Shadowsinger

Chapter 18

Cassian was still giving Azriel weird looks when they finished training that evening, having missed the usual morning session, and Azriel finally rolled his eyes and glared at him,

"What? You've been weird all day."

"Did something happen?" Cassian narrowed his eyes, leveling a concerned gaze at him,

"No, I'm fine, what are you on about?"

"I know you're fine, you just seem a bit different today, did you sleep last night? I know you don't sleep much at the moment, but you just seem, I don't know, it just seems like something's changed."

"Yes, I slept last night, I've been sleeping properly for about a week now," Azriel muttered, something had changed, but it was nothing that Cassian and his big nose needed to know about just yet.

"And Gwyn was practically glowing when I saw her earlier, not like that," he rolled his eyes, "I'd know if that had happened, she seemed happier than usual, more at peace, the same way that you do."

"Really?" Gwyn seemed happier, because of him? Azriel couldn't help the grin that sprang to his face at the thought of her happy, especially if he had made her that way,

"I knew it. What the hell did I interrupt this morning?"

"Nothing, we were talking, taking a moment of calm before an idiot interrupted, and she decided that she was getting up after all." Cassian snorted, halfheartedly apologized, and seemed to let it go, but turned back to Azriel before he left,

"I'm glad you found her." Azriel almost blinked in surprise, he knew that Cassian would be happy, but it was still difficult to remember that people cared, that anyone would bother to be happy for him. "But," oh gods, there was always a 'but' wasn't there, "I will be returning the favor, 'chaperone', don't you worry." Azriel rolled his eyes, but a spark lit in his chest at Cassian's words, he wasn't just happy because Azriel was, he saw a future between him and Gwyn, he thought that this was a good decision. Something made him chuckle,

"I don't think that'll be an issue for a while, we're not you and Nesta, no matter how much I love her, we're not idiots."

"Oi, that's my mate you're talking about," Cassian joked, forcing a glare at Azriel, but broke down into a laugh moments later, and clapped him on the shoulder, "You are idiots, I'm guessing you told her last night, despite everyone, apparently everyone but her, knowing for ages now." Cassian grinned again when he walked off, leaving Azriel desperately trying to figure out how everyone else could have known for ages when he didn't know himself.

Without Cassian's endless chatter, it seemed that the whole house was sleeping, the hallways were all silent, and dark. Azriel paused as he passed his study, the unfinished plans screaming at him to work until they were ready, but he turned away. Gwyn had been right, he would work better in the morning, when he was rested, but the first step away was still difficult, still felt wrong. Besides, Gwyn would be waiting for him again, and she'd come and fetch him if he didn't show up soon. Azriel slowly shook his head as he walked, chuckling to himself at the thought of the fiery redhead literally dragging him away from his work so that he would sleep,

"What are you laughing about?" Gwyn's voice shook him out of his thoughts and he snapped his gaze up to where she was leaning against the doorframe, hair unbound, already in her nightgown, smiling softly to herself,

"The idea of you dragging me back here if I tried to do any more work."

"Damn right I would, you watch yourself shadowsinger, any funny business, and I'll tell the shadows not to let you out of this room." Azriel chuckled, knowing full well that if she did that, they would obey her, even if he outright ordered them to let him out.