To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 75: Sometimes

Raisa was staring at Azriel as left to retrieve her shoes. This was a different side of Azriel compared to the cloak of darkness he usually kept around himself. Now, the shadows around him were sparse and relaxed. Everything about him was relaxed.

"What are you looking at?" Azriel said as he returned to her, his voice was light and eyes curious. The morning sun had his warm skin glowing in a way that made her breath hitch. She wanted to capture his image and hold it in her heart forever.

"You have sand on your cheek," she laughed.

He titled his head up in a challenge as he approached her, returning her sandy slippers, "Oh do I?" He gave her a ghost of a smile and brushed his fingers against her own cheek, "so do you."

"Then I guess we better-'' her sentence cut off with a scream. One moment, her feet were comfortably digging into the sand and the next, Azriel swept her off her feet and shot into the sky. Her stomach wasn't prepared and lurched up with her scream, which brought a devious smile to Azriel's lips but the sickening feeling soon faded. She clung onto him for dear life, burying her face into the crook of his neck. For the most part, she was afraid. The first time they flew together felt so long ago and perhaps being dropped from such a height scarred her a bit. It was the feeling of falling that scared her, but strong arms and steady breathing soothed her until she began to enjoy the wind ripping through her hair.

By the time Azriel landed, he had to steady Raisa when he set her down on her feet. Her hair was a tousled mess but her eyes were bright and alive as she looked up at him. "That was fun," her smile was vibrant.

Azriel looked smug with himself as he kissed the top of her head and laced his fingers through hers, pulling her inside through doors with a stained glass mural. She didn't get much time to look at it, but she could tell dark blue glass with flakes of gold made up a star-filled sky, there was a scaled beast with wings, a river flowing through mountains, and in the middle was a circle with the Night Court's symbol- three stars over a mountain peak.

She was almost skipping to keep up with Azriel's long strides, she knew exactly where they were. It was the House of Wind- the house that overlooked the city of Velaris. It felt almost like a dream to be back, her mind still walked the edge of reality and imagination. She clung to her mate's arm and processed the house with a different outlook. Earlier, she had been stuck in her head and too anxious to see Azriel again to really take in the weight of being back. This place she could call a home. This place where she would be safe. Where she would be loved and welcomed.

Raisa stood at the doorway as Azriel entered his bedroom and let her hand fall. She watched him walk into his closet and disappear for a moment. Nothing about his room had changed, it was simple and humble. The bed frame was worn dark oak, his desk was well organized with papers sorted into labeled shelves, and the only decoration was of twisted metal on the wall she didn't understand. When Azriel returned, he carried a stack of clothes too colorful for his own taste. When he laid them out on the bed, she saw that they were all dresses.

Raisa was at a loss of words. Her jaw almost hit the floor, her eyes widened, and she just stood over the dresses. There were five dresses total. Not only were they beautiful, made of rich material, but they were styled in traditional Vallahan cuts. Her hand ran over the silk material of a white dress that shifted under the light like an opal. The slits on the sides went up higher than she was used to, but she loved it. She loved them all.

"Chaaya's lover sent one dress each year," Azriel was studying her face, trying to read her reaction. "If you don't like them, I bought-"

"I love them," her voice came out weak. She laughed it off, throwing her arms around Azriel in a bear hug. "You kept them for me," she felt her bottom lip begin to wobble- not because she was upset, but because she wasn't used to such kindness.