A Court of Golden Shadows

Chapter 10

The moon was glowing at its highest point as they found themselves making way to the usual dinners at Rhys and Feyre's new house. All the time they spent spying, Gwyn was carefully analyzing and making theories. She was fully into her job. Azriel, meanwhile, was not able to focus and spent a great part of the time staring at Gwyn and silently admiring her teal eyes that shone each time a new idea or theory came to her mind, or how the moonlight stood out her freckled face.

After a few hours of spying, Azriel told Gwyn that it was time to leave.

"Is that what you do all the time? C'mon there must be something else we can do." Azriel sighed and turned to her.

"I wish we could do more. But unfortunately we can't without risking a war between the Night Court and the Autumn Court. Technically, we are trespassing and if we are discovered, Beron would have all right to start a war with us since we are here illegally."

Azriel explained carefully and he could almost see little engines working inside Gwyn's mind as she was taking the information. Gwyn stood quiet and it wasn't until he turned to leave that she finally spoke.

"Are you afraid of dueling with Beron?" Her question came out smoothly, without hesitation. She cocked her head to the side, feigning innocence when Azriel turned to meet her eyes.

"Why would I be afraid of dueling Beron?"

"Well, you are making excuses that only seem to mean that you are afraid of him."

Azriel started walking dangerously slow towards her and she could almost feel the heat he emanated.

"First of all. Those were not excuses, it's true. And second, I could beat Beron in a heartbeat."

"Really? Then don't you think that dueling with him would be a good strategy to bring him down?"

"Not without causing trouble to Rhys. Beron would not address me directly. He would go to Rhys and then Rhys would have all the trouble of calming down the Autumn Court. Because trust me, that if it was for me, I would have kicked his and Eris' asses a long time ago."

He was already close to her and Gwyn risked it more by taking a step forward until she could almost feel his breath.

"Fair enough. So for us to be able to do more, we need to be invited to the Autumn Court?"

They were so close right now, that Azriel had to take a deep breath in order to cool himself down.

"Yes. We need to be invited by Beron himself."

Gwyn nodded once and turned around.

"Okay. So shall we get going? We are going to be late for dinner and Feyre would kill us for that."

"Yeah, we should get going."

Azriel took her in his arms and they both flew to Velaris.

As soon as they arrived for dinner, Rhys asked them both to meet him in his study. Azriel was surprised to see everyone there gathered. Rhys and Feyre were standing behind Rhys' desk, Cassian and Nesta were standing on the other side of the desk and both, Mor and Amren were sitting on the couch sipping a glass of wine. It was then when he noticed that Elain was missing and with that, he realized that it must have something to do with Beron and the war.

Rhys greeted both, Azriel and Gwyn with a nod as they entered the room.

"Good. You are here. There's something you need to see."

"Is it about Beron?" Azriel asked as he and Gwyn walked to Rhys.

"Yeah it is. Lucien just confirmed us. He talked to Eris and Eris convinced his father to throw a ball. He has invited all the High Lords and their most esteemed friends."

"Their most esteemed friends meaning us." Cassian clarified with a grin.

"It was pretty obvious Cassian and they're not stupid"

"Oh trust me Nes I know that. Just as I know that I am more than a esteemed friend to you." Cassian answered with a wink and Nesta just rolled her eyes feigning annoyance and then she returned his grin.

It warmed Gwyn's heart to see Nesta so happy. She hadn't known her for long, but from the very beginning, she had noticed how Nesta's eyes shone every time she saw Cassian.

"Back in the subject, Feyre and Rhys are obviously going since they are the ones that were invited. And we need to decide who is going with them."

"So far, Amren is going with them. But we need more than one person." Mor said as she drank the last sip of her wine.

"You're not going with them?" Gwyn asked.

"No, I don't feel very comfortable in the Autumn Court." Mor answered with a small smile. Azriel was glad he heard her decision.

"We are going too" Nesta announced from the back of the room where she had gone to talk to Cassian in private.

"Good, the more the better. That way we can cover more territory."

Rhys said as he moved to grab some papers. Feyre turned to meet Azriel's eyes.

"Az?" She asked softly.

Azriel looked down at the table were the map was. There was no need to say it out loud. It was obvious what he'd have to do. And when he looked up and found Gwyn starin at him with sparkling eyes, he knew what she was thinking. And that there was no way he could talk her out of it. So he just turned to meet Feyre's eyes and answered with a firm nod.

"We're in"