A COURT OF FIRE AND ICE - AZRIEL -

Chapter Three

!Phases - PRETTYMUCH!

Lexia's POV

me? 

"No thanks" I laughed. This was a joke. It had to be.

"We're serious" Azriel added. "It has to be you"

"Stop taking the piss. Get one of you're inner circle members to do it" I frowned.

"We can't. It has to be you." Rhysand repeated.

"Why?"

"He asked for you" Azriel spoke. His voice softer this time, laced with something I couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Freakish spoilt minister's son" Cassian chimed. 

"A human?!" I looked at Rhysand for confirmation. He nodded disappointedly like he was totally against the idea too. "Isn't that completely and utterly illegal. Most of Prythian don't even know how the inside of Velaris looks like and you're about to let some weakass human in?"

Feyre lovingly caressed Rhys' hand on the table. "He didn't have a choice. Rhys owes a favour" That shut me up. It was common knowledge of those around this table that Rhysand had been forced to make many deals during the war and after in efforts to rebuild and make 'friends' with people he didn't want to. My shoulders slumped in defeat. These manipulative asses.

"I can't believe this is an intervention" I pouted, eyes on my plate still full, with one bite taken out of my croissant.

"No, see this more as an invitation" Rhysand piped. Unnecessarily. "And ofcourse you will be handsomely compensated for you service to the Night Court"

I smirked. He knew how to rope me in. I wasn't poor, but far from rich. Actually considering my friends we royalty and oozed wealth, I was pretty poor. And from my knowledge I no longer had any living family members, I guess the bloodline ended with me. Or at least it was going to. Nonetheless, that meant I didn't have anyone to go to for money and I lacked the formal education to work in an office, not that I would want to anyway. But it meant that I often freelanced for Rhysand and spent my time teaching 'self defence' to the kids of Velaris that weren't blessed with Illyrian genes. It was enough...but I would never pass on an opportunity to make something extra.

"Oh she's 100% on board now. Should have led with that Rhys" Cassian laughed. I laughed. Rhys laughed. Azriel and Feyre eyed each other not understanding what was so funny about it. Obviously they didn't see the humour in self deprecation.  

"Ok so you can move in today, Az will help you carry you're belongs up here" Rhysand said standing up, declaring this meeting over.

"Wait? What I have move in?"

"Just for a week" Feyre stood.

"But all alone in this House with some stranger....can't be ok" I argued.

"You wont be alone" Cassian said looking to Azriel. Oh. I had forgotten Azriel lived here during times he wasn't out on a mission.

"Right, sorry I forgot. I'll have Az and his shadows to keep me company" I smiled sarcastically.

Azriel rolled his eyes turning my smile genuine.

"You guys stay and finish eating, Feyre and I have another meeting to attend to" Rhysand said slyly. The aroma in the air shifted. Ew.

It was just the three of us now.

"Eat" Azriel spoke, his plate now empty and he slurped his coffee. Undoubtedly bitter and black.

"Have you been away so long you have forgotten who Lexia Alinta Elsher is?" Cassian asked with a raised eyebrow. I flinched at the use of my full name, my gulp of coffee doing down my airway instead making me cough uncontrollably.

"I know who she is" Azriel frowned.

"And her eating habits?" Cassian prompted him. This was making me grossly uncomfortable. I couldn't eat in front of others. A trauma response no doubt that I had developed from well...traumatic events.

"OW!" Cassian exclaimed from Azriel kicking him under the table. He didn't have to.

"Shut up" Azriel said through his cup. His eyes turned to me. "Eat so we can go pick up your stuff"

"I'm done. We can go now" I was starving. Turns out 1 bite of croissant after an hour isn't exactly the appropriate fuel. And now that Azriel was following me home I would be able to pick up something from the market on the way home. Damn.

Azriel obliged and stood, the both of us leaving the dining hall leaving Cassian, who was still piling food onto his plate behind.

"You have to eat more" he said inbetween his unnaturally long strides that had my almost at running pace to keep up.

"I know I do" I was ashamed. It was shameful to be called out on it. He didn't make me feel bad for it, I knew he meant well but I couldn't help but feel gross about it. "So do you happen to know why this human has asked for me? How does he even know me?"

Azriel grunted as though he was annoyed at the question. "Something about seeing you at the Winter Solstice and apparently his short exchange with you had left him so mesmerized that he insisted he would only come back to Prythian if you were here"

"He spoke to me?"

"Apparently"

"How does he look?"

"How am I supposed to know? Humanlike I'm assuming"

I thought back to the Winter Solstice. It was a rough one this year and I honestly did not want to attend but Feyre was throwing a massive party and unfortunately I was forced to. I squinted in an attempt to recall any unfamiliar faces in the people I spoke to that night.

"Honestly Lexi you were wayy too shitfaced to possible remember a single thing from that night" he crossed his arms as we entered the foyer. Lexi. It had been a long time since he called me that.

"You noticed?" I didn't think Azriel was even at that party. I hadn't spoken to either of the boys and recalled short pleasantries with Feyre. I'm pretty sure I just sat in the back corner downing every hard shot known to faerie, scowling at the happy couples and joyful people.

"How could I not? You were drinking more than the Illyrians that night."

"Noooo" I denied

"Yesss" he smiled. It was genuine. Genuine amusement plastered on his face.

I rolled my eyes in defeat. "Whatever I didn't want to be there anyway. At least I didn't do anything crazy"

He smirked with a raised eyebrow. "You're sure?"

I nodded. I was sure. But he was making me doubt myself. There is no way I'd do anything. I am too disciplined. Too rigid to even be drunk.

"A hundred percent sure?"

"What? Just tell me" I sighed as the warm sun shone over us. Over the whole of Velaris.

"No nothing. I mean if you're sure you're sure" he smiled walking over to me and gently placed one hand on my back looking at my for approval. I nodded with a frown knowing what it meant. "Hold on" he say picking me up in one quick sweep bridal style, making my hands instinctively wrap around his neck. His body was warm, with a sense of calm. Before I knew it we were in the sky, my eyes glued shut.

"Open your eyes"