✔ Mrs Mandray

58. Guilt

Isabella

"I am a terrible person." She covered her face, slumping down on the armchair in Azriel's room. "I cannot believe I said all that."

"You were upset about Oliver, I'm sure he'll forgive you for lashing out."

She waved him off over her shoulder, assuming that he was still getting dressed somewhere behind her. Azriel had only laughed when she had stormed into his room, turned his chair around and plopped herself down.

He had offered to let her watch 'the show' but she was far too conflicted to even consider joking back.

"That's no excuse."

"No. It doesn't excuse what you said but it does explain why you said it."

With a sharp sigh she rubs at the headache building between her eyes. A soft touch on her shoulders has her jumping in place, eyes opening wide before she relaxes as the shadowsinger stalks around the chair to stand in front of her.

There's a calm expression on his face, no, fond. He's smiling softly, eyes warm as he crouches down in front of her chair.

"You made a mistake." He states, slowly reaching forward to touch her hands. "We all make mistakes. The Mother knows that my family and I have screwed up many times, worse than mindlessly lashing out at someone in anger."

Her gaze drops down to those scarred hands, clasping them in her own as she lets her- her mate's words sink in.

"Though I am impressed that you managed to find trouble so early in the morning."

"Azriel!" She hissed, dropping his hands and pulling back with a huff. "That's not funny."

His chuckle follows after her as he tugs her back towards him. "It's a little funny." He taunts, smiling up at her with bright eyes. "Cassian's not even up yet."

"I know." she grumbles, "Why do you think I'm cramped up in your gothic room rather than my nice spacious one."

He rolls his eyes, "I'm a grown adult, the spymaster of–"

"There's no colour."

"There's three paintings."

"That practically screams loneliness and a longing for the sky."

"When did you become a mind healer?" He hums, still smiling.

She shrugs, a weight slowly lifting from her chest at their playful interaction.

"Humans don't have enough healers to differentiate the two." She pauses, thinking back to her 'patients' that she left behind. "Could I continue my work here?"

His head tilts in thought, "Perhaps. The Library would always be willing to take in mind-healers– they would offer you more substantial training – there's a few independent healer practices and official ones that you can look into."

"Food for thought." She whispers, and he repeats it back to her with a smile.

Azriel squeezes her hands, "So what are you going to do about Rhys?"

"I'm going to decide once you tell me what's going on." Her eyes narrow on him, but he doesn't even flinch at the mum stare. "Because I intend on apologising but I would like to know if I need to apologise on your behalf as well."

"I'm a grown male. I can apologise for my own actions." His voice is firm, almost reprimanding. "You are not responsible for what Cassian and I do, that's on us."

The thought makes her squirm. She doesn't want to feel on edge around Rhys if he and Azriel are fighting.

"Rhys and I are brothers, you think this is the first standoff we've gotten into?"