A Court of Shadowed Hearts (ON HIATUS)

Chapter Six

Cadryn POV

I can't believe this. "What the hell are you doing here!?" I hiss at him, stepping away from Azriel but not toward Eris, who folds his arms behind his back and smirks at me.

"Good to see you too, Cadryn." He says.

"You two know each other?" Azriel's quiet voice interrupts the furious silence coming from all three parties.

I say nothing and continue to glare at Eris.

He answers for me. "Cadryn spent quite some time in my court recently," he speaks facing me. "she left a gaping hole in my heart when she left so abruptly."

I glance at Azriel who arches a brow, the unspoken question lingers in the air.

I roll my eyes. "He's being sarcastic."

Eris gasps, his tan hand presses against his heart in mock hurt. "Is that how you think of our time together?"

"Cut the bullshit Eris," I snap. I take a step towards him. "Now answer my question: what are you doing here?"

A sneer takes over his handsome features. Wait. Dammit I still think he's handsome. Well, he is; I can't be blamed for being attracted to it.

"I'm here to return the favour." He walks toward me, backing me against a nearby wall. The music from the room behind me continues to seep through the crack beneath the door, setting this scene in an eerie way.

"Sorry to disappoint, but my Uncle is already dead." I retort, not sounding nearly as sassy as I intended.

He's so close now that I feel his breath brush against my lips as he whispers, "I'm not here because of that."

My blue eyes lock with his amber ones, as dark and captivating as they were the first time I saw them. "No." I tell him, my words are barely above a whisper.

Azriel clears his throat. I'd forgotten about his presence entirely.

Eris holds my stare for a moment longer before pulling away. "Keir has welcomed me to stay for as long as I wish," he retreats towards the door Azriel and I had stumbled through. "and I plan to make the most of it." He watched me for one more second before exiting through the door in one swift movement.

"Glad I got out of there in time," he remarks to someone outside, his deep voice muffled. "things were getting heated between those two." A chorus of laughter bubbles up from behind the once again closed door.

My face heats. Firstly because of embarrassment at what just happened - at everything that just happened - and secondly because I'm suddenly reminded of Azriel's actions prior to Eris's surprise appearance.

I cross the small space in two strides and smack the Shadowsinger across the face as hard as I can. His head jerks to the side, cheek already going red and I pull back, balling my stinging hand into a fist. "You had no right to do that."

Azriel lifts a scarred hand to his cheek, neither angry at my outburst nor smug about kissing me. "I didn't do it because either of us wanted it."

"You had no right to do that!"

It feels like there's a rope strung between us, and it's just been pulled taught. I'm furious. Yes it was to get us out of the ballroom without anyone following us, and yes it did work, but...

"Look," Azriel is staring at me now, a mix of rage and determination in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't have done it if there was another way to get in here without raising suspicion."

I can't even. Not right now. I let a great sigh escape my chest. "Let's just start searching while they're still distracted."

He says nothing as we walk the hall, staying a respectable distance away.