A Court of Dreams and Promise

Chapter Thirty-Four

Azriel

With the meeting spot in sight, Azriel had to hold back a ragged sob at the sight of the sheer amount of pitched tents already in the clearing.

Azriel glanced for one second at the party before winnowing out, and into the heart of the camp.

"Azriel's back!" someone yelled, and screams sounded.

The intense hope radiating from every fae in his near vicinity almost choked him. His knees felt weak as he reached to his side to find a random fae to hold onto.

"It is nice to finally meet you, Shadowsinger," the fae he had grabbed onto said.

Azriel looked down to see Ezio Zephyr grinning at him. "Ezio Zephyr. Velaria told me she had recruited you."

Ezio's smile only grew bigger at Velaria's name. "It wasn't hard. We're old friends."

"I've learned that Velaria has more old friends than I thought along this journey," Azriel said, still reeling from the amount of fae in the area. "How many fae was Velaria able to recruit?"

"The Day Court hasn't shown up yet, but from the current count it's at least two from each court," Ezio informed him.

Azriel frowned. "That still doesn't explain–"

"All the tents?" Ezio interrupted. "Velaria also recruited armies. Ciel and I brought some of the Peregryn legion with us. Some of the Spring Court sentries arrived yesterday. And Amren and Cresseida brought some Summer Court soldiers."

Azriel's heart stopped beating. "Say that again."

"They brought some Summer Court soldiers."

"Who did?"

"Cresseida and Amren. They arrived two days–"

Azriel winnowed out, his shadows alerting him exactly where to go.

Amren was sitting on a tree stump next to Cresseida by an unlit fire. Her gaze darted to him for a millisecond before he hugged her.

"Azriel. I–"

"You're alive," he breathed. "You're alive."

"Of course I'm alive, boy," Amren said, shoving him away. Then she frowned. "Were you worried about me?"

"N-No." Azriel sighed. "Yes."

A smile spread across Amren's face. "It's good to see you again, as well, Shadowsinger."

"You'd know. Give me a rundown of everyone who is here."

Amren smirked. "I was waiting for you to ask me that," she said. "From the Dawn Court, Ciel and Ezio, along with part of a Peregryn legion. Velaria told them not to bring everyone so it wouldn't look suspicious."

Azriel exhaled, laughing. "She is so smart," he murmured to himself.

Amren raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. "She somehow got all of the Vanserra brothers out of the Autumn Court. And then we brought some Summer Court soldiers that followed us out. Ten Spring Court sentries arrived yesterday. The Day Court has yet to show up, and you brought the Winter Court with you."

"We recruited all of them," Azriel said, almost in disbelief. "Kallias, Viviene, and a few of Velaria's friends we met on the border."

Amren raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Iona Zima, her sister Sylvie Olwen, and Sylvie's husband Roland."

Amren's eyes widened. "You brought Roland Olwen with you."