A Court of Shadows and Stars; Azriel

IV

{Lorelai PoV}

Absolute silence. Absolute stillness.

After a moment, Thesan rose.

"Welcome, Tamlin,'' Thesan gestured with a slendor hand toward the empty chair. ''Please, take a seat.''

Tamlin did not tear his gaze from Feyre.

Feyre, Rhys, and the intertwined hands. To the ring on Feyre's finger. To the tattoo on her right hand. To the crown that rested atop her head.

I stole a quick glance to Cassian and Azriel, who nodded. We all understood the unspoken message, as we each eased our hands to our weapons. Cass and Az to the hilt of the sword on their hip, and me to the knife strapped to my thigh.

The loathing in Tamlin's eyes practically simmered. He opened his mouth, and I braced myself.

''It would seem congratulations are in order.''

Rhys turned to Thesan. ''We can discuss the matters at hand later.''

Tamlin said calmly, ''Don't stop on my account.''

Cassian, Azriel, and I were as still as death. But whether Tamlin noticed or cared that three of the deadliest people in this room were currently contemplating his demise, he didn't let on.

Kallias asked the question that was on everyone's mind,

''Why are you here, Tamlin?''

Tamlin dismissed the question, and instead turned to Rhys. By the way that Feyre began to blush madly, he said something vulgar to Rhys. This was no longer a battle, it was a steady shredding of Feyre's dignity.

Rhys took in Feyre's state, then back to Tamlin. A storm was about to be unleashed.

But a voice from beside me spoke up. It was Azriel who spoke, his voice like cold death,

''Be careful how you speak of my High Lady.''

Tamlin faced ignored him and turned to Kallias.

''You asked why I'm here? I might ask the same of you. You mean to tell me that after Under the Mountain, you can stomach working with him?'' A finger flung in Rhysand's direction.

Seething, it took everything in me to not rip that finger right off of Tamlin's hand.

And feed it to the Middengard Wyrm.

Turning back to my High Lady, he uttered,

''Fitting, I suppose. He whored for Amarantha for decades. Why shouldn't you be his whore in return?''

''Watch your mouth,'' I said dangerously low.

Eris snorted and surveyed me. I watched him back, with a glare that would have killed my whole village.

"Ah. The human speaks. Pity you haven't learned to keep your mouth shut. It seems I may have to teach you the manners I taught Mor."

''You certainly haven't changed either, Eris. I see that you still like to hear yourself talk.''

Eris's mouth curled into an ugly smile at my words.

''Beautiful dress by the way, Lore. It's good to know that the scars I gave you are still there.''

One moment, Azriel was seated beside me. The next, he'd blasted through Eris's shield with a flare of blue light and tackled him backwards, wood shattering beneath them.

''Shit,'' Cassian spat, and was instantly there.

However, we were met with a wall of blue.

Azriel had sealed us in, while he plummeted his fist into Eris' face again, and again. As his scarred hands wrapped around Eris' throat and began to sque-

''Enough.''

Azriel continued to tighten his grip, Eris thrashing beneath him. No physical brawling- there had been a rule against that, but Azriel, was using his shadows.

''Enough, Azriel,'' Rhys ordered.

Azriel dug his knee- and all his weight- into Eris's gut. Beron's flames struck the blue shield, but they were no match against the Shadowsinger.

''Call off your overgrown bat,'' Beron ordered Rhys.

I could tell that Rhys was enjoying it, bargain or no- he could have ended this seconds ago. He gave me a glance, an invitation.

I took a deep breath before mumbling in a quiet voice.

''Azriel, stop.''

And just like that, Azriel stopped.

Eris gasped for air as those beautiful, scarred hands loosened.

Az looked to Mor first, who was looking everywhere except him.

When at last Az turned towards me, the pure frozen rage in his eyes rooted me where I stood. His rigid glare now pointed in my direction. There was no softness in his gaze, only bubbling hatred as he calmed himself down. I held eye contact with him until his breaths were no longer ragged.

But beneath his harsh stare, I could almost see the images that I know haunt him: my scarred skin, me thrashing from a nightmare, my weeping, distraught face from the forest the day that he found me.

I was fuming.

How could I not be?

I told Azriel to let me fight my own battles. Despite my anger towards him at the moment, I nodded to him as he approached me and led him back to our seats. All the while, Azriel kept eye contact with Eris as if communicating with him.

The Shadowsinger sent him one last look which made Eris blanch further, before sitting back down.

As if nothing had happened, the shield dropped and the cold shadows lightened into warm sunshine.

Beron attempted to strike- only for his fire to bounce off a hard barrier from Feyre.

''That's twice now we've handed your asses to you. I'd think you'd be sick of the humiliation.''

Helion simply laughed. But my attention was still on Azriel, who took my outstretched hand underneath the table. Gently rubbing his scars with my thumb, I tried to catch his gaze, but he avoided eye contact with me.

Looking up, I was met with Eris' fuming gaze. Feyre continued to speak after we had all settled back down. Her voice as cold as Azriel's face, as she continued on,

''I don't care if we are allies in this war. If you insult either of my friends again, I will be the one to finish what Azriel started.''

The rest of dinner I stared at Azriel, begging him to look at me, but he refused. Instead, he continued to give Eris his icy glare.

Eris cleared his throat and wisely, averted his eyes. ''Apologies, Lore- I mean Lorelai.''

His father actually gawked at the words. Helion smirked at his retinue, crossing an ankle over a knee before laughing.

''Looks like you owe me ten gold marks.''