A Court of Wings and Fate

50. Cruel Interruptions

"Madja said I'm making good progress," Estelle reported as she stood in the center of her room, stretching her wings.

Mikael sat nearby with his arms crossed over his chest. Celeste and Sienna were on the bed behind Estelle. She gritted her teeth, lifting her wings again. There was some soreness in her shoulders, but no pain. Mikael rose as she attempted to extend her wings fully.

He came to her side and Estelle gripped his shoulder, sucking down a deep breath. She managed to stretch her wings out halfway before she felt a jolt of pain. "Does it hurt?" Sienna asked. "Have you been using the salves that I helped Madja make?"

"Yes," she replied. "But those won't help loosen up the muscles and joints. They'll only relieve pain and quicken the healing process."

"Maybe Mikael should help you apply it," Celeste laughed, flashing them a suggestive look. "I'm sure you'd be able to loosen your wings up then."

Mikael rolled his eyes. "You talk as though I can't restrain myself."

"Can you restrain yourself?"

"Yes."

"Barely," Estelle added. Mikael frowned and she laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's all right, Feathers. You know I struggle just as much as you do."

"Maybe if you would...loosen up..." Celeste cackled, "you wouldn't struggle quite so much."

Mikael's face flushed red. "I think Calden needed me for something. I'll be back soon."

He hurried out of the room, but Estelle could sense his longing to stay. He'd hardly left her side, even for a few minutes, in the past six days. Lysander had brought his things over from Rhys and Feyre's estate, since Mikael seemed disinclined to return there any time soon.

Estelle had expected to hear complaints from her father about Mikael sleeping in her room. In her bed. With her. But, surprisingly, Azriel said nothing. He'd walked in on them the first morning Mikael had stayed there. He merely apologized, asked if Estelle needed anything, and left without even glaring at Mikael's sleeping form.

She took it as a sign that her father was trying to accept that she now had a mate. Estelle told Mikael about that event and he had been mildly optimistic as well. "I haven't seen Mikael blush that hard in a long time," Sienna chuckled, drawing Estelle out of her thoughts.

"Me neither. That's rather interesting, considering how often he gets hard," Celeste laughed.

Estelle clenched her hands into fists, measuring her breaths. Possessive instincts flooded her mind and the shadows coiled atop her shoulders. Ours, they hissed. Prince of Sunrises. Angel of Dawn. Ours. Ours. Ours.

Estelle closed her eyes, spreading her wings again, hoping that her aching muscles would distract her mind. Celeste means no harm, she told herself. She's just joking. She has Lysander. She doesn't want Mikael.

Jealousy tightened in her stomach, remembering that there had been a time when Celeste did want Mikael. There had been a time when they were together. When they'd actually... Estelle shoved the thoughts aside.

That was a long time ago, she thought. And I was with other males beside Mikael. I have no right to be jealous of that. It was instinct. It was purely instinct that was causing her to feel that way.

"Have you actually consummated your mating?" Celeste asked.

"No," Estelle replied, hoping her voice wasn't actually as cold as it sounded. "We've been a little focused on other things."