A Court of Shadows and Thunder // AzrielxOC SlowBurn Romance, ACOTAR FanFiction

Chapter 45 - Unhinged

There was a cold trickle of rain coming down from the grey skies above, and Brianna's boots sloshed in the mud as she made her way through Windhaven camp.

The wind was cold and sharp, making Brianna shiver, not expecting the weather to be so bitter and frigid. Just like the Syren, it was as though Mother Nature too had woken up on the wrong side of the bed, and did not want to make the day any more enjoyable as it would have been.

She crossed her arms round herself in an attempt to make herself a little warmer, but she let out a soft curse word as it didn't help her one bit, and she could feel herself begin to feel frustrated. And with the persistent migraine that had settled in the back of her mind, Brianna felt inclined to simply turn around, walk right back into that wooden house, march past the shadowsinger within and go right back into her bed.

But then an arm slung round her shoulders, making Brianna flinch and want to shake off whoever had just touched her. It was only after she whipped her head round and was met with kind dark eyes that she realised it was Lyvia, who now gave her a tentative smile.

"It's only me," Lyvia said, letting go of Brianna's still stiff shoulders, "Didn't mean to scare ya."

Brianna felt herself calm down, if not only a little, still looking like she was about to start a fight. And Lyvia certainly didn't expect such a reaction from what she thought was an all around tough and fearless Syren.

"Sorry," the word came out of Brianna's mouth instantly upon noticing Lyvia's confusion, "I'm not in my right mind this morning."

Lyvia simply put her hands up in defence while giving Brianna an apologetic grin.

"Noted," she said to her, shaking her head as they both set off toward the training ring once more, "I gather you've had an exciting night, then?"

Brianna glanced over to her and noticed the smile she wore, a more teasing one with rather prying eyes. Perhaps it was the way Lyvia had said those words in such a teasing manner, but the Syren felt a sudden heat rise up to her cheeks, and the inevitable memory of a moonlit rooftop arose in her mind.

"I wouldn't put it in those words," Brianna mumbled, but it made Lyvia giggle.

"Oh, I can guess exactly where he put it," Lyvia continued on, "And I'm sure it must have been quite eventful, seeing how you aren't accompanied by your shadow on this fine morning."

The blush had grown to heat up Brianna's ears, even in the frigid morning air. She could feel her stomach twist and heart leap at what Lyvia was insinuating, and her mind wandered to what could have happened if they had not been interrupted last night, if her and her shadow had not stopped.

Feeling her head become a little fuzzy at the thought of it alone, Brianna shot Lyvia a glare.

"Don't push it," she warned her, even if Brianna still gave her a smile with a roll of her eyes.

It only made Lyvia laugh more, her head rolling back in pure glee at the Syren's flustered reaction. And that was when Brianna spotted something she probably shouldn't have, something that Lyvia was surely trying to conceal.

As she laughed, her hair that was tied in a long side braid had shifted, falling past her shoulder to land on her back. And it made way to reveal a dark spot on Lyvia's neck, a purplish and brown mark that was now in clear sight.

Brianna's hand flew to catch Lyvia's arm, stopping them in their tracks, and the Illyrian only gave her a quizzical look.

"What is it?" Lyvia asked, now seeing the frown that adorned Brianna's face. But she was quick to note where those blood red eyes were looking, and was even faster to pull her braid back to conceal that bruise.