A Court of Fire and Shadows.

chapter twelve.

When Elena and Azriel got back, she immediately made her way to her room, not wanting to talk to any one else, leaving Azriel to explain. She instead took about three baths, scrubbing her body raw. And after that, she sat. She sat in a big armchair right by the window, looking out over Velaris, wishing she was looking out over Orynth, having dinner with her friends and family. She missed it so much she could barely breathe, as if someone had punched her square in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

She didn't go out for dinner. Didn't go out when Feyre called for her from outside. She just sat there, hands in her lap, staring and staring and staring.

Which is why she was awake when shadows began to creep under her door. Just small ones, but they looked sharp enough to cut her, trailing under the door and then quickly sucking back out, but it caught Elena'a eye.

So she got up slowly, stretching her stiff muscles and walked outside, everyone else long asleep. But there — shadows, seeping out from under a door down the hall, a door that she could only guess belonged to Azriel. Pausing for just a second before continuing forward, opening the door slowly and flinching backwards.

The entire room was covered with shadows, sliding and slithering over the floor, in between the armor stacked on the dummy in the corner. And there he was, getting tangled up in the sheets, a thin layer of sweat glazing his forehead.

She could recognize a nightmare when she saw one, as she'd been plagued with them every night since she was 16. So she knows how scared he must be, how completely terrified.

With that in mind, she slowly moves forward towards the bed, kneeling next to it and putting her hand on his shoulder trying in vain to shake him awake. He was thrashing about anyways, so her shaking his shoulder did little. So she moved up a bit, and slapped him across the face. Hard.

He sat up with a jolt, grabbing onto her shoulders and pulling her onto the bed so he was above her, holding her down. His breathing heavy and his eyes unfocused, his grip bruising her arms.

"Azriel- Az! You're hurting me-" she says, one of her hands moving up to cup his cheek, to make him look at her. His eyes clear up, the disoriented glare disappearing, and he immediately let's go as if she burnt him, looking down at those scarred hands of his.

"I'm sorry- Cauldron I'm so sorry-" he says, moving quickly to the other side of the bed as if he's afraid. "Hey," she says softly, patting the spot next to her. "I get them too. Especially after days like this. So I just don't sleep. My body finds a way to cope, I guess, although I'm exhausted half of the time," she says, watching him as he moved back next to her, both of their backs leaning against the headboard.

"They were doing stuff to you. The men. This is the first time it's been about something different, something not about these," he says, soft enough so she could barely hear him, spreading his hands in front of them. He expected her to shrink away or to tell him to just go back to sleep and that would be it.

But she takes both his hands in hers, and moves them up to her lips where gently kisses each one. "I know you may think yourself unworthy, or something like that, but just know that you are absolutely brilliant. A few scars on your hands isn't going to change that."

The room is silent for a few seconds, Azriel looking at her with that intimidating gaze. She began to move, standing up from the bed and moving towards the door.

"Stay."

Stay. One word, so much weight. This was becoming more, strings were attaching, she shouldn't stay. But she pauses, her hand on the doorknob, turning around to face him. Looking into his eyes, and realizing he needed her to be there. So despite herself, she nods, before laying down on the man's bed, looking up at him, and for a second she though he might kiss her. But then the second was over, and he laid down too, but with his head on her chest, and his arm laid across her middle, pulling her closer.

Her hands move up to play with his hair gently, her eyes wide open and looking down at him. One of Prythian's mightiest warriors, laying on her chest. "Thank you," he says, his voice slightly muffled by her body. "You would do the same for me," is all that she says, feeling his breath tickle her skin.

She can feel he's still awake by the finger tracing small circles on her thigh, and how his breathing is still slightly uneven. So she takes a small breath, and begins to hum. Just gently, the noise filling the silent room, and she moves down the bed slightly so her head is on the pillow, his scent enveloping her, calming her down.

And slowly, Azriel's finger began to slow, and Elena's hums turned softer and softer, till they were no more. And Azriel and Elena slept soundlessly at last.

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word count : 891

hey guys! this is kinda just a filler because i've been super busy, but thanks for all the support i love you all 💗 don't forget to vote and comment!
ev