Chapter 10
Azriel
When I made my way back up to the house, the others were all waiting for me, the baby shower having wrapped up and the celebrations having died down.
"There were more packages at the post office," I told the group as I perched the stack of boxes on the hallway table.
"And Elain?" Nesta's eyes fix on me from where she sat on the sitting room couch, her long thin legs draped over Cassian's lap, his fingers deftly working the muscles through the balls of her feet.
"I ran into her. She was still feeling pretty uptight about everything. I think I made it worse," I explained.
"You did," said Rhys. "Elain has packed her things, and she's on her way to the spring court, even as we speak."
"But Calanmai...Tamlin!" I began.
"It's my understanding that she wishes to attend. Tamlin has decided not to participate again this year, and as such the duty falls to his second in command."
Rhys showed no judgment in his words. He answered calmly and evenly and the looks on every one else's faces reflected that same understanding.
"Lucien. Elain has left to meet Lucien, her mate, at the Calanmai celebration of the Spring Court." My voice broke and splintered around the words even as I said them. "He'll choose her. Even without the magic he'll choose her."
I was barely aware of the hardwood floor that rose up to meet my knees. The armor there clanked against the floor boards and my hands flew up to catch my head.
Mor's fingers grazed the leather scales on my shoulders. "Az, Az it's okay."
"Stop it." I demanded, and I knew from the way she pulled back the the shadow tendrils blossoming around my neck, speaking into my ears, had brushed her away.
"Don't do it now you never wanted to before." The pain was unreadable I couldn't tell if it was sorrow or anger or some uncontrollable blend of them both.
"The bond doesn't make your choices for you," Feyre whispered. "It doesn't pick who you love."
"It seems to do a pretty good job of making you forget about the others who love you, though." I snapped.
I glared at her, and I could see in her reflection that it wasn't just my pain reflected in her eyes, but Tamlin's as well. He had rash decisions for her safety, but his love for her had never been called into question. Funny how being in the night court, and being with Rhys, seemed to justify all of that for her. Tamlin was a wreck. Avoiding his Calanmai duties. Ignoring his life. With no burden of a curse on his face, the beast had stopped looking for love all together. Feyre had done that. He was just as lost and broken as she had been, but instead of locking him up as he had chosen, Feyre's instinct seemed to be to let him go. Without another thought.
"I'm going to. Even she's going to make this choice. She'll decide between the two of us."
