As I shut my eyes tight, I felt a gust of wind blow past me, and then something warm and firm holding me tightly. I fluttered my eyes open to see white wings shining like pearls in front of me. Azriel's wings. In swift moment, we were up flying. Well, he was flying and I just hung in his arms, holding his friends' heart.
The wind was rushing through my hair as we soared above the trees. The world below us looked like a miniature version of itself, with tiny buildings and people that were barely visible. The adrenaline rush was exhilarating, but I couldn't shake off the fear of being up so high without any kind of safety net.
I turned my gaze to Azriel, who seemed calm and collected, his wings moving with precision and ease. He looked over at me and gave me a reassuring smile, as if to say that everything was going to be alright. I blushed and looked away immediately. He made me feel all kind of funny things.
Eventually, we landed back on solid ground, and Azriel gently set me down. I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.
"How much longer will it take us to get there?" I was getting impatient and irritated.
"By walk, we'll reach at night." He let out.
"What!?" I whined. "That is so long!"
"We could go by flying but that'd be too dangerous for you and the heart."
"No, we could fly. I love flying. I mean you could fly and I could hop on you and I promise to hold the heart close." As I said that, I again felt the trickle feeling near my neck.
He sighed, "God, you're bleeding again." He came closer to me, and I froze as he wiped the blood off my lips and nose. I sniffled. The racing heart was too much to handle.
"Thanks," I muttered, breaking the silence.
Azriel nodded, his eyes locking onto mine. I couldn't read his expression, but it made my heart race even faster. It was as if he was holding back something, something that he wanted to say but couldn't.
Suddenly, he took a step back, breaking the trance. "Let's go," he said, his voice firm.
I nodded, feeling a sense of disappointment wash over me. I coughed. "Are we still going to walk?" I frowned.
"Okay, fine. Just hold the heart really close to you, okay?"
"Yes." I wanted to clap my hand but there was a real, faintly beating heart in my hands. I didn't know when but I started liking going for a ride with his wings out.
White, beautiful wings flapped open, tearing his shirt yet again a little more. He let out a annoyed sigh and tore of his shirt fully and threw it aside. My eyes almost gauged out. I needed to check if I was drooling. What the fuck was this? "Hey! Why would you tear your shirt?"
"It gets in the way every time I get my wings." He spoke calmly, completely unaware of what he was making me feel. I couldn't help but stare in awe and admiration. His explanation for his action made me roll my eyes. And why did he have to be so calm and collected all the time?
"Well?" Azriel opened his arms for me. "Come on."
I walked to him and he picked me up. My heart rushed. Oh god, I hated this guy for making me feel so much.
"Heart?" he asked, his voice low and soothing.
"It's safe," I whispered, my fingers tracing over the smooth surface of the locket that held the precious heart we were tasked to protect. "You can fly now, little ladybug."
I pulled back, feeling my face heat up at his teasing expression. "Uh, yeah. It was a joke. You know, because of the heart and the flying and... never mind," I trailed off, feeling the flush on my cheeks deepen.
"I don't get it," he said with a chuckle, a hint of redness dusting his ears.
"Ugh, you're so annoying," I muttered, resting my chin on his shoulder. His laughter was infectious, and despite my annoyance, it made me want to smile.
We took off into the air, his wings beating a steady rhythm as we soared above the trees. I held the heart close to my chest, feeling its gentle thrumming against my skin.
As we flew, I couldn't help but steal glances at Azriel, taking in the way his wings moved with grace and precision. He was so skilled, so powerful, and yet so gentle with me.
It was evening and yes, I might be the hungriest person alive right now. We finally reached the entrance of the crystal cave. As we stepped inside, the darkness enveloped us.
"Where is the crystal?" I whispered to him.
"I don't know." He whispered back. "It has to be somewhere as we go deep in the cave."
"Okay." I whispered.
The cave was silent, except for the sound of our soft footsteps and the occasional drip of water echoing through the cavern. I couldn't see anything in the darkness, not even my own hands in front of me. It was as if we were walking in a void.
As we went deeper, the air grew colder, and I could see my breath forming little clouds in front of me. I shivered.
"Are you cold?" Azriel asked, his voice barely audible.
"N-No, of course not!" I tried to sound brave but it seemed like I failed.
He didn't say anything else, but I felt his body heat radiating towards me. It was comforting, and I leaned closer to him.
After what felt like an eternity of walking, we finally saw a glimmer of light ahead of us. My heart skipped a beat. Was it the crystal?
As we approached, the light grew brighter and brighter until we stepped into a large cavern illuminated by a cluster of crystals. The crystals sparkled like stars in the sky, casting a rainbow of colors on the walls.
"Wow," I breathed, taking in the beauty of it all.
"The crystal should be somewhere here," Azriel said, scanning the room.
We searched for what felt like hours, moving from crystal to crystal, examining every nook and cranny. My stomach growled with hunger, but I ignored it, too focused on finding the crystal.
And then, finally, we found it. It was tucked away in a corner, almost hidden from sight. The crystal was a brilliant shade of blue, and it glowed with an otherworldly radiance.
I felt a surge of excitement and relief flood through me. We had found the crystal. We could finally go back home and save Azriel's friend.
"We did it!" I exclaimed, a grin spreading across my face.
Azriel smiled too, his eyes lighting up with pride.
"Now, what do we have to do with the heart?" I asked.