Shadow & Ice {Azriel}

Chapter III

When you're in jail a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun."

~

I sucked in a breath as I leaned forward trying to remove the thick blankets. I had no clue where I was, it smelled smooth, like oak and smoke. Grading my daggers from the bedside table, I slowly began my journey to the door which looked to lead outside.

All I could remember was a winged male plunging to the ground, for some reason he gave me a sense of peace. Hissing with each step I took in the dim room I finally reached the door.

I fiddled with the fancy lock before the thin glass door swung open, a cool gust of wind greeted me. I breathed in a sigh, this feeling reminded me of home.

I had no top on except for a white cloth around my breast. I knew the burns were bad, my flesh screams every time I moved.

Looking out to the place surrounding me, I immediately knew where I was at. The Night Court has always fascinated me, the Illyrain war camps, the way they were able to be in flight while still being able to battle.

Sighing as I set down on the edge of the balcony, my feet dangling off the edge, I felt a presence in the room behind me.

"How long was I out?" I asked not yet fully known who's in the room, but if they haven't killed me yet then that's good.

"8 days," answered a voice I recognized. I turned my head to be met with a blonde fae in a bright red dress.

"Hello, Mor," I smiled, turning back to look at the sparkling horizon.

"Lesley," She sighed sitting beside me crossing her legs like a child, "Lesley, I never have understood you, you are nothing like your sister, always looking for a fight." She shook her head, getting an evil grin from me.

"I wasn't looking for a fight this time," I grunted, rolling my shoulders feeling my tight muscles ache.

"You are lucky Azriel found you," she scolded again. "They would have killed you, also creating a war between the Winter Court and The Autumn Court."

I paled remembering everything he said to me and about my sister. I wanted to ask about the male who found it but the idea of my sister made him disappear. "Did you notify Viv?" my hand slowly traveled to the necklace without a thought.

"As soon as you got here, I didn't even recognize you Lesley, the only way I knew It was you was by your dagger," she nodded her head to the knife in my hand.

I followed her gaze to the polished knife with a snow owl imprinted on the handle. "Why was I out so long?" I asked, trying to change the topic. "The healers said that the fire entered your veins, I guess she meant that it counteracted your ability and kept you out cold," I snorted at her last part.

We were silent for a few moments watching the sun eating away at the night sky. "Why, why go into a place that you knew might kill you?" Mor asked her red painted lips pressed into a thin line.

"I don't know Mor, something has been calling me, a feeling in my gut pulling me- pulling me here," my eyes lit up when I realized that I was so close.

I pulled slightly on the bond, knowing that whatever it is was so close yet so far.

Another round of silence was endured before I broke it, "Azriel?" I asked about the man who found you.

"Oh, yeah, we were eating when he winnowed and changed into his leathers and was gone before we even knew what happened. But, later he brought us a hurt you when Rhys asked how he knew all he said that his shadows warned him something was going on in Autumn," She shrugged her shoulders, "That's Az for you."

"Shadows?" I raised an eyebrow

"Shadowsinger, Rhys spy, he's gone on a mission, but... you can come train with Cassian and me," She smiled and I agreed.

"Cassian wanted me to ask because he wanted to see your ability in action, but you don't have to if you still don't feel up to par," her smile grew and her eyes lit up like a child on Christmas.

"I feel my ability about to blow so I would love to use it but I can barely walk without feeling like I'm about to fall over, so that takes sparing off the list," I laughed, I could feel the ice inside of me wanting to be free.

Mor smiled before standing up and offering me a hand, I took it and slowly stood. "I have the perfect outfit," Mor drawled out the word perfect before leading me to sit on the bed for disappearing and returning with a black long loose lace dress.

"It shouldn't be too tight," she promised before helping me tie the back of the dress.

I turned to look in the mirror to see that the dress was cut to show parts of my stomach, "pretty right?" Mor smiled in accomplishment before grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the room.

^Lesley's outfit^