SUMMARY: Azriel worries while Gwyn has a heart-to-heart with Emerie and Nesta.
"Az, they're fine. They need this. Sit your butt down."
The shadowsinger stepped away from the red-tiled balcony of the House of Wind, settling on the couch with his elbow propped on the arm and chin resting on his fist. He needed something else to fixate on besides what was being exchanged out of earshot.
His shadows left without prompting, making their way to the door, but no further. It was mid-afternoon beneath the autumn Velaris skies. Too bright for them to venture. So, they huddled by the entry like children with ears pressed to the threshold.
'Our Valkyrie is fine. Lady Death and Emerie of Illyria are cordial.'
Good. Fine. His fingers on his free hand tapped on his thigh.
As he exhaled through his nose, he switched his attention to the low table before him, at the chessboard. Tulia sat at one end of the table, cross-legged, on the rug. Bark's head was nestled in her lap as she made her next move. That damnable hound.
Nesta and Azriel had been on the same page when it came to the smokehound. A resounding fuck no. Unsurprisingly, Gwyn and Cassian had been on the opposite side, teaming up against them. Emerie wisely stayed out of the conflict, staying as neutral as the Dawn Court.
Little Tulia had been the tiebreaker. As soon as her wide, excited blue eyes fell upon the canine, Azriel knew they were screwed. Because who could say no to that child? The sweet girl had already become part of their family.
Bark's eyes opened and tracked Azriel's stare, baring his teeth before going back to sleep. Tulia's small hand petted the smokehound's ears gently, taming and calming. One would never think such a creature was dangerous. But indeed the smokehound was, not only to flesh but belongings—at least of those the dog did not like. As predicted, the canine didn't bother with Gwyn's and Cassian's items.
Nesta's and his own property were fair game for chewing toys. But with Tulia? The hound had taken to her like a nymph to water. He suspected Gwyn was a tad ridiculously jealous. But better the mutt curled at the foot of Tulia's bed than nipping at Azriel's heels in his.
But Azriel had never known a fresher hell than when Tulia called upon the House to manifest Peggy the miniature pegasus while Bark was present. The two had chased each other around the house, leaving nothing but broken fae lights and chaos in their wake.
"Your turn," came the small feminine voice.
Cassian was scrubbing his stubbled jaw, surveying the board as a battle plan. Azriel's eyes already found three moves for him, two that would surely doom him if Tulia was paying close attention.
The little girl had proudly announced that while he was "away," I have been practicing every day, Uncle Ass. Clearly, she had. She did her best to hide her reactions, but her wiggling toes gave away that she knew she was close to winning, if only—
Cassian took his turn and Tulia immediately moved hers, proclaiming, "Checkmate."
"No. No way. How the ever-loving fuc-fudge did that happen?" Those hazel eyes darted over the squares, studied the moves, and Azriel knew he was silently cursing up a storm.
"Strategy. The six-year-old beat you fair and square, Cass," Azriel said. "Well played, Tulia."
Her toothy grin, albeit missing a few, was pure elation and victory. "I won!"
The Lord of Bloodshed sighed, "You won. Good game, Tulle."
"Good game," she said, toppling and waking Bark as she scrambled up and toward Cass. Winding her small arms as much as she could around his brother. Then, without further ado, she grabbed the stuffed pegasus always at her side and called for Bark to follow her to her room.
Cassian chuckled, leaning back and resting on his palms, his long waves tipping back with his head as he worked out a kink in his neck. "Fuck me," he muttered. "The child really kicked my ass."
"I thought you were more observant than that, Cass."
"Prick." His brother lifted his head, staring.
"Yes?"
"They'll be fine," Cassian reiterated, again for probably the thousandth time as they waited in the house. In his heart, Az knew the females would be. But he also knew they had a lot to work out to discuss. "Do you know how I know?" Balancing his weight on one hand, he motioned between them. "Because we are. When you're sisters or brothers, you can cut through the bullshit, smack sense into one another, and still embrace in the end."
Even so, the shadowsinger's eyes skipped to the entryway beyond.
"I saw that, Az. What do you think is going to happen? That Nesta or Gwyn would chuck the other over the balustrade?"
Well…
"Any word on Elain?"
The name jolted Azriel back, and he slumped back onto the sofa, his fingers now drumming.
"No. As we left Day, I ran into Lucien. He's been keeping the bond open, but—"
The day before, Gwyn was off saying her farewell to Jora after five days in the Day Court. Eris had left the prior afternoon with out a fuss, preparing to make an unscheduled trip to the Hewn City before returning home to his court. The newly crowned high lord couldn't be away for long without risk, after all.
As Azriel waited for his mate to return from her goodbyes, he happened upon Lucien as the male was headed up the main staircase. Hailing him formally for any news on the Koschei and Mortal Queens situation, the subject of Elain had come up.
"Have you heard from her?" Azriel questioned, the intent in his tone clear. This was a question of security and risk, nothing personal.
All the same, Lucien's eyes thinned. "Nothing. I haven't felt a single Cauldron-damned thing. It's as if she's blocked me somehow or… intentionally." His eyes squeezed shut, as if in pain. And Azriel couldn't help but feel for the male. Now, having his own mate, the notion of one missing was unbearable.
"Either way, I could not seek her out. I will send word to Feyre when I do." When the emissary made to leave, his foot halted on the next step and he shot over his shoulder. "Oh, and tell Gwyn I apologize in advance for my family. And I would not blame her for wanting nothing to do with us. But if she chooses to and needs a commiserating ear? Please let her know she's welcome to seek me out."
"Nes is worried about her sister," Cassian murmured as he sat up fully, his white tunic rustling with the motion.
"We'll find her." After all, she had to be somewhere in Prythian. And when Azriel's eyes fell to the balcony door for the thousandth time that afternoon, he said, "One problem at a time."
Cassian snorted, groaning as he rose to his full height. "Do we ever have that luxury?"
He chuckled. "No, I suppose not."
Offering his hand, Cassian clasped Azriel's, bare palm to bare palm, a warm smile spreading across the General's rugged features when he noticed. "Come on, Ass. Let's go up to the training ring to work out some of your nerves."
The three of them sat in a circle on the crimson tiles, in nearly the same position they had taken when they'd first made the friendship bracelets. Two of them still wore them. She did not, the charm and bits of string strewn between them like an accusation.
When Azriel and Gwyn had landed on the rooftop, they had all been waiting for them, embracing them before they'd taken a step beyond the landing. There had been tears of joy and relief. From Nesta. From Emerie. From Cassian. From Feyre and Nyx. Even Rhys had become quite emotional when he'd had his turn in greeting.
But Gwyn had known this moment was coming. Sisters could hold grudges. And what were the three of them but sisters now? And she'd been the one to lie. To leave. To remove the one object which would have comforted them while she was away.
She gazed at each of them with teal eyes. First, meeting the icy steel like a blade reflecting the sky. Then warm green-brown like lichen on bark in the sun.
"I'm sorry," Gwyn apologized after a beat, worrying her lower lip. "I do not expect you to understand. I just had to go."
"You should have told us," Emerie said, slinging her braid over her leathered shoulder. Wings rustled with her annoyance. Pointing to the friendship bracelet, "And that was low."
"I didn't want to be tracked. I didn't want Azriel to find me. For reasons…"
"So, how did that go?" Emerie smirked.
Gwyn smiled and exhaled, leaning back on her elbows as the wind picked up strands of her hair. "Well, not great."
"Especially after the bond snapped for both of you, I'd imagine," Emerie muttered and Nesta shot her a glare. The Illyrian Valkyrie threw her hands up. "What? Does she not know we know?"
"You know?!"
Nesta peered down at her nails. "While tending to Azriel, in his stupor, he was quite vocal about finding and missing his mate."
"I need to get to Gwyn. My mate. Gwyn. My mate. Honestly, he was like a broken Symphonia," Emerie said, full lips curling at the corners.
"So, everyone knows, then? As far as the Inner Circle?" Nesta nodded and Gwyn nodded in understanding. "Well, I guess I can tell you both. We're waiting. On accepting, that is. A mutual agreement."
With wide eyes, Nesta peeked over her shoulder towards the House proper, before that surprise gaze found Gwyn. Tucking a piece of copper hair behind her ear, the young warrior shrugged.
On the flight home, which they chose instead of winnowing, they'd only mentioned the bond once. Azriel had remained mostly quiet, injecting when he felt the need. While she prattled on and on about things she learned and wanted to do on their return.
"Helion said he would bring those ancient medicinal tomes to Velaris for me. And then, once I compile my research, I plan on presenting it to Madja."
"Naturally."
"Oh! Maybe even Nuan of the Dawn Court? There just has to be a better method of contraceptive aside from tea."
"I have no doubt you will find something." He'd pressed a kiss to her cheek. "My beautiful, brilliant mate."
And that was it. But the thought must have been on his mind. "Do you think your priestess, the one you go see, would speak with me?"
She brushed aside the curling obsidian strands from his forehead, which kept getting pushed down by wind and sweat. "You mean Priestess Eirny?"
His hazel eyes stared over her head, straight ahead to the horizon, as he dipped his chin in a slight nod.
"Well, you're already allowed in the library. I wouldn't see why not. Would you like me to ask?"
Another head bob.
Plans. They had plans. But that was for tomorrow.
Today, she had to face her sisters' ever-growing prodding. What was it like to live in the Autumn Court? How was Eris? Was he well-behaved? Until it somehow came back around to the frayed threads on the ground between them.
"You really hurt me, Gwyn," Nesta chastised. "You left us here with nothing but torn-up trinkets. Taking away our choice to join you. Come with you."
Gwyn scoffed at that, and Emerie stiffened. "Oh no, please tell me what it's like to have your choice taken away, Nesta. Does it feel like a knock-out punch to the face on the top of a sacred mountain, I wonder?"
Those steely quicksilver eyes thinned on Gwyn. Nesta clicked her tongue. Emerie scooted back on her hands.
Nesta groaned. "Perhaps you have a point, Berdara."
"As do you, Nes… maybe."
Silence, as they stewed on their words when Nesta finally relented, "I'm sorry, Gwyn. For doing that to you. I was scared and needed you to be safe."
Gwyn sighed. "I'm sorry, too. I was scared, too, when I left. I promise to never leave without telling you all again."
"Then I suppose we're even now."
"That's what we wanted to hear," Emerie said, clapping and rubbing her hands. "Now, can we get some cake or something, House? How are we supposed to catch up on things without treats?"
Still clad in their battle leathers, Gwyn inspected both of them. "But weren't you on the way to spar?"
"No. We simply wore our leathers in case we had to fight you." Emerie winked. "You're home. We need girl time."
With a wet laugh, Gwyn broke the circle, wrapping an arm around each of their necks, nearly choking them as she pulled them to her.
"I love you both," she whispered, pressing a kiss to each of their cheeks as they held each other. "Nothing can break us."
"Can I be honest?" Emerie said between bites of toasted marshmallow. "I'm surprised that Nesta didn't kill Azriel for the whole…" She gestured to her neckline as if saying the word necklace was offensive.
The small firepit had appeared as the sunset. A stone kiln full of kindling, which Gwyn had ignited with her newfound powers. Powers Emerie had called, truly convenient for sweet-making. A sack of which landed on the veranda at the Illyrian-Carynthian's side.
Flames crackled and snapped, and Gwyn snuck a glance at Nesta, who took several deep breaths, wrapping the plaid blanket around her shoulders as the night air became brisk.
"Oh, believe me I wanted to. When I first heard about it?" Nesta cracked her knuckles. "At first, I was furious. I wanted to pitch him off the damn roof. He hurt you. You're my sister, Gwyn." She blew out a long breath and turned to Gwyn. "But I know you. I know your kind, generous heart. Jewelry and baubles mean nothing compared to words and promises. That's what hurt you. Not the damn necklace. And as for Azriel? When everything in my life went to shit before I met you both? There were only two people who were actually hoping for my betterment. At least, in my eyes.
"My own family had looked at me as a problem that needed to be remedied. A nuisance. An embarrassment. But two never once looked at me in that light. Cassian. And Azriel. Never once did Azriel look at me in such a way. He may not have always been forthright with pleasantries, but that's just Az, I suppose."
Gwyn grinned faintly, scooting closer to lay her head on Nesta's shoulder, snuggling in. Nesta offered Gwyn a perfectly golden marshmallow before forging on.
"Out of everyone besides my mate, Azriel never once pitied me. Always gave me the benefit of the doubt. So, I guess when the whole necklace fiasco was revealed, even though part of me was fuming because it had unintentionally led to Gwyn fleeing. When he explained his intent in leaving it for you? Who would I be if not to extend the same courtesy to him as he had to me?"
"Yeah, I still would have gladly kicked that male's ass for making you cry for any reason," Emerie said, her words gooey. Pointing, she said, "She wouldn't let me. But know I tried to defend your honor."
Nesta snickered. "She did. But I would have hated to have to clean blood out of the rug."
"It's a magic house, it would have gladly done so itself," Emerie shot back.
Through her laughter, Gwyn managed, "Though I appreciate the thought, Emerie, I wasn't upset by the necklace. I'm a priestess. Well, was. Everything was second-hand. I wouldn't have cared either way. Nesta is correct, that it was the reveals that followed that sent me. And when I hurt him? I was so scared to do it again." And when she explained all that Elain had told her, warned her, she added, "I could not take the risk."
"So you risked the shadowsinger's and High Lord's wrath by forging documents to go on an ill-advised mission instead?" When Gwyn answered with an irreverent shrug, as if none of that was a big deal, Emerie burst into laughter.
After tossing the now burned, sugary stick into the roaring fire, the heat warming them through, Nesta wrapped her arms around Gwyn and rested her cheek on top of her coppery-brown hair. "You may have a big brain, Gwyn, but I think you have even bigger balls than Cassian."
Gwyn laughed. "Well, I wouldn't know that."
Emerie moved closer, cuddling up on Gwyn's other side. "Well, bigger balls than Azriel? Curious minds want to know."
Nesta's chin brushed the top of her head. "I imagine them to be quite the handful."
Gratitude flooded Gwyn's eyes as she nearly collapsed in hysteria. "Oh, my gods! I am absolutely not answering any size-related questions, you nosy Valkyries. And I missed you two. So very much."
While the three of them huddled under the stars, a single shadow kissed her brow goodnight as they talked late into the night before the Valkyries drifted off to sleep.