shadows don't lie

Chapter Forty three

“SURPRISE!”

Everyone yelled, and Inei jumped half out of her skin.

Her shadows jumped with her, but she reigned them in as best she could.

She met her mate’s golden eyes, and Azriel smiled at her, and despite herself, she blushed, her eyes darting away.

She glanced around the clearing, taking in the wispy ribbons strung from the leaves of the trees, and the lights that hung all around her, casting the wooded area in a soft golden hue.

Her gaze rose to all the flowers she had picked out with Mor, bundled and hanging from the trees. She heard a soft cough behind her.

She looked back to the source of the noise to find Elain grinning, and the female nodded at the ground.

Inei followed her gaze and found the grass carpeted in small white blooms.

A thought occurred to her that they were the same blooms Inei had once asked about when gardening with the female one day.

It was enough to make her smile wider.

A squeal sounded from across the clearing and Inei brought her hand up to her mouth as she watched Ciley chase a firebug around, laughing and jumping after the small insect.

She looked so happy to just run around, and Inei couldn't draw her eyes away

She scented her mate before he touched her, his hand wrapping around her waist, and she turned back towards her family once more.

Inei looked at Az, who watched her with a faint smile on his face, and she drew her eyes down to the hint of his tanned chest that was on display beneath the white long-sleeved shirt that he wore.

His hand came up to hers, and before she knew it, he was pulling into a bow and pressing his lips to her knuckles.

She felt her stomach flutter as she took in the sparkle in her mate’s eyes.

“Now Az, don’t get her too flustered. The Ceremony hasn’t even begun.” Cassian whistled beside Nesta, and Azriel stood, his wings shifting tightly.

Inei grinned, sensing his exasperation.

Rhysand and Feyre approach, hand in hand, and Inei looked at them, dipping her head.

“Thank you for everything. It’s all so beautiful.” Feyre tilted her head forward. “There is nothing to thank us for. You are family, and as such, we only thought it would be appropriate to give you the mating ceremony you wanted.”

Azriel’s hand squeezed her hip, and Mor spoke next. “I know you haven't had dinner yet Inei, so we had food prepared. It’s over on the table for you whenever you want.”

She looked over at the blonde and found Emerie standing shyly next to Mor, Ciley in Emerie’s arms.

Inei lit up. She had an idea of the relationship between the two females already, but if they ended up doing what she thought they might, she would be forever grateful.

Inei nodded, and took Azriel’s hand in hers as she practically ran over to the table. There were fruits and breads, sandwiches and roasts, and she looked at it all before glancing to Az with her brows raised.

He only raised his own in return, but one of his shadows appeared, gently prodding her towards the food.

She grinned, grabbing a few of the fruits, and Azriel grabbed a couple of the sandwiches.

She knew that she wasn’t really that hungry, but it seemed like a waste to let it all go uneaten.

Popping a few of the grapes in her mouth, she leaned over to take a bite from one of Az’s sandwiches, which he grumbled about, but she sensed that he wasn’t really that put down by it.