Bloom and Destruction (ACOTAR - Elain + Azriel)

Chapter 3

Azriel

    I pace back and forth in the entryway. Finally, after an hour, the door opens and Feyre, Nesta, and Rhysand come in laughing. They stop when they see me standing there.

"Hi, Az," Feyre coos, pinching my cheek. "Did you miss us that much?"

I roll my eyes. "I need to speak to you, Feyre. Alone." I look at Rhys to see him nod, motioning Nesta to the living room.

Feyre leads us to Rhys' office, closing the door behind me. "What's going on, Az?" I sit in a chair, pouring myself a drink from the bottle left on the desk. "Little early for that, don't you think?" She grabs the bottle and moves it away from me.

I knock back the liquid before looking her in the eyes. "I don't know what I did, I don't know what I said wrong, but Elain has been in her room since lunch and will not come out. The shadows tell me that she was crying earlier but had stopped." I rush out, gripping the arms of the chair tightly.

Feyre sits on the desk, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Okay, Az. No big deal, just tell me what happened. Did you have lunch together?" I nod. "And then she just went upstairs?"

I gulp, shaking my head. "No, we were talking in the kitchen. She told me she wants to share everything with me because I'm her best friend and I-I almost kissed her but Cassian and Mor walked in and Cassian pulled his usual shit," I realize the panic building in my chest. "So she went outside and I followed her to talk about what she had said and how I felt but she just got up and ran inside and won't come out of her room." My chest tightens as the shadows whisper to me, she is crying again. "She's crying again, Feyre. This is the third time," I place my head in my hands.

"Alright," she whispers, placing a hand on my back. "It's okay, Az. Just breathe," she rubs my back in gentle circles. "I'll go check on her, okay? You stay right here," she gives me a pat before opening the door and heading for the stairs.

I lean back in the chair as Rhys walks in. "Tough day?" He sits behind the desk, pouring another drink for me and one for himself.

    "You know, Feyre just took that from me, telling me it's too early," I snicker.

    Rhys rolls his eyes. "I am a high lord."
   
   I shrug, looking up at his face. "Is it possible to never find your mate?" I grab the glass from him and chug it down before handing it back to him to ask for another.

    He shrugs, doing the same with his drink and pouring two more. "Anything is possible, I suppose."

    "Is it possible that my mate is mated to someone else?"

    He narrows his eyes at me, watching as I sip this second drink. "Why?" I shrug. "Fine, I suppose it is possible. But you remember my parents. They were mated, they were not the perfect pair. I thought you didn't care about a mating bond?"

    I felt a tug, like nothing I'd felt before. A tug toward the stairs. I shot up, out of my seat leaving Rhys baffled. I charged up the stairs to see Elain's door cracked open. I push the door open, not caring what I damaged, and walked in.

    Feyre sits on the bed, holding Elain's hands and looking at me with wide eyes. "What's wrong?" I growl, kneeling before the bed.

    "You're so beautiful," Elain sobs. I look at Feyre, confused, but Elain keeps going. "You're such a beautiful creature and yet, you don't care!" She yells at me, her cheeks red and painted with tears.

    I sit on the floor, shocked, at a loss for words. Elain kicks a foot at me, hitting my shin. The shadows peer over my shoulder. "Easy," I command.

    Rhys and Nesta appear in the door way. "What did you do?" Nesta snaps, shoving me away from her sister. I rise from my knees, raising my hands in a surrendering motion.

    "He didn't do anything!" Elain shouts, standing up and pushing everyone off of her. "Stop treating me like a child! Get out!" Nesta stares at her in disbelief. "Everyone, get out!" She yells again. Rhys ushers Feyre and Nesta out of the room and just as I stand to follow, Elain grabs my arm. I turn to look at her. "Please stay," she whispers.