The hum of Crescent City’s nightlife was impossible to ignore. The streets buzzed with life, music spilling out from open doors and mixing with the laughter and chatter of its people. Neon lights reflected off the damp pavement, painting the city in streaks of electric pink, green, and gold. It was a world away from Velaris, a new kind of chaos that you and Azriel had slowly grown to love.

Azriel had adapted quicker than you expected. The quiet, brooding Spymaster who once thrived in shadows had become something of a regular in the Crescent City club scene. It was strange at first, watching him trade his cloak for a leather jacket, his Illyrian blades for…a pair of perfectly worn sneakers. But there was no denying how much he enjoyed it—how much you enjoyed seeing him like this.

You were perched on the couch in your shared apartment, scrolling through your phone as you waited for Azriel to finish getting ready. The faint thrum of bass from a nearby club seemed to sync with the faint vibration of his shadows as they swirled near the bedroom door.

When he emerged, you couldn’t help but smile. The way he wore modern clothes like they were armor made you laugh every time. A fitted black shirt, jeans, and that damn leather jacket. His shadows still clung to him, as if reluctant to give up their claim entirely, but there was something lighter about him here, in this city.

“Ready?” he asked, his hazel eyes gleaming with an excitement you’d rarely seen back in Velaris.