Femme Fatale (Azriel x OC)

2. Esmeray

It took more than a single jump for us to arrive in the Moonstone Palace - the formal private residence of the High Lord of the Night Court. Rhysand rarely came here if he could help it, instead choosing to stay in the hidden city of Velaris.

The wards we'd cast over it in the initial moments of Amarantha's take over fifty years ago meant that we couldn't just winnow in, however. One of the fae we'd left in charge would have to leave it first.

As it turns out, however, Morrigan was already waiting for us on one of the many balconies that adorned the Moonstone Palace. Making this entire stop unnecessary.

Though as Rhysand collapsed in his cousin's arms, repeating the stunning news that he'd shared to me before snatching me away, I decided that it was probably for the best. Velaris... as much as I loved it, would be too much to process right now.

I stepped away from the cousins, slipping past them without notice and making my way into the palace. I'd only come here once as a girl, but it somehow seemed even larger now.

The palace was exquisite in it's beauty, though why a palace designed for a place like the Summer Court was sitting atop a snow covered mountain in the Night Court was beyond me. Magic kept the breeze that ventured through light and warm though, casting the light scent of lavender with it.

And for some reason, my throat tightened and my eyes stung. But I forced it all down. This was neither the time nor the place for such weakness. I may not need to worry about a knife in the back at the moment, but we were about to have company. While Rhysand's inner circle was the closest thing he had to family, I'd never particularly gotten along with a single one of them.

Granted I'd been a young girl at the time that was hell bound on making things as difficult as possible for them, but still. I had one friend and one friend only. That was Rhysand.

I snatched an ancient bottle of wine out of the cellar and made my way through the palace, searching out the farthest balcony from the lush seating area. Cassian, Azriel, and Amren were likely here by now and I wasn't in the mood for an awkward stare down with any one of them. Least of all Azriel.

At some point, I heard Cassian's obnoxiously loud voice. Then one by one the rest of them, laughing and crying and being together once again. Even from my significant distance, I felt like an intruder on the moment. I also felt more than a little jealous that Rhys had people to come home to when I had nothing.

Still, I was happy for him. He... He deserved that. He deserved the true love that they all had for one another regardless of my personal feelings of his inner circle.

So rather than dwell on it, I hauled myself up onto the railing of the balcony, letting one leg dangle dangerously over it while the other stretched out across the length of it. I rested back against the pillar and took a long drink of the wine. At least I had a nice view.

The sun was still glimmering brightly in the sky and the snow glistened. Peaceful and serene - two things that I never thought that I'd get to experience ever again. Perhaps I stared at it for mere minutes. Perhaps it was hours. It was long enough for me to relax to some degree.