favorite elriel quotes ! ๐ญเพเฝฒเพเฝฒเพ
art by: stephdaydreams & trxxvon_
โA faint smile bloomed upon Azrielโs mouth as he noticed Elainโs fingers white-knuckled on that fork, but he kept silentโ โ acomaf
โElain said to Azriel, perhaps the only two civilized ones here, โCan you truly fly? โYes. Weโre born hearing the song of the wind.โ โThatโs very beautiful,โ she said โ acomaf
โAnd I think Elain โ Elain would like it, too. Though sheโd probably cling to Azriel, just to have some peace and quiet.โ โI smiled at the thoughtโat how handsome they would be together.โ โ acomaf
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.โ โ acowar
โHe set her down gently on the foyer carpet, having carried her in through the front door. Elain peered up at his patient, solemn face. Azriel smiled faintly. โWould you like me to show you the garden?โ โ acowar
โShe 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. But Elain did not balk from him, did not shy away as she nodded โ just once.โ โ acowar
โAzriel, graceful as any courtier, offered her an arm. I couldnโt tell if she was looking at his blue Siphon or at his scarred skin beneath as she breathed, โBeautiful.โ โ acowar
โColor 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 โ acowar
โAlready dressed for the Hewn City โ the brutal, beautiful armor so at odds with the lovely garden. And my sister sitting within it. โWhy not make them mates?โ I mused. โWhy Lucien?โ โ acowar
โWhat if โ I jerked my chin toward the window, to my sister and the shadowsinger in the garden โโthat is what she needs? Is there no free will? What if Lucien wishes the union but she doesnโt?โ โ acowar
โCan I set you up in the garden? The herbs you planted are coming in nicely.โ โI can help her,โ said Azriel, stepping to the table as Elain silently rose. No shadows at his ear, no darkness ringing his fingers as he extended a hand.โ โ acowar
โShe doesnโt need anything,โ Azriel answered without so much as looking at Lucien. Elain was staring at the spymaster now โ unblinkingly. โWeโre the ones who need โฆโ Azriel trailed off. โA seer,โ he said, more to himself than us. โThe Cauldron made you a seer.โ โ acowar
โIt made sense, I supposed, that Azriel alone had listened to her. The male who heard things others could not โฆ Perhaps he, too, had suffered as Elain had before he understood what gift he possessed.โ โ acowar
โWhile shadows gathered around Azriel, Elain at his side, wide-eyed at the spymasterโs display.โ โ acowar
โBut Azriel asked softly, โWhat about Elain?โ โFrom the shadows near the entrance to the tent, Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, โIโm getting her back.โ โ acowar
โNesta slid her gaze to the shadowsinger. Azrielโs hazel eyes glowed golden in the shadows. Nesta said, โThen you will die.โ Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, โIโm getting her back.โ โ acowar
โI shifted my face back into my own, raising a hand to my lips as Azriel knelt before her.โ โAzriel gently removed the gag from her mouth. โAre you hurt?โ โShe shook her head, devouring the sight of him as if not quite believing it. โYou came for me.โ The shadowsinger only inclined his head.โ โ acowar
โAzriel scooped up Elain, looping her bound arms around his neck. โHold tight,โ he ordered her, โand donโt make a sound.โ โ acowar
โThe gray light of morning had broken over the world, mist clinging to our ankles as we headed into that camp, Azriel still cradling Elain to his chest.โ โ acowar
โRhys lunged for Azriel, taking Elain from him and gently setting my sister down. Azriel rasped, swaying on his feet, โWe need Helion to get these chains off her.โ Yet Elain didnโt seem to notice them as she rose up on her toes and kissed the shadowsingerโs cheek.โ โ acowar
โAzriel, still limping, merely nudged aside Cassian and extended another option. โThis is Truth-Teller,โ he told her softly. โI wonโt be using it todayโso I want you to.โ โElainโs eyes widened at the obsidian-hilted blade in Azrielโs scarred hand. The runes on the dark scabbard.โ โ acowar
โIt has never failed me once,โ the shadowsinger said, the midday sun devoured by the dark blade. โSome people say it is magic and will always strike true.โ He gently took her hand and pressed the hilt of the legendary blade into it. โIt will serve you well.โ โ acowar
โCassian gawked at Azriel, and I wondered how often Azriel had lent out that blade โ Never, Rhys said from where he finished buckling on his own weapons against the side of the wagon. I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife.โ โ acowar
โElain looked up at Azriel, their eyes meeting, his hand still lingering on the hilt of the blade.โ โI saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection โฆ that knife.โ โ acowar
โThat smile grew, bright enough that it lit up even Azrielโs shadows across the room. โI would like to build a garden,โ she declared. โAfter all of this โฆ I think the world needs more gardens.โ โ acowar
โDonโt,โ Elain said flatly, starting once more into a walk, veils of steam drifting past her shoulders from the roasted rosemary potatoes in her hands, as if they were Azrielโs shadows. โShe wonโt listen.โ โ acofas
โBut Azriel only took Elainโs heavy dish of potatoes from her hands, his voice soft as night as he said, โSit. Iโll take care of it.โ One moment, his hand was spearing toward the serving spoon. The next, it was stopped, Azrielโs scarred fingers wrapped around his wrist. โWait,โ Azriel said, nothing but command in his voice.โ โ acofas
โElain swept in, apron gone and hair rebraided. โPlease donโt wait on my account,โ she said, taking the seat at the head of the table.โ โ acofas
โThe shadowsinger was clad in a black jacket and pants similar to Rhysandโs โ He still wore his Siphons atop either hand, and shadows trailed his footsteps, curling like swirled embers. Especially as he gently said to my sister, โHappy Solstice.โ Elain turned from the snow falling in the darkness beyond and smiled slightly. โIโve never participated in one of these.โ โ acofas
โThe shadowsingerโs brows lifted, but his scarred hand extended to take the present. Elain turned from where sheโd been speaking to Nesta. โOh, thatโs from me.โ โI had Madja make it for me,โ Elain explained. Azrielโs brows narrowed at the mention of the familyโs preferred healer. โItโs a powder to mix in with any drink.โ โ acofas
โElain bit her lip and then smiled sheepishly. โItโs for the headaches everyone always gives you. Since you rub your temples so often.โ โ acofas
โThen Azriel tipped his head back and laughed. Iโd never heard such a sound, deep and joyous. Cassian and Rhys joined him, the former grabbing the glass bottle from Azrielโs hand and examining it. โBrilliant,โ Cassian said. โ acofas
โElain smiled again, ducking her head. Azriel mastered himself enough to say, โThank you.โ Iโd never seen his hazel eyes so bright, the hues of green amid the brown and gray like veins of emerald. โThis will be invaluable.โ โ acofas
โIt was three by the time the others went to bed. Azriel and Elain remained in the sitting room, my sister showing him the plans sheโd sketched to expand the garden in the back of the town house, using the seeds and tools my family had given her tonight.โ โ acofas
โAzriel stilled. โWhat happened to Elain?โ Cassian waved a hand. โA fight with Nesta. Donโt bring it up,โ he warned when Azrielโs eyes darkened.โ โ acosf
โNesta saw the blow land, like a physical impact, in Elain's face, her posture. No one spoke, though shadows gathered in the corners of the room, like snakes preparing to strike.โ โ acosf
โFeyre said, โWe wonโt allow any harm to come to Elain. Rhys warded her this morning, and we have eyes on her at all times.โ โEyes can be blinded,โ Nesta said. โNot the ones under my command,โ Azriel said with soft menace.โ โ acosf
โAzriel stiffened, an outright sign of temper from him as he said quietly, โThere is an innate darkness to the Dread Trove that Elain should not be exposed to.โ โ acosf
โNesta met the shadowsinger's stare and he gave her a nod. Then his gaze shifted to Elain, and though it was utterly neutral, something charged went through it. Between them. Elain's breath caught slightly.โ โ acosf
โThe faelights gilded Elain's unbound hair, making her glow like the sun at dawn. She halted, her breath catching in her throat.โ โ acosf
โAz tried not to look at his scarred fingers as they took the gift. She hadn't bought her mate a present. But she'd gotten Azriel one last year โ a headache powder he kept on his nightstand at the House of Wind. Not to use, but just to look at. Which he'd done every night he'd slept there. Or attempted to sleep there.โ โ acosf
โElain's large brown eyes flickered, well aware of all that. Just as he knew she was well aware of why Azriel so rarely came to family dinners these days.โ โ acosf
โBut tonight, here in the dark and quiet, with no one to see...He pulled the small velvet box from the shadows around him. Opened it for her.โ โ acosf
โThe golden necklace seemed ordinary โ its chain unremarkable, the amulet tiny. It was a small, flat rose fashioned of stained glass, designed so that when held to the light, the true depth of the colors would become visible. A thing of secret, lovely beauty.โ โ acosf
โIt's beautiful," she whispered, lifting it from the box. The golden faelight shone through the little glass facets, setting the charm glowing with hues of red and pink and white. Azriel let his shadows whisk away the box as she said softly, "Put it on me?" โ acosf
โHis head went quiet. But he took the necklace, opening the clasp as she exposed her back, sweeping her hair up in one hand to bare her long, creamy neck.โ โ acosf
โHe knew it was wrong, but there he was, sliding the necklace around her. Letting his scarred fingers touch her immaculate skin. Letting them brush the side of her throat, savoring the velvet-soft texture. Elain shivered, and he took a long time fastening the clasp.โ โ acosf
โIt had never gone this far. They'd exchanged looks, the occasional brush of their fingers, but never this. Never blatant, unrestricted touching. Wrong - it was so wrong. He didn't care.โ โ acosf
โHe needed to know what the skin of her neck tasted like. What those perfect lips tasted like. Her breasts. Her sex. He needed her coming on his tongueโ โ acosf
โElain bit her lower lip, and it took every ounce of Azriel's restraint to keep from putting his own teeth there.โ "I should go," Elain said, but made no move to leave. โYes," he said, his thumb sweeping in long strokes along the side of her throat.โ โ acosf
โHer arousal drifted up to him, and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head at the sweet scent. He'd beg on his knees for a chance to taste it. But Azriel just stroked her neck again.โ โ acosf
โElain shuddered, drifting closer. So close one deep breath would brush her breasts against his chest. She looked up at him, her face so trusting and hopeful and open that he knew she had no idea that he had done unspeakable things far beyond their scars.โ โ acosf
"Yes" Elain breathed, like she read the decision. Just this taste in the dead of the longest night of the year, where only the Mother might witness them.โ โ acosf
โAzriel's hand slid up her neck, burying in her thick hair. Tilting her face the way he wanted it. Elain's mouth parted slightly, her eyes scanning his before fluttering shut.โ โOffer and permission.โ โ acosf
โRhys's voice thundered through him, halting him mere inches from Elain's sweet mouth.โ
โBut he could have this. This one moment, and maybe a taste, and that would be it.โ
โHe nearly groaned with relief and need as he lowered his head toward hers.โ โ acosf
โWhat if the Cauldron was wrong?"
"The Cauldron chose three sisters. Tell me how it's possible that my two brothers are with two of those sisters, yet the third was given to another.โ โ acosf
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