Of Love and Shadows

The General

The next morning, I awoke to Cassian grinning down at me like a fool. I screamed grabbed my dagger from under my pillow and had it under his chin in seconds. When I realized it was Cassian, I withdrew my dagger.

"What the hell, Cassian!" I squealed.

"Training starts in an hour, I want you to join us," Cassian arrogantly crossed his arms and I groaned.

"Fine, give me fifteen minutes."

                          
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I joined the Inner Circle for training on the roof of the House of Wind. It was cool. The training field was on the roof.

"Nice of you to join us, Thalia," Mor said.

She was wearing leathers that fit her curvy figure perfectly. I blushed as I tried not to look at her breasts.

"Good morning," I said.

"We already know you can fight, but we want to know what you're capable of doing," Rhysand said. He was in similar leathers as Mor and everyone else, though it was made for wings that he now adorned on his back.

"Alright," I nodded. "What am I to do?"

"You will be with Azriel, I am with Feyre, Cassian is with Rhys and Amren is just here to watch," Mor said.

I was nervous to spar with the spymaster. Every time I was near him my chest would ache and my light would become restless. It was like I was scared of him or something, but I knew I wasn't. It had to be something else.

"Alright, I can do that," I said.

"Alright," Rhys clapped his hands, grabbing everyone's attention. "Let's pair up."

Everyone dispersed into their designated pairing as I joined Azriel by the edge of the roof. There was a firm railing so I knew I wouldn't fall, and if I did I could hold onto the railing.

"Swords or fists?"

I squealed slightly and turned to the shadowsinger. He was wearing his fighting leathers, blue siphons gleaming in the summer sun.

"Um, fists then swords," I suggested. "I need more practice."

"Alright, let's start."

Azriel crouched in a fighting stance, one to accommodate wings and I crouched down to my fighting stance, one to keep me light on my feet. Azriel was the first to charge, and I blocked his punch that was aimed at my shoulder with my forearm. He was way better than the guards I had fought in the Rainbow, but it's given since he is an Illyrian. But somehow, we were equally matched. Every punch and kick he sent my way was blocked, and every punch and kick I sent his way was blocked.

I have no clue how long we fought, maybe a whole half hour because the others had already stopped to watch us. I was quite proud that I was keeping up with Azriel. I didn't know I was an equal match to an Illyrian warrior.

After some time, I got tired and just attacked him. He didn't see it coming as I kicked out my leg, and clung to his shoulder, pulling myself up to cradle his head and twisted my body until I had him pinned to the ground, my arm had his head in a choke hold, my feet had his existed pinned and I applied all of my weight so he couldn't get up.

"Alright, alright," Azriel managed to choke out.

I laughed as I let him go, holding out my hand to help him up. He gripped my forearm and I helped him up.

"I've never seen someone fight like that," Feyre said. "It was amazing."

"Thank you," I said.

"What type of fighting technique is that?" Mor asked.

"I don't know, " I said honestly. "it's just something I came up with when I'm either tired of fighting or don't have the upper hand in a fight. It's mostly used because I'm smaller than most Fae."

"You sure are tiny," Cassina snickered.

Mor elbowed him in the ribs and he wheezed.

"I have a proposition," Rhys suddenly said and my stomach dropped.

"What Is it?" I asked.

"Become Cassian's second,"

"That's a little fast don't you think," I said.

"Yes, but you have shown me you can hold your own even with a skilled Illyrian like Az." Rhys was smiling, and I saw the hope in his eyes.

"Wait, you want her to become my second?" Cassian said.

Rhys nodded. "I don't see why not."

Cassian nodded enthusiastically. "I like that idea."

"Wait," I stepped up, wiping the sweat from my brow. "Can I think about this first? I had just met Cassian and the Inner Circle, I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding, Thalia," Feyre said.

"It's not very often Rhysand lets a stranger into his Circle," Amren said.

"I'll think about it," I said.

"I'll tell you what," Rhys said laying a hand on my shoulder. "Go with Cassian and Azriel to a Illryian camp and see how it goes."

I had heard of the Illryian camps. They were brutish and cruel to their woman. I never had thought I would be going to one. But I wanted to know.

"Alright, I'll go." I nodded.

"Good," Rhys smiled.

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