A Court of Shadows and Thunder // AzrielxOC SlowBurn Romance, ACOTAR FanFiction

Chapter 54 - Broken Court

When Azriel opened his eyes, the spot on the bed besides him was empty. He was laying on his stomach, his wings splayed out over him like a blanket, and he knew he hadn't slept like this in a long time. Not so deeply, not so peacefully.

It was fairly early in the morning, and Azriel's hand stretched out to where he thought Brianna had been, finding that the sheets had already grown cold. He swore he had felt her warmth only moments ago, that he had felt it all throughout the night, and wondered what it was that happened.

It wasn't the first time they had shared a bed, but it was nothing like the last time, either. That time, Brianna had been crying and Azriel was giving her comfort. She had told him something of her herself, a piece of her past that had hurt her so deeply, that all Azriel had wanted to do was hold her and tell her it was alright.

This time, she had asked him to stay and they had slept, words left unspoken, the turmoil of not knowing if there would be something more between them swirling in Azriel's mind. But, even so, Azriel didn't doubt that the little gap they had left between them on the bed had closed throughout the night. The thought of holding her in his arms as he slept made his cheeks grow hot, and he couldn't stop the shameless thoughts from flooding his brain.

He remembered what he had felt when he had held her like that before, when he had felt her warmth on the rooftop of the Guzzler's Groin. When she had leaned into him, had pressed into him, had almost closed that distance between them with a kiss. Azriel remembered how much his heart had raced, how he had never been more aware of his own body heat, how he had never felt desire much like it before.

But this time, Azriel had never felt more at ease, had never had a better sleep. Like the worries he kept in his mind had melted away, like the pull of sleep had actually been a relief. Even his shadows were calm, barely moving now, only swaying mildly above him, like soothing waves upon his skin.

But the spot besides him was empty now, and Azriel frowned, a sudden worry filling his mind. If she had left already, if she hadn't even said goodbye-

Then Brianna walked into his eye-line, and the saw the familiar brown leathers she wore, saw how she was attempting to move silently. She was still here, but she looked just about ready to fly off.

Azriel began to turn over so that he could be on his back, catching Brianna's attention as she looked at him. Her gaze lingered for a moment, on his tousled hair, his unbuttoned shirt, the way he blinked slowly and lazily, as if he still hadn't quite woken up.

Then she sat on the bed besides him, her brows knit together as if deep in thought, her hands slowly braiding her hair. Azriel could only look up at her, like he was almost imagining her presence there right next to him, like he was still caught in a dream.

"I compelled Drakar with my voice and told him to go where no one would find him, to never hurt anyone ever again," Brianna said, seemingly out of the blue, "Basically, I told him to fuck off someplace to die."

Azriel blinked at her, not quite sure if he was awake yet, not quite processing what she was telling him.

Brianna looked at him, tossing her loose braid over her shoulder and giving him a smile.

"Just thought you should know that," she told him with a shrug.

"Good morning to you too," Azriel said, his hands going to rub his very sleepy eyes.