Sweet Innocence and Gentle Sin || 𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐑

Chapter 23 Part 1: Let Me Go

I could only hear one heartbeat, which meant an easier fight. If I could move fast enough, I could hit them before they had a chance to react. So far, they didn't know I could sense them.

I stepped slowly and carefully forward, sword raised slightly and held in both hands. The person's breathing paused a second—just a second. A second for me to know they realized I was there.

It happened quickly. I swung my sword around the corner, the sound of sharp metal ringing in my ears as the blade met with another and I was forcefully pushed around and slammed into the wall.

Their blade pressed mine towards me, so I forced my arms up enough to get a hand free and use it to grab the dagger attached to my belt. I lifted it to their throat as the cold of metal dug into my side.

The moment I realized who it was I let out the breath I was holding. "Let me go."

"What are you doing down here?" Azriel asked, pressing his blade against mine harder, pushing my hand into the wall above my head. The handles of the two swords were locked together, making it impossible for my hand to free itself unless he did first.

I sucked in much-needed air. "What does it look like I'm doing?" his scent enveloped me, rich and coated in the smell of mud, sweat, and blood.

His eyes danced between mine, emerald bright within the brown and gold. "You're being reckless. You shouldn't be down here."

I huffed a laugh, my dagger rubbing against his throat and drawing a line of red. I didn't realize how sharp the blade was when Jurian gave it to me that morning. "Oh, so you're the reason I haven't run into a single person. Cat's catching himself some mice down here?"

"Princess," he warned, removing his blade from my side and unhooking our swords from above my head.

I bent forward and shoved my foot into his knee, making him stumble back. Before I could turn around the corner and get out of there, his shadows lashed out and wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against the opposite wall. Traitors.

"Still angry?" He asked with a grainy tone to his voice as he stood straight again.

I huffed a laugh. "You locked me in a room with no other exit and simply said to wait. Yeah, I'm a little angry."

He raised a brow and shook his head, making my face red with fury. I forced myself out of the shadows hold and started running down the hallway. I just needed to get away from him and all those confusingly intense feelings I had when around him. Like the thrumming in my veins, the aching in my bones. Feelings I didn't want to have.

I skipped up the steps, sensing he was close behind me. He was lucky I didn't think enough to check the door and slammed face-first into the wood that didn't budge when I tried the handle. I stumbled back from how hard I hit my face and would've fallen down the stairs if he hadn't stopped and caught me before I fell.

I knew from the pop and tickling sensation that blood was dripping from my nose. Letting out a string of curses, I tipped my head back and pressed my palm to my nose.

"You are the worst," I said, breathing from my mouth.

Azriel was smirking. "How have you survived this long?"

"I was fine before you showed up."

He removed my hand from my face and said, "Let me help with that."

"You can heal?"

He shook his head. "Didn't get that lucky. Your body should heal it fast enough, I'm just getting this off your face."

He took a handkerchief from his pocket and rubbed it around my nose, turning the white fabric red. I couldn't help but smile. "The frightening shadowsinger carries a hankie?"