A Court of Souls and Shadows

5. Azriel

I'd done it. I'd actually found the Soul Stealer of myth and legends, and she was not at all what I expected. Cassian had joked that there were rumours she was hot, but I hadn't believed him. Cassian said stupid shit like that all the time.

The female in front of me was not only hot, she was beautiful. So strikingly beautiful in a way that was fierce and threatening. In a way that made you just know she was not one to be messed with. Her face was all sharp angles. Harsh and unforgiving. High cheekbones and a sleek, straight nose. Sharp, icy-blue eyes, so pale blue that they were almost white, but surrounded by the most peculiar ring of navy blue. Her skin was pale as snow; her hair a long, silvery-white to match. The ends of her hair were tinged with blood from her recent hunt. Splashes of fresh blood were also smattered across the front of the leathers she wore. She looked fierce. There was no other word for it. I must have been staring at her as I made all these assessments, because her blunt tone quickly interrupted my line of thought.

"Didn't you know it's rude to stare?" She said, her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.

I shook my head and smirked at her, keeping my stance casual. Even thought I knew she was much more powerful than I was, I couldn't let her have the upper hand right away. I would not allow myself to be walked all over. It was kind of hard to take her seriously, despite her power, when she was so damn tiny. The top of her face barely lined up with my chest.

"I wasn't staring," I lied. "Merely sizing up my opponent."

"I thought we were on the same team?" She replied sarcastically, arching a white eyebrow at me.

"We are," I said. "If we are to be on the same team though, I think we should start with your name. We are going to be the best of friends, I can feel it." I didn't hide the sarcasm in my voice. Something told me she could handle it. And I liked toying with her.

"You'll get my name when you earn it. The last person who had the privilege of speaking my name was my mother, and that was centuries ago." She looked mostly angry, but I caught the note of sadness that flickered across those strange eyes of hers.

"I can't go around calling you Soul Stealer," I argued. "That sounds awful."

She shrugged. "Call me whatever you like."

I felt a huge grin stretch across my face immediately.

"Oh no, don't -"

I didn't give her time to finish that sentence before I announced, "Snowflake."

"Snowflake?!" She screeched. "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, but I am," I said, still grinning from ear to ear. This was going to be fun. It had been a while since I had conversed with a female that could bite back. She was already bringing out a side of me that no one had seen in years. I think I liked it.

"Antonio, was it?" She said. "Look, Antonio, you're gonna learn real quick not to piss me off."

"It's Azriel, actually."

"Whatever, Aaron. Look, here's the deal. You piss me off, I poke your soul. You remember what that feels like right?"

I frowned. "It's Azr -"

"You really piss me off," she interrupted. "Then I just yank that pretty little soul right out of ya. I don't care how important you are to your precious High Lord." She had her hands on her hips and her shoulders set. She didn't care that she was practically half my size. She stared at me like I was the tiny one. It was unnerving.

"I got it." I said quietly. I couldn't afford to get off on the wrong foot with this one. We needed her. Unfortunately, I was beginning to think she knew exactly just how badly we needed her, and she was going to take advantage of it.

"Good," she said as she dropped her stare and started gathering her things into her bag. "To the night court I presume?"

I nodded. "Yes. I don't suppose you've been? It's lovely this time of year. And only a short flight from here. It's quite convenient that I found you here actually, I didn't have to travel far from home at all," I explained. She suddenly stopped gathering her things and looked over her shoulder at me. I didn't think it possible, but her face paled even more.

"Did you just say flight?"  She said.

"You don't like flying, Snowflake?" I couldn't help the smirk that was back on my face. She scowled back at me in response.

"I won't drop you, I promise," I said. "It'll be fun."

She hiked her bag over her shoulder and stood again, facing me once more with that trademark scowl of hers.

"If I'm going to help you and your court, there will be no flying," she said, her voice laced with venom.

"You're not actually suggesting we walk all the way back to the Night Court are you?" I asked incredulously. Her scowl stayed firmly in place as she nodded.

"Take it or leave it."

There was no arguing with this one. I could already tell she was going to make everything difficult. Two could play at that game.

"What a wonderful opportunity for us to get to know each other on such a long journey," I said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes as she shoved past me. "Come on then," she huffed. "Daylight's burning."

I could only smile and shake my head as I trailed after her.