Daylight

Chapter 36

Elain was tending to her daily chores in her garden when Azriel returned. He slipped outside and sat on the stone bench but remained silent. Elain knew he wouldn't say anything until she did. He liked to sit out there and not disturb her while she worked.

"They're coming in nicely, aren't they?" She said with pride, indicating the purple bulbs of crocus that were peeking up from the light dusting of snow covering the soil.

"They are," Azriel nodded his agreement. "I'm glad to see it's recovered from its run-in with that storm."

Elain just nodded and continued working. Silence was one of those things that could be comfortable or tense but with Azriel, it was almost always comfortable. She never felt compelled to say something just to fill a void. He was just one of those people whose company she could enjoy with or without conversation.

Occasionally he would point to an area of her garden she had overlooked that still needed tending to. Some people might take it as condescending or commanding, but Elain appreciated that Azriel knew her enough to know that she'd want to know if she missed a spot... and that she'd want to do it herself. There were few things she was fussy over, but her garden was at the top of that short list.

Over an hour later, well after dark, Nesta emerged with a tray of mugs, steam rising from each one.

"It's freezing out here, but I know you're not coming inside until you're finished. So, I brought you something that'll warm you up."

Elain decided not to point out that she had finished gardening hours ago. She just didn't want to go inside. Going inside would require her to go to her room, which would require her to pass Lucien's empty room.

She and Azriel each took a mug, Elain resisting the urge to roll her eyes as Nesta kept giving her a pointed look and then glancing at Azriel. Her sister was anything if not relentless.

"We should start planning something for Feyre's birthday," Nesta said. "She did so much for us when we were struggling, and she hasn't had many birthdays where we actually had anything to celebrate."

"That's... actually an excellent idea," Elain agreed.

"So, when she gets back—"

"When she and Lucien get back, you mean?"

Nesta grunted impatiently. "Fine, whatever. Though if he stayed gone, that would be just as well."

"Why can't you ease off him a little?"

"I don't like him," Nesta bristled.

"Why?"

"You know why. He sold us out."

"And you know he had nothing to do with it," Elain fought back. She was tired of this. Tired of two of the people she loved most being at each other's throats.

Azriel had melded back into the shadows in the corner of the garden. Elain expected him to disappear completely, but to her relief, he remained. Elain was secretly grateful that he didn't leave her out here to battle her sister alone. She'd have to thank him later.

"He's too pushy," Nesta insisted. "And you're too fragile to—"

"I am not!" Elain yelled. "And I cannot continue to be broken for you!"

Nesta stared at her. "I don't know what you—"

"As long as I'm delicate and broken, you can direct all of your attention on me instead of acknowledging your own issues!"

Elain had never shouted at her sister like this before. She never shouted period but ever since becoming Fae, she found herself feeling things more strongly than she had before. Found herself unable to contain the emotions that she used to just clamp down and ignore until they went away. But she supposed that wasn't entirely a bad thing. She used to just keep everything she felt contained and subdued. But no more. She couldn't be seen as some porcelain doll that might break at any moment.