Queen of Shadows - Azriel

Chapter 7: Wings of a Raven

It had been four months. The 49 years are almost up and soon all hope would be lost. I hadn't seen Rhys for a couple days. She had been keeping him...busy. I have another fight tonight. Something flutters in my stomach...its been too long since i felt like this I don't know how to name the feeling. Is this excitement? Hope? Nausea? The last one seems most likely. I can't help but think I do miss him.

I haven't missed anyone in awhile. I mean I guess I'm expected to miss Clarke and the others but I haven't felt like I fit in there for awhile. At least not since Primfaiya. The image of Bellamy's face when he found out how I kept every alive in the dark years, the disappoint and disgust that marred his tan skin is burned into my mind. I shake my head trying to rid my self of it. Even in another world I'm haunted by his ghost. Or I guess the ghost of my failures.

I head footsteps coming closer and I get up from my spot sitting on the edge of the bed. I pace over to the amoury on the far side of the room and open up the oak doors. Another gift from the bitch. Apparently I'm lucky for such nicer hardwood imported from the Autumn Court. Rhys had explained the courts to me but I don't think I'll ever truly understand the idea of eternal autumn until I see it for myself. Unsurprisingly Rhys was insistent that Night Court was the best.

I pick out the twin short swords from their slots and slide a dagger into the side sheath of the Illyrian leathers Rhys had made for me. He said there were no female warriors but he knew someone and got it made. I said Illyrians were sexist pigs. It seems like in all the mistakes of the countless societies on Earth and the bloody culture of the Grounders they still had one thing on the Faes. They weren't as delusionally sexist. It would put a smile on my face to see Indra and Lexa wipe the floor with these fae. I suppose i'll have to do it for them...if I ever get out of here.

The doors slam open and the guards have arrived to escort me to my fight. Two high fae, bulky with unkempt black hair and matching grimmaces grab my upper arms one on each side. Four more fae wait in the hall. My escort has gotten larger over the years.

"Easy boys I'm coming" I groan at them with a taunting smirk. My only fun these days is pissing off fae. The guads just tighten their grips and start dragging me a little. I roll my eyes and just scan the cave walls as we walk towards the arena. The arena is set up truly to look like the gladiator collesiums in the stories Bellamy would read me. I always enter in the ground floor and the fae guards only release me as I get to the entrance.

I pause and take a deep breath right before I enter. The fae go wild. I look up to see them cheering along the railings. In some ways they disgust me cheering for the violence about to occur. Though fae seem to be more violent than humans in general. I even think some of them cheer solely because I defying Amarantha every time I win. Even though she pretends I'm her champion, I know she will thrilled the day I die. I guess I will die down here. I may have hope to talk to Rhysand after my fight but I don't really have hope of getting out of here despite the promises we make.

I lay back in my bed studying the cave ceiling or really the galaxy Rhysand has put on the ceiling using his night powers. We lay side by side just chatting. "So what did you do for fun on Earth" Rhysand asked his voice having a littling accent at the end.

I closed my eyes thinking over his question not really sure how to answer. There never really seem to be fun it was just survive one thing to survive the next thing. I suppose my little secret adventures with Lincoln that first year on the ground were fun. But it was more his company than any activity. I answer slowly "I didn't really have the time for that Rhys. Remember how you described your time in the war camps. It was kind of like living like that. In the grounder cities there were a few taverns but by the time I ever entered a grounder city I wasn't welcomed in any establishments." Rhys just slow blinked at me. Like he couldn't comprened I never had been to an establishment for fun.

I turned my head disappointed to ruin the mood. Rhysand's hand brushed against my shoulder and I glanced back over. "Well when we get out of here I will take you to my cousins' favorite club Rita's and we will dance and have fun just to have fun" Rhys smirked as explained his planned.

I rolled my eyes, "I've never danced."

"Well your going to" Rhys demanded.

"I don't think so what do I get out of this" I asked.

Rhys' eyebrows shot up and then a grin took over his face. "You just want another tattoo" he accused.

I've wanted tattoos like the grounder had I first met saw them but they were a bit painful to get. Now free magic tattoos I could get behind. A smirk made its way to my own lips.

"Possibly, but tell me what would I get."

Rhysand took a second to think I could see the thoughts racing across his eyes before he eyes widened at one. He whipped his head back to meet my eyes "I will get you flying."

My own brows shot up at that. I mean I knew I had wings...obviously but it hadn't occurred to me I could learn to fly. It took me long enough to get my strength built enough not to let them drag on the floor. Apparently that was poor manners for an Illyrian according to Rhysand. I've never cared for manners I just knew things on the ground could be sharp and my wings were sensitive. I think on it "Okay I will go to Ritas once if I learn to fly." Rhysand grinned and agreed. I felt a tingle on my collar bone and then was a raven with its wings spread on my collar. Odd that its Raven when I have more like bat wings but at the same time I'm reminded of Raven. She never let anything stop her from flying. She risked that zero-g walk on the arc. She fought every day to walk on that mangled leg. She even made her way back to space after. She never gave up trying to fly.

I close my eyes thinking of that promise and of Raven. I will fly I won't die underground. I open my eyes and let me glare pin to the red bitch on the throne.

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Sorry for the delay I've been swamped with my senior semester of college. Good news I'll be graduating next weekend with plenty of time during the summer. Sorry this is short. I should be posting again shortly but wanted to get this up.