The Prophecy - ACOTAR

Chapter 64

After they had all been dismissed from the town house, the group made their way to the House of Wind. There was enough tension someone could cut through it with a knife, as everyone looked tentatively at Lucien who stood awkwardly in the balcony doorway.

"I just don't think Rhys would like it, Astrid." Mor said with a pensive glance towards the tanned redhead.

Astrid looked over at Lucien for a moments, "As long as he doesn't go anywhere but my old room, Rhys will be fine. Consider him my prisoner or something."

Lucien's skin paled, making him look even more like his brothers, "Your ... your prisoner?" He stuttered.

Cass failed to hide his snort of laughter as Astrid rolled her eyes tiredly, "Or something Lucien, it's semantics. I'm giving you a chance to wash off, Az will be back with some clothes for you in a bit, it's either that or you sit out on the balcony. Do you want to clean up or stew in your own filth?"

"I'll wash up." He replied quietly.

Astrid nodded her head and made her way out of the living area and towards her old room. Lucien followed her quietly. A soft smile turned the corners of Astrid's lips up as she looked around the room.

"You're different." Lucien said as he watched her.

Astrid tilted her head slightly, "What do you mean?"

"You just seem different, maybe you're just happier."

She huffed out a laugh, "I have a family finally Lucien, one that feels complete. I have someone who loves me for me. I'm beyond happy."

Lucien gave her a tight smile, "I had hoped I'd have been that someone one day, but I'm happy you found him. I do have a bit of information that might make you just the slightest bit happier though."

Astrid raised her eyebrows expectantly at him.

"Dagdan and Brannagh, they're dead. Feyre killed them."

The silver specs in Astrid's eyes twinkled as a large smile burst onto her face, "That's some of the best news I've heard today." As Astrid turned to leave, a small shadow burst under the door and circled around her ankle. It was met by a tendril of her own shadows, and as they danced around her ankle together, she looked up at Lucien, her smile still as large and bright as it had been moments before, but for a very different reason. "Az is back with your new clothes."

Lucien's eyebrows scrunched together, "How do you kn..."

He was cut off as the door opened and a bundle of clothes was shoved into his chest, "This doesn't mean I like you Vanserra, just so we're clear." Az grumbled as he swung an arm over Astrid's shoulder and pulled her into his side, "The thing's I'll do for you, my mate." He muttered before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Clean up Lucien, we'll come get you when Feyre and Rhys are finished." Astrid called back to him as Az led her out of the room.

"You're being nicer to him than I expected." Az commented as he pulled her to a stop in the hallway.

Astrid nodded her head slowly, "I've done some thinking, I guess I've been pushing a lot of stuff to the side in my head, ignoring what it meant because I didn't want the responsibility. Gods, I was and still am so tired of having to be responsible for someone or having all these duties, but that doesn't make them go away. I've been called the Warrior, a Queen, a fucking Goddess. But what have I been doing with myself Az, exacting my revenge with sticks? Planning some extravagant revenge against my brother who had every fucking right to punish us?"

Az wrapped her in his arms and pulled her against his body, "Those three titles are all heavy on their own, I can't imagine the weight they must hold together. But having some fun doesn't mean you aren't doing anything meaningful. You helped nurse me and Cass back to basically full strength, that's no easy feat Astrid. Cassian is a huge baby when he doesn't feel good." Astrid snorted and looked up at him with a pointed look. "Alright fine, we both are. You've trained with Cass every morning since he was ready to start again. You took over for him in training the female Illyrians. You listened when he might not have and are actively trying to help them find other ways to bring change to that area of the Night Court. And I personally don't think we should've been punished; we were only doing what mates do." He said, a small smirk sliding onto his lips at the end.