A Court of Light and Darkness

Six: Azriel

The camp was a mess. Illyrian men going around ransacking houses, businesses, and training tents. Taking the woman from their homes and work spaces and throwing them into the mud while they destroyed everything.

    Azriel had to work to keep his anger under control as he beheld what the camp had become. Fires, broken objects, women running from the destruction, hauling children and elderly to safety.

    Azriel had released all of his shadows as soon as he had gotten there, placing a blinding darkness over the camp in front of him. The men went silent, an eerie quiet settling in the camp. As he lifted his shadows, he found that every male and female were now looking at him. He let Cassian handle the rest, now that they had gotten their attention.

    By the time they had left, all the men that were involved with the act of rebellion were on clean up duty, which was a nicer way of saying janitor. Azriel couldn't help but feel a bit smug at the fact that the men would be getting a taste of what the women were put through there.

    They had gotten word that the Inner Circle were having dinner in the city tonight and they were invited to join them. No doubt the girl, Freesia, would be there. Azriel still couldn't figure out why he cared so much about the girl's state and had been trying to push it from his mind all day.

    But as Azriel winnowed Cassian and himself to the restaurant in the heart of Velaris, he couldn't ignore the sudden strain on his heart as Freesia came into his view. She was sitting in between Mor and Feyre, across from Amren, Elain, and Nesta.

    She wore dark leather pants that clung to her too thin legs and a long sleeved lumpy shirt that he knew she only wore to hide her frailness. The outfit somehow looked good on her, although simple and baggy.

    She was laughing at something Mor had said to her as Azriel and Cassian walked to the table. Rhys was the first to notice them, smiling broadly at the two Illyrians and giving a pointed look to the two chairs sitting between Amren and Nesta.

    Cassian took the chair closest to Nesta, unsurprisingly, Azriel sitting next to Amren. As Azriel strained to block out Cassian and Nesta's bickering, he instead focused on the female sitting across from him, now with a smug smile on her face as she looked towards the two wreathing male and female next to him.

    Her eyes flickered over to his own, burning into his hazel with her piercing green. As they stared at each other, unable to tear away from the magnetic pull of their gazes, a warm breeze surged into Azriel's chest, swelling his heart and sharpening his senses.

    He didn't understand it at first. Didn't know what the odd feeling building in chest, growing towards his throat, was. But as he watched confusion waft over Freesia's face as well, he knew she had felt it too.

    His head started to spin, his heartbeat now pounding in his ears, blocking out the noise around him. All Azriel could think about was the female sitting in front of him. His Mate.

He couldn't believe it. He had a mate. A female that had been locked up, away from him, for more than five centuries. A wave of realization brushed at the back of his head as he felt Freesia realize what they were to each other as well. What do they do now?

    That was the question. Because now, they were in the middle of a crowded restaurant with their closest friends. No privacy to talk. No room to think things over. So Azriel did the first thing he could think to do and mustered up all the mating bond connections he could, and sent a message down the path leading from his mind to hers.

    Later. He had said. Later, they would talk. They would figure out what to do next and how to continue from there on. Azriel didn't even know what this would mean for him. Would he have a happily ever after like Feyre and Rhys? Or would he be sentenced to an eternity without his mate, without love, like Lucien?

    Azriel didn't even notice when his food had arrived in front of him, steaming and delicious. Nor did he taste the meat and potatoes going down his throat. The laughter and chatter around him was nothing more than a mumbling background sound as he sat, dazed and light-headed.

    After dinner he winnowed back to the House, directly into his room to avoid any interaction that would come from the walk from the front door to his bedroom. He dropped into the low chair placed by the fireplace, soaking in the warmth of the fire. He rubbed his face over his eyes, trying to soothe the pounding headache thundering in his ear.

    Just as he had stood to leave his room and seek out Freesia's, he heard a gentle knock on his door and froze. His heart rate speed as a sudden warmth encircled his heart, letting him know exactly who was at the other side of the door.

    Azriel padded to the threshold, placing a hand on the knob, and turning slowly. He swung the door open fully, to find an empty hallway before him. His anxiety was replaced by confusion as he swept the halls before him, only to land on a small piece of paper lying on the floor.  Picking it up, Azriel read the note left for him.

    The roof has a beautiful view. More privacy than our rooms would provide. And a lovely place to stargaze. -F

    Azriel dropped the note from his hands and took off down the hallway, towards the staircase leading to the roof.

Note: Sorry for the short chapter guys! I wanted to put the next part in Freesia's POV so had to keep this one short and sweet. Will make next chapter a little longer to make up for it! <3