A Court of Lightning and Shadows

Thirty-eight

3 months later
Briar POV

Everything went back to normal. Briar finally felt at peace in her new home.

Azriel was gone a few hours a day, attending his spy duties. Briar usually kept herself busy during those hours. She helped Elain in her garden or stayed at the river house to keep Feyre and Mor company. She even liked to train with Nesta.

Next to training with Nesta, she also trained with Azriel. He had learned her many things in those three months. They still trained very often.

She had been practicing with her powers very often too. Just small things, nothing big. Maybe when the time was right, she would start training with Rhys again.

When her mate would come back after those hours, he would sometimes wear a smile on his face, but most of the days he looked exhausted.

Briar wouldn't say anything to him, since words didn't help. She would cook him dinner, or help him cook dinner. Most of the time she would draw him a bath, washing the dirt and blood of off him.

On the days Azriel didn't have anything to do, they would go flying. He showed her all the beautiful places around the Night Court.

They still attended their weekly dinner at the river house, which was very chaotic. Briar loved it.

Mor had finally brought Emerie to officially meet her family. Everyone loved the Illyrian female. Even Briar got along with her.

She loved her family. They had accepted her as part of them a long time ago, but Briar only started feeling their love after she had been freed. She still found it hard to accept it.

Rhysand had offered Briar a job, which also kept her busy when Azriel wasn't home. She would help Rhys go through his paperwork and help him prepare for things such as meetings.

Feyre and Rhysand had gone to a High Lord meeting a few weeks ago, taking Mor, Amren and Cassian with them. Briar and Azriel were left with babysitting. Both of them were fine with it. They actually enjoyed it.

Briar and Azriel had talked about children a few times. It was sure that they both wanted it eventually. They first needed Briar to take that last step.

Maybe a hundred years from now.

Elain had also accepted the mating bond with Lucien, which came as a surprise for all of them. Briar had met the male and found him perfect for Elain.

The changes in the Inner circle hadn't changed the close bond between them. They would do anything to see each other daily, even though it could get annoying.

——

Briar stepped into the river house, the door opening softly.

She had been busy around her own house all day. The garden she and Elain had made was beautiful, but still needed work. She also got some paperwork from Rhys, which she finished in Azriel's study.

Tonight was their weekly dinner. She had been late already, but she didn't doubt Azriel would be even later.

She had walked to the river house. When Rhys had come by earlier today, he had offered Briar to winnow her. She said she wanted to walk, even though it took much longer.

Briar took off her coat and walked through the hallway. The weather outside started turning colder. She was used to it, since she had lived in the mountains for so many years.