A Court of Secrets and Moonlight

45: All I Ever Wanted

Azriel

I landed on the terrace of the House of Song, fully expecting to come home to a house devoid of life and light once more.

Instead, I found the windows glowing with faelight in the dusk sky. I walked into the foyer and heard the soft sound of music drifting through the house. Laughter echoed off the walls, drawing me towards the living room to the right. For a moment, I just stood and breathed it all in. I leaned my back against the door, and let myself bask in it. The joy, the positivity, the warmth.

The hope.

"Is that Az?" I heard Cassian's voice say.

I walked towards the sound, only making it a few paces before Leur rounded the corner. There was a bright smile on her face as she ran into my arms, the scent of lavender and spice overtaking me. A memory from so long ago drifted into my mind, of Leur rushing out of that cabin after I came home from the Blood Rite, of our bond snapping into place.

And she was happy.

"I missed you." She whispered, placing a warm kiss on my cheek. I smiled into it, nudging my head against hers.

"I missed you too. How are you feeling?" I pulled back just enough to glance at her face. It was full of color, her cheeks flushed and the scent of wine on her breath.

"Better." She smiled, a hand cupping my cheek, "How about you?"

I just kissed her in reply, her lips soft and supple against my own. She was like a dream. How many times in the last 500 years had I had this exact fantasy? Coming home to find her waiting for me, for her to run into my arms the way she just had? How many times over the past days had I prayed for her to find her way out of that dark pit she had dissolved into?

She smiled against my mouth, pulling me down closer to her height. I let her, my arm wrapping around her waist as the tension that had been coiled inside of me faded. That memory and pain was still there, could never fully be wiped away, but life had been breathed back into her. My shadows hummed in the pleasure of her positive emotions as I pulled her closer.

"Stop making out in the hallway and get in here!" Feyre called for us, and we broke apart. Leur laughed as she slipped under my arm, walking with me to the sitting room.

Our entire family was gathered again, sitting around the coffee table eating from the massive basket of strawberries Rhys brought. Even Nesta and Elain were sitting with the group, watching the conversation. Leur led us to a seat next to the former as she sipped a glass of wine, planting herself in between my legs as we sat on a cushion on the floor. I kept my arm wrapped around her, basking in the feel of her emotions.

"Where's Amren?" I asked, reaching around my mate to grab a strawberry.

"She's tired from ripping into Rhys for half the day." Cassian laughed, clapping our brother on the shoulder.

"What'd she do to you?" I tilted my head at Rhys, who had no visible wounds on him anymore. I figured whatever Amren would come up with would be much worse than physical injury.

Rhys only looked down and mumbled, "I don't want to talk about it."

Mor snorted at the look on her cousin's face, and Feyre just rubbed her mate's back mockingly, "Poor High Lord, got beat up by a little girl."

"I'm telling Amren you called her that." Rhys frowned at his mate.

"Mother above, can you imagine what she'd do?" Mor laughed.

We decided it was smarter to all stay in one place until the meeting, in case Hybern attacks again. Leur whispered through the shadows, I said that everyone could stay here, since they each have their own rooms. Is that okay with you?