The Whispers of Shadows - Azriel

15

"I'm sorry," Aurora whispered, looking at him through her lashes. Azriel swallowed hard, then cleared his throat.

"Why do you feel sorry?" He asked gently. Aurora's breath hitched when he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered on her skin a moment before he pulled them away, shoving them in his pocket.

"For touching you, for using you as support when you have other worries. You surely have to go speak to Rhysand, and I shouldn't touch you when you're with Gwyn," Aurora responded, her voice dying out at the last word. Azriel's face twisted in confusion as he glanced between her eyes. Aurora felt as if she should elaborate, as much as her mind screamed at her not to. Why did she say that?

"I saw you two, the other night. In your room, I was coming to see you. I don't know why, it was late, but your door wasn't closed and I saw you and Gwyn. Nesta told me you're in a physical relationship after the High Lord forbade your relationship with Elain." Azriel's jaw clenched, his hand leaving his pocket to wipe the dried blood from her cheek that came off his shirt.

"Nesta shouldn't be telling you about my life. My relationships are none of her concern, and she should not be telling you about it. I'm sorry you saw Gwyn and I. I try to keep it as private as possible. Was it the night I, um, came to your room?"

Aurora nodded, closing her eyes when his thumb lingered on her cheek. Her eyes opened when he retreated his hand. More, more.

"I shouldn't have asked. I was curious about Elain's glares at me, why you were aggressive about Lucien visiting her. I understand he is untrustworthy, I just wondered if there was more to it," she responded. Azriel's eyes trailed across her face, dropping to her lips for a mere second.

"We had a night together a few months ago. It's just that I don't like Lucien, it's not fair for her to have a horrible mate." Aurora nodded in agreement. Elain seemed too wonderful for a male like Lucien. "Anyway, you're right, I should go speak with Rhysand. Do you want to join me? If you aren't comfortable being alone, of course," he offered, straightening and wiping off his shirt; as if that would clean the blood from him.

"No, I need to think about everything we learned. I'll see you when you return," Aurora spoke softly, stepping back further into her room. Azriel nodded. His eyes studied her face a moment longer, but then he vanished. Shadows lingered in his absence, and Aurora closed the door to hide from them in the candlelight of her room. Her back hit the door, blinking the tears away that threatened her again.

She was the daughter of Beron, the High Lord of the Autumn Court. She wondered if Oberon or Aldric knew of this, if it is why she was treated so horribly as a child. It made sense. Aurora's mind whirled with thoughts. She couldn't understand why she wasn't just dumped at the Autumn Court border. Why be auctioned off to a soldier of the Winter Court? She was seen as such a monster to her people, why would they try to marry her? Why touch her in that prison of hers? She didn't understand any of it.

Aurora's eyes went to the ceiling, lungs collected a deep breath before she reached behind herself and opened the door. She slipped out into the dark hallway, shutting the door behind her and feeling a spike of fear but hurrying into the bathing chamber. She stripped her clothes, leaving them in a crumbled heap on the floor. The bath was already full and warm, so she lowered herself beneath the water. Aurora tucked her knees to her chest and rested her chin upon them. The warmth of the tub and the light from the candles kept her sane, kept her comfortable.

When her fingers grew pruny and the water began to grow cold, warning her to get out, she washed Lucien's dried blood from her face. It wasn't much, but the smell was enough to drive her mad. The smell of pine and mist coated her, a new soap this time. She thought of the way Azriel held her when she cried, and the tears formed again. As if the House knew that she was not leaving the bath, it warmed the water again. Aurora sunk below it, letting the water rest just below her chin. She stared at the window, tears drying, for longer than she should have.

The sound of the door opening made her head turn slightly, and Azriel walked in. He hadn't noticed her, a wet hand towel running along his face. He was no longer wearing a shirt, but his trousers stayed. Aurora swallowed, heart pounding at the sight of his bare torso; the corded muscles and Illyrian tattoos enthralling her. He kicked the door shut and lowered the towel, stopping in his tracks when he saw Aurora.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My head is elsewhere, I didn't know you were in here," he murmured, stepping back towards the door. Aurora sat up, wanting to stop him from leaving. Nesta's words rang through her mind: A woman's choice for her body is power. Would her body be enough power to make him stay?

"Wait," Aurora started, not sure how to continue. She swallowed hard, glancing at his hand that hovered above the door handle. With shaking knees and hands, Aurora gripped the side of the tub and stood. She heard Azriel's breath catch, his eyes desperately staying on hers. She wondered if he could hear her pounding heart and uneven breaths. Aurora stepped out of the water, lips parted as she reached for a towel. Azriel was as still as death, and his eyes went no lower than her face.

"You can bathe," Aurora whispered, taking the towel over her arms to dry them. She hasn't been this bare in front of a male since she was captured, and that had been unwilling. This was entirely her choice, and Nesta was right; this was power. Azriel swallowed, dropping his hand from the door. Aurora didn't dry herself further, only gripped the towel in trembling hands. The water drained behind her, and she turned her head to watch it. Not keeping Azriel's stare let her take in a full breath, chest rising and falling. When the tub began to fill again, her eyes went back to his.

"What are you thinking right now?" Azriel asked, taking a step closer, a careful one. Aurora's eyes flicked to his toned chest, then back to his face.

"I don't know," she responded, and it was true. Guilt racked her chest and mind for being undressed in front of the male Gwyn loved, but another part of her ached for him. She noted how his eyes seemed to lower to her throat and then back up. Azriel took another step, and his hand ran cross his chest. She watched it and felt herself step forward.

"Aurora," he warned. She looked up at him, and that smokey citrus smell filled her nose. It was intoxicating, and she wanted more. Aurora took another step forward.

"What?" She asked, voice low. She now noticed how his chest was rising and falling like her own, short panicked breaths. She stilled, wondering if she was taking this too far. Aurora brought the towel up to her chest, letting half of the fabric fall.

"Don't," Azriel muttered, looking down at her now covered body.

"Don't what?" Aurora asked, biting her lip when she felt the anxiety in her stomach. Was this too far? Was this inappropriate? She felt like this is what the female character in her book would do. She would go after what she wanted, and Aurora wanted to do that. Aurora wanted Azriel.

"Don't cover yourself," he responded in a breathy voice. Aurora sucked in a sharp breath at his words. Her fingers loosened on the towel, the fabric slipping and falling to the floor. Azriel groaned in approval. Her eyes widened at the sound, remembering his moans from when he was with Gwyn.

Azriel's hands went to his trousers, and her wide eyes watched. The scarred fingers undid the belt, then the button, then the zipper, and her breath stopped in her chest when he pushed them to the floor.