A Court Of Shadow and Blood

☆ Into the Flames ☆

Eblis had never felt more tired in her life.

She realized her bones and muscles still ached from her encounter with the Queen, as if no amount of healing could've repaired the near-death dance she'd fallen into in the dungeon. Everything seemed to twinge as she moved, and she realized that Reneau had been erasing any feeling of pain he could, but from that far of a distance, he could not interfere with the strength of a bargain bond.

She rubbed her chest, remembering the searing pain that'd begun almost as soon as she'd left. Although some deeper instinct warned her of being so tied down, so completely under another's control, she could not help but feel thankful for the bargain preventing her from doing something incredibly stupid. It's strength was commendable. The fact that she'd taken that long to break through it was a testament to Reneau's own daemati abilities.

"Eblis," someone said.

She glanced up, squinting against the light. Azriel hovered over her, the smallest of nicks covering him and nearly shredding his armor. A few great gashes covered his sides and arms, the black of his leathers turning the deepest vermillion. His wings twitched.

She coughed around the deep thrum in her chest, pushing to a stand quickly. She didn't remember leaning against a building, the stone warm against her back.

"Are you okay?"

Azriel's pale eyes scrutinized her. "I should be asking that." Eblis couldn't help but to look away, embarrassed. The Spymaster placed a hand gently on her arm. "Tell me what happened, Eblis."

Madalyn...sweet Madalyn. The female's name consumed her thoughts. She couldn't decipher between an image of her smiling and of her drowning in a cauldron of faebane anymore.

She coughed again. "Let's get our wounds healed up. The Priest's are still in the Library right? I can winnow us there." She reached out a hand, but Azriel did not grab it.

"You aren't under the wards for the House of Wind yet. We didn't have time," he explained at her frown. His black hair burnished in the light, the sky clearing behind him as the soldiers took off towards the Day Court.

"Well," she said, biting the inside of her cheek, "I'm sorry to ask but-"

They were airborne in seconds, the ground disappearing from under her feet in a dizzying takeoff. Her hair whipped around her face for the briefest second before Azriel's siphons glowed, and a screen of the thinnest, strongest blue protected them both. Eblis's gut lurched to her throat, her hands gripping onto his ripped breastplate even if it might fall apart in her hands.

And, after the nausea of the ground spinning away from beneath her fell away, she felt a lightness in her chest she could not describe. She almost began to argue, to snipe back at him. But another part of her made her lips shut and her eyes open to the world around her.

The sky was so close.

Azriel's powerful wings stirred the frosted white of the clouds, his breath warm on her face despite the chill, the air so mind-numbingly clean that she felt she could hardly breath enough. She hadn't been that high up in a long time. And she felt so wretched for enjoying it while her Madalyn drowned in the crude, witch's sky that was faebane.

She sobered quickly.

Azriel landed quickly upon the terris of the House of Wind, releasing her immediately as if sensing her aching, bulging heart that his arms could not contain. He looked at her gently, his mouth opening.

"I was going to ask you to winnow us, not fly."

Azriel blinked. "I'm sorry."

Her lips pressed tight, and she scrubbed her face, sighing deeply. "No, I'm sorry. Let's get our wounds checked. I have a lot to catch you up on before I leave." When her hands dropped back to her sides, Azriel's face had hardened.