A Court Of Flowers And Shadows {Azriel Shadowsinger}

Chapter Six

Stupid bloody Fire Night. In Amara's opinion, it was the worst night of the year. She had to deal with numerous different fae from random courts trying to convince her to sleep with them purely for the reason that they could say that they slept with the sister of the High Lord of the Spring Court. Usually she showed up for about an hour so that everyone could at least see that she had shown up, before she disappeared and everyone just assumed that she'd gone off with someone. As long as a lot of people saw her then she everyone could make their own assumptions about what happened to her for the rest of the night.

"You're scowling again," Feyre commented from where she was sat on Amara's bed while the female got ready for Fire Night.

Amara glanced at Feyre in the mirror that stood in front of her, raising an eyebrow. "You would be too if you were subjected to this stupid holiday every single year," she told her, earning a tut and a slap on the shoulder from Alis who was braiding her hair for her. "I'm sorry but you know that it's true. It's a ridiculous holiday that shouldn't even be a holiday and the only thing that I get from it is the fact that Tamlin gets off my back for the next few months and I get to do whatever I want without intense supervision."

Alis rolled her eyes as she braided the younger fae's hair. "That doesn't mean you need to bad mouth it loud enough for anybody to hear. Especially when your brother can probably hear you. We don't need your opinions making things worse."

"Remind me again why I'm not allowed to go?" Feyre asked with a slight tilt of her head.

Amara and Alis shared a look, neither of them wanting to overshare the reason that Feyre wasn't allowed out of the house that night. They weren't entirely sure what Tamlin had told her and neither of them wanted to be the ones to tell her something that she wasn't allowed to know. Either way, they still had to come up with something to keep Feyre in her room that night which wasn't exactly going to be easy. Honestly, Amara was starting to see why Tamlin and Lucien got sick of her being stubborn. She'd never understood it until she'd met Feyre.

"I thought Tamlin and Lucien talked to you about it?" Amara asked her softly, turning in her chair to look at the mortal girl while Alis went to find the dress that Amara had said she wanted to wear.

"They just said that I couldn't leave my room or be a part of the festivities. They didn't say why and I'm going to assume that you two aren't going to either," Feyre said with a sigh as she laid back on Amara's bed.

"As much as I value our friendship, I value my life more," Amara told her with a sympathetic smile. "If I could tell you then I would. I just don't know much you're allowed to know and I'd rather not risk it by telling you anything that they haven't."

Feyre sighed as she sat up again and watched Alis continue doing Amara's hair, twining flowers through it carefully while Amara tried to figure out how soon would be too soon for her to leave the festivities. It didn't take long before Alis was done and Amara had to shoo Feyre in to her own room so she could get dressed. She laced up the dark green dress and sighed as she looked in the mirror. As much as she hated this holiday, it was always an excuse to wear extravagant and pretty dresses so that was always something. Even though it meant that she couldn't wear them to another ceremony, so Amara took to running through the halls of the manor instead.

Before making her way down to the field and to where she knew Lucien was waiting, Amara stopped by Feyre's room. She pressed a pointed ear to the door to make sure that she could hear Feyre pacing in there rather than there being a suspicious quiet. Once she felt sure that Feyre wasn't breaking any of the rules set in place for the night, Amara made her way down the stairs to where Lucien waited. She gladly took his arm as they walked down the field to the clearing in the woods that the festivities always took place.

Lucien handed her a bottle of wine that he'd stolen from the kitchens and shrugged when she raised an eyebrow at him. "I know how much you hate this holiday. Thought it might make it more bearable before you sneak off."

Amara rolled her eyes and drank from the bottle before she leaned her head on his shoulder, Lucien's arm instinctively going around her waist. "You ever tell Tamlin and I'll hide your eye," Amara told him, though they both knew it was an empty threat.

"Good to know."

Amara rolled her eyes and glanced around the clearing to see who was there and what court was there the most other than people from the Spring Court. That was when she choked on her wine when she saw a certain High Lord that she hadn't seen in almost half a century. A certain High Lord who winked at her and nodded over to the direction of the woods before making his way there. Thankfully, Amara covered up her choking rather well so Lucien didn't suspect anything when Amara excused herself and made her way to the woods, handing her bottle of wine off to a random fae that she just assumed was from the Summer court based off of their attire.

"Nice to see that you're still looking as healthy as ever," Rhysand teased before Amara punched him in the shoulder. "Ow! Uncalled for!"

"What the hell are you doing here, Rhys?! You can't be here," Amara told him as she dragged him further away from the festivities and the people of the Spring Court, not wanting anyone to know that she was talking to him.

"Well considering that there are at least three or four other Night Court members here, I think that it's safe to say that I can be," Rhys countered as he looked over at her, knowing better than to complain about her dragging him further in to the woods. "You know, considering everything, I thought you would be a lot happier to see me. And less violent. Where did all the violence come from? That punch actually hurt."

"Well, first of all, that punch was meant to hurt. Cassian didn't drag me on to roof in the bloody freezing cold every day at sunrise for no reason. Secondly, because of everything, you being here is weird, not comforting. If anything, it is stressing me out," she pointed out as she leaned against a nearby tree and looked over at him. "Why are you here, Rhys?"

"Like I said, I thought you'd be happy to see me. Plus, some sort of recon mission. I need to report back about the situation in the Spring Court. Feel like giving me any help with that?" At the look on Amara's face, Rhys knew that wasn't exactly an option. "Well, since I am here, maybe I could offer you a deal."

"And why would you possibly want to do that in the middle of everything going on?"

"Well, it's actually because of everything going on that I'm suggesting it. I can give you the exact thing that you want. Just say the word."

"And what, pray tell, do you think it is that I want so badly that I'm willing to make a deal with you, Rhysand?"

"Azriel."