A Court of Light and Melody

Chapter 15 - Fade Me

Gwyn gasped and Azriel froze, wings batting to keep them hovering in place.

"There!" She pointed down and just ahead where ropes and canvas were just visible beneath leaves. "That's gotta be some sort of makeshift shelter, right?" asked Gwyn eagerly.

She shifted to look at Azriel and saw that the corner of his lip had lifted. "Well spotted, partner."

Gwyn's heart leapt with excitement. "Alright, so are you going to fly us down there? How do we get—"

"You sound like Cassian," Azriel grinned. "Now, I'm afraid, things get rather dull."

Not sure which remark to address first, Gwyn quirked a brow at the shadowsinger.

"Now we find a nice tree to stake out in. Get a good idea of their numbers. Then we'll form a strategy."

"That doesn't sound dull..."

"It can sometimes involve sitting in complete silence for hours." Gwyn swallowed, biting her tongue and Azriel laughed. "Aren't you a priestess who works in a library ? I would think silence was your natural state..."

She leveled the shadowsinger with a flat look. "Wasn't it you who told Emerie that 'Gwyn talks enough for the both of us?'"

"I do recall making that observation, now that you mention it..." His eyes softened. "We don't have to sit in silence. Not to worry. You are welcome to talk my ear off while we wait."

Gwyn smirked at him then cast her eyes downward again. How were they meant to sneak up on the camp? Azriel's wings were hardly silent, and he wasn't a particularly delicate male. If he landed on a tree branch Gwyn highly doubted it would be noiseless...

"We have two options. Tell me which you're most comfortable with."

Gwyn nodded, interested to learn how this was to work.

"We can find a perch some distance from the camp, and keep an eye out from afar. Or I can use my shadows to shield us."

"Shield us? They can do that?" Gwyn asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Azriel nodded, still effortlessly hovering in the sky. "Yes, they can shroud us and we'll be nothing but shadows. Any sounds they hear from above, they'll look up and see nothing. Assume it was the wind or an owl."

"An owl ?" Gwyn drawled skeptically.

"A large owl." Azriel lowered his brows at her. "You'd be surprised. Criminals are often very eager to dismiss what makes them feel uncomfortable. It's how they do what they do."

"Hm..."

Caution urged Gwyn to ask him to take them far away, but she was very interested in seeing what his shadows could do. Not to mention, that she strongly suspected that if it were Cassian in her shoes, the male would opt to be shrouded in shadows, stooped over the camp, and listening in to gather valuable intel.

That fire burned in her. The kind of fire only ignited by a challenge. Her tone was resolute - unwavering. "Let's use your shadows."

Azriel's expression was concerned. Too concerned. "Are you certain?"

"Yes..."

"You aren't... You're not afraid?"

Gwyn's eyes were drawn to the shadows that peered at her from his shoulders. "I thought you said they liked me."

"They do. I just... I want to ensure you reciprocate."

The priestess rolled her eyes, and recited the passage she'd quoted to him before: "' While shadows are often viewed as a dark omen, they are not inherently evil. The nature of the shadows truly depends on those wielding them .' Right?"