A Court of Secrets and Moonlight

61: Proposition

Tamlin

It never failed to amaze me, what the night sky looked like in the Night Court. Millions of stars shone bright, lighting up the cold waters of the shoreline. They seemed to gleam and twinkle, endless blast interrupted by swirls of the galaxy and shining light of distant stars.

I was hidden in a cove of rocks, facing the sea I had just winnowed across to meet her here. I had been sent to oversee the march of my forces and the Hybern soldiers in the Spring Court up the border of the Summer and Autumn court, to where we were meant to converge upon the northern territories of Summer. However, the King had not learned I had broken free from his spell. He thought I obeyed his every command, did not see that Leur had broken me free, that the bargain I had made with her kept me from having to work in his service.

It had been two months since she had returned, since my territory had been ripped to shreds. Two months, and I could barely account for half of it. I had no idea what the King had me doing in the time I couldn't remember, could barely remember how I had ended up holding a knife to Leur's neck in Rhys's and Feyre's bedroom, of all fucking places.

"Come out, Tam." Leur's voice drifted through the wind.

Something in my body burned, my heart pulling me outwards. Three steps and I was standing in front of her, Azriel at her back. She had commanded me, I realized, the bargain making me move at her words.

"Damn." I hissed, clutching at my chest.

Leur frowned at me, "That's what you get for making a stupid fucking bargain."

I let out a sigh, my eyes darting towards the male at her back. Azriel looked utterly terrifying behind her, his face cast in their marbled shadows. I realized at that moment that all this time had passed and all this shared history had occurred between us, and I don't think I had ever even spoken to him. Years spent watching Leur fall into a pit of despair at their separation, watching her break as she remembered his name, memories of tears in her eyes and that haunted look on her face. It was as if all of it was gone as she stood at his side, as if she was now whole. 

"Are you here to yell at me or do you want information?" I gave her a pointed look.

"I'm still pissed at you." She huffed, violet eyes sharp in the moonlight.

"What's new." I shook my head sarcastically, turning to the male at her back. Azriel was staring at me with an expression I couldn't entirely read. I supposed the polite thing to do would be to greet him, even as he looked utterly horrifying standing behind her. Out of the three males of the Night Court, Rhys, the general, Cassian, and Azriel- the spymaster had always been the one that seemed the darkest, the most unpredictable. I had always known that Leur had loved him, enough to die for him, but had never seen enough to know why.

"I'm Tamlin." I stuck out a hand towards him, not really having the mental strength to come up with a better greeting.

He only stared at me. Leur looked mildly uncomfortable, so short between us both. I don't remember ever seeing them together before, seeing how much taller he was than her, how their shadows melded into one, how their scents utterly screamed that they were mated. It was strange to see.

But then he slipped off a glove and took my hand, his tan skin rough and scarred, "I know."

His voice was rough and deep, but melodic in that same way that Leur's was. "Have you two never actually met before?" She blinked between us.

Azriel was still staring at me as he answered her, as if he was trying to figure me out, "No."

Leur furrowed her brows, "500 years and you two did not speak one time?"