What if I lived? ✔️

Next morning

Of course that wasn't the only time we had sex that night. I got maybe a total hour of sleep. Keeping our hands of each other was just too hard. We only stopped when we knew the other inside and out, every little trick that would coax the most delicious sounds out of our mouths.

I wished that night never had to end. But morning came as sure as every day. Waking up next to Azriel was...

He was holding me against his chest with one arm, the other he had tucked under his head. His breaths were even, his hair was in disarray, probably my fault, his face seemed younger, more relaxed when he slept. There was no denying it, he was just so gorgeous.

But the moment I stirred his eyes opened. Those wonderful, magnificent Hazelnut eyes full of emotions which I could now feel inside myself. Where yesterday there had been just the slightest whisper of mist, there was now a symphony of shadow and emotions.

My fingers racked through his air as I marveled at their softness. His hand pressed me against the small of my back.

My voice sounded soft when I said: "There's something I need to tell you."

He hummed and I couldn't bear that spark of joy in his eyes. I wanted to prolong him looking at me as if I was something precious and deserving of happiness so I added: "But before that I need to pee."

Azriel snorted, nuzzling my neck: "Hurry back."

With just one last kiss I slid out of bed, throwing on a dressing gown, then saw to my needs. While I washed my hands, my eyes found myself in the mirror. Normally, after a night like this, I looked exhausted at best, but not today. My cheeks were rosy, my skin smooth, no signs of that exhaustion or fatigue. He would understand, he just had to.

I finished and stepped out of the bathroom.

Azriel wasn't in bed anymore, instead he kneeled in front of my desk a sheet filled with death runes in one, a translation in the other hand.

His eyes were filled with worry and betrayal so deep it made me ache. I had looked for that darn thing for hours, why, cauldron boil me, did it have to appear now?!

"I can explain" obviously the wrong thing to say as his face tightened with distaste.

One step and his clothes were back on, another and his hand was gripping my arm, shadow engulfing us.

************************

I was in the Hewn city, there was no mistaking this wretched stone cell and the disgusting guards eyeing me under the dressing gown.

After Azriel had thrown me in here, he left me to rot for hours. It was cold and wet and downright demeaning in these clothes, but I had been in worse cells if I was being honest. Still I was definitely getting out of here with the flu, which I couldn't afford as things stood.

Finally the shadow singer returned with my brother and Cassian, all of them Stone-faced and in fighting leathers. Ganging up on a prisoner already willing to talk, such stupidity. None of them had learned anything in the last five hundred years. Fear was a powerful thing and there was a good chance they would scare me out of talking looking like that.

I smiled sweetly at them: "Finally the High Lord deigns to honor me with his presence."

"No games Aditya, if that is even your name" he sneered at me.

My voice became vicious: "Nothing about this is a game Rhysand. Nothing."

I took a breath, striking a civilized tone again: "As I was saying to your shadow singer I have an explanation and it is a very good one."