A Court of Lightning and Shadows

Twelve

When Briar woke up, the sun was already shining into her room., meaning she had once again slept very long.

The nightmare from last night had been bad. Really bad. Azriel had come to her room, she remembered.

Her eyes shot to the couch a few feet away from the bed. He was still asleep, looking really peaceful like this.

Briar was going back to the River house tonight for dinner with Azriel joining her.

She wasn't going to let her mood be ruined by the nightmare. Even thinking back to it made her sick.

She had been so deep in her thoughts, that she hadn't noticed Azriel wake up. He sat on the couch, watching her.

"I need to go." he told her, "Rhys called for me."

Briar nodded and watched him walk out of the room.

She laid down again, throwing her arm over her face.

Briar was thankful Azriel came to her, she wouldn't have woken up if he hadn't come into her room.

She sat in her bed, looking at the wall in front of her. Last night there were painting hanging against it, which now lay in pieces on the ground.

Briar raised her eyebrows and went to pick up the pieces.

Before she could touch it, it disappeared. Briar looked around in confusion. When she looked up, a new painting was hanging on the spot the other one had been.

The painting of a storm, with lightning.

Azriel walked into the River house, revealing Mor talking to Feyre. She had finally come back from her trip to the other continent.

After she had convinced Vallahan to sign the new Treaty, she was invited back. But she hadn't told Azriel why.

Feyre smiled at him, "Rhys is in his study."

He walked towards it and opened the door.

"It isn't very often that I have to wake you." he said with a grin across his face.

"I sleep, like a normal person does." he said back.

Rhys leaned back, "Elain wants to see Briar before dinner, and I'm sure Feyre and Mor wouldn't mind her company, too. Can you fly her to the house after your training?" he asked.

Azriel nodded, "Why did you call me?"

"I got a message from the camp Briar is from. It said, that Jorah Fortin has gone missing." Azriel looked at Rhys.

"The name 'Fortin' isn't very common, is it? And Briar has a brother, right?" Azriel only nodded.

If he would lay a hand on her, he would kill him. Very slowly.

"Tell your spies to keep extra eyes open." Azriel gave the High Lord another nod.

Briar had spent some time in the small library, searching for anything that could explain the painting on her wall.

She suspected the House itself, since it was alive and had probably cleaned for her. But that didn't explain why the painting was replaced.

Briar closed the book that lay open in front of her.

A sigh left her mouth. She hadn't heard anything about her father. Not a single thing.

The last thing she had heard about her father had something to do with Keir. She didn't know the man.

Elain had asked if they were related. They could be, since she didn't know who her mothers family was.

Her father told her they were all dead, but he could be lying.