Into the Shadows - ACOTAR / ACOMAF - Azriel x OC

Chapter V - Day I

— Lexa —

A yellowish hue tinged the morning sky. I rolled my shoulders and stretched my aching back, a small groan escaping my chest. I rose to my feet, flexing my bound wrists as the tight rope rubbed against my already pinked skin.

Most of my injuries had healed, just a dull ache remained in my leg where I had been shot by the ash arrow. I let my arms drop uncomfortably in front of me as I stalked outside towards the forest.

The Shadowsinger walked past to lead the way and neither of us said anything. I just fell into step behind him as I continued to run through scenarios and plans to fix this situation and gain control.

Though neither of us slept, I used the break in walking to mediate. Focusing on my breathing and trying to quell my tumultuous emotions and thoughts. It was strange though. 

To look inside myself and not feel the burning rage, stranger still to push past that layer of heat and not find the numbingly cold dread that often lay waiting.

All this time since leaving the coffin and I had no idea the pain that burned inside of me was remnants of powers. Is that what they were? The rage that thwarted my control and the dread that thwarted my existence? Is that what I was rewarded with after 6 months of unrelenting torture?

My power was a glorified attitude problem.

I scoffed at my thought and watched as a shadow then coiled around my capture's ear. Whispering about something no doubt.

I thought about trying to escape from the Shadowsinger, even if I could overcome his 7 Siphons, Truth-Teller dagger, and all the muscles donned in Illyrian fighting leathers - is that what I wanted?

Escape wouldn't bring me much favour from my father... It would just confirm that our plans had failed. At least this way, he wouldn't know where I was or who I was with. I could bide my time, gather some intel and report it back to him so I could be released from my engagement. Released from my caged freedom. 

We walked for miles with no reprieve. Tall fir trees helped to keep the wind at bay and if they had been full of lush greenery, the forest may actually be considered pretty. But no, thanks to the winter storm always raging above, the sparse leaves were a bleak brown and the branches looked awfully similar to my mother's spindly fingers.

My stomach was growling and my wrists were burning under the friction of the ropes. My breathing turned laboured and before I could finish the sentence, the complaint, forming at my lips he interrupted me.

"There's a stream over the knoll" his voice was flat, with no signs of him being tired or hungry. Did Shadowsingers eat?

My stomach grumbled again. We reached the stream and I knelt by the edge, greedily gulping down the cold water. He removed the satchel that was draped across his body, pulling out two canteens of water and filling them to the brim. He then pulled out a pack of dried meat and I had to swallow all the saliva that seemed to pool in my mouth.

"You've had food this whole time?" I gawked.

"Yes," he replied coolly, no indication that he was going to explain why he hadn't offered the food before - like in the morning when we first woke up. Or about 3 hours ago when my stomach first growled like an untamed beast.

He handed the pack to me. And I knew right then and there that my competitiveness was going to be the death of me, but if I could bring down the Shadowsinger with me then so be it.

I looked at the pack in his still extended hand and then glanced up at him to glare.

"I don't care if you eat, Lexa" his tone the same flatness as before.