Autumn's Queen- Azriel's Mate

Chapter 3

"Why am I even wearing clothes? This is less than my lacy underthings cover, Mor." The fabric-covered the hitch of my breasts, my navel, and then pooled down to the center of my thighs leaving most of her scars to show.

The skin-colored dress had bits and pieces of my home and my place in the night court. The darkness of night and the light of autumn coming together. My fiery red hair setting the piece together.

"I think that you look hot," Mor said brushing my hair onto my shoulders with a smile her thoughts were elsewhere. I knew that they were.

"Have you talked to Mariane?" I asked her quietly making sure no one would hear it other than the people in the room she shook her head sadly covering up her eyes.

"You know how the Mortal Lands are right now. We, we broke up. She is Mortal, Amber, I can't risk losing people over and over again. And I don't deserve her."

"That is some class A bullshit right here and you know it, Morrigan." A wicked grin crossed my face as I formed an idea in my head.

"I know that the situation is- nothing short of terrible right now but I am sure that Rhys will let you take a runting day. Talk to her, make sure that you don't have any regrets."

Mor tried to tame my wild hair only to get down to the point where it wasn't everywhere and stopped there deciding that it was good enough for now.

"You deserve love, Morrigan."

"You do too. Remember that." I nodded to her before grabbing her arm and shoving the both of us out of the door and into the hallways.

"Can we start before Rhys and Feyre start mind-fucking each other? Please?" Cassian pleaded as he motioned to the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court who was sitting touching each other in a way that I would have preferred not to see.

"You're just jealous, Cas.

"I am not jealous and I could mindfuck anyone I want." I gave Cassian a questioning look as I sat down next to Azriel at the table.

"I could Mindfuck whomever I want, you can just fuck. There is a difference." There was a sly grin that went across his face until I realized what I had said. "Within reason, you whoring prick."

"Be careful what you say, girl, before you know it he is going to get between your pretty little legs."

"I am always open if you are offering, Amren." The wink that Cas sent Amren made me want to choke on my wine.

"You wouldn't be able to handle me, Bat. Unless you truly are a vampire." It took me a second to understand what she was saying but once I did... I did choke on my wine.

"Gods, no. Amren. Not at the dinner table." Mor groaned from the other side of me her eyes widening at the tiny creature. Even Az cringed away from the small immortal.

"Can't we act like a civilized group of people? For once?" I begged only to get throw an incredulous look by Feyre in which I rose my hands up in surrender. "I guess not, gods." I slumped back into my seat.

"It isn't possible for Cassian to act 'civilized', Am." I grinned to Azriel as he poured more wine into my glass.

As we began to dig into the meal light talk, breezing through the newest gossip. Snarky comments being tossed back and forth between Cassian, Mor, Amren, and I.

"We need more wine."

"I can go seeing as I am the only one who is sober enough to walk a straight line." Azriel grabbed the empty bottle that was in Mor's hands and strolled into the kitchen.

"I am going to go get the good wine that he can't find," Morrigan muttered out THANK THE GODS before sipping the rest of her wine in her glass as well as Cassian's. Strolling into the kitchen I stepped through the doorway with a smile.

"Check the top shelf behind the bourbon. That's where Rhys hides the good stuff." For being a shadow singer he seemed almost surprised by my presence.

"Makes sense that he hides it somewhere that you can't grab it."

"Watch your mouth, Spymaster." I gave him a warning look only for him to hold his hands up in surrender before plucking the bottle from the top shelf.

"Thank you, for last night." Azriel leaned down and made a move that I didn't expect- his warm lips touched my cheek with a smile of gratitude. I no doubt was blushing like a fool but I just smiled at him before heading back into the room.

"I guess that we should get down to business."

"Get on with it, Rhysand," Cassian said impatiently no doubt ready for the next bump in the road to rear its ugly head.

"We are going to the Court of Nightmares tomorrow." 

"I am coming."

"No." At first, the voice surprised me, Az speaking against it. But my shock just turned into determination.

"What do you mean 'No'? I am not going to just sit here and twiddle my thumbs? I am a part of this court, Azriel." 

"Just because you are doesn't mean that you should come. Besides it isn't eventful." That had to be false by the look on Mor's face. 

And if I wasn't going to go there for the court I was damn well going to do it for her. For all, that place would bring up for her.

"I wasn't asking for permission. From any of you." I made that fairly clear and by the look on the High Lord and Lady's face, they knew it too.

The silence in the room was validation enough for me to believe that I had won, and I was right because I wasn't going to listen to what they said otherwise.

I was very stubborn.

"It isn't going to be a pleasant visit, I am going to warn you about that right now, Amber." Rhysand's eyes flashed over to mine as though in a sense of warning.

"Your Court of Nightmares is the equivalent of even a minute from where I am from. I can handle myself." I never said where I was from. I added in my head not choosing to say out loud to the others.

Downing my glass as well as the rest of my plate I stood up.

"I am going to go dancing. You are coming to. Az, Cassian. Are you guys coming? Rhys? Feyre?" There was enough shit that was going to go down tomorrow. I needed to get drunk at this point.