Fire On Fire - Azriel's story - acotar

Chapter 3.

Before Azriel could even sit down after winnowing from Windhaven, Mor, Amren and Feyre were already rolling over in laugher.

"No way," Mor said, barely catching her breath, "Az got beat by an Illyrian, and a girl." As far as the effort to train female soldiers had come, they were still getting poorer training than the males. Although the Night Court was becoming more and more successful with the enforcement of new rules.

Feyre was clinging onto Rhys to keep from falling to her knees. And all Azriel could do was roll his eyes, ignore them, and hope they would forget about it soon.

Yes, the Illyrian warrior had beat him. He didn't know how he hadn't noticed what she'd do. Maybe he was too focused on the defiance in her eyes, or on how her long, dark hair was spread behind her head like a halo.

"If you're done teasing poor Azriel," Rhys said with a smile on his lips when he looked at his defeated friends, "we have some matters to discuss."

The room quieted down after another fit of laughter from Amren. Azriel could have sworn he'd never seen her smile so much, and he'd known her for over five hundred years.

Rhys looked at Feyre, who nodded when she saw the seriousness in his look and so did Azriel.

"Feyre and I have to leave for a while," Rhys cleared his throat, "Miryam and Drakon asked us to come to help sort out a conflict. We leave in two days."

Azriel could sense that the High Lord and Lady of the Nigh Court were talking to each other in their minds. Feyre also gave it away when her eyes widened and she said aloud, "Oh, she's pretty."

Azriel knew which she immediately. Rhys was showing her what'd happened in Windhaven. Azriel shot him an annoyed look, but Rhys only shrugged and pointed at Feyre, who was looking at Azriel with a strange, almost hopeful expression.

"Rhys!" Mor yelled from the other side of the living room, "let me see too!"

Amren was at Rhys's side before Mor could even take a step.

Cass was laughing so hard his eyes were closed, while the girls begged Rhys to show them the Illyrian who'd beat Azriel.

It was rather unusual, he thought, for someone to beat him this easily. But then again, he hadn't put much effort into the fight - that was probably why, the Shadowsinger assured himself.

After Rhys gave in to the ladies, they all constructively agreed that Fallon was indeed vey pretty, but also an amazing soldier. And then their attention was on scolding Cassian.

"Why didn't you tell us about her earlier?" Feyre demanded from Cassian, who looked shocked they were coming at him.

Cassian just shrugged before he flew away, not wanting to listen to them.

Azriel caught Rhys's eye and followed him to his study.

---

Rhys closed the study door after Azriel, "Well, today has certainly been interesting."

Azriel scoffed and sat down at the table shaped like Prythian.

His friend might play this down, but Rhys had seen how Azriel's attention hadn't been on the fight. Like Fallon had distracted him in a way Rhys hadn't seen before.

"What's the trip about?" Azriel asked, fulfilling his duty as the Spy.

"No need for any of your expertise," Rhys said as he sat down opposite Azriel, "just a check up on how they're doing."

Azriel relaxed a bit, although his features didn't change, but Rhys had known him long enough to notice.

"I have to admit I was impressed with the Windhaven Illyrians today," Rhys continued as Azriel kept quiet, "especially with Fallon. Not many would dare to keep opposing the male tradition."

Azriel only nodded.

"That's why I was thinking about something." Feyre and him would be gone for a few weeks. And as one of the main protectors of Velaris, the city would need more reinforcement. He'd thought of it when he'd seen Fallon fly through the obstacle course. She was highly trained and also highly capable. He could use someone like her in his forces, guarding this last piece of purity.

"I would like to invite Fallon to become a part of the Velaris guard," Rhys observed his friend as he said this. But this time even he couldn't read his features.

Azriel only said, "If you think that it's best for Velaris, then I agree."

Rhys stood up, "Then it's settled, I'll tell Cassian to invite her," and walked out to find the Commander of his armies.

---

"Is this for real?" Phoenix asked Fallon who had read the letter five times already since it'd appeared in her hand last night.

"I think so," her mind was still wrapping itself around the idea. She, a guard of the High Lord's city.

She would finally get out of here, she'd be protecting others - all she'd ever wanted.

But her heart also hurt when she looked at Phoenix. He would stay here, after all the years they'd spent together, Fallon couldn't leave her best friend here.

"I know what you're thinking," Phoenix pointed a finger at Fallon who was sitting on the edge of the mountain. A wrong movement could send her flying into rocks beneath. "You have to go."

"But I can't just leave you here, Phoenix," Fallon buried her head into her hands.

"It's not like you're going to the continent," Phoenix rubbed her back, "Velaris isn't that far from here."

Fallon swallowed the tears and looked at her friend. "I don't want to leave you here, alone."

"Don't worry about me, I'll manage just fine, I promise," his eyes locking with hers, "besides, you can visit any time you want."

Fallon fixed her gaze on the endless forest beneath her, how she had taken this view for granted and realised just how precious it was, now that she was leaving.

She looked at the letter that'd arrived yesterday, Cassian inviting her to join his defence forces in Velaris. She signed her name on it, accepting the deal, and the letter vanished, a new one appearing in her hands. This one stated the time and place to meet her new Commander.

Fallon smiled to herself, ready to start a new chapter.

---

Cassian was a bit down that Rhys and Feyre and Nesta, his girl, had already left. She was visiting the human realms as the correspondent in charge. It wouldn't be as much fun with only Az, Mor and Amren here, but his attitude changed when a signed letter appeared in his hand. Fallon had decided to accept.

Cassian smiled to himself. At least these couple of weeks wouldn't be boring.

After having talked it over with Rhys and the rest of the inner circle, they all agreed to let Fallon stay in the House of Wind. She was Cassian's old friend and she would be leaving her only family behind so it seemed only fair to surround her with their company.

Judging by the excitement radiating from Mor, Cassian had no doubt that Fallon would get along with his friends. He was still impressed with Fallon's performance in Windhaven. She would have beat him, had it not been for his siphons. And she did beat Azriel. That had left Cassian in quite a shock, since he sometimes had a really hard time keeping up with Az during practice, not that he would ever want to fight him for real.

A room was already prepared, and maybe it was a good thing, Cassian thought, that the house was emptier than usual. They were a lot to handle sometimes.