Azriel relied on the light of the day to save him from the darkness. To keep him from the shadows and scars that haunted his nightmares.
Tahlia relied on the darkness to save her from the light. By keeping to the shadows, she can protect her future...
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Azriel held his breath.
He wasn't quite sure why.
But he did it all the same.
---
There was a loud, impatient bout of breathing emanating from Cassian as they waited on the wrong side of the door, the one Azriel had his ear pressed firmly against. You see, it isn't often Azriel is resigned to snooping, but the shadows he'd come to rely on hovered unhelpfully above his head, swirling and dancing around as if just to mock him.
Rhysand wasn't in a better state, pacing back and forth across the landing leading up to the war room and Amren and Mor were bickering quietly between themselves, sparing a glance up at the group at regular intervals.
It's how it'd been for a while, Tahlia and Helion locked on the inside of the war room, whispering low enough that Azriel could make out a few murmurs and that was it. Long enough for the message to be sent and received by Rhsyand as well as him arriving. Still, the door did not open. No matter how impatient Cassian's groans were nor how loud the banging on his head was against the wall.
He rubbed the red patch on his head in an attempt to soothe it. "What could they possibly be talking about that can't be shared with the group?"
"They will be sharing with the group." Tamlin uttered matter-of-factly as he appeared from the stairway, dragging a chair behind him that thudded with every further step up he took. It riled him almost impossibly more than the humour that laced his smile and that drowned out the sickening green of his eyes.
"Oh?" Mor challenged. "And you know this do you? It's a fact?"
His head lulled back almost boredly as the chair clattered to the floor, Tamlin was seated a moment later, tilting it back until he was balancing precariously on two of the legs. "Yes. Because they know if they don't, I will. And I don't think my version of the story will be quite as glamorous as theirs."
"They should tell it all. Even the less glamorous details." Rhys muttered just loud enough that everyone could hear.
"Ironic isn't it?" Azriel was half tempted to try and smack the smirk straight off his face, but part of him was intrigued. He didn't think there was anything hiding in the shadows. Nothing to be aired. Clearly, he was wrong. "People choosing to hide things."
Rhys' back stiffened and his feet staggered to a stop as he whipped around to glare at Tamlin with a kind of ferociousness the Spymaster had not seen for a full... few days. It was trying times, especially with Tamlin seeking shelter amongst them.
"If that's aimed at me-"
The blond gasped in mock horror, a hand hovering over his apparently wounded heart. "I make no such accusations... Then again-" He said with a tap of his finger against his chin. "There was Amarantha, and Velaris... Or did you want me to mention the new development in the little High family."
