THE GREAT PRETENDER ¬ ACOTAR

chapter viii.

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CHAPTER VIII

THUNDER THIGHS

"LOOK, WE'RE TIRED AND WE NEED REST," Callaghan said, pulling Azriel to a nearby inn. "I can fly us out," he said. Cal just raised a brow at him, as if asking, can you really? She shook her head at him when he didn't have an answer for her. "Come on, just for a night."

They went inside and were greeted by the innkeeper, "How many rooms and how long will you be staying?"

"Just one," she says smoothly, the lie flowing easily on her tongue, "For me and my husband."

Azriel snaps his head towards her, gripping her hand tightly. He didn't agree to any of her plans. Callaghan bites the insides of her cheek to keep herself from making a sound. He wasn't crushing her fingers, but it did hurt.

The innkeeper looked behind her, seeing Azriel who towered over her by a full head. He seemed wary of the two.

Callaghan places a couple coins on the table, "Will that suffice?"

He handed her the keys and broke into a smile, "Enjoy your stay."

Dragging Azriel to their room was a chore. He walked at a slow pace, silently telling her that he didn't like her lies. The shadowsinger only let go of her hand when she went to open the door.

"Where did you get the money, pray tell?" He asked the moment he closed the door, also dropping the glamour on his wings. Cal didn't answer, she just tossed a small bag at him. He took a closer look and realised that it was his pouch, "You stole from me."

"I'm your wife," she removed her cloak, placing it on the rack, "You should pay for me."

He moves to remove his own cloak, "It may have slipped your mind but we're merely acquaintances."

Cal places a hand on her chest, "You wound me, Az. That's not how you treat your Second."

"My Second does not steal from me."

She pauses her tending to the fire and stands, "I'm going to get some food." She held her hand out in front of him, this time asking for the money, but he just stared at her while pocketing the pouch.

"I guess I'll have to steal again, husband," she shrugs and walks out the room, leaving Azriel to his thoughts.

He allowed himself to get distracted again. He didn't realize that they were going to get ambushed until the last minute. They somehow managed to walk away with only a few bruises and nicks, but it drained them. He used most of his magic to keep his glamour on most of the time to avoid getting caught.

Callaghan came back after a few minutes with two bowls of hot porridge in her hands. "It's not much but it's food," then she noticed the look on his face, "I didn't steal it, spymaster. I paid for it."

But he narrowed his eyes at her, not convinced. He watched as she placed the bowl on the table before him, he didn't even move to take a bite. "Oh for god's sake, I didn't put anything in there either," she plunges a spoonful from his bowl to her mouth, "There, if I die, have fun. If I don't, eat your damn food. You're welcome."

Azriel fought back a grin, he knew how to push her buttons. And the two spies ate their food in silence.

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