𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔢𝔫

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

age 16

      I studied myself in the small mirror in the living room. I was wearing the skimpiest outfit I owned. Strings made up the fabric that clung to my frame. I decided to put my wings away to save space in the small bar I was going to.

      As I prepared to leave, a door burst open. I cursed myself as Rhys came barreling down the stairs.

"Could you be any louder?" I sneered.

"Where are you going dressed like that?" Rhys shot, crossing his arms. I scoffed at him.

"The less you know the better," I said.

"You're not going out like that," he objected, shaking his head. I escaped towards the door. "What do you think you're doing? I said no."

"Whatever," I scoffed. "I don't have to listen to you."

"Trust me, no one wants to see that much of you," he informed me. "Go change."

"Actually, I think Azriel will like it," I grinned and crossed my arms.

"You're insufferable," he groaned.

"Relax, he's already at the bar, I'll meet him there," I explained.

"Which bar?"

"The one about two miles down the mountain," I remembered. "He flew down there while I was getting dressed to order our drinks. I'll be down there in a minute."

"That nasty, run-down place?" he grumbled. "Why didn't you invite Cass or me?"

"Because we needed a break from you two," I scoffed.

"If you don't let us come, I'll tell Mother," he warned.

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

     I let loose a sigh and crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at him. He just wore a smug smile.

"Fine," I gave in. "You and Cass can come."

"And Mor," he added.

"Great," I grumbled. "And Mor."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　

        The music played so loud as I gulped down cup after cup of random drinks I'd picked up. I didn't even know what each one was, and at this point, I didn't care.

"You've had too much to drink," Azriel shouted over the music.

"No, I haven't!" I replied, downing the rest of her drink before leaving the dance floor in search of more.

        I stumbled into Mor. She'd been watching me all night. I pushed her aside, but she gripped my waist and yanked me back.

"Come on, Eve, I think you've had enough for one night," she pressed, trying to pull me away from the tray of shots.

"Stop it!" I grumbled, ripping my wrist from her grip.

"Eve, I'm serious," she insisted.

"Please?" I begged, pouting. Mor sighed and threw her head back.

"Fine, one more," Mor gave in. 

"You just can't say no to her," Cassian chuckled as he approached us, wrapping his arm around my cousin.

"Not when she sulks like that," Mor admitted.

      I smirked and took another drink. Esther wrapped the cup and brought it to Az. He tossed it in the trash.

"You told Esther to do that!" I accused, glaring at him.

    He could tell his shadows what to do, but they could also act without his consent. I knew he'd told them to do that.

"I swear, I didn't," he lied, shaking his head. Morrigan giggled, leaning her head against Cassian's shoulder.

      Rhys finally came back over from where he had been flirting with a few females. He smiled, shaking his head at me.

"I have a feeling we'll have to carry her home again," he joked. I sneered.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　

     The next morning was absolute torture. We'd all woken up with pounding heads and sick stomachs. I didn't remember much of the night before.

     I sat with the boys and Morrigan at the kitchen table, a blanket wrapped around my body. I could only sip water.

    Cassian and Morrigan, on the other hand, were shoveling eggs into their mouths. Azriel and Rhys were eating normally, though they looked awful.

    Our mother was eyeing us suspiciously from where she stood at the kitchen island. Azriel was hiccupping relentlessly, which did not help our case.

    Astraea seemed amused by it. Luna was blissfully unaware as she ate her breakfast.

"Next time you sneak out, you might want to be more quiet coming in," Mother told us. We all froze, exchanging panicked glances. "I would send you all to the cabin, but I don't trust you five alone."

"We would've been quiet if Evie hadn't passed out on the way home," Azriel grumbled. Astraea raised an eyebrow at me.

"Oh please, you guys are training to be Illyrian warriors and you can't carry me?" I snapped with a glare.

"You're heavy," Rhys informed me.

"I didn't even have my wings out!"

"You're still heavy," he shot. "It took me, Az, and Mor to get you through the window."

"Cassian could've carried her by himself if he hadn't been puking his guts up," Morrigan said with a mouthful of eggs.

"Gross, I'm eating," Luna grumbled from her seat. The six year old had begun to develop an attitude, and Astraea had no idea how to deal with it.

      Mother sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers.

"I don't need to be hearing any of this," she said sharply. "I think having to do training and lessons hungover is enough punishment, though."

"Wait, that's not fair," Rhys spoke up. "We have to go to training, but all the girls have to do is read?"

"I'll make them clean, too," Mother decided with a shrug.

       I groaned, resting my forehead on the table. Az patted me on the head mockingly.