shadows don't lie

Chapter Seven

Inei was seated in the small area that Azriel had shown her, reading a book. She wore a loose longsleeve white tunic over a pair of close fitting black pants, along with a pair of simple black flats.

Her hair had been swept up from her back in a messy but elegant bun, and black iron earrings hung from her delicately pointed ears. Although in most social circles her outfit would be considered casual, she felt too dressed up. Azriel had informed her that morning that the dinner with the High Lord’s Inner Circle would be tonight, and it had completely caught her off guard so she had spent hours in her room trying to get ready. It had been difficult to decide what to wear, how to act, or even just how to put her hair.

The day that Azriel had invited her, she was so nervous that she stayed in her room for the rest of the night, and well into the next day. Azriel hadn’t come looking for her about training so she just remained in bed staring up at the ceiling, trying not to think about it. Eventually she had gotten up, stretching and yawning before setting out to find some food.

Inei turned a page in the book, carefully setting the ribbon in to mark her page. It was about the human myths, and some of their ancient dieties, which was interesing enough.  Shifting in her seat, she looked around the room, moving her eyes falling to the hands in her lap. They were ugly and marked, the once smooth and delicate hands now forever scarred, and even though the dark tattoo against her right hand looked alright, it hadn't really done much to cover said scars.

She still hadn’t grown used to the sight that awaited her everytime she looked in the mirror, but she noticed that over the past couple of weeks that her skin had darkened to a light honey color, and that her face had filled in enough that her eyes weren’t sunken, and her cheekbones didn’t jut out.

It seemed so long ago that she had been truly happy, truly content. Sure, in the quiet weeks she had grown comfortable, but she also felt empty. She shouldn’t be alive, and for whatever cruel reason she was, but the result had been this never-ending void that resided in her.

One of her shadows squeezed her silently, and she stood and smoothed her clothes, taking one last look at herself. He walked in mere seconds later dressed in his Illyrian leathers, the two cobalt siphons atop his hands flashing in the light.

“Are you ready?” He asked her smoothly, but something like apprehension flashed in his eyes. Inei shrugged her shoulders and Azriel held out a hand, the final question of  'are you sure' before they left.

She reached out and took it, his scars and calluses rough against her skin. One of his shadows slipped over her skin, and in return one hers floated to the curve of his shoulder, and Azriel gripped her hand and looked her in the eye.

“Remember, we can leave at any time. Even if we just arrived.” She looked at him before nodding. “Yes.”

His shadows billowed out, surrounding the two, and Inei shivered at the chill that washed over her. Azriel tugged her arm softly as he stepped forwards, and Inei moved with him.

Inei clung to his hand as the air turned thick, but she could feel the difference as she moved, like this darkness was lighter. She didn’t have long to think on it though.

The shadows dropped away all at once along with Azriel’s hand, but Inei gasped as she found herself standing on a large grassy waterfront, a large winding river flowing mere feet away.

Following the flow, Inei looked to her left, and her eyes widened as she took in the glowing city below her. The sun had set about an hour ago, but the buildings that lay in front of her shone like the sun was still high in the sky. The city wrapped around the coastline to what she assumed was the ocean, and the river beside her wound through the buildings and out into the water.