Chapter 4

Azriel

My presence in the Spring Court was less than welcome. Tamlin said nothing while Lucien cleared his throat ceremoniously everytime he was reminded of a new reason for me to leave.

"If Elain had asked to leave, we would have sent her back immediately."

That was his current protest. I cleaned underneath my nails with an intricate Illyerian blade.

"Is she eating enough, or is she wasting away?" The pointed words hit their target as Tamlin's fingers went white from the strain of the claws underneath.

"She has plenty." He ground out. "So much excess I expect she'll be offering Lucien a meal any day now."

I started at that and everyone else around the table tensed. Before I could act on the anger, Elain let herself in.

She was cared for. It was so easy to tell. Her thin frame was now accentuated with womanly curves, and the blush in her cheeks was as bright as the roses she grew. The whisper of what Elain had been was now fully formed, and my breath caught it my throat at the sight of it.

"The spring court suits her, don't you think, Azriel?" Lucien asked. I would be a fool to deny it.

Upon further inspection only one ornament was missing. The iron ring.

The only thing that kept me tethered to the earth in that moment was that its space hadn't been filled with another.

Mercifully her scent was still her own.

She seemed delighted to see me, and I refused to hide my joy as she ran to me, and I embraced her for the room to see.

"There's so much here I've been dying to show you." She smiled.

"Show me."

She spent the day giving me a tour of the grounds. She had already fallen in love with the place. What of Lucien; I didn't want to know

It was a miracle that Tamlin would allow this, but their motives were clear. They wanted Elain for the spring court. Whatever had transpired had given them confidence that I wouldn't find the doubt I had come looking for.

By late afternoon, I agreed to take Elain out on the lake in a rowboat. The last activity before I would return to Velaris.

The small wooden dinghy was no friend to my wings. They flared behind me as I took up the oars.

Elain turned her back to me and let her fingers trail the vibrant water. We neared a wild enbankment to give me a break from the sun, and when she turned to me I lost myself in that look glazing her features, as her eyes fixed to the muscles in my arms and chest as I continued rowing.

"I missed you." Her voice was barely above a whisper. The water lapping at the boat could have drowned out the sound.

"You don't write."

"I thought it would distract you from what you came here for."

" And what, exactly, do you think that is?"

"I think you're trying Lucien out. Testing the feel of the bond. I half expected him to be your husband by now."

"Well he's not." She said quickly, though she ignored the other comments.

I steadied her legs as she stood up on her seat and extended on tip toe to reach the branch hanging above us. With a small snap she eased back down, and it took everything I had to release her and take the oars back up.

Elain pulled a plump berry from the stem she had stolen and popped it into her mouth.

"If you offer Lucien food it's the same as accepting the bond." I told her. "Just one of those berries, and he'd be your mate for life.

She gave me a hard look, pulled another and brushed it against my lips.

"What happens if I offer you one?" She asked.

" We don't have a bond to accept." I said. There was no small amount of regret in my tone.

"If I loved you, what that be enough?"

When she offered it the second time, I didn't hesitate. The berry was sweet, and the juice threatened to spill from my lips. After it was devoured, she pressed something else to my lips. Her own.

The berries weren't the only thing we had stolen, and we both knew that. I rowed to shore in near silence.

"Come back with me." I pleaded.

"Rhys says even if I don't accept the bond..." Elain said tentatively. "It will still be there. I'll feel Lucien every day for the rest of my life."

I couldn't hide my anger. "So mate him, then. Go live in your castle."

"Azriel."

"Really, Elain, if he's already won you, then go give yourself to him. Don't let me stop you."

She stood, tears in her eyes.

"Wait. Wait." I shouted but she had already pushed herself over the edge of the boat. We were within wading distance of the shore, but the water was still up to her skirts.

"I'll feel you too!" She shouted, her curls now pasted to the side of her dripping face. Not lake water - tears.

I felt it then, with every part of me, as a thin band from my heart snapped tighter into place.

"You can't be mated to two people at once!" I declared.

But, could you?