AZRIEL

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I hadn't even realised the stars had risen to signify the start of the next morning. That was, until I felt two solid hands shaking my shoulders in an attempt to awaken me.

Slowly, an eye of mine flickered open. Followed by another. And I was met with the face of the Velastillian Arch Angel, hovering over me while I lay.

"Good God, I thought you were dead," Azriel muttered, retreating away from me as soon as he realised I was awake. I shuffled into a seated position on my bed - still in a sleepy haze of confusion. 

"What's your problem?" I rubbed an eye tiredly and that was when I acknowledged his outfit. He was dressed in steel fighting leathers, his dark hair tousled. "What time is it?"

Azriel made his way over to my closet with heavy footsteps and opened it up, beginning to rummage through. He replied casually, "Four in the morning."

"What the hell do you want at four in the morning?!"

"We need to set off early if we want any chance of getting those swords back," Without a glance towards me he threw my fighting suit onto the bed I was still sitting upon, "Put this on as fast as you can so we can leave."

I snatched the fighting suit from in front of me. "Get out so I can change then."

An amused smirk played on his lips. "I was hoping you'd let me stay instead."

"You're such a prick," I snapped, kicking the silk sheets off my body as I rose to my feet. The contact of my bare heels with the cold marble floor sent a shudder through my body. "Go annoy Celeste or something."

"I already have by sending her with you," He chuckled, heading to the door. 

I rolled my eyes. "It's not like I'm over the moon either, believe me."

His sniggers continued as he left the room, and although he had gone I knew he was waiting for me to finish dressing outside the door. 

Within minutes I had slipped into the dark suit but I had wasted more moments by staring at myself in the mirror - at my still dull face and unruly hair. With the palm of my hand I attempted to smooth out the frizz on my head, quickly pulling my brunette hair into a rough plait with my shaking fingers. I was ready - ready to deal with whatever I was going to face today, and I would do it without fear. Before I left, I grabbed my bow and arrow which lay in the corner of my room. I didn't know if it would be of use, but something in my heart beckoned me to take it along - and so I did.

Celeste had met us in the courtyard and I had to hide the envy I felt when seeing her look so effortlessly put together at such an absurd time. We exchanged basic greetings, and without wasting any time Azriel had clicked his fingers and a black cloud of smoke had gathered around us, restricting my vision and lifting my feet off the ground.

I didn't even get a chance to scream before I felt my feet touch solid ground again, and as the black smoke which cocooned us disappeared - what I saw next shocked me. 

The sun - just a small glimpse of the sun rising from behind rocky mountains which stood tall before us. I noticed the sky, a mix of baby blues, yellows and oranges as it prepared for the rise of the sun. It looked exactly like what I had grown up seeing in the human world and the sight alone pulled a nostalgic string in my heart. 

"Where are we?" I breathed. 

Azriel dusted off his dark pants in an elegant motion without a single glance sideways towards me, "Zybern. District of the Angels of Death."

"Watch your back," Celeste warned, her tone stern as her grey eyes gave my suit a distasteful glance, "You can't trust anything here. Nothing is what it seems, okay? So stay close, fairy girl, and don't grow a mind of your own."