The Prophecy - ACOTAR

Chapter 39

The next day, Feyre was working her frustration out in training with Cassian, it hadn't been a full 24 hours and Astrid was already driving her towards insanity with her sticks. Last night she had found a bundle of sticks in her bath, the faint giggling of Nuala and Cerridwen informing Feyre that Astrid had gathered more into her scheme. She could confidently say that Wrenica and Camryn were Astrid's left and right hands, she could also confidently say the half fae, half wraiths were now her companions in crime. She couldn't be sure that Azriel wasn't apart of anything, but he also had his duties to Rhys to handle, so she couldn't see Astrid roping him into her plans.

Feyre wouldn't put it past Astrid to somehow convince the others though, but this is the state Feyre had to fight. Constantly worrying who was working with Astrid, who knew about the plan, and who didn't. The quicker Astrid could get her to trust no one, the faster her scheme would unfold, and the worse it would get. Feyre wasn't stupid enough to think she wasn't afraid of Astrid, only a total moron would have zero fear for her former sister.

Even with the chill in the air, her skin had a healthy coating of sweat. Every breath she took burned, and her arms trembled. Anytime she tried to use her fingers, her pinkie would start shaking uncontrollably. According to Cassian, her wobbling finger was a result of hitting with the wrong knuckles. He quickly educated her on the best place to strike with before ordering her off for a drink before they started some strength training.

As she sipped her water her mind wandered back to Astrid, who was once again nowhere to be found, and she was the only one it bothered. One day, Astrid would turn her hunting gaze on one of them, and then they would understand the anxiety and fear that came with the unknowing. The only one on this side of the wall that knew what that felt like was Lucien, and she couldn't reach out to him right now, not after she ran from the Spring Court.

She was surprised that Astrid didn't re-appear when Azriel came back. He had returned around lunch, and he'd apparently found some sort of barrier around the queens' palace and needed to assess what might be done about it. Rhys decided to mention that he definitely could have assessed what to do there, but he probably returned so he could spend that time assessing with Astrid. Which Feyre thought was partially smart, who better the help him assess than the former General of Hybern and Amarantha.

But even with the return of her mate, Astrid was still gone to the wind, Wrenica and Camryn too. The addition of the other two didn't help with Feyre's anxiety.

When even Azriel had been unable to locate Astrid, muttering something about the shadows liking her more, he had launched into a sparring session with Rhysand. It had been a straight hour of their blades clashing. At some point, they had even removed their leather jackets and shirts, sparring in nothing but their pants. Their tan, muscles arms were both covered in the same manner of tattoo that swirled along her own hand and forearm. The main difference being that theirs flowed across their shoulders and over their pectoral muscles. With their shirts off, she could now see that the tattoo followed the path of their spine, right where their swords would typically be placed.

Cassian had been starting an explanation about their tattoos when a high-pitched shriek echoed across the training courtyard. Rhys and Azriel abruptly stopped their sparring to look towards the sound, everyone finding a blur of a creature launching itself at Azriel. Azriel's grim and tight face quickly burst into a large smile.

It was now easy to tell that the blur had been Astrid, and she now had her arms and legs wrapped around Azriel as she buried her face in his shoulder. Azriel held her tightly, his brooding long forgotten now that he had his mate in his arms.

Feyre couldn't help the sting of pain in heart at the sight, it was something she had once been so close to. To be excited to see the other, to have their entire mood change when you walk into a room. But there was something more to what they have that she never could have had with Tamlin, the mating bond. She could tell by the looks on their faces, that for them, it was like finding the other half of themselves, that even one night apart was more than they could handle.