A Court of Watchful Shadows

It's Decided

I could hear the hushed tones down the hall as I paced in the room i'd been sleeping in at this...house. I couldn't make out what they were saying but I knew it was about me considering my outburst.

I thought it was pretty tame compared to the one I could've had at the fact I'm being held against my will in this house.

As I undressed and put on my nightdress there was a knock at the door.

"Don't come in." I shout.

"It's me" came a male voice.

Azriel.

The door opened and he strode in, shadows slowly dancing around him, looking almost seductive.

I give him a pointed look "did you not hear what I said?"

"You shouldn't have shouted like that at my friends, especially not in front of Rhys- I can't believe you would dream of having an outburst like that in front of the high lord." He spoke

"What's he gonna do? Kill Me? Good riddance I hope he does." I spit back

Anger flashed his features "DONT EVER-" he composed himself "don't say that." Another emotion, one I couldn't decipher. Sorrow? No. It looked...

"Look Ziláa I understand it's hard for you, don't think I haven't noticed the bottles of Rhys' expensive liquor being rinsed down, and the lack of food going with it." He shifted his posture slightly "but enough is enough, you're my mate and I want to look after you and make sure you're healthy" he began walking towards me, I took a few steps back until I hit the edge of my bed.

I give a dry laugh "I'm not your mate, you've got it wrong" he doesn't react, he knows I'm being childish, I know it too but I can't afford to make anymore attachments that'll be taken from me, if Ziven found out I had a mate...

I look up at him, rage dancing behind my eyes "Get out." He barely reacts save for a millisecond of shock.

"Get. Out." I repeat, my shadows begin thrashing around me, their whispers becoming near shouts as they consume my being, piece by piece.

He strides towards me, and pushes me to sit down on the bed, I make a move to get up but he pushes me back down.

"No. Sit down" he tells me. My shadows fall silent. He stares at me and seems to contemplate for a moment.

I suddenly become very aware of how raunchy my nightdress is, black and lacy. I put my arms around myself in an attempt to cover up.

He seems to notice at the same time and I see a slight blush crawling up his cheeks as he backs away and turns to stand away from me from his side.

He looks back at me "The shadows, you can't control them can you?" It was more of a statement than a question. I didn't reply.

"Look, I can help you with them, teach you to control them in the way I learnt to control mine."

I look up from the patch of the floor I'd been staring at "no, I don't want your help, I'll manage them just fine."

"I wasn't asking." He stated, with more authority than before. You'd think he was high lord himself the way he's barked orders at me this evening.

I open my mouth to retort but no words come out. I sit there gaping like a fish.

"I'll give you the day tomorrow to apologise to my friends and my high lord but the day after I'm going to start training you to control them, before this entire house is consumed by your wild shadows." He made for the door.

I stayed in my place, not wanting to move and remind him of my presence save he gives another order.

He stops and turns around anyway "Oh and Ziláa?"

I slowly look over at him, his dark aura, shadows surrounding the door frame. As much a grand exit as was his entrance, grander, in fact.

I raise my eyebrow at him, refusing to give a verbal answer. He could force me to train but he couldn't force me to speak to him.

"Eat something." He states and strides out of the door, but not until I'd made sure he'd heard my scoff.

Train?? Train? I didn't need training, I could mostly manage the shadows just fine. I mean yes they were a bit over the top when I became angry and their never ending whispering was annoying to say the least. Okay maybe I did need to train. But once I'd gotten the hang of the shadows that was it. No more Azriel, no more house of wind, no more 'inner circle' nonsense.