Sweet Innocence and Gentle Sin || 𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐑

Chapter 19: You're The Death Of Me

I watched her exit the tent, and before she was out of view, said, "Thank you, Nalia. For everything."

She smiled back at me. It lit up her face. "And thank you for being my friend."

I was left alone in the tent to finish my nightly routine before sleep. I always tried to braid my hair before I went to bed. It was this little ritual that helped calm me down, and I needed it right now.

I slipped into bed and blew out the light. The room turned pitch black in a blink, the only light coming from the moonlight that slid in from the closed tent flap. It was cold that night, so cold that I was bundled up in a cocoon of blankets.

My eyes snapped open as the air skidded to a halt in my throat. There was a humming outside. It echoed into my tent like it wanted me to hear and recognize it. That song, only one person knew that song—my mother.

I kicked the sheets back and stood up fast enough for vertigo to hit my head and make me sway a little. I pulled on my coat and stepped outside into the quiet night. There were no fires lit, and barely any soldiers walking around.

That humming came from within the forest. I knew I shouldn't follow it, but I had to—needed to. It was my mother's voice urging me onward. I couldn't turn back from that voice.

My bare feet snapped twigs and pine needles that poked my ankles as I walked. I didn't care about how the rocks slid around my heels and scraped my skin. This voice, this humming song, wrapped around and pulled me deeper into the forest. It was a lure of light that would surely bring me to happiness.

I wanted. I wanted to see my mother again. My mother's sweet face, her soft smile, and kind eyes. I wanted to see the only person with a face of beauty and pure joy.

Someone grabbed me by the upper arm and pulled me to the side so hard I slipped and almost fell with a yelp. A hand pressed hard against my mouth, and my back pressed against someone's front.

No, no, no. Get me out of here. Stop. Get me away. I needed to run. Stop. I needed to scream and hide. Stop it. Get me out, get me away. Please stop.

This potent scent of smoke filled my nose like alcohol. My whole body relaxed the second that smell landed at the bottom of my lungs. Of all things, his scent should be the last thing telling me who he is.

I stuck my tongue out and Azriel's hand flew off my mouth to wipe on his pants while he grumbled a curse. I spun around and glared at him.

"What the hell are you doing?" I hissed.

"Hunting," he responded.

"Oh, what an informative response. Yes, of course, you are hunting in the woods at night—where people often hunt."

His jaw clenched as he looked down at me. "We are hunting a creature."

"Who's we?"

"A couple of other males that don't get scared easily."

I hummed. "Well, have fun with your little hunt. I'm going back to bed now. Goodnight." I turned on a heel to leave.

He grabbed my arm and spun me back around. "I can't let you do that."

"If this is gonna be one of those 'I don't trust the others' situations, I will punch you."

He chuckled, and it skidded through me in a way I didn't want. "The thing we're hunting has been following us the past few days. It finally picked a prey."

"Don't you dare say—"

"You."

I let out a string of curses that could rival the dirtiest of tongues and sighed. "Okay... okay, this is fine. Totally fine. We'll just kill it and move on with our lives."