A Court of Shadows And Lights

CHAPTER 15

I had just sat down in one of the booths, finally getting a breather after hours of work once again. The door flew open and I had barely the time to concentrate on the shadows coming inside the bar.

I got up, pushing aside the tiredness rushing through my bones, because as much as I wanted to sleep, I also wanted to see Azriel. See him train especially.

He looked me up and down seeing what I had just changed into after work because it was my only clothes that were a little more appropriate for training.

They were lose hanging grey pants, low on my hips and a tight black long sleeve. It was long enough to pull all the way to my fingertips so I wouldn't have to see the marks.

"Ready?"

I nodded my head yes, taking a few steps to him, feeling more nervous but calmer at the same time.

Being so close to the shadows was the only thing that made me actually feel anything at all. At the beginning I had thought that his shadows were the night and it had made me feel calm and as if I had things back under control.

But now I knew it had nothing to do with the night.

It had everything to do with Azriel.

I followed him outside the bar and then locked the door, turning back to him. Before I had a moment to think he had us up in the air, ways above the ground.

I didn't have the time to stifle my scream, my eyes screwing shut. I lost my breath, gasping out at the rush going through my whole body because we were flying upwards.

My arms wrapped around his neck and I hid in his chest, trying to pull myself as close as possible. The last time he had flown me anywhere where I had been conscious enough to realise was weeks back.

"Azriel," I cried frustrated, pulling myself even closer to him.

He might be used to flying, but my feet were definitely not used to leaving the ground, so this was terrifying.

He just laughed quietly, his body shaking with the vibrations of it.

"You should open your eyes and look at Velaris from up here"

"No," I whined, being too aware of his hands on me. One of them under my knees, making sure to hold me tightly against him. And one on my back.

I was sure he didn't have to hold me this tightly but was only doing it to make me feel better, because he could sense I was terrified.

"This really scares you, Marlie?"

He didn't sound taunting or teasing, but was concerned, as if he couldn't possibly understand that.

"Yes," I mumbled into his neck, "My stomach feels like it's dropping"

He laughed quietly, "You'll get used to it. One day you might even enjoy it"

"Why? Are you gonna fly me around a lot from now on?"

"Maybe. I enjoy how you scream and grab..." he started, this time clearly taunting me, "Shut up Azriel. I do not scream"

We landed just later with him just chuckling in my ear as if he knew exactly that it wasn't the truth.

He let me down gently, my arms falling from behind his neck and standing right in front of him. I watched him, in his leathers, and his beautiful wings that could actually make us both fly around like that.

"When did you learn?" I asked, trying not to stare at him in a too obvious way. Or in a way that suggested that I was totally thinking about how his fingers had felt. That rough hand on my skin.