Summary: The Cauldron doesnโt alway pick wisely when it comes to mates, but even though Azriel isnโt hers, she chooses him.
A/N: Jeez almost made myself cry writing this one (in a good way). I was so close to ending this with heartbreak, but you guys know Iโm a sucker for happy endings lol. Please do let me know what you think! I love love love reading your commentsย โจ๐ซถ
Word count: 5457
Warnings: talk of past abusive relationship and violence, angst (w/ happy ending), all the feels โฆ itโs a bit sappy ngl
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Fear is a funny thing. It is such a basic emotion to feel, yet somehowโif felt for long enoughโit becomes a part of oneself. A detail so deeply engrained into the very essence of the being that you eventually learn to live with it. A constant companion. Sure, youโll forget about it when things run smoothly, but whenever it comes back to crack the surface, your heart will sink for just a second with a horrific sense of realization.
For Y/N, that sinking feeling always came in the form of a simple question.
โSo, since when have you and Azriel been mated, then?โ
Feyreโs smile was honest, if a bit cautious. She was still adapting to life at the Night Court, though she looked healthier than she had upon her arrival. The bones no longer protruded from her clavicle, and she warmed to the presence of the inner circle a little more with each passing day.
From the corner of her eye, Y/N could see Cassian snap his attention to the glass in his hand. The laugh that had previously fallen freely from his lips due to a drunken patron at Ritaโs had ebbed away quickly. He knew of the tension that flowed into each of Y/Nโs muscles at Feyreโs question, though she did her best not to show it.
She smiled, but it didnโt quite reach her eyes.
โAzriel and I arenโt mates,โ she said, her tongue heavy as she formed the words sheโd had to speak to herself over and over again to accept them as the truth.
Feyre seemed surprised. โOh? I never wouldโve guessed. You two seem so โฆ in sync.โ She hesitated, and Y/N could see the question in her eyes. โDo you think the bond just hasnโt snapped yet? Iโm sorry if thatโs overstepping a line, you donโt have to answer, of course,โ she added quickly, a faint touch of red tinting her cheeks.
โDonโt worry, I donโt mind,โ Y/N said, her smile gaining in warmth at the newly turned faerie before her. Despite all the things Feyre had had to endure Under the Mountain, she was still so โฆ curious. So new. โMy mate died centuries ago. Thatโs how I know it cannot be Azriel.โ
โGods, Iโm so sorry.โ Feyre looked truly grief-stricken at the thought. โI canโt imagine how terrible it must have been to lose your mate.โ
It was Cassian who snorted into the brief silence that followed Feyreโs words. โGood riddance,โ he muttered before downing the rest of his drink.
Y/N tilted her head as she observed the uncomprehending look on Feyreโs face at Cassianโs unsubtle words, and she wondered what Feyre had been told about the mating bond.
โMates arenโt always chosen wisely, Feyre,โ Y/N spoke. โSometimes the matches are โฆ unfortunate. I donโt know what Tamlin told you about it,โ her voice became cautious at the mention of the High Lord of Spring, โbut accepting the mating bond is not compulsory. Sometimes the Cauldronโwise as it isโchooses wrong.โ
Feyre seemed to cling to every word she spoke, her eyes wide. โWhat happens if you refuse the bond?โ
Y/N forced the air from her lungs in a deep exhale, signalling Rita for a refill of her drink. โWell, it depends. Seeing as the female is usually the one who must accept the bond, sheโs also the one who can reject it. There are very, very few instances in which a male refused a mate.โ
โAnd the few we know of have not been pretty,โ Cass added, picking apart a napkin with rough fingers. โNo matter who rejects it, the other one usually goes mad with grief. Our natureโs fun like that,โ he added with a wink and a half-hearted grin.
Feyre blinked a few times before looking at Y/N with a mixture of hesitation and curiosity, though it seemed the latter won the upper hand.
โSo, I take it you were the one to reject your bond?โ
Y/N grinned at that, though her insides were churning. โDo I not look mad to you?โ
Feyre gave a sheepish smile. โNot particularly, no.โ
Y/N sighed, and her grin died as fast as it had appeared. โI did reject it. He wasnโt very nice.โ
Cass snorted again. โUnderstatement of the year.โ A frown took over his features, making him look every bit as deathly as he was. โThe cruel bastard.โ
โThatโs one way of putting it.โ
โItโs the only way of putting it.โ
Feyreโs eyes darted from one to the other, and Y/N could see the question arise within them before she so much as formed the words.
โWhat did heโโ
โIโm gonna go get a refill,โ Cassian announced. He stood to head for the bar before Feyre could finish her sentence, and Y/N recognised it for the exit strategy that it was. Contrary to what one might have expected given his title, Cassian had never particularly enjoyed hearing tales of cruelty and suffering. Especially not when it came to the people he loved.
Y/N cleared her throat, and Feyreโs expression grew wary, her voice barely above a whisper when she spoke. โYou really donโt have to tell me.โ
โNo, itโs fine,โ Y/n said. โYouโre one of us now. You deserve to know who we are.โ She hesitated, then sought out Feyreโs gaze. โRhys told you about what happened to Mor?โ
A barely-there flinch ran through Feyre at the mention of Morโs ordeal. She gave a single nod, and Y/N lifted a shoulder.
โMy family doesnโt stem from the Hewn City, but our customs were pretty much the same. They planned to marry me off to the highest bidder, and when he turned out to be my mate as well, they saw an opportunity to squeeze him for the last of his riches. A mateโespecially a male oneโwould do anything, give anything for the bond.โ She hesitated. โUnfortunately, I wasnโt smart enough to get myself out of it โฆ not like Mor did. I thought Iโd got lucky, given that Iโd be married off to my mate.โ
Y/N tugged on the cuff of her dress. โI lived with him for a while, but it didnโt take very long to realise my mistake and I thank the Gods every day that I hadnโt yet accepted the bond.โ
โWhy hadnโt you?โ Feyre asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
Y/N shrugged. โIntuition? It was during the war with Hybern, right after weโd freed our human slaves, and I told him I wanted to wait with the ceremony till the war was over. But even during the few good weeks we had, something always felt โฆ off.โ She cleared her throat again, her mouth suddenly dry. โWell, like I said, it only took a few weeks to realise my mistake. They donโt value women a lot, you see. The other High Lords, I mean. Never have. Except for breeding purposes, of course.โ Bitterness twisted her mouth into a frown. โIโll spare you the details, but it wasnโt โฆ well, it wasnโt pretty.โ
โWait, you โฆ you were married to a High Lord?โ
โWell, not quite.โ Y/N tilted her head. Sheโd assumed Rhys had told her this much at least. โTo an heir. Nuvian. The heir of Spring.โ
She could see the colour draining from Feyreโs face. โYou were married to โฆ to โฆโ
โTamlinโs eldest brother, yes.โ
Feyre swallowed heavily, and Y/N observed her for a moment. She knew of the bond between Feyre and Rhys, of course. It was hard to miss. Or at least it was hard to miss for someone whoโd spent her life resenting one bond and longing for another. Sheโd gotten very sensitive when it came to the detection of mating bonds. Only Feyre didnโt know it yet, of course.ย
She briefly wondered whether she should tell her, but soon concluded that it wasnโt her place to interfere.
โAnd heโโ Feyre broke off, shaking her head at the direction her thoughts had taken. โI always got the impression Tamlin was raised to โฆ to respect.โ
โTamlinโs family values wives for their roles as wives. Theyโre supposed to be silent and pretty to look at and pop out a few heirs while theyโre at it.โ Y/N hesitated when she recalled that Feyre did once love the High Lord of Spring, and, softening her tone, she added. โI donโt know Tamlin very well. I believe you when you say heโs not like that.โ
An emotion flickered across Feyreโs faceโone Y/N couldnโt quite place. It was gone faster than it had appeared.
โSo, you lived at the Spring Court? And you never accepted the bond?โ
Y/N sighed, leaning back in her chair. โNo. Never. He didnโt seem to care much at first. I mean, he got most of what he wanted from me even without a bond. Save for the heir of courseโI made sure of that.โ
โWhat do you mean?โ
Y/N felt her jaw clench for a fleeting moment. โThere are tonics even someone without much knowledge of herbs can brew. Over my dead body would I have bound myself to him with yet another chain.โ
Feyre hesitated. โAnd what happened then?โ
Y/N felt every muscle, every tense edge of her face soften as a sense of calm washed over her. โThen I met Azriel.โ
Feyre was surprised. โAlready?โ
She nodded. โRhys and Tamlin were friends back then. Iโm sure he told you?โ When Feyre nodded, Y/N continued. โRhys visited the Spring Court a couple times. We didnโt know each other then, but I missed my home, and so I befriended him. He reminded me of the Night Court, and I felt a little better when I talked to him. He brought me little trinkets from Velaris, things you could only get in the Night Court โฆ and then one time, he brought Azriel along. I think it was for spying purposes, but Godsโฆโ Y/N shook her head softly, mesmerised as she allowed herself to sink deep into the memory. โI fell hard, and I fell fast, and Iโve loved him ever since.โ
โWas he the reason you left Nuvian?โ Feyre asked quietly, and the memory that had just warmed Y/Nโs veins turned ice cold.
โOne does not simply leave the Heir of the Spring Court,โ she ground out through clenched teeth. โNuvian noticed of course, he was bound to. He detected a scent he didnโt know, said I โฆ tasted different.โ She grimaced. โHe didnโt know it was Azriel. He suspected Rhys, and so heโ โฆ he began to whisper, to scheme and manipulate his father into thinking Rhys would be a threat to his throne.โ
Nausea twisted her stomach into a knot, and for the first time since knowing her, she didnโt dare meet Feyreโs eye. She didnโt have to. She knew that Rhys had told her this part.
โBy the Mother,โ Feyre breathed.
Y/N cleared her throat, desperately attempting to swallow the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. โTamlinโs father slaughtered Rhysโ family, and it was all because of Nuvianโs jealousy. It was all because of me.โ
Cassian chose that moment to reappear, bearing a beer glass heโd already half-emptied only to set it down on the table much harder than necessary.
โStop talking like that,โ he said gruffly, though the gentle hand that appeared on her back counteracted his harsh tone. โIt wasnโt your fault. Tamโs old man wouldโve come for Rhys even without your involvement.โ
She offered a wobbly smile. She knew he truly believed his wordsโall of them did. Rhys had never once blamed her for what had happened. But she knew the truth, even if neither one of them wanted to see it.
Silence stretched on for a long while, only the soft murmur of a lazy crowd of patrons buzzing in the background of Ritaโs pub. She felt a gentle brush of air on her ankle, goosebumps arising on the back of her neck.
It was Feyre who spoke first. โSo thatโs how it ended? Rhys and his father killed Nuvian along with his family, and you were free to go back to the Night Court?โ
โOh, Rhys didnโt kill the bastard,โ Cass said, and Y/N smiled at the shadow curling over her hand.
Feyre looked confused now. โThen who killed him?โ
โI did,โ a low voice hummed from somewhere behind themโa voice deep as the night and smooth as shadow, and Y/N felt her heart pick up its pace as though on cue.
From the way Feyreโs eyes focused on something behind her, Y/N could tell that Azriel had emerged from his shadows, and sure enough, two broad palms appeared on her shoulders, heavy with comfort and warmth.
โAzriel,โ Feyre said, her eyes briefly flickering to Y/N as though to make sure the topic was still okay to talk about, even with Azriel present. โYou went with Rhys that night?โ
Y/N lay her head back to look up at Azriel and watched as he inclined his head in confirmation.
When he caught her gaze, his eyes softened, and she felt his thumb brush against the side of her neck affectionately.
โWill you give us a moment, my love?โ she asked softly, her hand coming up to find one of his, the pads of her fingers brushing over raised scar tissue. She knew heโd come to take her home. โI will be out in a moment.โ
โOf course,โ he said, and Y/N caught a flicker of concern in the depth of his eyesโone he always got whenever she dwelt on the past. He squeezed her shoulders, offering a polite smile to Feyre, and then vanished into the shadows once again.
Cassian was quick to rise from his chair as well. โIโll go keep him company,โ he proclaimed. โWould be a shame to have him freeze his balls off all by himself.โ
Y/N snorted. โAnd you call yourself Illyrian.โ
She hid a grin as Cassian gave her the finger before steering towards the door, half-empty glass in hand.
Y/N exhaled deeply, but she could see from the look in Feyreโs eyes that something was still nagging her. Tilting her head, she asked, โWhat is it?โ
Feyre hesitated. She opened her mouth, then clapped it shut before opening it once again.
โItโs just,โ she began. โThe mating bond. Itโs supposed to be this amazing, beautiful thing, and hearing that it was such agony for you, itโs โฆ well, itโs a reality check I suppose.โ
Y/Nโs face softened as she sought out Feyreโs hands on the tabletop. โMost times, it is beautiful,โ she said. โItโs just dangerous to romanticise it, as it is dangerous to romanticise literally anything else in life. It is important to remember that you have a choice. You can choose to reject it just as well as you can choose to embrace it. And if the latter, Iโm sure thatโ โฆ whoever you end up with shall be worthy of your love.โ
Gods, sheโd been this close to letting it slip. But luckily, Feyre was still distracted.
โBut you and Azrielโโ Feyre broke off, collected her thoughts, then opened her mouth again. โI truly donโt mean to pry, but while I was with Tamlin, I kept waiting โฆ I kept thinking the bond would snap any day now. And when it didnโt, I couldnโt shake the feeling that he and I โฆ that weโโ
โThat you werenโt meant to be,โ Y/N finished for her, ignoring that sharp twist in her gutโthat fear sheโd now been carrying for centuries raising its ugly head. She nodded, searching for the right words before she opened her mouth. โIโm very sure of Azrielโs love for me, and yet every night before I fall asleep, thereโs a part of me that fears that the next day will be the day that he finds his true mate. I dread the day his bond snaps in place because I know heโll want to fight it. Heโll do anything in his might to fight it, and heโll be torn between his love for me and every instinct telling him to love someone else. I dread it because thatโs not what I want for him.โ
She swallowed thickly. โI had my mate, and Iโm glad heโs dead. Azriel carved him up, and I did not shed a single tear. I rejected the bond, and I chose to spend my life with Azriel instead. I choose him every single day, and even if one day itโll end, Iโll know that it was real. No Cauldron, no Mother, no Gods. I love him, and he loves me, and we chose each other, bond or not.โ
Tears were lining Feyreโs eyes as she stared at her, and Y/N smiled, tilting her head. โYouโre still new to this, Feyre,โ she spoke softly. โUnfortunately, when you live an immortal life, things are bound to get unfathomably hard at one point or another. But that doesnโt mean you donโt get to have a say in your own future.โ
It was just a short while later that Y/N revelled in the starlight as she walked along the Sidra, her arm looped through Azrielโs, her head leaning against his shoulder. Sheโd always loved the night.
Cassian had taken off with Feyre earlier, flying her back to the House of Wind, but Y/N and Azriel had decided to walk to the home they shared by the river.
โMy love,โ Azriel spoke softly into the silence, his steps halting as he turned to face her fully.
She smiled as she looked up at him, at the starlight reflecting in his eyes, the dark strands of hair swallowed by the shadows of night. โWhat is it?โ
She felt his palms on her cheeks, his warmth seeping into her skin, and when he kissed her, she felt the tingle right down to her toes.
โI love you,โ he breathed when he broke the kiss, his face still close enough for her to feel the puff of his words wash over her skin. โI love you more than words can say. And I choose you, too.โ
Her smile turned watery then, though she tried to play it off.
โEavesdropping now, are we?โ
โMarry me.โ
Her heart stuttered to a stop at his words, her breathing suddenly laboured. โAzrielโโ
โNo, wait,โ he said, his thumb brushing against her lower lip in a gentle request. โI know weโve talked about it before, and I know you have this notion of me suddenly finding my mate and then being bound to you when Iโd rather be with them. But thatโs not going to happen.โ
She swallowed thickly, her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke, for fear it could break entirely. โYou donโt know that.โ
โBut I do.โ Conviction lay in Azrielโs words, his eyes searching hers. โYou said it yourself. We choose each other every day and we have for centuries now. The bond is rare to begin with, but what makes you think youโd be second choice if it ever came to the possibility of mine snapping in place?โ
She was thankful for the thumb he smoothed across her cheek, catching a stray tear.
โYou donโt know the power of a mating bond, Az. Thereโs no way you can be sure.โ
He considered her for a moment. โMaybe not. But you told Feyre that we get to decide for ourselves. We donโt need to rely on the Cauldron. I get to choose, and I chooseย you.โ
She felt her lip wobble.
โI choose you,โ he said again, softer this time. โYouโre my mate in every way that counts. Marry me.โ
-
The day Azrielโs bond snapped in place was a few months after the second war with Hybern.
Solstice was nearing, and Rhys had invited representatives from every Court to celebrate early. Well, almost every court. Heโd skipped Spring and Autumn.
The banquet hall in the House of Wind had been decorated for the occasion, artful ice crystals mixing in with dark fabrics and millions of tiny diamonds forming the illusion of a rich night sky.
It was in the middle of the main course that Azriel felt a sharp tug in his chest, a flinch running through him at the sensation.
To his left, Y/N threw a worried glance at him.
โIs everything alright?โ she asked, her hand seeking out his, the diamond on her finger catching the light of the chandelier. Azriel thought of the day theyโd stood before their friends, exchanging rings, vows, promises. It all seemed years away now, though it had only been months.
โYes, I โฆโ Azriel broke off, clearing his throat. โExcuse me for a moment, my love.โ
He didnโt bother getting up from the table, but rather vanished into his shadows only to find himself in the comfort of his room seconds later.
Something felt โฆ off.
Heโd heard of heart attacks before, had even witnessed a few during the time heโd spent spying in the human realm, but he knew that that couldnโt be what was happening to him. Faeries didnโt get heart attacks. Short from a blade to the gut, there wasnโt much that could kill them.
Poison entered his mind. Poison was possible. Or a cold. Perhaps a bruise from his last training with Cass. Or an old war injury.
Anything. He was racking his brain, desperately searching for an explanation other than the obvious.
A new wave of warmth crashed into him, and Azriel gritted his teeth when a gentle knock on the door had him flinch.
Usually, he sensed anyone approaching within a mile thanks to his shadows.
โAz,โ Y/N said as she entered the room, closing the door behind her. Gods, he loved the dress she wore tonight, the delicate earrings heโd gifted her years back. He tried to focus on them with all his might. โAre you sure youโre okay? You looked โฆ spooked when you left.โ
โYes, Iโmโโ Azriel broke off and flinched when the sharp sensation reappeared, instinctively lifting a hand to his chest.
It seemed that gesture alone was enough for her to realise, and Y/Nโs face fell as though drained entirely from energy.
Suddenly, silence lay heavy between them, thick as mud and unbearable in its duration.
โItโs your bond,โ she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper, her expression almost numb. โIsnโt it?โ
โNo,โ Azriel said, forcing the sensation back down and ignoring the rising panic threatening to clog up his throat. โNo, itโs not.โ
โAzrielโโ
โNo.โ
Silence settled once again, and Azriel wanted to throw up at the distance she kept as though she had no right to step closer. As though she wasnโt the one who was supposed to be here right now.
He took the step instead, lifting his palm to her face, but before he could touch her, the sting in his chest intensified and Azriel huffed as he clenched his fist mid-air.
Her eyes softened, but the sorrow they held almost broke him.
โAzriel,โ she spoke softly, quietly. โItโs okay.โ
He shook his head, not trusting his voice.
โYouโre suppressing it,โ she said. โAllow it to snap in place.โ
โNo,โ Azriel gritted through his teeth. He didnโt want this, and the fact that she looked like her worst fear had just manifested right before her eyes didnโt make it any easier. She made it seem final. She made it seem like sheโd already given up hope.
โThe longer you suppress it, the stronger itโll get.โ
โYou just made that up.โ
She smiled weakly. โMaybe.โ
Azrielโs eyes watered. โI donโt want it.โ
โThatโs okay, baby,โ she breathed, finally stepping closer, lifting her own hand to his chest. โLetting it snap in place doesnโt make it final. You can find out who youโre bonded to and decide then.โ
โIย haveย decided.โ
No part of her seemed convinced at that, but she let it go without comment.
โLet it snap,โ she urged instead. โYou wonโt be able to fight it forever.โ
Azrielโs hands shot to her face, his grip a bit firmer than he intended as he held her cheeks in his palms.
โListen to me,โ he ground out, the pressure in his chest intensifying. โStop talking like that. Stop talking like this is the end. Iย haveย decided. I. Choose.ย You.โ
She looked at him for a long whileโso long that he thought his chest might burst into flames if she kept it up much longer. Finally, her gaze snapped to the ring on the hand that still lay on his chest, and she nodded.
โI know,โ she breathed, fixing her eyes back on him. โI know, Az.โ
Azriel exhaled as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and with his hands still on the one he loved, he carefully loosened the restraints heโd kept on the throbbing heat in his chest.
At once, it burst free, and Azriel stumbled a step back, his hands falling from her cheeks as though theyโd been burned. Tension ran from the top of his head right down to his toes, and he felt it thenโglowing deep within him, golden and hot, pulsing with energy, tethering him to โฆ he didnโt know to whom, but the feeling was breath-taking. It was all-consuming, clouding his mind and numbing his senses as every bit of his focus turned inwards in an attempt to peer to the other side of that line. The side that still lay in darkness.
Her voice was the only thing that penetrated the fog in his head.
โCan you feel her yet?โ she asked, her voice cracking at the end, and Azriel knew that he hadnโt controlled the mesmerisation heโd felt just then. Heโd let it all show on his face bright as day for her to see.
He hesitated. โNo.โ
โTug on it.โ
He wanted to fight it, to refuse, but the sudden need to find out was overwhelming. It seemed like he no longer was in control, like his body was working against his mind, and so he did as she said.
It took a few tries. He never would have imagined it to feel like this, but when he finally managed to grasp the invisible thread within him, he gave a tentative tug. When that didnโt work, he gave a harder tug, and from one moment to the next, his heart stuttered to a stop.
Because standing before him, in the room heโd called his home for many years, was the one he loved. And as his eyes tracked the absent-minded look on her face, he noted her hand rubbing at a spot just beneath her left clavicle. She didnโt even seem to realise she was doing it.
He stared at her, and as he stared, he forced himself not to hope, because surely it was impossible. Unheard of. Otherworldly.
Azriel gripped that thread within him, and he tugged, and as he tugged, he flooded it with everything he felt for her, every bit of love he had to offer.
His knees weakened when she flinched, confusion on her face.
โWhatโโ
โLook at me,โ he interrupted her, placing his hands on her shoulders this time, his eyes boring into hers. He gave another tug, and he could see it thenโsee the realisation flicker deep within her eyes, the eyes that now flooded with unshed tears.
โWhat are you doing, Iโโ
Suddenly, a sense of calm overcame Azriel, and it seemed time slowed to a grinding stop. He saw her eyes then, the eyes heโd lost himself in right upon their first encounter in the Spring Court. The lips heโd kissed during stolen moments alone, the cheeks heโd held when sheโd sobbed over the cruelty of the Cauldron for making Nuvian her mate and not him.
Heโd wanted to kill Nuvian then. For everything heโd been doing to her, every bruise on her body and soul, every finger heโd ever dared to lay on her. Azriel had already had a plan, but heโd hesitated. He didnโt know what it would do to her if he killed her mate, and before heโd managed to convince himself to go through with it, Tamlinโs father had already sought his revenge for a supposed threat to his throne.
Afterwards, Azriel had held in his hands not only the shattered bits of his lover but also those of his brother, and heโd revelled in the way his dagger felt cutting through Nuvianโs throat like a knife through butter.
He spoke her name now, the name of a love greater than heโd ever dared to hope for. It felt soft on his tongue, and his wings shuddered with the sensation.
โY/N. My love. Itโs you.โ
She stared at him, and when she took a step back, creating distance between them, Azrielโs heart gave a crack.
His fingers wrapped gently around her wrist, and he felt her hand tremble in his grip, her face stricken.
โFeel for it,โ he insisted, lifting her hand back to his chest to press her palm over his heart. โDig it up.โ
โAzriel,โ her voice was rough as gravel as she spoke, her head shaking frantically. โDonโt. Itโs not possible.โ
He urged closer, breathing her in, feeling the bond thrum thickly within him, and when he tugged again, she gave a choked sob in response to the sensation he knew now coursed through her as well.
โLet it snap,โ he said, using her own words, his voice much calmer than he would have thought it would be in such a situation. He weaved his free hand through her hair, lowering his forehead to hers. โAllow it to snap in place.โ
She hesitated, but when she finally allowed the tension to flow from her muscles, it seemed every fibre of Azrielโs being came to life with sizzling heat, and this time, when she sobbed, it was with joy barely contained.
-
- BONUS -
It was a little while later that Azriel stood in Rhysโ study, his fingers running along the bare curve of his mateโs back, revelling in every bump and dent of her spine. He truly loved her dressโher back bare for him to touch, her front glittering like his favourite constellation.
In the hour since the bond had snapped into place, his hands hadnโt left her once.
Rhys stared at them.
โTwo mating bonds,โ he muttered, his expression equally mesmerised. โIโve never heard of such a thing before.โ
โDo you think itโs because I didnโt accept the first one?โ Y/N asked quietly. She was still buzzing with joy, but the overwhelming revelation had left her spent, her cheeks glowing, her tone calm. Her own hands were fiddling with a button on Azrielโs jacket.
Rhys considered her for a moment. โPerhaps,โ he said. โEither that or the fact that Nuvian is dead. There could be a time factor to it as well, butโ" Rhys halted in his speech, and his eyes snapped to the door behind Y/Nโs back. โFeyre, darling. Have you heard the news?โ
When Y/N turned, her gaze landed on the High Lady, and a smile curved her lips in response to the excitement shining in her eyes.
โWell of course. Your thoughts were very loud,โ Feyre grinned, closing the door softly behind her. โCassian and Mor are losing their minds.โ
Azriel snorted softly, and Y/N felt his hand slip to her hip to give a gentle squeeze.
โIโm so happy for you two,โ Feyre said, bouncing ever so slightly on the balls of her feet, her eyes bright. โIโm so glad it worked.โ
Y/N and Azriel shared a look before Y/N looked back at Feyre and asked, โWhat worked?โ
โWell, I wished for it.โ
A beat of silence.
โWhatever do you mean, my darling?โ Rhys asked from where he sat behind his desk.
Feyre tilted her head. โWhen you and I were mending the Cauldron, of course. I wished for them to be mated. Didnโt you hear?โ
Silence settled, the clock by the door ticking loudly, and all Y/N could do was stare at the faerie thatโin the few short months sheโd been living at the Night Courtโhad not only become her High Lady but a dear friend.
For the first time since the bond snapped, Azrielโs hand left her skin, and she felt the loss of contact right down to her bones.
She watched carefully as he neared Feyre and smiled when he wrapped strong arms around her delicate shoulders, pulling her firmly to his chest, his head bowing as he pressed his cheek to her hair.
โThank you,โ he breathed, and as Y/N caught Feyreโs gaze over the shoulder of her mate, it felt like her heart was about to burst with happiness.
It took me a a couple of years to realize that Gwyn never wore the necklace after Solstice, which means it could still be in Clothoโs possession.
Now Iโm imagining our poor shadowsinger doing the walk of shame all the way to The Library, pacing back and forth before finally getting his wits about him.
โAzriel arrived first, no shadows to be seen, my sister a pale, golden mass in his arms. He, too, wore his Illyrian armor, Elainโs golden-brown hair snagging in some of the black scales across his chest and shoulders.
He set her down gently on the foyer carpet,ย having carried her in through the front door.
Elain peered up at his patient, solemn face.
Azrielย smiled faintly. โWould you like me to show you the garden?โ
She seemed so small before him, so fragile compared to the scales of his fighting leathers, the breadth of his shoulders. The wings peeking over them.
Butย Elain did not balk from him, did not shy away as she noddedโjust once.
Azriel, graceful as any courtier,ย offered her an arm. I couldnโt tell if she was looking at his blue Siphon orย at his scarred skin beneath as she breathed, โBeautiful.โ
Color bloomed high on Azrielโs golden-brown cheeks, but he inclined his head in thanks and led my sister toward the back doors into the garden, sunlight bathing them.โ
How can you read this and not fall in love with them through their own eyes?
There is an ocean of beautiful emotions in two paragraphs.
Elriel will give us the forbidden love trope. Clandestine meetings, kisses in the shadows, โshh baby, theyโll hear youโ, heated gazes in crowded rooms, secret touches, lingering glancesโฆ