Nightfall {An Azriel (ACOTAR) FanFic}

Chapter 3

If Azriel had thought that he had seen the worst of Pippor the last time they talked, he discovered that children always have more to offer.

After returning to Velaris with Heart, he had left her with the child to go seek some answers from his brother. His mind was still a jumbled mess when Rhys had sent him back to Heart after explaining the bare minimum because "Do I look like a medic? Go ask one."

He marched straight to her bedroom where she was struggling to put a shirt on Pippor. The little child thrashed about at every tug of the cloth.

"Why do I have to put a shirt on again?" He struggled with a sleeve. "I put on a shirt in the morning, in the afternoon and at night. I sleep at night, I wake up and I have to put a shirt on again?" Pip pouted and fiddled with a small stuffed lion that he apparently liked carrying around.

Azriel stopped at the threshold and watched Heart pull it over Pip's head and sit him down before kissing his head and smiling. "If you stopped playing with your food and sliding across every surface, maybe you won't have to change the shirt so often." She turned towards a closet to put his newly bought clothes inside and saw the spymaster lounging by the door.

The smile on her lips fell and she arched an eyebrow.

Azriel stepped forward and asked, "You didn't explain what happened to Nyx."

"And you are?" She crossed her arms across her chest and tapped her foot.

The question surprised Azriel but then he realised that unlike everyone else in the Night Court, she didn't know he was Nyx's uncle. To her, he was only a spymaster and not family. The fact that he was sitting outside while she was checking Nyx did nothing to affirm that he should know about whatever was wrong with the boy.

"I'm his uncle. Rhysand's brother." He replied.

"The High Lord only had sisters." She said sharply. Pippor looked between the two of them before mumbling 'Mum's mean' and returning to playing. In hindsight, it seemed like a warning.

"When did you become an expert in the history of Night Court?" Azriel matched her defiant gaze.

"This morning." She said flatly. "You must be his brother in arms." She clicked her tongue. "He trained at the Illyrian camps, after all."

"Yes and no. I'm sure I'm more than just someone he shared a battlefield with." The shadowsinger realised that this conversation was going to be a difficult one and he also realised that, despite that, it wasn't so bad.

"I will have to ask Nyx's parents if it's safe to tell you." Heart shrugged and turned around.

Watching the back of her head, Azriel tilted his head to one side. Even though she was giving him a hard time, he couldn't help but appreciate the fact that she was the perfect person to trust with the information that the only heir to the Night Court might be in danger.

He decided to change the topic, "How are you and Pippor fae?" Sadly, he didn't get to have the satisfaction of seeing her hesitate or even stop her work.

"Have you heard of this wonderful thing called 'Minding your own business'?" She said while closing the door of the closet and leaning against it.

"Not really." Azriel faked a frown. "Do enlighten me."

Heart pushed herself forward and stood close to him. Very close. With her arms crossed across her torso and stubbornness in her eyes, she spoke. "That's okay. I'm a teacher after all. Although, not an easy one to please. I expect to see nothing but excellent in my pupils."

"I always aim to please everyone." Azriel mockingly bowed.

"It will please me immensely if you shut the door as you leave right this instance." Her lips bloomed into a breathtaking smile and Azriel took a step back.

Even though her smile was fake, it almost made him trip on the carpet. Even Pip looked up from his toys to cast a curious glance at the Shadowsinger.

"I will see myself out." Azriel pointed at the door. "For now." He addded and turned on his heels.

Once outside he shook his head. Pip must have a father. He scolded himself and dragged his feet across the floor until he ran into Cassian. Slinging his arm across Azriel's shoulders, Cassian bit into a peach he was holding. "You look like someone slapped you." He commented.

Azriel clicked his tongue and dismissed it. "Tell me about Nyx." He nudged Cassian.

"Oh, right." The Illyrian sighed. "It's not exactly clear to us yet but the little guy isn't sick or anything. The reason he seems to be in a daze is because he is in, what Heart calls, a 'Time Wrap'."

"'Time Wrap'?" Azriel frowned.

"Yes. Apparently it's because of the unique combination of Rhysand's and Feyre's powers. It means that time is slower for him than it is for us. That's why it looks like he doesn't recognise us for a second, or he doesn't eat at the same time as before."

"That's....." Azriel struggled to find the right word. "...strange and interesting. Did Heart say she could find a way to fix this?"

"She did. Seemed quiet confident actually." Cassian frowned with Azriel this time. He added, "Find out more about her, will you?"

"That's what I do, Cass." Azriel looked out back briefly and at her door that he had closed.  "Of course I will."