Azael woke to see sunlight drifting through the frosted window glass, and only a few flakes of snow scraped against it. A smile tugged at his lips, but couldn't fully form. Not when he knew what the next few days would bring. He glanced sideways to where Tissaia was still soundly sleeping, nestled against him with her head lying on top of his outstretched arm.

    He grimaced and flexed his fingers in an effort to rid himself of the sensation of pins and needles. Carefully, he eased his arm out from beneath her and smoothed a few stray wisps of hair back from her face. Tissaia didn't wake, though she swiped at her nose with a faint sniff, and this time, he did allow himself to smile.

    His gaze swept over her, taking in the ebony tresses that had been tucked into a loose braid before she fell asleep. A blanket was pulled up to her waist, but her back was mostly uncovered for a change. Azael leaned down and pressed his lips to a few of the scars there, keeping his touch light enough not to disturb her, then twisted out of bed.

    He collected his clothes and dressed swiftly and silently, taking care not to jostle any of his buckles as he strapped his belts into place. Tissaia stirred again when he sheathed Raxys at his hip and Orilight in between his shoulders, but she merely rolled over. Lastly, Azael gathered the top portion of his hair back and fastened it with a spare strip of leather to keep it out of his face, knowing the wind still blew.

    Then he slipped out of the room, leaving Tissaia to rest. Sounds of movement were beginning to stir from the other sleeping quarters as Azael made his way towards the entrance of the temple, and already he could see preparations being made for their departure the following day. He didn't tary long as he suspected Gaelen would already be waiting for him, and he was proven right when he reached the foyer of the temple.

    The male was leaning against one of the massive columns and gazing out into the white expanse beyond the building. He perked at the sound of Azael's footsteps. "I wasn't expecting you just yet," Gaelen said as he approached.

    "Everyone else is waking up. I think we're all tired of feeling closed in and ready to move on."
   
    "Well, the sooner we gauge the terrain, the sooner we might be able to leave." Gaelen turned towards the exit and his mouth curled down. "I'm afraid it could be rough going. Most of the mountainsides I can see from here look clear, but the valleys appear full. If that's the case, I'd prefer to travel around them which might take longer, and the mountainside will be more dangerous."

    Azael nodded his agreement, but kept his opinion unspoken for now. He would wait to see the conditions so he could review every route he and Vael had gone over, and decide whether or not they would still be viable options. Gaelen set off to leave, but Azael caught sight of someone from the corner of his eye.

    Talarion was approaching them, dressed in his leather fighting suit with his wings-like cloak draped around his shoulders. His hair was pulled into a tight braid, as it usually was when he anticipated being active. Azael furrowed his brows and ignored the questioning glance Gaelen threw at him.

    "Tissaia isn't awake yet," he said when the other male joined them.

    "Good. She needs to rest," came the gruff reply. Talarion continued past him and only halted when he reached the limits of the shield around the temple. "Weren't you two scouting or something?"

    Azael jerked his chin and Gaelen joined him while Talarion drifted outside. "I suppose he wants to come with us," the warrior guessed. "Couldn't hurt to have another set of eyes."

    Azael only shook his head. "Maybe you should stay. Let the two of us go. I think he has an ulterior purpose here."

    "Hm, very well. I'll see about the horses. Their supplies were beginning to run low last night. Maybe we can track down some more." Gaelen bowed his head and set off towards another wing of the temple where they had taken the horses to shelter, as there had been no stable and they couldn't leave the beasts outside to freeze to death.

    Azael took a moment to steel himself for whatever Talarion had in store for him before he followed the male beyond the temple. It didn't take long to catch up with him and they trudged through the snow without speaking. The going was somewhat easier than Azael had anticipated.

    The snow was light and fluffy, and they broke through it easily enough, though the stony ground underfoot was slick with hidden patches of ice. When his foot slipped off a patch he hadn't noticed, Talarion caught him by the arm and kept him upright. But aside from that gesture, the male remained stoic, not a single word or look betraying why he was there.

    Azael didn't push for an answer either. Talarion would either tell him, or he wouldn't, and he wasn't keen on irritating the male when the scent of what had happened between himself and Tissaia was still present. He simply resigned himself to the heavy air that hung over them.

•༻☽☾༺•

    Talarion could feel the Prince's confused gaze lingering on him, though he made no effort to acknowledge him in return. He kept his eyes fixed on the path ahead as he sent pulses of silver magic across the ground, blowing snow out of their path to expose the ice beneath. Sunlight glittered off the arctic terrain and flashed in his sight, half-threatening to blind him.
   
    They would have to be careful of that when they journeyed, but hopefully as they descended the snow would lessen. The rest of Asterria's lower elevations would be too warm for snowfall now. Most likely, the storm had turned to rain as it passed from the mountains.

    Depending how hard Roshan had pushed himself and his warriors, they might not have even contended with the snow. They could've been far enough down the mountain to only catch freezing rain, Talarion realized with a burst of frustrated rage. If that were the case, Roshan could already be at the edge of the foothills by now, placing him within a day's journey of Lochren.

    If he undid whatever magic Kaius had placed over that book before they got there, then... Talarion shook the thought away. No, he would not allow his mate's life to have been taken in vain. Kaius had died protecting that book, and he would make sure it was out of harm's way. His next breath sliced through his lungs, throbbing against that cold tether he was doing his best to ignore.

    He had been plagued by dreams last night that left him in shambles again this morning, and that was partially why he was here now. He couldn't bear to be alone in his head any longer. Constantly reliving those memories of the only happy moments in his life, and knowing they, he, was simply that now. A memory.

    Talarion gasped as his feet slid out from under him suddenly, but before he could fall further than onto one knee, Azael caught him beneath the arms. He hauled him upright and granted him a moment to recover. "You all right?" The Prince asked, arching a brow.

    Talarion nodded. "Thanks." He cleared their path once more and Azael followed after him.

    "I don't just mean in a physical sense."

    Tension stiffened Talarion's spine, but he kept his gaze fixed ahead. "I'm still here, aren't I?" He muttered after a moment, rubbing the thumb and forefinger of his right hand together. A slightly raised scar remained where he'd bitten himself while making his blood vow. A vow he knew Azael had overheard.

    "You know I can never replace you in her life, right?"

    Talarion scoffed at that. "I'd like to see you even try. But yes, I'm aware." He sighed and his shoulders sagged as a crippling weight settled over him. It was all he could do to remain standing and keep forcing himself forward. "But you must be aware that you mean something entirely different to her. Like Kaius meant to me."

    He sensed Azael's hesitation in the quick breath the male drew. Then, "I asked her to marry me, and she accepted. It will be sometime after we return to Arcan. This time, I meant it. It was my choice and hers."

    Talarion closed his eyes as Azael paused behind him. "Good," he said, his voice little more than a push of breath. "My sister will need you then."

    "I promised her there would be a place for you too, and there will be. I don't want either of you to have to stay in Lochren or wonder about where you're going to end up. Besides, I'll need all the support I can find if I'm going to challenge my father in some way." 

    A lump formed in his throat, preventing him from answering until he was able to swallow it. Talarion looked back over his shoulder and found Azael's gaze. He managed to grant the male the ghost of a smile. "You know I would gladly help you put the mad bastard in his place."

    Azael folded his arms across his chest, narrowing his eyes. "But?"
   
    He pulled his gaze away and lowered his head. "But there is only one place I will go after my father is dead."

    "You can't do that to Tissaia."

    "It's my choice." Talarion stared at the braided hair upon his wrist, feeling only the same resolution that he had carried since the bond had gone cold. Azael darted in front of him, grasping him by the shoulders with a grip that was almost painful.

    "Talarion," he began, then shook his head. "Brother, you can't."

    "It's my choice," he repeated. "And if you felt what I do, you would choose the same." He simply held Azael's distraught gaze, knowing his own held only weary determination. "I'm tired," Talarion murmured at last. "Tired of this life. Countless times I've pictured ending it. Wishing that I could. Many times I wished my father would just kill me himself. I thought of ways to enrage him enough that he would."

    "I've had only two reasons for continuing on as long as I have. Tissaia still needed me, and I thought I could have a future with Kaius that might be worth living for. But now he's gone, and Tissaia will have you to look after her. She will be safe and cared for, and I can be with my mate again. I can't live thousands of years with such bitter coldness being my only constant companion."

    "Every time I've fallen asleep since he...since Kaius...I've wished I'd not wake up. Even now, I have to remind myself why I can't just throw myself from the face of the mountain and let it be over. I'll not leave Tissaia in a world with our father still in it, but when he's gone..." He trailed off, letting his unspoken meaning sink in.

    "I can't believe you're making me try to picture ways of ensuring Roshan survives when we find him," Azael growled. "Your sister is going to kill me if she finds out I know what you're planning."
   
    "She won't. Deep down, I think she already knows. She wished it for herself too, and like me, she had two reasons for carrying on. I was there, and she loved you." The corners of his mouth lifted. "She's always been the more resilient of us."

    "I know it will hurt her, and I regret that, but I'd regret forcing myself to stay alive and letting her see the person I'd become even more. I feel dead already, Azael. I think my soul is. It's just waiting for my body to join it."

    The Prince searched his gaze and understanding dawned on his own features, though Talarion knew he didn't wish it to. Slowly, the male bowed his head. "I won't be the one to stand in your way when the time comes," Azael said. "But don't count on Tissaia extending you the same courtesy."

    "I won't." Azael turned away, but paused when Talarion called after him, "Thank you, Brother. I am glad you've finally found each other. I'm glad my sister will have you to lean on, after I'm gone." The Prince only stared at him as he brushed past and resumed moving snow out of their way.