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The priestess looked over her shoulder, a scathing, baleful look aimed at Azriel. He stood in the corner, arms crossed over his chest as his shadows wended around him. The shadowsinger tilted his head defiantly, and she just rolled her eyes before turning back to the table where she sat next to Bryce, the enchanted quills scratching over their parchments.
“I’m sorry about him,” Gwyn’s quill wrote, translating her words into the ancient language that the beautiful female was able to speak. “He can be a tad bit… overprotective.” Her auburn brows lifted, amber eyes looking past the priestess to the spymaster brooding in the corner of the living space adjacent to the dining room. Azriel had insisted that he be present whenever the two of them were working together, the Valkyrie determined to utilize the many resources at her disposal to help the displaced fae female. And so, instead of working in the library - where his presence may be unwelcome or intimidating - they sat at the large wood dining table in the House of Wind.
Bryce’s gaze flicked back to her, a wry grin tilting one corner of her lips. Gwyn tried to keep her smile from growing alarmingly wide at the expression, relieved that the other female was growing comfortable enough to relax and speak more freely. “I know the type,” the quill scratched. “Thinks a female is a delicate flower that must be defended and controlled. Typical alphahole.”
“Alphahole?” Gwyn’s forehead creased at the odd word, and her cheeks heated a bit when the other redhead huffed a laugh, feeling somewhat sheltered and naive. One would think she’d be used to it by now. “Is that something in your world?”
“Not really. It’s more something I came up with on my own.” Bryce shrugged, leaning back into the chair. She’d opted for a light sweater and leggings, the forest green knit setting a stark contrast to her flaming locks and golden skin. “Alpha male assholes. Where I’m from, fae females are treated as the property of their male family members, and often married off for wealth or influence. I tried to avoid that part of my life for a long time, since I’m half human. And I wanted no part of those arrogant males who thought they knew what was best for me - thought they could make decisions on my behalf - especially since I can take care of myself.” Gwyn snorted, glancing over her shoulder again. Briefly, but not so fast that she didn’t catch the glimmer of annoyance in Azriel’s hazel stare.
“Azriel literally taught me how to fight. My sisters - friends - and I survived a brutal warrior ritual that we were forced to participate in,” she explained, turning back to her new friend - she hoped - with another exasperated roll of the eyes. “But then he told me that you couldn’t stay with me because he was concerned about my safety. You might smother me in my sleep, after all.” The laugh that bubbled from Bryce was a beautiful, musical lilt that warmed the priestess to the depths of her soul. It was almost like when she got Azriel to laugh - a sense of pride that it could be done coupled with the relief that he was even capable of doing so. Gwyn did not envy the lovely female - could scarcely imagine being in the same situation. But if she could help her find even the briefest moments of joy, she would consider their time together a great triumph.
“Definitely an alphahole, then,” she answered, and Gwyn giggled with her. Then her eyes grew wistful, even as they glittered with mirth. “If only he knew this potentially deadly female kept a stash of toy unicorns and pegasi in her linen closet.” The Valkyrie straightened, lips parting with a gasp as her eyes blew wide.
“Did you say pegasi?” she asked, trying her best to keep her excitement in check as Bryce gave her an uncertain glance.
“Um… yeah. When I was little I collected these little pony toys. They were all different colors and kinds and scents. They’ve always held a special place in my heart. I could never get rid of them.”
Gwyn’s nose crinkled, her eyes narrowing conspiratorially. She looked back at Azriel for a third time, studying how he leaned into the corner. It almost seemed lazy, if she didn’t know better. He was likely poised to leap at even a hint of a threat. She turned back to a confused Bryce, giving her a wink before grabbing her hand.
“Come on. I have to show you something!” The priestess laughed as they bounded from the dining room, noting surprised panic painting the shadowsinger’s handsome features. She led Bryce to the private library, using the door frame to swing her into the room before closing the door. She had barely turned the lock when there was a solid knock upon the wood.
“Berdara, open the door.”
Gwyn did her best to contain the fit of giggles that she knew would likely have her rolling on the floor, tears in her eyes. “Now why would I do that, Shadowsinger? We’ve only just escaped!” She sputtered, and when she looked to Bryce she found the amber-eyed female bent over at the waist. Her eyes were gleaming, cheeks pink, and her grin betrayed her humor.
“Gwyn, this isn’t funny,” Azriel growled through the wood. She just waved him away, as if he could see it, and hooked her elbow through one of Bryce’s arms.
“Calm down, Az. Everything will be fine. I just want to show her something.” As if in answer to her words, there was a clatter upon the small table in the corner. Bryce’s eyes grew wide as she recognized the parchment and quills they’d forgotten in their hasty retreat from the dining room. But Gwyn gave her an encouraging smile and pulled her toward them, eager to explain. “The House of Wind is… magic. Sentient. She probably realized we’d need these to talk in here.” Bryce nodded slowly, clearly unsure how to react to the information. She shook her head, and her own quill scritched across the parchment.
“I suppose, considering all the things I’ve experienced in the last few years, that a magic house really shouldn’t be that surprising.” Gwyn read the words and snickered, plopping them down in two of the padded chairs.
“Nesta, Emerie, and I have spent a couple nights in here, luxuriating in all the House might do for us. But I think one thing, in particular, might be especially exciting for you to see.” Her thought was a summons, beckoning the house to grace them with the tiny creature that they’d first delighted in so many months ago. The tiny winged horse fluttered down, and Gwyn had to blink a few times at what she saw. It wasn’t the same as before. The tiny graceful steed glittered violet, as if it had frosted over to be touched by the morning sun. A lilac mane and tail floated in its wake, a shimmering silver horn atop its head. Bryce gasped at her side, and the priestess found her eyes wide - wet and shimmering - cheeks stained red, and breathing shallow. Her amber gaze was fixed on the small creature, and Gwyn suddenly felt like she was intruding. “Bryce?” she asked gently.
The stunned female didn’t shift her focus, and her voice was as soft and fragile as Gwyn had ever heard it. “Jelly Jubilee,” she whispered reverently, lifting her palms for the unicorn-pegasus to land. Gwyn’s eyes narrowed, confusion drawing her lips into a frown. But Bryce only pulled the purple winged unicorn to her chest, cradling it as if it were something so precious - a treasure that she was clinging to. And the Valkyrie’s heart cracked open as the tears started rolling down her cheeks.
“Bryce?” she said again, reluctant to interrupt her reverie, even in her concern. Careful golden fingers stroked the soft lavender mane, the creature cradled against her sweater. Bryce didn’t make an attempt to stop her tears, and Gwyn had to hold herself back from wiping them away. From wrapping Bryce in her arms. “Is it your mate?”
“He found JJ in my linen closet. He thought he’d found my sex toys,” Bryce’s laugh was thick and wet, emotions spilling out over her lashes. Gwyn didn’t give herself time to react to the words ‘sex toys’.
“What’s his name?” She lifted a comforting hand and stroked her fingers down the silken crimson river flowing down her back.
“Hunt,” Bryce croaked, still entranced by the House’s magic.
“Do you want to tell me about him?” Gwyn was confused by how the tiny unicorn pegasus and Bryce’s mate and sex toys wove together into any comprehensible story, but it really didn’t matter. The female at her side was in terrible pain, and the only thing the priestess wanted was to comfort her.
“He’s an angel. Truly. Literally. The most beautiful man I’d ever seen, with the most incredible, exquisite gray wings,” she began, finally blinking against her roaring emotions. “We met after my closest friend died, to help investigate what happened. It’s a long, difficult, complicated, painful story. But somehow I fell in love with the dark, broody alphahole.” She huffed a laugh, and Gwyn offered an encouraging smile as the quills continued to scratch away at their translated words. Bryce turned her face to Gwyn at last, eyes wide again. “I don’t know what’s happening to him, but I know it’s likely worse than anything I can even comprehend. And I have no idea how to help him. I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again. If I’ll ever even make it home, or if anyone or anything I love will still be there when I do.”
The tiny, purple winged unicorn stood and fluttered away, as if the House knew Bryce would need her hands to cradle her face as her shoulders bowed and shook with broken sobs. Gwyn gathered the beautiful, shattered female into her arms, tears prickling at her own eyes. Her hands roamed absently, over Bryce’s hair and down her back, as she whispered soothing comforts. There was a tickle of a breeze upon her neck, and the priestess spied a dark, misty tendril floating over her shoulder. When she turned her head, she found Azriel in a corner near the door, cocooned in undulating blackness. But his expression was soft, hazel eyes clouded with concern, and she flashed him the briefest of sad smiles. The shadowsinger nodded, giving Gwyn the same encouragement she was so desperately trying to convey - to a woman who couldn’t even understand her beyond the gentleness of her touch and the warmth of her embrace. Gwyn kept her teal eyes - brimming with tears - trained on Azriel as she murmured quietly, “We’re going to help you. We’re going to do everything we can to help you and the ones you love. I will read every book, learn every language. We will do it, Bryce. I promise you, we will.”
Something flickered in the spymaster’s gaze - something akin to awe or pride, if Gwyn had to guess. The warmth there comforted her. The softness in his expression was something she wasn’t used to seeing. Azriel dipped his chin, again, a ghost of stern determination flickering across his face, as if to reassure her. She could almost hear it, his honeyed voice whispering into her very soul.
We will do it, Gwyn. I promise you, we will.