A Court of Scars and Shadows

Green

GWYN'S POV

Gwyn was still wrapping her head around Azriel's confession. He spoke so openly and full of love. He laid himself bare for her and she wanted to accept the bond. Oh how she wanted to. But she wasn't ready for the frenzy. And being courting by Azriel did not sound so bad. They had the chance to grow together and learn to love someone.

They winnowed to the entrance of Rosehall when Gwyn felt and saw the shift in her shadows. All of her shadows wrapped around them and split. The dark mist entered Gwyn at the same time as the other cloud of dark mist entered Azriel. Once the clouds of mist disappeared, Azriel looked at Gwyn. Shadows started to peel from him once more, for the first time since he had returned, she realized.

The shadows where now part of them both. Her shadows began to peel from her, interlacing with his shadows.

The door to Rosehall opened and Azriel let out a low growl at who opened the door. Gwyn looked to the door to find a scared and shocked Lennan.

Azriel's eyes had a deadly gleam in them and it was obvious that the bond was making him territorial. She placed a hand over his arm and she felt the muscles underneath his shirt shift. His eyes had somewhat of a less deadly gleam in them.

She stepped in front of him. "Hello Lennan. How was everything while I was gone?" She did not dare remove her hand from Azriel, trying to comfort the primal instinct of the mating bond.

"Everything went well, you weren't gone too long...." Lennan trailed off, Gwyn could basically smell the shock reeling through her.

"Let's head inside. I'll explain everything in there." Gwyn offered. Lennan merely nodded and opened the door fully to let Azriel and her in.

Once they settled down inside, Gwyn retold what happened and how Azriel was alive. She often looked back at her mate to try and gauge his reaction, but his face was impassive and his side of the bond was shut closed. That will have to change, she thought. If they were to start a relationship, it shouldn't start by keeping their feelings hidden from each other. They would have to set ground rules.

Once she finished explaining, Lennan's eyes were full of understanding as she stared at Azriel.

"I knew that you were mates, " she explained and Azriel's eyes furrowed, confusion was the only emotion he showed. Lennan explained how she knew and Gwyn was able to sense some type of shift in Azriel, even with him shielding his side of the bond.

After Lennan finished explaining, Gwyn excused Azriel and her. Azriel was quiet and so was his side of the bond. She held his hand as she led him to her room.

Once inside, she closed the door and applied a shield that she had once learned from Rhysand. She didn't want anyone to listen in on their conversation.

She turned from the door and almost laughed at the confusion written across her mate's face. He was having trouble ciphering why she had brought him into her bedroom.

She gestured with her head for him to sit on her bed and he obeyed; she followed him shortly after.

"Is something wrong," his dark voice broke the silence between them. Gwyn didn't respond, she just sat next to him, wanting him to grow anxious.

"Gwyn," he pleaded. "Tell me what's wrong?" Part of her was tempted to stop the game she was playing, but she wanted Azriel to know how she felt.

"Let me in. I can't feel you." He clasped his hands around hers. She felt him tug on the bond, trying to make her open up.  After a few tugs, he gave up, but he stared at her. His hazel eyes stared into her soul.