Dance of Fate

Chapter Twenty Nine

I hated spying. Not that what we were doing could really be referred to as spying. Azriel and I had been staring at the queen's palace for at least three hours. Every fifteen minutes or so Azriel did a lap around it, then came back and stared at it until he repeated the cycle.

I sighed loudly as the Shadowsinger landed beside me. "I warned you that you would have to be patient." Azriel said flatly. I rolled my eyes.

"I know that, and I have been. Which you must know is not easy for me." I snapped. Azriel scoffed as a way of agreement. I rolled my eyes again. "But we have been here for hours, and done nothing. You do realize we cannot spy on the queens from out here?"

"We can't just go in. If you must know, I'm trying to see if there's a barrier surrounding the castle." He replied, a twinge of irritation in his tone. At least this bantering was far more entertaining than the silence that had hung in the air for hours. 

"Well then let's find out," I took a long step towards the palace, but I wasn't even able to land my stride. I scowled as Azriel firmly grabbed my arm and pulled me back, a completely unamused expression on his beautiful face. 

"A barrier that surely turns any Fae that walks through it to dust," he said sharply. I shrugged.

"There's no way of knowing unless we try." I tried taking another step, but again, was held back. 

"No. I'm going to fly over it again. You're sure you're able to keep us both invisible for this long?"

"For the thousandth time, my magic is not going to fail." I sighed. "And for the millionth time, another lap around the castle will do no good." 

This time it was Azriel who rolled his eyes. "Why the hell did I agree to let you come?" He grumbled. I smiled sweetly at him. 

A hint of amusement lit his hazel eyes, which looked more green than brown today. Azriel stretched out his large wings, and in a second was in the sky. I sighed, watching him as he flew over the castle. 

He seemed so out of place here, where everything was so utterly ordinary. Even if he didn't have those magnificent wings, or his shadows, he could never be mistaken for one of the humans that walked about the castle grounds, completely oblivious that two faeries were so close to them. The elegance with which he moved, the striking blackness of his hair, the sheer perfection of his features... it was too much, even for an immortal.

I sighed, staring intently at the castle. I was only a few yards away from it's walls, and completely invisible- from sight, smell and sound. It had been a touch more difficult to use my power across the Wall, and even more so with Azriel observing me so intently, surely making sure that I didn't over exceed myself. But I was more than certain that I would remain invisible.

So nothing bad would come of getting a little bit closer. Maybe then I could sense if there was some sort of barrier, like I could with the Wall. Before I knew it, I was less than five feet from the castle's stone wall. And so far, I was fully intact. 

I took another step. And then another. Still, I felt nothing. I was close enough now that I could touch the stone if I just stretched my arm-

I was yanked back so harshly that for a moment I thought the castle truly did have some sort of protective shield around it, and had sensed my blood and thrown me out. But then I felt firm hands around my middle, and my back pressed against hard muscle.

Azriel let me go immediately, though he kept a hand gripping my arm, as if making sure I wouldn't run back to the castle. 

"Are you out of your mind?" He snarled, fury flickering in his eyes. I scoffed in response.