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She curled against Azriel’s chest. Their bodies twined together, his arms held her tight. Another night where they crept away, another night where they defied Rhysand’s orders. Another night where Azriel reminded her that this risk was worth it. She hated the idea that one day he might pay for this- for them- but he never allowed her to think of that for long.
A cold slammed into the townhouse and she tensed, her powers quietly investigating. Foreign. Not the winds that preceded a winter storm in Velaris. Malevolent. A force pressed against the very walls and she eased Azriel’s arm from around her waist, it had not detected her. She might have the upper hand on driving it away if she stayed under its radar.
“No. Dad, no. Stop. I’ll be good- please let me try to be good.”
Her head jerked down towards him, eyes scanning his face as he tensed and relaxed. She caressed his mental shield, like she had done hundreds of times, and her body froze. His shields were down- something had systematically dismantled them and broken in. She felt the being find her and pulled back, her hands twisting in the sheets. Azriel twitched and then let out a scream. This was bad, but as the thought assaulted her- so did her powers. And her powers told her one thing- hold it off, buy them some time. Azriel was strong- he could pull out of this if only she held it off.
She scrambled over the edge of his bed, hopping down to the floor with ease and then threw on the nearest clothing she could find- his. Of course it was his, but as another terrified scream was torn from his lips- she moved. They needed Rhys- they needed someone to reset the wards, but she could not leave them. She must hold the line until someone could call Rhys and Feyre to them.
She pushed back against the force, standing at the precipice of his rooms and probed to feel how far it spread. Her heart stuttered as she felt the entire townhouse was enveloped in this energy, this wrongness. She let out a shaky breath and then sprinted for the gardens. Nesta and Cassian were under whatever this was and she needed to feel grounded, rooted, strong in her power. There was only one place on this estate where that could be said to be true. Her garden. She skidded to a halt on the terrace, her eyes scanned the dark paths below, warmth pulsed in her. She would push this back, buy them time, and hold the line.
She flipped off her slippers, scraped her feet against the dirt, burying them in the ground as her powers flooded out and down- first anchoring her and then she began cleansing the land. Cleansing this place as she pushed back against the force that knew exactly who, and what, she was. She sent her powers towards Azriel first- her gut saying she needed him free first- he was the best bet at getting help.
‘Oh you are the pretty one. I see why he cares for you so, young Seer.’
A chill raced down her spine- a voice that had haunted her dreams was now with her again. She leapt at it and slammed into the force behind it. Space. She just needed to buy Azriel space to fight back against whatever assaulted his system.
Time slipped away as she continued to cleanse the ground and air around her, building a wall with her powers brick by brick. She felt the moment that the power sputtered and shattered- before it changed its assault to the wall she created. She knew she was between worlds, but she felt his presence and her face whipped to him. His aura was solid. He was with her- she had saved one of them.
“Be careful, they’re watching us.”
The power threatened to roll over and destroy her wall, but she bore down- a growl ripped out of her as she refocused. Hold the ground. Buy Azriel time to get help. Keep this force away from her family and her loved ones.
“Azriel!”
Nesta. Her sister screamed for her…for him and she knew he would hesitate. She motioned him away and returned her focus to keeping this force at bay. This attack was precise- focused on the males in this home- perhaps all of the males in the Inner Circle. She could only hope that it was centered here- she could do something here.
‘You fight so hard for them. Would they fight the same for you?’
‘Who ARE you?’
‘Oh- that is the question Elain Archeron. One that you should know the answer to already- Seer.’
She slammed the walls up around herself. Too close. The being was getting too close to her and she was fairly sure that was part of how this being got to Azriel. He was known. Thousands had something against the Night Court and the two males in this place were prime targets. The wall- she needed to focus on the wall and she closed her eyes. She would hold this wall until she felt that the wards were restored- even if it killed her.
“I’m here Lainey. I’m with you.”
Blue light flooded her field of vision- calm swept over and through the feeling that she distinctly knew as Azriel. His protection. She felt his warmth envelope her and she leaned into that feeling. He must recognize that he could not hold back or fight this force, but he could help her. This male who vowed to stand by her through every walk of life kept his promise. Her own will strengthened as she remembered that night and the decision they made. Pain flooded through the barrier and she let a whimper out. But then the balm returned and it was a bit easier. This feat she never knew she could do now seemed possible.
Time lost all meaning as she scanned the world around them. This was the only threat she could detect and still she felt like it was missing some link. Like she should know who would want them dead this badly. She shook as her powers ebbed in her, but she held fast. She had to hold fast until her loved ones were safe. Until the male wrapped around her like armor would not be attacked again.
“Get the fucking wards back up- now. I don’t know how much longer she can hold him back.”
Him? Him. HIM. Koschei. A laugh crackled in her mind and she pulled in a deep breath. No. He could not come for them like this- this was not how she had seen Koschei attack the Night Court. She threw more energy into the wall, trembled as she felt Azriel’s powers waning as well. Just a bit more, just until the wards were restored. She felt Azriel move in tighter, her body anchored to this spot and the brush of his lips against her forehead. His powers guttered and she forced herself to contain the scream. Not like this. He would not go like this.
“Back up!”
“It’s not worth your life, come back to me.”
‘Oh- but you would give your life for him. Does your precious husband know? Have you told him what you’ve seen of me? What I will do to you?’
She yanked her consciousness back to her body- a last scream from Koschei echoed through her as her own scream rang out into the garden. And then silence. She collapsed against Azriel, his breath warm on her cheek as her hands fisted into his leathers and she pulled herself closer to him. She did not recognize her own voice as the sobs were ripped from her chest. She could not lose this family, this home- not when she had just gotten it.
“Shadowsinger-”
There was so much anger in that one word, disappointment and fury wrapped into Rhys’ decision to call him by his title instead of his name. She shook as the rage flooded her, but Azriel held her firmly against his chest. He knew. He knew that they were both completely drained and she still wanted to fight for him. She would always fight for him, for everything he risked and defied to be with her.
“Azriel- take her back to bed. You both need rest and we’re going to need her to tell us what happened, how she held Koschei at bay. Rest, we’ll see you in the morning.”
He scooped her up and she surrendered to his warmth and calm, his shadows scurrying across her body in a welcome embrace. She felt Nesta join them and she forced her eyes open. Tear stains still covered Nesta’s cheeks- Koschei attacked Cassian too. She reached a hand out and Azriel stilled, Nesta clutched her hand and pressed a kiss to her temple, pushing her sweat soaked hair back.
“You saved them. You saved him. I don’t know what came for them tonight, but…thank you. And tomorrow- we will face down Rhys together. I promise- you will not be forced away from him again.”
She squeezed her hand harder and recognized something passed between Azriel and Nesta before he took her away. Exhaustion settled in her body, claiming her against her will even as she wanted to tell Azriel what happened- to explain to him that sleeping tonight still might not be safe. Her last thought being that they might not make it until morning.
***************
She jerked awake- a scream on her lips as she slammed into a solid chest. Azriel held her tightly, but gently and she relaxed. He cupped her cheek and she stared into his eyes, concern flashed across his gaze before he claimed her lips in a kiss. When he pulled away she saw his siphons completely guttered. She had not dreamed it- they had drained themselves last night to protect those they cared about.
And Rhys. Rhys was absolutely furious about why she had been here to save them. Even though it saved his General and Spymaster- Azriel disobeyed. She knew this disobedience was different; she just hoped she could convince Rhys to let it go. To let them be.
“We were all ordered to the River House for breakfast. Rhys and Feyre don’t understand how much you drained yourself.”
“You can’t protect…”
“Feyre assured me it will not be an issue. Nesta, apparently, explained what Rhys had done. Did…did you tell her?”
A shake of her head and pain lanced down her neck. Her body ached, even in his arms, and the whimper came out unsolicited. His forehead settled against hers- his sign that he would wait. He would not push her to begin this day until she was ready. Even if that meant that ‘breakfast’ turned into a mid-afternoon feast. This was why she married him and what she would always fight to protect. But they were exhausted today and Rhys had barely delved into his powers- he needed to see the complete devastation from Koschei’s attack.
“Dress me?”
“Comfort or presence?”
“Comfort. You’re going to have to carry me, Az.”
A huff of a laugh- he had told her time and time again that carrying her and holding her close was a favorite pastime. She still was not used to the princess treatment that he insisted she deserved. No matter how much she pointed it out, he would not relent. They both had lived through hardships and he’d be damned if he added to hers.
The bed dipped as his warmth pulled away- she knew to search the hidden compartment he’d made for her necessities- after too many mornings of barely flying her back in time to go unnoticed. She hoped he’d pick the buttery soft sweatpants and one of his oversized sweaters- something that would just allow her to be. No pretense. No forcing herself to hold it together for her family. Just something that showed exactly how she felt after last night and allowed her to explain what she had seen, felt, fought.
He returned and she let him carefully tease the clothing from her body- in his slow, deliberate way. Arms and legs moved gingerly as if he knew how much each movement cost her. Hands stopped to work out knots, but did not linger due to the unseasonably cold weather. Sweatpants pulled onto her legs with fluffy socks; followed by that sweatshirt that smelled distinctly like him. He finally pulled her to sit and she settled against his chest once more. Completely depleted. Even these small movements felt like too much, but she knew, as well as Azriel did, that they must show up to this meeting. There was no running from what her brother-in-law had planned and she well and truly hoped Feyre had – persuaded – Rhys to at least listen. His hands moved to her hair and she felt the shock spread through her as he gently brushed then braided it back. This male. Her male. He never ceased to amaze her.
“It’s not Nuala’s or Cerridwen’s work, but I hope it will do for this morning.”
“I’m probably going to fall back to sleep on the flight over, but we should get this over with.”
“Lai…Lainey, we can push it back. Let me push it back.”
“No. He needs to see. He needs to know what this took out of us both to make this court safe- what we are willing to do for each other and for this court. He needs the reminder, Azriel, that he is not the only one that bleeds and sacrifices for Velaris to remain safe. So walk in with me sleeping and force him to decide if that confrontation is worth it.”
Another huff of a laugh, an arm snaked under her knees, the other under her shoulders as she placed her arms around his neck and cuddled into him. She closed her eyes again and let the exhaustion take over. Rhys was not playing fair- so why should she?
A ripple passed through the River House- the quiet broken by whisper soft footsteps that could only belong to one person in his court- Azriel. Rhys listened carefully, expecting the delicate click of Elain’s heeled shoes to be in step beside him, but was only greeted with Azriel’s careful footsteps. He glanced around the table and let out a sigh. Feyre was furious at him, Nesta was solemn, but composed, and Cassian’s eyes held a haunted gaze he had not seen in centuries. Mor and Amren were concerned and awaiting the debrief- the only member of his court that were not emotionally invested. Whatever happened last night- Elain had saved his most trusted advisors, but Azriel disobeyed a direct order. One that could have deadly consequences for his friend.
He felt the stare on him and looked up from his glass of bourbon- he’d slept no more once he restored the wards- to see Elain sound asleep in Azriel’s arms. His friends siphons flickering between blue and black- completely spent. Azriel’s stamina was on display once more as he walked to his normal seat and settled Elain more comfortably in his arms, a slight snore now filling the air. The last time Cassian’s siphons were this drained- it had taken him over a day to get moving again. Azriel had barely had six hours. He looked Elain over and saw the dark circles under her eyes- utterly spent. His chest tightened, but he kept his gaze level. He needed an explanation and he hoped it was sufficient.
“...have waited. We would understand that she drained herself last night.”
“Would you?”
He felt Azriel’s gaze land on him- a silent challenge and the only bit of deference Azriel could muster. Elain being so utterly depleted stilled both of their hands. Neither would attack. Both would find a way to stay calm for her sake- the precious Archeron sister that he had always underestimated. And the sister that his brother had fallen deeply in love with- despite his order to stay away. He turned to Nesta and she regarded him calmly. How long had she known? When did she figure out that he prohibited this relationship from ever being? And when did she begin to cover their tracks for them?
“I did not realize how long she held him back.”
“There’s a lot you have refused to realize when it comes to us, Rhysand. Do I need to put my wife in another’s care or can you be civil?”
Wife. The word landed like a lead brick. A glance around the room let him know that at least Nesta and Cassian were not surprised, but the complete and utter devastation on Feyre’s face slammed into his soul. She didn’t know and she had missed this joyous moment for her sister because they believed he would not agree to it. He had forbidden it, but as he looked between Azriel and the sleeping Elain- he primarily felt relief. His court was still whole this morning because of what the two of them had done. When the wards failed- she blocked the path and Azriel still acted in the best interest of this court knowing what it would force them to reveal. His brother now was willing to fight, completely drained, if that was what he required and his soul ached. How had they gotten here?
“You’re married?” Feyre’s voice cracked, breaking the silence and Azriel only offered a stiff nod. He felt Azriel’s eyes still firmly locked on him. On the biggest threat in the room, the biggest threat to the female he loved so much. “Did you know? Did you know that our sister…”
“I stood by her side, by their sides. You never saw their grief or pain- Nyx needed all your attention.”
“You used my attention to my son to go against my orders?”
“No. I saw the pain I caused by obeying your orders and could not continue to do that to her, to the one I love. I imagine you understand the inability to hurt someone so dear to you, Rhysand.”
His name. Azriel refused to call him Rhys. He couldn’t remember the last time his friend had called him anything other than High Lord or Rhysand. The look in Azriel’s eyes gave away nothing- all of his shields were up- he had not been vulnerable with him since that night. And yet, he completed his duties. He protected this court. He was an amazing uncle to Nyx and one of the few he trusted implicitly. Could he let this go? Could he ignore Azriel’s utter disregard for what the Autumn Court might do?
A whimper caught his attention, Elain stirred against Azriel’s chest and leaned back to gaze up at him. Azriel’s posture softened, his hands rubbed circles against her back. They would have never been this vulnerable if he had not ordered Azriel away. They would have been in the House of Wind or the River House or another more heavily warded location. The Townhouse had become a weak point, but it was the only place that he would not look for them.
“Water…thirsty.”
“I’m sure you are. Here sweetheart.”
Sweetheart. Azriel cradled her as he tipped her head back and helped her drink deeply. He had never seen his friend this gentle, this loving. He had thought it impossible. He was a damn fool.
“Take her back to bed, Az. Her room here is fine. I’ll deal…we can all talk once you’re both back on your feet with your powers restored.”
“Thank you. I will…you will need the both of us for Koschei, Rhys. I hope you’re coming to your senses.”
Elain awoke again, Azriel’s face buried against her chest, his breath even. A glance around the room and she realized they were at the River House. A soft hum sounded and she jerked her head to the side, where Cassian offered her only a nod. Nesta must have left him to keep watch over them. Relief flooded her body that Rhys had not killed Azriel at first sight, but she was not sure where they stood.
“How…how long…”
“For you? Almost a day. Azriel forced himself awake to deal with some information from his shadows before he collapsed again. His siphons just stabilized an hour or so ago, but you’re both still weak.”
“Are we…is he…how did Rhys…”
“Your- husband- talked him down. It also helped that the only way he could get to Azriel would mean going through the exhausted, beloved sister to his mate.”
“Ah. Sorry we didn’t tell you.”
“Nesta did, months ago. I’m sorry you didn’t feel like you could trust me.”
Her grip on Azriel tightened enough that he stirred awake- his head rising, his gaze meeting hers. She tried to hold him close, to keep his warmth near, but she felt the guilt rolling through him as he pulled away. He still could not understand that him sleeping on her was the most comforting he could be. When he slept like this, a piece of her soul was at rest.
She knew that he thought of it as protecting her- in case Cassian or Nesta failed- he would stand between her and whatever might come. She wished he did not feel this way in a place that should be home.
“You need food.”
“Az…Azriel, please…”
He was already moving, his need to care for her overriding every other instinct he might have. She watched him go and caught Cassian’s open mouthed stare. She knew that Rhys and Cassian had mate instincts, but Azriel’s instincts were different. It was not a cauldron manifested bond. Azriel held himself to this standard because it was the only way he knew to care for her and she loved him for it. She loved him for every moment of it.
“But you’re not mates.”
“No, but I severed my ties to Lucien the night Rhys forced Azriel away. I didn’t know why he left me, but I suspected it was some sort of…honor, guilt, an idea that he was undeserving of a chance with me. He may not have what you or Rhys have, but his love? Neither of you can touch it. There will be time to tell our love story some day, today is not that day. How are you, Cass?”
Cassian’s gaze dropped, his eyes studied the floor in front of him. Fear. Fear radiated off of him as she watched him struggle to find the words. Cassian was never the most eloquent, but he normally could find words. Speechless was not his default and she had only seen this once before- when he had nearly lost Nesta.
She slid from the bed and kneeled in front of him, grabbing his hands as his gaze rose to her. He settled his chin on their hands and gripped them tight. She could imagine what Azriel’s dreams were about, but she had very little insight into what would cause Cassian this much anguish. Hundreds of years as a General and soldier left many options for what shook him this badly. He slid his arms around her and settled against her as he broke. Over a day and he was still this unsettled.
“Cass…Cassian- talk to me.”
“He won’t. I can’t get anything out of him either.” Nesta’s voice echoed behind her and she felt her sister join them on the floor, her arm reached and wrapped around Cassian as well. The other arm settled around her as Nesta leaned her head on her shoulder. Quiet footsteps paused in the doorway and a few shadows danced their way across her body. She knew that Azriel wanted to pull her from the pile, but instead settled the tray on the bed and joined them on the floor. His steady presence seeped into her body as he held on tight.
Other footsteps sounded in the hallway. Hesitant, lacking their normal swagger, as cool tendrils of night kissed air floated into the room. Azriel tensed behind her, but did not move- some trust had been restored. Or he was certain he could take on Rhys to keep his marriage- either made her feel better for him.
“E…what…”
“I asked him to talk to me. Rhys, they were trapped in their minds by Koschei. All I could do was push him away, fight to give them enough space that their own minds could break out. What horrors would torture you?”
Rhys stepped in front of her, his violet eyes wide, skin pale. All of the Night Court had lived through horrors they never wished to speak of again. She could see that the idea of being trapped in his own mind with no way out because of Koschei terrified him as much as the General in her arms. She felt him gently probe her mental shield and she nodded as she settled further into Azriel’s arms. She needed to feel connected to him.
‘He broke his word, direct orders. The Autumn Court can come for him- for all of us. This was foolish, Elain.’
‘The night you forced him away- I rejected Lucien. Lucien asked me about it the following morning and told me he was going back to Vassa. I was never who he wanted. I was never his choice- I was an obligation that he did not want to fulfill. I wanted a choice and I made a choice. He is my choice and I am his. Call us foolish- but I saved your court last night because I was with the male you forbid to pursue me.’
‘Show me, please.’
Elain gritted her teeth and she pushed the memories from last night to the forefront- blocking off the rest of her mind to him. Rhys did not deserve even this from her, but she must get him to understand. She must end this today. She held Rhys in that part of her mind, but mentally looked away. She could not rewatch what had happened last night, she could not be in this memory with him and as she felt her body being shifted by Azriel- she gripped him tightly. Relief flooded her as her vision was her own again and those violet eyes now bore such sadness, but also pride.
“You did well, Lainey. I do not like when my orders are disobeyed, but I now see that you’ve paid a higher price than I ever imagined. Feyre- call Amren and Mor. It is time to prepare for war.”