A Court Of Flowers And Shadows {Azriel Shadowsinger}

Chapter Twelve

Everything was perfect.

Amara was in Azriel's arms, it was a beautiful day, it was quiet, and she finally felt like things might just work out for all of them. Things felt perfect and she felt safe and happy in his arms. She didn't think about what would happen to them when he left or what this meant for them or even if he was ready to talk about the bond between them because right now everything was perfect and she didn't have to worry. She didn't have to worry because that ache in her chest was gone the second that she was in his arms. 

The ache had been bugging her ever since she had met him. It went away a bit when they were in the same room but it had never fully gone away. Not until just now. 

That was until they both heard a scream.

A damn scream that was so loud that Amara and Azriel could hear it from where they were sitting in the woods. Then again, considering their heightened hearing, that wasn't much of an issue because they could also hear the sound of a wooden paint pallet falling on the gravel with a loud clatter. It always seemed to be a scream that ruined the rare moments that Azriel and Amara managed to have together. Usually it was just a playful scream that followed an argument between Cassian and Amren that the two of them then had to go and deal with but this scream... this was a scream of fear.

Amara frowned as she got up, Azriel's hand still on her hip as he got up as well. "I should go check that out and you should get going," she said quietly. She'd hate it the second he left. She would feel empty and maybe a little bit lost as well. 

Azriel nodded and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head before he left, almost as if he had never been there in the first place. The only thing that reminded her that he had been was the feeling of her hip growing cold where his hand had previously been. He never held her unless she was at her absolute worst. That was the only time that he ever seemed to acknowledge her existence, when her emotions were so overwhelming that he couldn't help but be by her side  because the mating bond wouldn't allow him to be anywhere else. She had a theory that it was because if he didn't then he got a headache from ignoring the urge to go and comfort his mate but the two of them had never talked about it. He just was always there when she was on the edge of breaking and he always managed to piece her back together. 

A soft sigh left Amara's lips and she followed in the direction of where she had heard the scream. What she saw next was a pale Feyre in Tamlin's arms while Lucien climbed the fountain to get a head of a Night Court member... somebody that Amara had met on multiple occasions. She knew him as someone who lived in the Hewn City. The amount of times that he'd flirted with her was to the point where she actually started wearing the ring Cassian had given her as a solstice gift one year on her left hand instead of her right. It had the desired affect but it had also meant that now a whole city of people assumed that she was engaged to the Illyrian General when the only way she would ever be able to Cass was as a best friend. It came in handy sometimes but other times it just got a bit annoying.

"Where were you?" Tamlin asked her with a frown, still holding Feyre but he was no longer focused on comforting her and more on berating his little sister. Berating Amara always came before anything when it came to Tamlin's priorities. 

"I went for a walk. I needed some air and Lucien said yesterday that the grounds were clear enough that it was fine," Amara told him, mirroring his frown on her own face. "And I'm pretty sure that we have bigger issues to worry about right now than where I was on my perfectly innocent walk." 

Tamlin's frown deepened but Lucien had already gotten down from the fountain with the head. He sighed slightly and handed it off to a random guard before he dried his hands on his jacket, making Amara raise an eyebrow at him and how casual he was being about it. Feyre was shaking in Tamlin's arms the entire time that this happened. 

Amara stepped over the paints on the floor and placed her hand gently on the poor human's elbow. "Let's get you inside. I'll make you a warm cup of hot chocolate to help calm you down," she said softly, guiding Feyre inside once Tamlin let go of her. 

She didn't need Fae hearing to know that Tamlin and Lucien were already talking about Rhys being behind this. 

It would be a lie if she said that she didn't agree with them. Yes, she knew that Rhys had to do it to keep up his act but this... this might have been just a little bit too far.