The Fire in the Shadow

Azriel's mom

Azriel POV

He was on his way to visit his mom, the cottage was laying in a forest between two mountains, only his closest friends knew where she lived. Her name was Eloise, she looked a lot like he did, the same eyes, same hair, same smile. When she was young her wings had been clipped, only a few years before he had been born.

When he landed he could already smell the scent of his mother's cooking. He went inside and he could see her standing at the table, the food was already finished, she had timed his arrival perfectly. One of his shadows sneaked it's way towards her, he could see her start to smile and she turned around. "Hello my darling son." he went over to her and hugged her, she was so small in his arms, he remembered when he had been a little boy, small in her arms. 

They sat down and ate the food, it was delicious, and he savored every moment of it. "You seem lighter, somehow. Tell me, have you met someone new?" he stopped in his tracks, how was she that good at reading him. No one else was able to do that. No one, but she, she always knew when something mayor had happened in his life. He supposed it was because she was his mother. "I have actually. I met my mate." now she was the one with the shocked expression. "Your mate? How is she, what does she look like, can I meet her?" she asked, stumbling over her words. "First of all, she's a human, which means that she will grow old and die. And I will be left here, alone. Second of all, no you cannot meet her, at least not yet. I don't know that much about her, she's very secretive." his mother's shoulders sank with disappointment, "Well" she said with a sigh "If she's secretive she's a lot like you. You hide almost everything. And Azriel, just because she is human does not mean you are not allowed to love her. Yes, you will most likely be left alone on this earth after she dies, but isn't it better to have a few years with her than to have no years at all? Besides you won't be completely alone after she dies, you'll still have me, and the inner circle." 

When he was on his way back home, he thought about what she had said. It was true, a few years were better than none. But still, he did not want to love his mate and then lose her, all for a few years. He liked Celaena, but he didn't know her that well, as he had told his mother. 

There was something else bothering him. He had a gut feeling that Celaena was keeping a big secret from them and that she wasn't really telling the truth about who she was. He knew she was an assassin, but was that all she was, or was she something else to? 

Eloise POV

She knew her son had attachment issues, and she supposed it was because of his father and half brothers. They had restricted him from seeing her and now he was afraid to get attached to someone only to lose them. It had only gotten worse after losing Rhysands mother and sister, he had gotten attached to them, he had loved them and they had gotten murdered. She was afraid that he wouldn't allow himself to love his own mate.