The Whispers of Shadows - Azriel

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The makeup Nesta had done on Aurora was a complete opposite from herself. Aurora pale skin glowed with darker powder in the hollows of her cheeks and forehead, shimmery powder on the highest points of her face, and glittering brown pigment on her eyelids. Her lashes were swept up with dark paste. Nesta had similar tones on the face, but her eyelids were smoked with black pigment and topped with a silvery glitter. She looked incredible, Aurora thought, as they observed themselves in the mirror. Aurora didn't feel the same for herself, and thought it would only get worse when they met up with Emerie and Gwyn.

Aurora had yet to meet Emerie and has heard nothing less than great things. She knew that the female was beautiful, Nesta had told her that. Aurora wasn't surprised, every female she seemed to meet was incredibly beautiful.

"Okay, you have shoes?" Nesta asked, shoving her own feet into dark heels. Aurora nodded and collected her towel from the floor. Her hair had mostly dried in the time it took Nesta to do her makeup, falling down her back in natural waves. The two females made their way out of the bathing chamber to see Cassian laid on his back on the bed, Azriel sat beside him as they shared a bottle of amber colored liquid.

"Are you drinking?" Aurora asked with a smile, wandering to the side of the bed that Azriel sat. He nodded with a lopsided grin and she knew that the two of them had probably opened that bottle the moment Aurora slipped into the bathing chamber. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his wet lips, immediately scenting the whiskey. When she pulled back, Azriel caught her with his hand curled around the nape of her neck. He kissed her deeply, his tongue running along her bottom lip.

"You look stunning," he cooed against Aurora's lips. She blushed and with another peck on his lips, Aurora straightened.

"Are you staying with Cass?" She asked, and the large male rolled his head to the side to blink at her with a lazy grin.

"Yes, I got him in this situation so I need to supervise," Azriel explained, setting the bottle on Cassian's chest. His hand wrapped around the bottle and he tilted it, lifting his head slightly. Whiskey dripped down his chin when he pulled the bottle away. Nesta reached her hand over and wiped the drip with her finger, which Cassian took between his lips and sucked away. Aurora blushed harder watching that.

"We will be back later tonight," Nesta told them, beckoning for Aurora to follow her. Aurora did as she was told, not with a swift smack to her bum from Azriel when she turned.

"Have fun, Aurora," Azriel called out. The words sank into her stomach, it was as if he knew of her anxieties of seeing Gwyn. Aurora followed Nesta down the stairs and split off to her own bedroom to set down her towel. She grabbed a pair of strapped heels of a similar cream color to the base of the dress. Her heels clicked and echoed in the corridor as Aurora made her way to the staircase.

Squeals and laughter could be heard from where Aurora suspected was the entryway to the estate. Her heart was pounding more and more as she took each step. She had stolen Azriel from the female that waited at the door, had Gwyn even received warning or did he just stop visiting her? Aurora hated the anxiety because Azriel is her mate. She had no reason to be nervous, yet she felt the same around Elain.

The three came into view as Aurora walked down the corridor. Emerie, her wings tucked in and not nearly as prominent as the other warriors kept theirs, was the first to look up. Aurora had never met her, and her throat tightened when she saw her looking over. She was beautiful. Her dark hair flowed in elegant curls that seemed impossible to be so natural, her brown eyes brightened by the remainder of the sun that cast through the windows.

Aurora was relieved to see she had not overdressed, yet she did underdress. Emerie was in a black dress that hugged her waist and was held up by sparkling straps, her eyes painted similar to Nesta's. Aurora held her breath as she shifted her eyes to the one she dreaded; Gwyn stole her breath. Her pale skin littered in freckles, her bright eyes that reveled the tones of the Sidra, her perfectly carved lips that slowly fell from the smile they held as she met Aurora's eyes. Gwyn was dressed in a green dress that was a sheer material on the sleeves, but covered the rest of her toned body. It was as fitted as Emerie's.