A Court of Secrets and Moonlight

35: Summer Night

Leur

Azriel leaned around my back, planting a soft kiss against my cheek as we stood in the living room of the townhouse. He was being particularly affectionate today, far more brazen than he normally would be around the others. I didn't question it, not when it felt like heaven to stand in his arms, not when I knew it was simply because he was happy.

Lucien was about to leave, clad in Illyrian leather and loaded with weapons and provisions. He was hugging Feyre, granting her a soft smile before he turned to me. I stepped out of Azriel's arms for a moment to wrap my arms around him, pressing a kiss to his scarred cheek as I did so.

"Try not to die." I warned, only partially joking.

He only gave me a half smile, "No promises."

But then the look on his face faded, and I knew what he was not saying, what neither of us had allowed ourselves to think about, was lingering on his tongue. Tamlin's face, his screams, the strength in his eye as he made the bargain, flashed in my head.

So I gave him a determined look, "I'll get Tamlin, you go get Vassa."

His throat bobbed, but he nodded to me. I watched him shove it down, the emotion, the desperation. It was there, and with a blink it wasn't. An arrogant smile flashed across his lips, "See you on the battlefields then."

His eyes flicked behind me, to where Azriel gave him a nod. Lucien obeyed the silent order, turning towards my brother who was waiting to winnow him out. But his eyes caught on the top of the stairs, to where Elain stood in a flowing yellow gown, her eyes trained on him.

He bowed to her, as if he was surrendering himself. I watched as she took one step closer, brown eyes scanning, an unreadable look on her soft face.

"Be safe." She said softly, the first sign of acknowledgment she had truly given him.

I watched Lucien's eyes widen then, but he still managed to keep an ounce of composure to say, "You too."

I drifted back to Azriel's side then, unable to watch this tension unfold, knowing full well how it felt to live it. But Lucien had drug his eyes away from hers, and with one final glance back, he took Rhys' waiting hand.

And they were gone.

Elain disappeared a moment later, and I sighed. Azriel just pulled me into his embrace once more as we took up our usual position, me leaning with my back to his chest and his arm wrapped around my waist. He graced another soft kiss to my temple, his shadows humming to me in pleasure.

I let myself bask in the moment, in the joy of being past the stage that Lucien and Elain were in, in the comfortability of a dream come through at my back.

But then Amren burst through the door, and Rhys reappeared a moment later. The small female was clearly shaken, nearly panting as if she had run here. Azriel, on pure instinct, spun me behind him and squared his shoulders.

Can't we just have one fucking moment of peace and quiet? I whined through the shadows.

"What is it?" Feyre asked, rising from the seat she had taken. I slipped around to Azriel's side, sending him a soft melody to calm him as I took his hand.

"Hybern is attacking Adriata as we speak." Amren answered, face grave and pale.

That fucking armada. Azriel hissed through the shadows. I could feel him start to blame himself.

I doubt it. They weren't war ships. Taking them into battle would be a death sentence. I calmed him, If it was them, the spies would have alerted us when they moved.