A Ballad of Flame & Shadow | Azriel

three

I heard Bryce gasp.

And when my eyes flew open and met a cloud of blue-grey dancing with silver flames, I knew that we had not just rested for a moment.

We had fucking fallen asleep.

"You both passed out," Nesta mused quietly, standing above us with a sword strapped to her back and a leather canteen in her hand. "Drink before it happens again."

I bit the inside of my cheek as she handed Bryce the water canteen, looking bored. I glanced at my sister, watching her sip from the bottle, her clenched jaw and hard eyes telling me she was just as pissed off as I was right now.

My limbs were stiff and numb from the cold, groaning as I unfurled them and rose to my feet. No one spoke, but I could feel Nesta observing us, watching as Bryce handed me the canteen and our eyes met for a second.

"How did you learn we left the cell?" Bryce asked, tightening her ponytail, and relaxing her body- as if to say that Nesta's presence didn't affect her. Nesta smirked like she knew it was bullshit.

"We have people who can talk to shadows. They told us you went through the grate." Nesta drawled, leaning against the wall, and folding her arms. She didn't see us as threats, that much was obvious.

I tried not to let that bother me as I sipped from the canteen, the water mercifully cold and I nearly moaned as it slid down my throat. I capped the bottle, licking the droplets from my lips and I felt tendrils of shadows coil around my wrist, as if excited.

I froze for a second, just watching them. They moved across my wrist and hands, like a cat sniffing a stranger's palm, trying to figure them out. It was obvious after a few seconds that they posed no threat, and I was content to let them explore.

"So, they sent you to what? Drag us back to the cell?" I threw the canteen to her, and she caught it with ease, shoving it into a pack at her hip. "I might be underestimating you here but how do you plan to take us both on?"

"I'm here to escort you," Nesta said with a bland smile, nodding behind me to the way we had come. "You don't seem like you wish to cause us harm, so follow me back."

I scoffed, folding my arms over my chest, defensively but also for warmth. I peered over my shoulder, to the dark, endless tunnel behind and frowned.

"How did you even get past the beasts?" I asked, feigning bored interest.

"It pays to know people with wings," Nesta smiled slightly, and the sight was not comforting. "Someone flew me in and will fly us out- or haul you if you decide to do this the hard way."

"I don't know, being manhandled by attractive males sounds more fun," I shrugged, a sardonic smile on my lips as I tucked my hair back behind my ears. Bryce snorted at me, and even Nesta seemed to be fighting her amusement.

Again, those shadows coiled, around my legs this time, tighter. The touch tingled against my thighs as if they too found my words charming.

"You could be bluffing," Bryce challenged, drumming her fingers impatiently against her thighs. I knew exactly what that meant.

"Do you want to find out?" Nesta raised a brow, and I swear in the dank blackness of this tunnel, silver embers banked in her eyes. Like she wanted us to fight. And Cthona, I felt my magic stir at that challenge.

"Like I said before," I sighed, my palms lifting in surrender, "We rarely do what others want us to."

Flames erupted from my hands. Bryce exploded with light. And Nesta cursed, slamming against the stone, shielding her face from the heat.