"I do not mind—"
"Yeah, but I do." I wrapped my fingers around my purse and phone—they wouldn't change unless there was skin-on-skin contact. "Especially if you're going to keep using those moments to steal kisses."
"That was wrong of me—"
"Yes, it was," I cut in, then closed my eyes and called to the Aedh within. I was still pushing my limits strength-wise, and this was really the last thing I needed to do. But I wasn't about to keep relying on Azriel to zap us around. Enough was enough. If he wanted distance, he was damn well going to get it.
The heat and energy that was my Aedh half surged with the defiant thought, numbing pain and dulling sensation as it invaded every muscle, every cell, breaking them down and tearing them apart, until my flesh no longer existed and I became one with the air. Until I held no substance, no form, and could not be seen or heard or felt by anyone or anything who wasn't reaper or Aedh.
I swept in under the gate and headed toward the back of the warehouse building. Even though I had no flesh in Aedh form, I felt heavy and movement was slow. It was just as well I didn't have far to go, because I wasn't going to be able to hold this form for long.
I'd barely reached the rear of the warehouse when my energy gave out and I hit the ground with an undignified splat. I stayed there for several minutes, my head booming and my breath a harsh rasp that burned my throat. Azriel, wise person that he was, didn't say a word, although he was standing so close that the heat of him washed over me, chasing the worst of the tremors away.
I took a deep, somewhat shuddery breath, then released my grip on my purse and phone and climbed slowly to my feet. The world did a couple of mad turns, then settled. I swept the sweaty strands of hair from my forehead and, with some determination, walked on.
Azriel followed closely. I had a suspicion he was ready to catch me should I fall—a distinct possibility considering how shaky my legs still felt.
My gaze swept the old building as we neared the rear entrance. It was covered in grime, and there were cracked and broken windows along its entire length, but the roof—or the bits I'd seen of it—seemed in far better condition than what I'd expected. Once again I couldn't escape the notion that someone was using this place—and that there would be more than just electrified fencing waiting if we dared go inside.
Something I really didn't want to do.
"There is no need," Azriel commented. "The magic comes not from within the building, but from a container over to our left. This way."
I followed him through the maze of rusted and rotting containers, although my strides were a whole lot less elegant and assured. In fact, I was amazed I was even still walking, given how crappy I felt.
"And it still feels like the magic you sensed when we found Dorothy?"
"Yes."