“Like a diva,” Nat murmured, a slight fear evident in his inflection.Akhliss nodded, an unknown glow in them. An uncomfortable weight settled in the center of my torso. Nat and I looked at each other for a couple of seconds, before she looked away.I was sure he could see the fear on my face."I'll make you something," Akhliss said, standing up, and placed the now empty glass on the surface of the table where she was next to Nat. Stop tormenting each other for a while, okay? I swear we will fix all this shit.I frowned. She had the strange feeling that something didn't fit. Why did she now look so… calm? Why did she now look like it wasn't a big deal, when the day before she had seemed so upset?I went to put on my uniform while Akhliss prepared us something to eat. When I returned with them, the atmosphere still felt somewhat tense, it even remained that way as Nat and I silently ate the toast they had made for us. The three of us were gathered at the kitchen bar, although only she
An overwhelming unease was wreaking havoc inside me. And I've been feeling that way for quite some time now, since the last day we had breakfast with Akhliss at Nat's house, to be exact.Just the day after he left, without even saying goodbye.I couldn't get the gloomy images that my imagination created out of my head. I couldn't stop imagining them in horrible scenarios, in deplorable conditions. He was unable to stop thinking that something very bad had happened to them. And it was unbearable.I had said Azazziel's name more times than I'd like to admit. I had asked for him out loud, in a desperate attempt to get him to appear in front of me, even for a fucking minute. Even if it was just to say that he was fine and to stop fucking bothering him. For him to come and point out that he, Akhliss, and Khaius were fine, that Nat and I were just exaggerating.I swallowed, appreciating the lump of anxiety that had formed in my throat.Even Anthony noticed how down I was. During what now
—Are… are you okay? —I muttered and, to my regret, I felt a foreign emotion make my chest tighten.“Of course I am,” he replied, still smiling, completely oblivious to my growing shock. Who could do something to me?—B-but Nat and I have tried to summon them and you didn't..."We had to settle a matter that has nothing to do with this," he interrupted me, gently shaking his head, with a slight grimace. We couldn't come. Besides, with Mabrax dead, we knew you were safe, and that was all we cared about.—But what about Akhliss? And Khaius? —I insisted stubbornly.His arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer to him in a random movement.—They're fine, Amy. “They both are,” she assured under her breath. I studied her calm face, and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my outburst. I shook my head. At that moment, the mask of confidence on his face faltered and I could feel a feeling of uncertainty take over him. You are angry?My own face showed the confusion that came over m
He managed to make the rest of the world not matter.—Are you taking me to desolate places because you still hate being around humans? —I asked cautiously and curiously.Azazziel spared me a fleeting glance before smiling and returning his attention to the road."I prefer less crowded places," he admitted. I like the nature.I raised my eyebrows, a reflex for the surprise that overcame me. For a second I thought he was kidding me, but the lack of mockery on his features told me that wasn't the case.-Oh really? —I asked, without hiding my astonishment.He nodded.—I like all those places that have not been touched by man. I quite admire the landscapes that the Earth has of him.A sensation of heat warmed my chest, and I could only observe his profile with an enchanted smile etched on my lips. A fraction of me wondered, vaguely, if perhaps this was due to the fact that she lived with Aeriele in a thick forest, away from humans. I also wondered if he really treasured those memories, or
An uncomfortable weight settled in my stomach. I continued to look at him, but now with slight bewilderment.—How do you know that's not what I really feel? —This time, she didn't answer me. My eyes traveled to her fists, only to notice how she squeezed them with such impulse that a slight tremor shook her wrists. He didn't need to see more to know that this was not a topic he liked. I decided to push those thoughts in another direction, and so that he would relax too. Anyway, I know you didn't bring me here to discuss that.—I didn't bring you to discuss anything. “She” closed her eyes for a second, slowly shook her head and looked at me again. She only wanted to be with you.—For nothing in particular? —I asked, looking suspicious. Not even to talk about Asmodeus?—Asmodeus is our business , okay? —She replied with a slight hint of abruptness—. He's not going to come near you.I understood that "our" referred exclusively to them. I was not included there.—But what about you? How
"There are more important things than your jealousy for now," I muttered."I'm not jealous, I just don't like that bastard," he replied stubbornly.Despite myself, I smiled. I was sure that he would have come closer again, if it hadn't been for the fact that one of my hands went down his neck to give me the pleasure of caressing his face. I noticed the way he tensed.—You can't ask me not to worry, not when you know how I feel about you.“You shouldn't…” he murmured, but then took a second before continuing. I don't want you to be worried. What I really want is that your life can go back to what it was before we got involved in it.All traces of joy vanished from my expression.-Why do you say that? —I shook my head—. I-I don't want that. I don't want it to be like before.I sat up immediately, forcing him to back away. I took a deep breath as he balled his hands into tight fists. I felt a huge hole begin to gain ground in my chest. Azazziel looked at me carefully for a minute, with a
“I can't stand this anymore, Amy,” Nat said in a whisper, before lifting the beer bottle to his mouth and taking a long sip. She had her head resting on one hand, with her elbow on the table and restlessness etched on her features.From my distance—in front of her—I could see how her lips tightened in a trembling grimace, full of grief. In the center of my torso, something squeezed painfully.I put a hand to my mouth and, almost unconsciously, bit my nails, a terrible habit that I thought I had overcome a couple of years ago, but at that moment I couldn't help it. I needed to focus my unease on something, anything, because I really felt like I was about to go crazy.That day, when Azazziel took me to see the eclipse on the beach, I had thought that he would stay with me... Or, at least, that he wouldn't leave so quickly again. But it was not like that. She took me home, perhaps much later than I usually arrived, but, in the end—and although I protested a lot—I didn't spend that night
What he perhaps didn't understand was that no matter how much he enthralled me with sweet words and trips to beautiful places, I wasn't going to be able to push the anxiety away from me.The affection he had for the three of them was incomprehensible even to me, and I couldn't expect him to understand it. And he didn't want me to sit idly by. But apparently he had no choice. So, that's what I should limit myself to? To wait for any of the three to arrive?What if they didn't? What if no one returned from there ?—Do you think they're okay? Nat asked, in a barely audible murmur. Do you think they are going to come and tell us that everything is resolved and that we can finally rest easy?I wasn't able to look at her and lie to her just because I wanted to try to lessen her sad face. I no longer had the spirit for it, like in the first days."I don't know," I muttered.Nat stood up with a long sigh and walked to the refrigerator. I heard a bottle being uncorked. She came back a couple s