THE GREAT PRETENDER ¬ ACOTAR

chapter xxiv.

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CHAPTER XXIV

MY LIGHT

CALLAGHAN WATCHED THROUGH THE MIRROR as Azriel flew in her room by the end of the night, still dressed in his leathers and smelling a bit like embers.

"You could've used the doors and knocked like a normal person," she said as she brushed her hair, "I could have been changing, you know."

"Nothing I haven't seen before," he uttered as he sat beside her, his back facing the vanity. Tiredly, he rests his head on her shoulder.

The spy sighs when his large wings blocked her view of herself in the mirror, "How was it?"

"Terrible," he answered simply.

Callaghan's hand found its way to the back of his head, playing with his hair lightly, "Rhysand will deal with them, you've done enough."

Azriel knew that, but still he felt terrible. Amarantha was only the beginning and Hybern is now moving on with their plans. Another temple was ransacked, the priestesses killed in cold blood.

"The audacity," Cal says after a breath of silence, "How dare you enter my room with Truth-teller by your hip?"

The shadowsinger smiles when he hears the faint thud on her desk. She took his dagger off him without him feeling it. Her skills as a pickpocket never really faded.

He let himself wrap a hand around her middle, keeping her close to him, "Forty-nine years, Cal." He pulls away from her shoulder to look at her, "She took you away from us."

From me, a part of him wanted to add.

The hand she had on his hair travelled to cup his cheek, "I'm here now, and I'm not planning on leaving anytime soon."

He pulled her closer to him, memorizing how she fit in his hold, "Tell me you missed me."

"I will," she tilted her head to the side, dropping her hand from his face, "Once you go and change into something more comfortable. Come back to me when you're done."

Azriel, being the bastard that he is, didn't even move to stand. He just tapped on a siphon and his leathers were gone, replaced by a simple outfit he often wears to bed. That made Callaghan roll her eyes, "Alright, you big baby bat. I missed you."

"Even more than Vik?"

She stares at him blankly, "You're pushing too hard."

They moved away, but continued to admire each other. Callaghan's eyes raked all over his handsome face, "There was a time when I thought I was never to see you ever again."

"I feared the same," he replied, "We never really knew what was happening down there. We dreaded the day wherein the twins would just report that you or Rhys were gone."

Then Azriel kisses her forehead, "I'll let you have your rest. Have a good night, Callaghan."

But he did not have a chance to move when her hand held on to his wrist, "My light."

"What?"

She looks right into his eyes, "My light, you once called me that before the Mountain. Do you remember?"

Of course he remembered, how could he even forget? It was one of those nights where she laid beside him on his bed, looking as ethereal as ever. Truly a sight to behold.

Instead, he just nods.

"I liked it," Callaghan confessed, a bit of color dusting her face as she blushed under his gaze, "But I never really got to tell you that I did."

"My light," Azriel said in a hushed tone, resting his forehead against hers.

She smiles, "Stay with me? Even just for the night?"

Callaghan didn't have to ask. He'll always stay with her.

Together, they laid on the bed with their arms wrapped around one another. The female slept instantly with her in his hold. It took Azriel a couple more minutes to finally doze off, and when he did, his lips were pressed on the top of her head.

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WHEN SHE WOKE, it didn't surprise her that she slept so soundly. She always trusted Azriel. Every single time, he never failed to fight her nightmares away.

"Slept well?" he asked, peeking at her through his lashes. The sun rays made his eyes look like molten gold, capturing her attention once again.

Callaghan had also only realized that his shirt was gone. He probably removed it due to the heat. So she took her finger and traced along the outline of his tattoos, "Like Cassian after a night out."

His hand that rested on her waist moved and brushed the hair away from her face. "I liked it that way," she joked and placed it back on her face, "I bet you like it short too."

The way Azriel stayed silent basically confirmed her suspicions, "Oh so you do like it short?"

"It's nice," he shrugs, a bit of blush coating his cheeks. "You look good in anything — and nothing — either way."

Cal was about to say something else but the door opened, "Rise and shi— Oh Mother!"

Vik immediately shuts the door upon seeing a pair of large wings on his sister's bed. He knew it was Azriel because Cassian was smart enough not to try anything with Callaghan especially when Azriel is around. "Az, get out of my sister's room, please!" Viktor says from outside the door.

After a few seconds, the door opens and Azriel walks out with a sly grin, still without his shirt on, "Good morning, Viktor."

"Get away from me," the Morphling cringed, and walked in the room. Shutting the door at Azriel's face, which made the shadowsinger chuckle in amusement before he walked away.

Vik turned to Callaghan who was sitting up comfortably on her bed with a smile on her face, "How are you this morning. Vik?"

"Not good, that's for sure," he went to sit on the bed, but paused. His eyes narrowing at Cal, "Is this clean?"

The spy rolled her eyes, "Nothing happened, Vik. It's clean."

"Alright," then he plops on the bed, "I was thinking—"

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[ notes! ]

idk where this book is going,,,

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