Into the Shadows - ACOTAR / ACOMAF - Azriel x OC

Chapter IV - Night I

— Azriel —

28 minutes. That's how long the blessed silence had lasted.

"I'm cold," she said with her demanding tone. Again.

"We're nearly there" I replied, not bothering to look behind me to her shivering frame. My shadows were watching dutifully over her, even without my direction. Their curiosity and concern for her wellbeing had surprised even me, they were drawn to her. To the darkness, I could see in those emerald orbs. 

"And just where is there?" She asked, I could swear I heard her eyes rolling.

"A cave, to the West"

"West?" She questioned, "shouldn't we be going South?"

"Would you like to lead the way?" I asked her, mimicking her mocking tone from before. Was she aware she had been kidnapped? That she was my hostage now?

Probably not seeing as most people would have thanked me for saving them from Drak's wrath. Even my company would be better than the males of Vallahan.

My jaw ticked at the thought. What could have happened tonight, to yet another female who had fallen into his nasty grip?

Though, Lexa had seemed perfectly capable of putting a stop to his evil. Even without a show of her "mighty" powers... Maybe Drak was right and it was all a facade. I let the thought rest for now as my mind trailed back to Drak's nightly activities.

Oh, the things I could do to him with Truth Teller... they would be delightfully painful. It would be unimaginable, I would keep him alive but draw out every whimpering scream from his decrepit soul whilst his body contorted from the anguish.

I sent my shadows to the perimeter in front, willing them to scan for the area for any dangers or threats before we came into view of the cave. I moved into the darkness with them, feeling everything they could before returning to the moonlight a few seconds later.

Lexa stood closer than before. In the darkness, I had entered. Her mouth was gaping and her eyes darting furiously around her. "Yes?" I taunted appearing a step behind her. I allowed for a playful glimmer to skate across my features as she whirled around to see me.

She narrowed her eyes and I waited for a snarky comment to erupt. But she just exhaled a strangled breath and turned to carry on walking. Her expressions were cold and her masks almost as good as mine. But those piercing green eyes of hers showed everything. And what I just saw was her anger.

I moved into the realm again to then appear in front of her. My shadows whispered to me that she rolled her eyes and a small smile twitched at the corner of my mouth. She was definitely angry. We walked in silence for the rest of the way and when we got to the mouth of the cave she stopped a few feet back.

Her expression was still cold but her eyes had widened and her jaw was clenched shut. Though that may have been to stop her teeth from chattering. I stepped to the side and gestured for her to enter.

But she just continued to stare. And her eyes seemed to glaze over. The temperature was dropping further and I couldn't help but notice her goosebumps and raised hairs. She swallowed thickly and I narrowed my eyes at the reaction.

As if sensing my eyes on her, she snapped back to meet my gaze and straightened before pushing past me to enter into the darkness. It wasn't a big cave but it was deep, so I lit a fire at the back where it curved to the side, the items I had left before on my journey to this abhorrent destination were still waiting for me.

Amongst some of the items was a spare cloak. I walked to where Lexa was sitting. She had chosen a spot close to the entrance of the cave, though I had no doubt it was going to be freezing there in a matter of minutes. I passed her the cloak and to my surprise, she took it gently.

Her cold gaze softened slightly. And I struggled to look away from those emerald green eyes that were boring into my soul. I traced the features of her face in the warm light of the fire. Her skin was like porcelain, so stark and pale it was as if she was glowing. It served to make her green eyes seem brighter, her lips fuller, and her hair darker.

Now freed from her halo braid, her long black hair rolled down her shoulders and the image of my black silk sheets fluttered into my mind's eye. I wouldn't let myself finish the thought of her being the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. That thought had already invaded my mind as she lay across my chest at the bottom of the cliff. Her curious gaze had stared above us, giving me ample time to take in her features from a lower angle.

As if hearing me admire her, those peach-coloured lips slightly parted and it was me who suddenly felt the urge to fill the heavy silence. Her eyes were piercing into me and I was suddenly very aware of my wings, posture, body, and the fact that my scarred hands were still extended.

"You're welcome," I said sarcastically, trying to slowly snatch my horrific hands away from her piercing view as I turned to stoke the fire. She said nothing as I walked a few feet away, but I heard her shift and wrap the cloak around her - good. At least then she'll stop complaining. Or at least have less to complain about.

The sun would already be rising soon. We had walked a long way in the dark and in the cold. At least tomorrow, the light would warm the lands and it would be more bearable. Though I would happily continue this journey in the dark. Light felt foreign to me and I couldn't use my shadows as well during the daytime.

But the winter storm raged heavier at night and even though she seemed to handle the cold pretty well, extremely well considering she was wearing a corset with nothing but a thin white under-top with sleeves, I didn't think it would be a wise move.

The eternal storm of Vallahan was exceptionally annoying. It stopped me from flying, stopped all of us with wings from flying, and it also fumbled with the ability to winnow. Even my shadow version of winnowing didn't work here.

I hadn't dared to use my Siphons to try to keep the chilled winds at bay. In general, they were actually okay, the storm seemed to be focused on the tips of the tree rather than the ground. But still, it was that last hour where the temperature suddenly dropped and my bones felt like brittle icicles.

It was a fruitless thought. I needed to save my powers. Strange beasts lurked in these woods and I had no doubt that Drak and his army of cretins would be scouring the lands looking for Lexa.

I sighed and glanced at her. She was sitting with her back straight against the wall, her eyes were closed and she was breathing in a certain pattern. "You should fall asleep now whilst the cave is still warm" I suggested to her. And when she made no notice of even hearing me, I pressed "It will be dawn soon and we have a long trek ahead of us. You should-"

"I'm not about to fall asleep in this... hole with my kidnapper free to do whatever he pleases" she interrupted. Her eyes still closed whilst she said it. But her tone was like ice and even though it was smart of her to not be vulnerable, I couldn't help the snarl that curled at my lips.

At least she was aware that she had been abducted. Maybe that would entice her to stop complaining. Again, probably not. "Fine" I replied bitterly not caring to mask my voice, as I doused the flames in shadows to suffocate it.

"Fine" she replied matching my tone. Clearly, her realisation of being a hostage did not deter her taunting behaviour.

Before I could stop myself I found my lips moving as they formed the word "fine" my voice a quiet slither, a warning for her to be careful.

She opened her eyes and narrowed them at me, the same twist of a smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Good one" she taunted. Closing her eyes again, basking in the moonlight as she returned to her breathing.

I had to clench my jaw shut. Wire it shut and keep it that way. Lexa knew she had gained something from my outburst. She enjoyed my reaction and has used it to her own vantage.

Fuck.

This was going to be a long journey back to Prythian.