Shadows like mine

5

The next day Azriel was in his office, after he spent the night shadowing people in Vallahan. He made rapports for Rhys, knowing he wanted them soon.
    But his mind kept wondering off, to the same person. His shadows curled around his damaged fingers, like they wanted to keep reminding him of the woman, kilometres below him in the city.
    Rhys and Feyre, now living in their new riverside house, made sure Aurora would stay at their old place. The mansion was big enough for Aurora to feel relaxed, with the half spirits. She asked Feyre to take her home as soon as Azriel shouted. Normally strange people would be interrogated and sent to an inn. But this girl was intriguing enough to keep close.
    Everyone was curious about Aurora, and Azriel was determined to get close to her. He wanted to know about those shadows, because his own were constantly in his sight. Like they were trying to make him visit her. And you know what?
    He did.
    As soon as he was done and dropped the rapports at Rhys's place, he went over to Aurora. He wanted to know how she was doing — if she wanted to talk with him. The burning curiosity in his chest only got worse when he knocked on the door.
    Cerridwen opened the door, saw who it was and let him in. He didn't need to ask, she already answered his silent question.
    "She is in the living room. She barely ate and slept."
    Azriel just nodded and slowly walked to the living room, it felt like he was about to approach a wild and scared animal. 
    Aurora was almost completely covered in shadows, her legs were pulled against her body and she wore a grey, oversized sweater on top of skinnier pants. "Good afternoon," he greeted her and her golden eyes looked up.
    For someone from the Dawn Court, she was way too pale. So pale, with black hair, that he would instantly believe it if she told them that she was from the Night Court.
    "Hello." Her voice was nothing more than a whisper.
    He sat down in front of her and Aurora pushed herself in the back of the couch. "I'm sorry for yesterday," he started. "I know my family can be a bit... overwhelming at the time."
    Het golden eyes blinked once, twice. And her shadows slimmed down a bit, but not enough. She fiddled with her fingers.
    "It's okay." She bit her lip softly. "I understand."
    A silence fell and Azriel cleared his throat.
    "Your shadows are hiding you," he mentioned. Aurora looked at her own, and then at his. "Why do you want to be invisible?"
    Aurora looked him in the eye for a very long time before she answered. "It's easier. They react to my emotions."
    "Easier?"
    She shrugged, but Azriel was dying to know. She already said she wasn't a fan of people. Why wanted she to avoid them so badly? What was her secret? "It's easier to be safe when you're invisible."
    Azriel could only nod and understand.
    "Sorry for asking, but your emotions?" Her shadows immediately got thicker, more massive around her.
"Yeah, they... they get heavier with certain emotions." She shrugged.
"They shouldn't be heavy."
Azriel knew what it felt like to have heavy shadows. Every single one of them knew what it meant, felt like, to carry that much weight around. His heart made a painful stop when he saw those shadows, like his own, but painful.
"Aren't yours?" Curious she looked at his shadows, that tried to get close to hers. They kept a distance between them, being careful.
Azriel shook his head. "Not anymore, they're my allies." A part of him.
Aurora blinked with those golden eyes, like the truth of those words had to sink in.
"I didn't know that was possible."
"How much do you know about your shadows?" It was a dangerous question to ask, knowing she could shut him out any moment. But she didn't. Instead, she leaned a bit towards him, as the shadows grew thinner and laid down on her shoulders.
"Not that much..." She swallowed. "They're just there... whispering to me, hiding me. I don't know what to say back, or control them." She looked down at her hands and frowned.
A sudden knock on the door made her crawl back into the couch and Azriel pushed back an irritated sigh. They were just having a conversation, he just got to know more about this mystery.
One of the halflings opened the door and Azriel smelled her... and cake. Elain walked in and smiled shyly but sweet at Aurora.
"Hello Aurora, I brought you some..." She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Azriel and he could see and smell her disbelief for a moment. "Cake," she finished her sentence.
"Oh." Aurora didn't say more for a moment. "Thanks."
Elain kept looking at Azriel, her eyes flashing between him and the girl hidden in her own heavy shadows.
"Elain." He greeted her with a nod and blushing and even looking a bit irritated she left to the kitchen. He could smell that she wasn't pleased with this situation.
"I hope you're feeling more welcome." It was surprising how good Elain could hide her feelings with her voice and face, even though her scent was betraying her. Looking at Aurora, she smelled it too.
"Thank you, Elain. I really appreciate it."
Elain nodded, decided she didn't want to say more and left. That was the quickest visit from her he had ever experienced. Maybe she just didn't feel right next to Aurora.
"She's kind," mumbled Aurora as soon as the door closed and Azriel cleared his throat.
"Very. Maybe you can help her in the garden." It was just a suggestion, but Aurora became as pale as a corpse.
"No."
Her shadows rattled in the air, shaking. Like a warning. Azriel immediately nodded and left the subject.
"Why did you leave the Dawn Court?"
A long silence filled the room. Azriel started to think he had asked the wrong question, until she answered.
"I am not worthy of the Dawn Court." The words sounded flat, empty. Just like her face.
"Of course you're worthy." The words already slipped out of his mouth.
She shook her head. "I am nothing like them. I don't belong there."
"So where do you belong?"
Azriel held his head crooked as he looked at her. Her eyes locked his and his breath got stuck for a moment. Because when her eyes shine through the shadows... he remembered something.
An old dream, that made him feel safe when he was locked in that tower. An old dream, that helped him through rough nights. An old dream, that he'd thought he'd forget.
"Nowhere. I just don't." She let her head rest against the cushions.
"Once I didn't belong anywhere," he said and her eyes flickered like golden fire. "And I do now."
A sad smile came to her face. It made the hair in his neck stand upright, his wings stiffened. "There's no hope for me."
"I don't believe that."
"You don't know me."
"But I want to know you." He put so much power in those words that the sadness disappeared from her face for a second.
"I don't think you do."
Azriel got up on his feet - he had to do some work. "I truly do, Aurora. And if you ever want to train your shadows... you can reach out to me in the House of the Wind any time." He wouldn't go anywhere soon. He had time.