A Court of Three Stars

17: Black or White

Athelwood, Night Court, Prythian

Azriel

"So, does she know you came after me?"

I stepped free from the shadows, my eyes trained on her back, "She sent me."

Mor turned, black lines of khol-stained tears dried on her cheeks, a half-empty glass of wine in her hand, "And of course, you listened, like the well-trained dog you've become."

"Watch it." I hissed, "I came to brief Hunter and Cyrene about containing you, not to have a chat."

She drifted over to the window, looking out as if she might spot their surveillance on her house. Of course, she'd never see them.

They weren't here anymore.

She had already proven she could get around them, so I'd replaced them with something else. Something she couldn't override. And a few spies hidden with shadow for good measure.

But she didn't need to know that my soldiers weren't here anymore. Let her keep looking over her shoulder for them.

"Those two fools." She spat, eyes scanning over her estate, "I'm pretty sure it's illegal for foreign soldiers to-"

"Rhys and Feyre cleared it."

She made a face that was half a smile, half a grimace, "Of course they did."

I had no interest in speaking to her. All I wanted was to leave this hellhole and go back to Leur and Ruhn.

But I didn't want her showing up again. I wasn't so sure that if she tried anything else, Leur would leave her alive. And despite what came out of her mouth, despite what the female had done, killing Mor would destroy my mate.

And so here I was.

Mor turned to me, eyes wandering. She looked me up and down, as if there would be some kind of shift in me, some kind of change in my appearance that marked me as against her.

Her eyes lingered on my hands, on the silver band on my ring finger.

All she said was, "Did I miss it?"

"No." I shook my head, "There's been no wedding."

"Do you really even need one?" She sipped her wine, "Haven't you already had a mating ceremony?"

"There was a private one, to declare me King."

Another mouthful of wine disappeared, "Yes, well, I suppose that would never be enough to satisfy my cousin. Only the grandest of things will do for Princess Leuruna."

I could have corrected her. Told her that it was my idea, that Leur had said the same thing, that it was me who wanted to give her a wedding.

Perhaps it wasn't my finest moment, but I chose to stoop to her level.

"You're drunk, bitter, and pathetic." I snapped, "You're starting to sound like Acantha."

Mor just rolled her eyes, "If there's anything that witch was right about, it's that Leur manipulates anything and everything in her favor."

"You didn't seem to mind when she was saving your ass during the war with Hybern." I scowled, "Or the thousands of times before that."

"We've all been guilty of excusing every horrible thing she does." She drifted over to a cart full of half-empty wine bottles, "You more than anyone."

"She is my m-"

"She bound you to me like a fucking dog that needed a new owner." Mor hissed, eyes venomous, "And you and I both know exactly why she chose me, of all people in this world."