A Ballad of Flame & Shadow | Azriel

two

"I don't know what language the tattoo is in," Bryce insisted, shuffling her ass backwards, hands braced against the floor. "My friend inked it on me when I was blackout-"

"Do not lie," Rhysand snarled and the venom in his voice, it made something in me rear its head. I watched them, the three of them, inch nearer, predators eyeing prey.

"Don't come any closer," I seethed, knees scraping against the floor as I angled my body in front of Bryce. I looked into those hazel eyes and glared, "I will tear your face to ribbons, pretty boy, I mean it."

"Azriel's more than just a pretty face, Alexis," Rhysand spoke from beside me, but I didn't look away from Azriel, noticing the barest tilt of his lip as he stared right back. "It's his speciality to get people like you to tell us what we want to know."

Torturer. The word prickled over my skin, and I couldn't bear to look into his eyes any longer. He seemed to realise it too, that what he did, what he was made my stomach twist and we both turned our eyes away.

"I can feel something in the letters..." Amren circled us, staring down at Bryce's back, to the words glowing through her shirt, "Get Nesta."

Glowing triggered by... the bean? Her stress? The orb? I had no fucking clue what made her light up like a Gods-forsaken firework. But it was the worst possible thing that could have happened right now.

"Cassian won't be happy," Azriel murmured and though I didn't face him, I could feel his eyes draw back to me again and again, like a brand on my skin.

"Cassian can deal. Nesta will be able to sense this better than I can." I glanced at Bryce, and I knew our eyes mirrored each other- panic. "Get her Rhysand."

He disappeared- winnowed, his face grave as he went to get whoever Nesta was. I helped Bryce up, her trembling body still unbearably weak as I settled her on the cot again. I had to be strong enough for us both.

I clenched my hands into fists and braced my spine as I rose beside Bryce's body, nothing but ice on my face as Rhysand reappeared, that beautiful fawn-haired female from earlier with him now. I met her cloudy blue eyes and glared.

Her face was impassive as she stepped forward on silent feet and I traced over the dark leather armour she wore, moulded against her slender, lean body like a second skin. She raised her chin as she stopped before Bryce and whatever power she possessed; I could feel it, and Bryce did too.

Though neither of us baulked in the face of it.

"I told you earlier, there's something Made on her. Beyond that sword she carried." Nesta said in a flat voice, and then her unfeeling eyes turned to me, and her nose flared. "Her too- something Made."

"What the fuck does Made mean?" I gritted out, and Solas I wish I had some magic in me, wish I had enough to rid us of this place, of these people.

"Is it the tattoo?" Amren pointed to Bryce's back.

"Yes," Nesta dipped her chin, then looked at me again, assessing, "I'm not sure about her though, does she have any ink on her?"

"Not that we can see," Azriel said quietly, and his eyes roved over me, over my body, as if he could see through my clothes. I bared my teeth at that look, at the way I suddenly felt exposed and hot under it.

"Do you expect me to strip naked or something?" I scoffed, and Azriel blinked at the words, "Sorry to break it to you but threats don't entice a female into taking off her clothes."

"I don't need to resort to them to get a female naked," Azriel quipped back, head cocking and I felt heat bloom my skin. His eyes told me just how willing females were to get into bed with him.