A Court of Dreams and Promise

Chapter Three

 ✦ ───── ✧ Required Reading ✧ ───── ✦

"Azriel!" Helion said, his dark, muscled arms thrown out wide. Before Azriel could say anything, Helion had wrapped him in a smothering embrace. "How lovely to see you."

"Yes. Hello." Azriel let out a grunt, his wings tensing.

"Tell me. How is the babe doing?" Helion asked, his amber eyes twinkling. "Little Nyx, is it?" He released Azriel, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

"Yes, it is. He is doing quite well," Azriel said, folding his arms over his chest.

Helion eyed the shadowsinger. "Now, I know you're not here to share my bed or you would have brought Morrigan as I requested. You two are a bundle package," he added. "I heard she has a new girlfriend. She can come along." Helion waved a hand. "Never mind all that. What brings you here, dear Shadowsinger?"

"Ah, yes. Apologies for just crossing over the border," Azriel said. "I am here on urgent Night Court business. Urgency requested by Rhysand himself."

"Oh?" Helion asked, wringing his powerful hands. "Pray tell, what would this urgent business be?"

"I am afraid I cannot disclose that," Azriel said, making sure to keep his tone neutral. "I need access to your libraries."

"And what do I get in exchange?" Helion asked. "As well as I know Rhysand, I cannot just let you into my court without reimbursement. I wouldn't normally do this, but Rhysand has spent quite a lot of time in my libraries lately...perhaps..."

Azriel didn't let him finish his thought before sighing, reaching into his pocket and pulling a bag of coins out. "We will make it worth your time." He threw the bag at Helion, who caught it and immediately counted its contents, nodding.

"Perfect. Let me show you the way," Helion said, swooping a hand towards the shining golden palace.

Helion led Azriel through the shimmering gold and marble walls until they reached just one of Helion's extensive libraries full of scholars bustling around with stacks of books and scrolls. Helion gave Azriel a knowing glance when the shadowsinger strode right for the Relationships section of the library, and winnowed out.

A couple minutes later, Azriel groaned, slamming a stack of books down onto a desk. He ran a scarred finger down the spines, looking at the titles. Science of the Mating Bond, Illyrian Wives Tales: Relationships, Learning Your Mate. And Azriel began to read.

✿ ↬ - - - ↫ ✿

Any progress? Rhys's voice murmured into Azriel's mind a couple of hours later.

None. Azriel pressed his forehead into his hands, groaning. Most of them aren't even relevant, and if they are, they say that I should have felt something. A flicker, a pulse, anything. According to these texts, no one could come back from the dead if I felt the mating bond break. Which makes me wonder...

Intrigue flickered down the connection their minds had made. What is it?

Every relevant text here says that I shouldn't be alive, or able to function to the level I am if the mating bond broke. Yet here I am.

That's...interesting.

What was that pain I felt when she died, then? I don't understand.

Neither do I. All of this is peculiar. Keep reading and–

Holy shit. Azriel paused on the page he was reading, tapping his finger frantically on a spot of text. He shoved a scrap piece of paper to hold his spot, then jumped up and thumbed through books until he found the one he had been reading earlier: A Complete History of the High Lords of Prythian.