A Court Of Frozen Shadows- Azriel X Reader

11. Amren

"And that's what happens when you tuck your thumb in when punching something," Azriel was smirking at my now broken thumb. 

"Shut the hell up." I groaned, "It barely even hurts, I think you're over-exaggerating it a little."

"Uhuh," he uttered under his breath as we walked into the kitchen. 

"I broke my thumb!" I announced to the kitchen, were Cass, Amren and Rhysand sat. Holding my hand up to show them the proof. 

Amren tipped her head up slightly, silently asking me how I did it. "Well, this big idiot." I pointed back to Azriel with my head as I grabbed a piece of bread and a slice of meat- sniffing the first, then nibbling on it- no trace of poison on. "Forgot to tell me to keep my thumb on the outside when I was punching something." I hesitantly took a bite of the sandwich. 

Cassian sniggered. "Rookie mistake," Rhysand smirked. 

"I warned her plenty," Azriel rolled his eyes. I sniggered, sitting down next to Cass.

"Bad training instructor," I mumbled under my breath. 

"Bad fighting partner too, I can take him down in a few seconds," Cassian smiled a little.

"Didn't look that way this morning," I sang under my breath before taking another bite of my sandwich. Rhysand sniggered, Amren was looking at me, she was the only one here that showed absolutely no signs of emotions, only if she wanted too. Her shoulders didn't shake, her hands didn't twitch. Her body didn't move unless she allowed it, and I respected the hell out of her for it. Only tremendous amounts of trauma can get your body to stop using its natural instinct of reacting like that. She was trying to figure me out, whilst I sat at her table, eating her food and making jokes with her friends when a few days ago I had been wanting to leave them all. 

I hardened my gaze as I looked at her, not letting her sense my emotions, no, I won't let her in. She seemed to understand my message -that I didn't want her to read my emotions- and she respected that, nodding to me before she began talking to Rhysand. 

"Eve," Elain smiled walking into the kitchen, her light blue dress swaying around her, Azriel stood attentively. I've noticed whenever Elains around, Azriel's head tips up, his shadows lighten and move around quicker, like their almost giddy in her presence. I frowned."Evangeline," Elain called out again. The shadows moved quicker, wilder, Azriel's Jaw clenched, almost as if he was struggling to contain them. 

Pulling my gaze from Az, I turned to Elain, "Yes?" I spoke, unable to decide how I feel about her. 

"I was wondering if you'd like to come into town with Feyre and Mor, we need to buy dresses for a party tonight," 

"Party?" I questioned, my entire body tensing. Parties are not good. People are drugged at parties, they're raped, beaten and humiliated. I would know. I was made to dance on Lord Baltons knee, the person who ran the institute, we all called him Lord Balton. I was his pet, his little doll that- someone knocked my leg under the table. Looking up, I saw Cassian looking at me, his eyes furrowed and a look of confusion on his face. Elain was looking at me expectantly, I realised I must have missed her explanation on why they were having a party. "Not a fan of parties," I spoke, getting up from my chair, I began to walk out, briskly walking past Elain, the memories of Lord Balton fresh in my mind, I needed to wash the memory of his touch off of me, 
Someone grabbed my arm. "Don't touch me!" I cried, taking two large steps back, ripping my arm from theirs. Looking up, I saw Elain grasping her hand.

There was a silence in the room. Everyone stared at me, Elains eyes filled with tears as her bottom lip quivered. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. "Look- sorry," I spoke quick. "I don't like to be touched unexpectedly," I went to comfort her as I saw her shoulders quake. "I'll go to the party." I quickly spoke. Just don't cry! I hate how much she reminded me of myself 60 years ago. 

"You will?" Elain looked up at me, tears falling from her eyes. I hesitantly nodded. She smiled before walking past me and walking closely to Azriel, he leaned down to her and began talking quietly, his thumb wiped a tear from her face, a smile appeared on her face as she nodded, laughing a little. 

Rhysand caught my eye, he was leaning back in his chair, his hands in his pockets as I felt something crawl into my head, a talon piercing my head. Quickly taking a step back, I glared at him before I focussed on building my walls back in my brain and walked out of the room. 

.-.-.

My shopping trip with Feyre and Elain was how I expected- boring as hell. Looking at the dress opposing me, I believe I did a rather good job. Elain didn't like it, it isn't her taste, although Feyre liked it. "Amren," I spoke, looking towards the door, there she stood, in all of her glory, her black sleek bob looked shiny. 

"Hi." Her eyes found my dress, a small smirk formed on her face. 

"You like?" I asked, fingering the soft, waterlike material.

"Badass." She smirked, still staying at the door. "It will gain Azriel's attention," Whipping my head around, I looked her in the eye. 

Swallowing hard, "Who said I cared if it gained Azriel's attention?"

Amren leaned against the door, folding her arms. "Nobody has to." I crossed my arms. "You're not the only one who can read body language,"

A sniggered escaped me, popping a grape into my mouth that I had gathered from Rhys's farm earlier. "I have no clue what you mean," 

"Stage one, Eve, denial." She uttered under her breath. 

"Stage one, Am, Insanity," I whispered, coping her stance, she wore a small smirk on her face. 

Looking me up and down, before giving one last gaze onto the dress beside me. "Good luck Evangeline,"