AZRIEL

CHAPTER TEN

After Azriel had left, there was a brief period of silence until Celeste and Julian started talking among each other as normal.

I had zoned out. Was he mad at me for asking too many questions or was it about the King? I couldn't guess what the King may have done to his father, but it must have been bad enough if Azriel was willing to risk his life to take revenge.

Dinner after Azriel had left didn't last more than a quarter of an hour. Outside the dining hall was Cirse, waiting patiently for me to finish my meal and get me ready for training that same afternoon which I wasn't looking forward to, especially since I knew he wasn't in the best of moods.

"Cirse, do you happen to know anything about Azriel's father?" I had asked her casually as I watched her rummage through my wardrobes, trying not to sound inquisitive. Maybe I could get something out of her.

"Not much at all miss - I mean Adeline," She corrected herself quickly and I smiled at her, "Can I ask why?"

"I was just curious," I shrugged, "I'm sure you know about upcoming war. Azriel has waged an entire war against the King of Ancient Pandaemonium just so he can avenge his father. I was trying to make out the connection between them."

Her voice was quiet, on the verge of being a whisper and I could see the nervousness in her teal eyes, "All I know, Adeline, is that the King killed his own fraternal twin - Master's father, when Master was a juvenile. The reason why he did it is beyond my knowledge."

I felt my blood run cold and throat tighten - if Azriel's father and the King were brothers, that made him Azriel's uncle.

She glanced behind my shoulder toward the door.. "Master doesn't like discussion about his personal matters, so just don't tell anybody I told you."

I nodded, observing as Cirse placed my cleaned fighting suit on the bed besides me. She took a step back and bound her hands in front of her. "I will wait outside while you dress, and then I will escort you as usual."

"Can't you stay? I'll need someone to style my hair. As you know, I can't braid my hair for the life of me." I looked at her with hopeful eyes, my tone almost a plead. I didn't know why I wanted to be around her so much - perhaps it was the fact she reminded me ever so much of my sister Elena.

Her plump lips curved into a soft smile. "As you wish."

***********

Three in the afternoon was our designated training time for today and I was already running late, as per usual. There was a change in venue for today - I had been called to the house's drawing room instead of the garden, which was a huge space finished with a glossy wooden floor and high walls. To my surprise, the man I was expecting to see wasn't there - even though I was over ten minutes late.

I waited. Almost half an hour passed with me lingering around the room as I awaited his presence. With each passing moment I was growing more frustrated - he was wasting my time. Annoyed, I decided to head to the door.

"Leaving already?"

I spun around on my heel. There he was, stood leaning against the wall back in the room - arms crossed and signature smug smile playing on his lips. He was observing my every move like a cat hunting down a mouse and I couldn't understand how a pair of eyes make someone feel so intimidated.

Perhaps because he's an Arch Angel.

I blinked, both surprised and confused, "I swear you - where did you come from?"

"Where were you leaving to?" He shot back instead, dismissing my question.

I frowned. "Somebody sent word to me that our session is at three, but after he didn't show up for about half an hour I decided to give up."

"You should have looked around for me."

"Couldn't you just make an entrance without it being hide and seek?"

"What's the fun in that?" His gold eyes sparkled, amused.

"Whatever."

I rolled my eyes. It felt like pissing me off was beginning to become one of his favourite hobbies.

My eyes fell to his outfit. The signature regal clothing - a long black tunic, black pants and dark leather boots. His long, slender fingers were adorned with a few gold rings, but most importantly I noticed how he carried no weapons.

"Why don't you carry anything?" Did he come here to mess about or for work?

"No weapons today because we are going to do something much more interesting."

"Am I going home?"

"You're so funny," He gave me a sarcastic smile, "Today, Adeline, I'm going to teach you the art of self defense so you can show others you aren't one of those who say but can't do."

"Who said I can't fight?" I took a challenging step toward him and rose my brow, "That's quite arrogant of you to assume females can't fight."

"Okay, but I didn't-"

"I can fight very well, thank you very much."

"If you're so sure about yourself-" I watched as a smirk laced with amusement appeared on his lips, "-then punch me."

"That won't be difficult," I scoffed, "Finally a chance to smack that smirk off your face."

He laughed, stepping away from the wall with his hands now behind his back, "Do it then."

And so I lunged at him, my arm in what I thought was a perfect fighting stance, ready to punch his face - but I gracefully missed and would have almost hit the wall hard if he hadn't grabbed my hand within a split second to stop it.

"If that is how you're going to fight, we're going to lose the war before it even begins."

How supportive of him.

He came close behind me to fix my position; straightening my back and re-positioning my arms - his touches sending shivers down my spine. He took my cold hands in his warm ones and spread my fingers out, tucking my thumb over my index finger to make a proper fist.

"Now punch me again."

This time it landed a bullseye on target - his face, and I could have done some beautiful damage to his stupidly perfect features if his hand hadn't grabbed my fist so smoothly before it came into contact with him. He looked as though he was proud of me, but at the same time looked at me like I hadn't done anything special.

This man is the epitome of confusion.

He taught me some other techniques I have never heard of, for example the elbow strike and roundhouse kick. He had explained that men could become touchy with the wrong intentions or how at any moment could I come into contact with certain creatures which lingered in immortal realms, especially in Velastille, and so it was useful I was aware of these defenses.

Time during train flew by extremely swiftly and I hadn't even realised how much he had covered with me in under a two hour session. That same late afternoon as I lingered behind him down the hall on my way back to my room had I realised.

Shockingly, training with Azriel wasn't as bad as I had imagined it to be.

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Dang the kings evil😔
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-Jen xx