To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 16: Do something

 As Azriel walked a safe distance behind Rai, he thought of all the dumb things Cassian has done. There was that time he destroyed a building. His many failed attempts at flirting with Nesta. The time he slept with Mor, of course. There was also that time they had gotten drunk and Cassian proposed the idea of flying naked over the Sidra. Azriel compiled this list because Cassian was easily the biggest dumbass he knew and yet even he was smart enough not to fuck with an amphisbaena.

He couldn't wrap his head around how stupid Rai's actions were. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought as his eyes seared into the back of her head.

"Are you worried for me?" Rai's voice called out with a lightheartedness.

He grunted loud enough to cause her to look back and smile. Once again, he was hating himself for liking her smile. The way her cheeks warmed and teeth caught the light. She was still an idiot.

"Do you know any of my powers?" She asked while walking backwards.

He would have loved to see her trip over a root; maybe that would knock sense into her if he couldn't.

"I know you're good at escaping, but as for fighting, you're shit."

She narrowed her eyes at him before turning back around. "Eat your words, Azriel."

Since she couldn't see him, he let a small smile form on his lips. Everytime she spoke his name she drew out the first syllable and rolled the r. The sound made his knees weak.

As they approached the area where the amphisbaena lived, Azriel blended into the shadows and Rai took light-footed steps. The only sound was the soft crunch of leaves under her feet. Even the trees stilled and as Rai came to a stop and looked up at the creature wrapped around its tree, all sound vanished as if it had been sucked by a vacuum. It filled Azriel's shadows with unease.

Rai took a deep breath; he couldn't see her face but he saw the flickering of a light blue flame as she brought her hands up. There must have been twenty feet between Azriel and her, yet he felt the heat. It was almost so hot it was cold and sent a shiver down his spine.

He watched the beast pull one of its heads back, locking Rai in as its target. Azriel's knuckles had turned white from how tight his fists were, but he would let this play out even if it pissed him off. His stomach filled with worry as Rai stood her ground against the creature. Move. Do something. He wanted to shout as the beast shot at her and-

Rai didn't move. She didn't even try to dodge it.

"No!" A roar ripped through Azriel so violently it hurt. But as he took a step forward, he saw the world had slowed down. The amphisbaena froze in the air nearly a foot away from Rai's face; its mouth was wide enough she could have jumped inside.

Time had stopped for the beast- or at least slowed down enough for Rai to take a shaking step closer with a small glass jar in hand. Her hands were trembling as she pushed one of the creature's sharp teeth through the cork of the lid.

Venom? That's why she's doing this?

He faintly heard Rai's pained grunt as she struggled to pull the tooth out. She was standing to the beast's side but all it would take was for time to return to normal and the mouth would snap shut.

Sweat beaded at Azriel's forehead as she pulled and pulled. He could see the panic in her eyes as the pace of the beast falling through the air quickened. She must have been losing control of her magic.

Just as she ripped the jar out of the beast's mouth, Rai spun, realising her magic. Her wide eyes meet Azriel's just as the beast struck the ground with a terrifying speed.

"Time to go," she ran.

A moment later, she was slamming into the tree beside him with the beast hot on her heels. All Azriel had to do was grab her and in a flash of light, he was soaring through the air with a pale Rai in his arms.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, suddenly worried. He hadn't seen her bitten but venom could have gotten on her from digging in its mouth.

Her face was covered with sweat but her smile was filled with relief, "No, I'm fine. Thank you." She let out a breathless laugh, "I did it. I did it."

Azriel held her tightly as they flew closer to Velaris. He wanted to scold her for being an idiot, but at least she didn't die, so he kept his mouth shut as she clung onto him and the morning breeze lifted his wings. 

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