AZRIEL

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

A/N - After the previous chapter, I have had a few questions regarding what I envision Az and Adeline to look like more realistically if they were a person and not through art. Although I think the art I have in my 'Cast' section depicts them with enough space for your imagination, for those of you who wanna know what myself as an author think they look most like then you can find the photos above! (yes azriel is still art bc i just don't think i could find a man who matches azriels features enough to my imagination and yes it's a rhys artwork but he looks similar to how i picture azriel - again, this isn't an ACOTAR fic so they're completely separate!)

ADELINE

I hadn't even realised I had fallen asleep, and so when I jolted awake out of my slumber I had completely forgotten where I was for a few moments.

Moonlight danced upon the mountains beyond my open windows - a feature which failed to give me a hint of the time of day as Velastille was always dark. The utter silence which had fallen around the estate was what prompted me to check the clock on the wall.

Three in the morning.

I had just sat up in my bed when my bedroom door creaked open, and entered Cirse - clutching a book in her hand. She must have returned from the library, excited with a new read.

Upon seeing me awake, her face dropped into a surprised expression.

"You're awake ma'am?"

I pushed my chestnut hair out my face, not failing to realise how much healthier it was starting to feel compared to the brittle, damaged hair I had once arrived to Velastille with, "I suppose so."

"Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked with genuine concern, and I gave her a warm smile, shaking my head.

"It's late, Cirse. Why don't you head to bed?"

"How about a bath? And then you can have something to eat? You did not have dinner - there are left overs in the dining room."

As much as I wanted to pass, the idea sounded far too appealing and so I agreed. Cirse head straight to the en-suite connected to my room and began to run a bath for me.

Once in the tub, I took my time. And behind the locked door, I closed my eyes and appreciated the feeling of the water against my bare skin - almost like a warm embrace, something I had not received in so long. I didn't get out from the bath until the water had gone cold.

Cirse was sat in the window seat in my room, invested deeply in her book. Once she caught sight of me in my towel she immediately stood to tend to me, drying my wet hair into tender waves and applying the lushest, thick lotion to my face and neck. After providing me with a fresh pair of silk, pearl-coloured pyjamas, she retired to bed.

Although it was four in the morning, I couldn't deny the pang in my stomach from hunger and I had to fight myself to head down to the dining room. Walking through the halls of the estate in such bleak silence was so strange to me, almost eerie with the only light source being the moonlight through the windowed walls of the corridor.