THE GREAT PRETENDER ¬ ACOTAR

chapter xxviii.

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CHAPTER XXVII

THIS IS BETTER

WHEN HE CAME TO HER, he still reeked of the Attor's scent. Cal backed away from him instantly, discomfort clear on her face, "Take another bath, use my horrible soap if you have to, just—"

Memories from being Under the Mountain came rushing back all of a sudden. All the hardships, the pain, the heartbreak, the longing, the screams, the blood. It all came back.

She takes a deep breath, ignoring the horrid scent, "Come back to me when you're done."

But he didn't come back to her that night.

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AZRIEL WATCHED HIS SPY FROM AFAR. Amarantha should be grateful she didn't die by his hands, he thought as he caught sight of her scars again. He would have made her suffer, made her feel pain every second of the day if possible.

He should've killed the Attor when he had the chance to. The way Cal looked at him when he came back made Azriel regret that he didn't dig his knife straight into its heart. Callaghan had fear in her eyes as she looked at him. And it scared him too. For a second, he thought she was afraid of him, but then he remembered the Attor and her life Under the Mountain.

Callaghan basked under the heat brought by the sun, but a wing blocked the light from hitting her face. He also finally smelled like himself. Gone was the horrible scent of the monster and now replaced by the usual cedar and misty night air. "I was enjoying the sun, spymaster."

She opened an eye to see him sigh and sit beside her on the ground. Cal noticed how his shoulders released the tension when he sat by her. It seemed like he, too, felt comfortable around her presence. "How was it?"
   
"Her sister's were civil enough to let us in their house for the night," he said, "Although, I think Cassian has a death wish for trying to piss the eldest off."

"I heard of that," she laughed, "It's always the strong ones he's attracted to."

She tilts her head at him when he huffs out a breath, "And the other sister? What do you think of her?"

"Elain is... much warmer than Nesta," Azriel said, looking over at the flowers growing in the garden, "But she's betrothed to a man whose family hates faeries. He gave her a ring made of iron as an engagement gift."

"You sound disappointed at her betrothal," Cal picked on the grass between them.

Azriel's brows furrowed as he turned to her, "I'm not."

"No need to get defensive, Az. Let’s cut to the chase," her eyes haven't left the green grass, "What was the Attor doing beyond the wall?"

"Who told you?"

"Killian contacted me right away."

Killian was one of Callaghan's own spies. One of the few who remained ever loyal to her even after the Mountain. He works as a tailor for the High Fae when not on a mission. Her line of spies mainly specialized in hiding in plain sight, pretty much like her. She recruits people who could lie, act, and improvise when in a sticky situation.