A Court of Shadows and Lies / ACOTAR FF

Chapter 5

Just as I floated up into the air, I floated down. I floated through the clouds and sky, through the roof of the cabin and back into my body as I regained the feeling in my body. With a contented sigh at the comforting silence, I opened my eyes to the orange rays now blistering through the window and blazing me with its warmth. I lowered my lashes slightly to take it all in, enjoying the momentary feeling of peace.

Until I remembered what I was wearing.

I slowly hoisted myself up onto my wobbling legs, marched to the door and swung it open. I was fully ready to bombard whoever was in the kitchen with an endless spew of swears and screams only to find Azriel placing a plate on the kitchen island. The burning returned to the depths of my stomach while I looked at him. He was dressed casually today, and not in his Illyrian leathers. He wore a loose blue cotton shirt, with the rolled-up sleeves slightly too tight for his bulky arms. I could see the beginnings of his leather trousers and the hilt of his dagger sticking out of its sheath. His hair fell in front of his face as he placed a knife and a fork on the island, while his shadows danced around him excitedly. His wings were comfortably tucked back, avoiding hitting any of the appliances in the kitchen.

I licked my suddenly dry lips while I stood there, feeling my nipples harden against the thin material. For fuck's sake, I groaned internally. This was getting ridiculous. I was about to turn around to avoid Azriel when he lifted his head up and looked at me through his hair. He ran his fingers through them, revealing his gorgeous hazel eyes that were now burning into mine.

My chest rose and fell heavily as the fire blazed within. Whatever the fuck this was, it needed to sort itself out. His eyes flicked down to my chest and, momentarily, I had forgotten that my shirt left little to the imagination. I cleared my throat angrily, tugging on the shirt to loosen it. Azriel's eyes glanced back up to mine, his head cocked to the side slightly with a smile.

"Did you change my clothes without asking me?" I demanded, stomping into the room, ignoring the fire burning within me. He huffed before turning around and heading to his cooling system. He grabbed a pitcher of orange juice from it, a cup from one of the cabinets and placed them next to the plate on the island. I stopped at the island, my hand resting on the back of the chair as I eyed him. "Do you not talk? Or do you just not talk to me?"

"Eat," was all he said before leaning on the counter behind him. I turned my attention to the plate on the island and my stomach growled loudly. It was filled to the rim with eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, a couple of slices of toast and a small slice of chocolate cake. My mouth salivated while I pulled the chair out and plopped myself onto it. I leaned over and took a deep breath in, smelling every bit of the plate as much as possible.

I tore into the meal like it was my last breakfast on earth. It was my first proper meal in 400 years and it tasted good. My whole body was on sensory overload while I gobbled the meal up, my stomach aching at how fast I was going but I didn't care. I hadn't realised how hungry and how starved I was until that moment. I scrapped every bit of the breakfast off the plate before turning my attention to the cake. I cut a piece off using the fork and slid it into my mouth, moaning at the decadence.

My eyes looked up to find Azriel with an amused mile, his eyebrow raised at the fork hanging out of my mouth. "Don't judge me," I murmured through the fork before devouring the cake. I dropped the utensil onto the plate and tore off the pitcher lid, ignoring the glass Azriel had placed on the table and drank from it. Gods, I didn't know how much juice was in that pitcher but I just drank it all up.

Placing the pitcher on the table, I wiped my lips with the back of my hand and leaned back onto the chair, my stomach bulging. I smiled softly at Azriel, placing a hand on my stomach.