To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 52: Goodnight

Wylla returned to the rooftop Azriel was waiting on with the food he had sent her to get. It was easier for her to go out into the town since she was a high fae. Silence hung in the air as they ate some kind of dough ball stuffed with meat and vegetables. It was something Wylla had never seen before but she enjoyed it a lot. Hopefully when Rai lived with them, she would know how to make the ball of deliciousness.

Azriel sat with his back against a chimney, his gaze turned toward the nearby beach where some faes laughed as they ran away from waves. Wylla was unable to read his expression but she figured he was just stressed and worried about his mate. Wylla couldn't imagine being in his shoes, if anything happened to Nyxous... she didn't want to imagine her life without Nyxous. He was her best friend and other half. She would do anything to make sure he was okay just like she knew he would do the same.

Even when the lady fae, Wylla learned her name was Harani, relit the candles to tell the pair it was okay to return, Azriel remained silent. Wylla was used to his silence, but this time it was almost suffocating. She didn't know what she could do to help him.

Wylla was tucked in bed by the time Azriel came out of the bathroom smelling better and stripped of his leathers. He had on his undershirt and pants as he crawled into the bedroll Harani had laid out on the other side of the bedroom. If Wylla closed her eyes, it almost felt like she was alone in the room; he was that quiet.

"Azriel?" Her small voice broke the heavy silence.

"Yeah?"

She rolled over in the bed though she couldn't see him through the darkness of the room, "Are you too tired to talk?"

Even though Wylla already knew he was exhausted he said, "no."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. She was more worried than she thought she would be, her palms wouldn't stop sweating and she chewed her bottom lip bloody. She felt bad but she had to ask him, "Could you tell me alittle bit about Rai? It might help me find her."

For a while, the room remained silent. Wylla feared that he wasn't going to respond. Finally, with his voice barely a whisper, he said, "I wish I knew more about her."

"You seemed like you really cared about her," Wylla remembered him cradling Rai in his arms and saying her name. Was it just because of the mating bond?

"I do," he sighed. "When we met, we didn't have much time together. At first, she reminded me of Cass in some ways."

"Really?" Wylla smiled.

"Yeah," his voice was lighter. Wylla hoped there was a smile behind his words as well, "She was actually a pain in my ass when we first met- just kept slipping through my fingers every time I thought I had her and then she'd get herself in even more trouble. She even went after an amphisbaena."

"No."

He chuckled, "Yeah, and this was after she had already got bitten by one. It worked out for her though... She did something I've never seen before and froze time. It was like the beast was floating in the air and she was able to take some of its venom."

"She's brave."

"Ambitious. Very. I thought she was cocky at first but after spending more time with her, I realized it was a persona." His voice was growing more tired, "After we found out we were mates, I saw a different side of her. She's warm and optimistic and so incredibly strong. Not just with her powers, but she's been through hell yet smiled and laughed as if she spent her whole life surrounded by joy."

Wylla was smiling so hard that her face ached. This was a side of Azriel she had never witnessed. He was starting to sound like Rhys when he had too much to drink at dinner and went on a rant about his "beautiful darling Feyre". Wylla selfishly didn't want Azriel to shut up.

"How did you find out you were mates?" She asked.

He stayed silent. Fearing that he fell asleep or didn't hear her, she repeated the question. Her parents had a cute story about how they found out they were mates so why wouldn't Azriel?

He cleared his throat, "Uh... we kissed... and the mating bond snapped into place."

"From a kiss?"

"Yes. Goodnight."

"Wait," she called out. "I still want to know more about her. I'm collecting information just as you always say I should. What kind of things does she like?"

"Stories," he yawned. "She would go see plays or have storytellers visit the palace. The last time I was with her, she told me that one of her dreams was to travel the world and write down as many stories as she heard."

"So you're both good at listening," she rolled over so that she was laying on her stomach. Her eyelids were growing heavier each second. It felt like days had past since she had said goodbye to Nyxous. She yawned, "Goodnight, Az. I'm going to go find her."

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