The Raven and the Songbird

Chapter 7

"Well today was interesting." Nesta raised a brow. Gwyn chose to play dumb.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." She shrugged. Her head wasn't really there, she knew, and her friend could have seen it from miles away.

"Gwyneth Berdara!" Nesta huffed, crossing her arms. "I held you last night as you cried over the shadowsinger and today you can't stop ogling each other and grinning like fools. What. Happened?" Gwyn smiled sincerely, leaning in to kiss her sister on the cheek.

"I love you, and I will forever be grateful that you are by my side. And that you stalked straight into that study and gave him hell," the priestess laughed. "We talked last night. I found him in the training ring."

Gwyn and Nesta sat on the sofa in the library, legs tucked beneath them. Training had ended and hour before and Nesta had practically dragged the redhead inside after being caught in the middle of one-too-many sidelong glances between the priestess and the shadowsinger. Nesta's ice-gray stare bore into her through narrowed eyes.

"So what? You're miserable for three weeks and he says he's sorry and magically everything is fine? I'm disappointed, Berdara." Nesta scowled. "I wanted you to at least make him squirm a little."

Gwyn's head rocked back as she laughed, likely the most genuine mirth she'd experienced in weeks. "Don't worry, dear Valkyrie. He's not off the hook yet." She felt her nose crinkle as her friend's eyebrows lifted again, this time in surprise.

"Explain, Gwyneth," she commanded.

"Well," Gwyn paused, contemplating how to keep the story succinct. "I made him explain himself, and he walked me through his past. He said he wouldn't blame me if I couldn't forgive him, but that he cares for me... as more than a friend. And I told him I felt the same." Her heart swelled just as it had the night before, a quiet confession she hadn't been sure she ever wanted to hear. Not unless it was from Azriel.

"WHAT?!" Nesta shot to her feet and began pacing excitedly in front of the fireplace with her hands covering her mouth. Then she stopped, turning to Gwyn and leaning on the plush armrest. "So are you an item now?"

"No." Gwyn's smile was smug as her friend groaned dramatically and collapsed playfully over the sofa arm. "Not yet, at least." Nesta lifted her head.

"Oh?"

"I told him that things would go back to how they were before this necklace debacle. That's how our relationship developed in the first place." She absentmindedly fingered the pendant as she spoke. "He has to prove to me that he won't fall into this cycle of guilt and self-loathing and deciding for me what I want or deserve. And once I can trust that he won't push me away like that we'll find out what's next."

"Darling priestess, I'm impressed!" Nesta pushed herself back upright, leaning once again on the couch. "What did he say?"

Gwyn felt the heat in her cheeks as she recalled the roughness of his declaration, his voice unlike any other time she'd heard him speak.

"He swore to me that he would."

"He swore? Cauldron, Gwyn, you have him wrapped around your finger already!"

"And then I hugged him."

Nesta's lips quirked up on one side and she tilted her head. Gwyn wasn't sure what to make of that reaction, like she was being studied. "And what did he do then?"