A Court of Magnolias and Ash

Ten

Nesta:

Azriel stared at me for a moment longer, silently calling bullshit to my lie.

I crossed my slim arms, glaring up at him—waiting for him to say it out loud. I dared him with the subtle crack of my lips.

He shook his head in defeat before undressing his hidden weapons from his scaled armor. Accepting the fact that I didn't want to discuss the topic further, at least he knew when not to press for information.

Azriel set his shiny blades on the painted table. "Let's begin then. I have somewhere to be after practice," he noted while cracking his neck to each side. Azriel held up his scarred finger, forgetting his favorite dagger.

"Elain?" I bluntly asked, pursing my lips. I watched his muscular back harden then relax. It wouldn't have been noticeable to the human eye but I was no longer human. A constant reminder of the cauldron, of my past.

He peaked over his armored shoulder, "no." Azriel replied calmly, closely studying the obsidian hilt of Truth Teller before setting it down.

I steadied my shaking hands, clenching them tighter to settle them. Egging on Azriel about my sister did nothing to distract me from the chanting whispers. Memories tugged at my heartstrings, memories of the cauldron. Loosening a shallow breath, I moved to the center of the room.

Azriel shifted in his stance, taking on the defensive position. "Strike," he challenged.

I swung at him, only to shove my fist into a mist of singing shadows.

Azriel pushed me from behind, smacking me into the intricately designed stone floor. The center of the floor contained three mountains, each topped with a metallic star.

"You take off for two days and this is all you got?" He scolded with a rippling smirk. Wisps of darkness danced along his shoulders, fading him in and out of view.

Cursing under my breath, I stood up. I lunged for him—missing again. Talons pierced my fingertips, tiny flickering flames exiting the puncture sites.

"Attack me," Azriel ordered, shaking his night shade hair out of his face. The brilliant specks of gold in his hazel eyes shifted—twisted into something darker as he studied me.

I sucked in a deep breath while raising my fists to block my face. Fire circled around my forearms, charring my azure sleeves that had fallen down. I broke focus as the flames rose higher. Panic rising as I patted away at the growing fire.

Azriel's foot connected with my cheek—slamming me into a carved pillar.

The sound of a crack, reverberated through the circular training room. My vision blurred, as the back of my skull pounded with pain. Azriel swayed in front of me; several copies of him following one another.

He nimbly touched my face, cold hands examining the inflicted damage. "Are you alright?" Azriel's concern amplified with fear. "Your sister is going to kick my ass," he mumbled as he waved his palm in front of me.

I could barely breathe, let alone speak. Closing my eyes, I gave a quick nod. It was all I managed as the acidic fire circled within.

"Nesta...?" Azriel began before swiftly encasing me in the electric blue shield.

"Run..." I attempted, shaking violently as the heat raced towards the surface of my skin. Fire...a blistering fire, so hot it burned cold. Something ancient, something untouched for many centuries, ignited through my veins.

A golden light erupted from my core, similar to the one I shot at Hybern, blasting into Azriel's protective wall. His grunt echoed through the room as he nearly fell back from the impact.