A Court of Lightning and Shadows

Twenty-two

TW: (flashback) abuse and rape

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Azriel POV

Briar had gone to train with Rhys. He had walked into the study minutes ago, snatching his mate away from him.

Rhys had quickly told him about the camps they visited. He said everything was fine and that most of the females were still training.

Madja would check on his wounds tonight, when Rhys and Briar returned.

Feyre was still with Nesta and Cassian, she would also be home late. And apparently, Mor had disappeared too, something she did quite often lately.

Elain would be home tomorrow. She had spent some time with Lucien in the human lands.

Leaving Azriel alone. Again.

He had finished the paperwork with Briar's help. They worked in silence the entire time. She only spoke when Rhys asked her to come with him, saying goodbye to him.

Azriel was still figuring out their bond. He would give Briar all the space and time she needed. He was already happy that she came to his room at night, and apparently felt safe. He wouldn't push her to do anything else.

Rhys had told him to take things slow, and Briar had asked for time. So he would listen to both of them.

Normally he would enjoy his time alone. He would be off spying or doing other things on his own, but now that he wasn't allowed to go out. It became a bit boring.

It left him with the one thing that kept him entertained.

——
Briar POV

Briar had spent trying to control her powers for over an hour. It didn't go as well as last time.

Rhys had thrown a shield around himself. When they started, she shot the lightning around the entire clearing, having zero control over it. Rhys had jumped in front of her and had thrown a shield around them.

He now stood a safe distance away from her.

"Try to hold them with you, don't let them shoot away." he said.

Briar nodded and knitted her eyebrows, focussing on the feeling within her.

"Think about how you keep them in your hands. Like they are dancing."

The warm feeling started tingling in her hands, it felt more controlled.

Briar watched the lightning sparkling in her hands. She felt like she could control it. They didn't want to shoot into the air.

Rhys stepped closer to her, "That's good." he said, "Now try to shoot one into the air. Just one."

He stayed where he now stood, a shield still safely around him.

Briar let her left hand fall to her side, only focusing on her right.

She watched the sky. It was clear and blue.

She lifted her hand higher and focused on shooting it into the air.

The dancing lightning left her hand as it shot into the air, disappearing high above.

Rhys clapped slowly, "That was good." he said with a soft smile.

"We will continue to work on this." Briar could feel the shield fall around him.

He hesitated before he spoke, "That time at dinner, when you lost it." Briar swallowed as he continued. "A storm started forming, it reacted to you."

"How did you do that?" he asked.