A Court Of Frozen Shadows- Azriel X Reader

04. Falling For You

I took off in a run, running until my legs felt as if they would collapse under me. I am alive. I am alive. I'm no longer at the institute. I had to remind myself every day. 

My skinny legs were begging me to stop- to slow down. I only pushed them harder, ducking under the trees, hopping over the roots. I was a good few miles from the house when my knees gave out, making me stumble down a hill, I refused my body to let out a shriek as I tumbled down the hill, the sharp rocks slitting my arms and legs. Groaning, I sat up from the grassy surface, my entire body aching in pain and fatigue. "Idiotic knees," I grumbled under my breath as I tried to stand up, though they gave up on me again, making me fall to the ground. "Great." Inspecting my body, I noticed 3 large gashes. 2 on each leg and 1 on my arm. One was so deep, I could see my bone in my arm. 

They hurt like a bitch.

But I've had worse. Ignoring my bodies complaints, I forced my body to stand up. I didn't sit and wait for help, wallowing in my own pity. No. Not anymore. Looking up, I noticed that the hill was more like a cliff with large stones poking out of it, the only way back up was to climb. I was lucky my injuries weren't worse. My right arm was currently unavailable, it was floppy and a little bone was sticking out, so I prayed to all of the gods that my knees wouldn't fail me again and I very, very slowly ascended the small cliff. It was only around 3 times my height. 

I was around 3 more steps to the top. Don't look down. Don't look down. Down look down. My thighs were screaming as I dug my toes into the rock, I had taken my shoes off halfway up when I had sat on a larger rock to let my legs rest. I tried to ignore my broken toenails as I dug my one good hand deep into the grass at the top of the cliff as I heaved my very light body up.

I was sputtering once I had reached the top, allowed my body to finally rest once my back had touched the grass.

I don't know how long I lead there for, regaining my breath. "I," I sat up. "am," I brought myself to my knees. "alive," I finally stood up. My mouth constantly moved without my permission, "I am alive," passed through my lips more than a thousand times before I had finally reached the house once again, it was beginning to get dark as I opened the door using my shoulder. 8 pairs of eyes looked up at me shock written in 7 of their faces, Azriel's face stone cold. There were two new girls here. 

"Do you have any alcohol?" I asked, the words barely passing my lips, my voice was hoarse and my throat cried. 

"What the hell happened?" Feyre was on her feet instantly, along with Elain. Rhys hurried into another room and Cassian dug out some alcohol from a shelf behind him. 

"I fell," I mumbled before moving past the girls towards Cassian, where he poured me a drink. I took it, swallowing it in a go. It immediately hit my head as soon as it plummeted in my stomach. "Jeez, what is this?" I mumbled, trying to get a look at the label. Rhysand appeared in the room with another woman, she looked to be a healer, I know her type, I've seen them more then I'd like to admit. 

She looked at me in horror as I casually sat next to Azriel, grabbing the drink that was in his hand and drinking the entirety of it. I heard him utter something though I couldn't hear it. "I think I'm gonna pass out," I mumbled to him, as he grasped my arm, the most damaged cut. The shadows, his shadows swallowed me, they were darker then I've ever seen them as they swirled around my legs and face. "I'm definitely gonna pass out," The words pass through my lips, the alcohol, hitting my head- I hadn't had it in so long, I remember trying it when I was 7, though that was 60 years ago. I didn't even gaze at either of their wings as I closed my eyes on Azriel's shoulder.