his face. She paused. "You really didn't notice?" she questioned, confused.

"Noticed what!" he exclaimed.

"The guards..." she started before trailing off, trying to recall the details of when they had arrived. Their weaponry, their armor, their ensignia.
"What about the guards!" Az shouted once again.

She shook her head before turning around to face Az again. "They weren't guards Az," she sighed. "Those were assassins."