To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 24: Help me forget

Azriel wasn't paying attention to Cassian and Mor's conversation. He lounged on the couch in the living room, trying not to think about his conversation with Rai or where she had gone afterwards. Cassian and Mor at least had the right sense not to ask him about any of it.

Nesta seemed like she was the only one working up the courage to ask him something. She kept eyeing him over her book, opening her mouth like she was going to say something, and then giving up and returning back to her book.

An hour had passed since Rai's and his conversation. He had barely touched his food after returning to the dinner table and no one brought up the Queen. He remained silent as they talked about Rhys' oldest son's crush on the High Lord of the Winter Court's daughter. Feyre hoped for them to one day marry.

Azriel gave the smallest nod of his head at Rhys and Feyre's departure. They had to return back to the Illyrian camp to be with their son. Even though he understood Feyre's reasoning for not giving Rai the mirror, he was still bitter.

"Please tell the Queen she is free to stay here as long as she wants," Feyre told Mor at their goodbyes, knowing Azriel was listening. "Just because I didn't want to hand over a weapon doesn't mean I want her to return to Vallahan and suffer. She'll be safe here."

"Of course," Mor hugged her.

Too bad Rai was too stubborn to sit back and let anyone else handle her problems. If he had his way, she would be here and he would be planning to assassinate the king of Vallahan.

He was listing methods of assassination in his head when he felt a cool breeze on the back of his neck that sent tingles through his body and out his wings. He swallowed a lump in his throat, sitting up straighter.

She didn't even have to make a sound for him to know it was Rai. Mor stopped talking and gave her a welcoming smile, causing Cassian's attention to drift behind Azriel, where he knew the Queen was approaching.

"Queen Raisa, care to help us outnumber the males?" Mor gestured to the empty space on the couch- beside Azriel.

He sucked in a sharp breath as he felt her lightly brush against one of his wings as she rounded the couch. Fuck, he thought. He was trying his hardest not to look at her and then she had to go and touch one of the most sensitive parts of his body. Now he definitely couldn't relax.

He was seated in the middle of the couch so that his wings could symmetrically rest over the back, leaving Rai no option but to sit closely to him. His face didn't betray his indecent thoughts. Shut the hell up, he told those voices in his head. You're acting like a horny teenager. Just act normal.

"Did you eat?" He said loud enough for only Rai to hear. He still couldn't even look at her.

"I snatched some food off the table while it was being cleaned up."

He nodded, not knowing what else to say. By the cauldron, it was awkward. His skin prickled in her presence but there was a strange distance between them. Like they wanted to touch but kept their hands in their laps and eyes on the other guests.

Mor stood up. Her eyes glowed with mischief. Azriel knew exactly what she was thinking as she said, "I think it's time for me to head out. I have plans at Rita's."

"You always have plans at Rita's," Cassian snorted.

Mor kicked him. "Don't you have plans too?"

The idiot blinked in confusion, "No?" Azriel wished for his own death right then and there.

Nesta slammed her book shut, her eyes were wide with fear and realization. "We forgot to pick Nyxous up from the sitter."

"Fuck," Cassian hissed. The couple raced out of the room. "Does this make the fifth time we forgot him somewhere?" He heard Cassian ask Nesta before closing the balcony doors.