I dream of Lucien fully embracing his forest life in ACOTAR 6 but with Elain as an owl. Imagine him flirting with a stubborn, feathery Archeron who refuses to shift back. I NEED THIS. 🦉💫💋
The forest held its breath for them.
Sunlight dappled through the canopy, gilding the mossy floor and catching in the soft sweep of tawny feathers perched delicately on Lucien’s knee. Elain didn’t blink. She hadn’t in a while, which Lucien found both endearing and vaguely dramatic.
He dragged the pad of his finger along her wing, light, slow and teasing. She gave a sharp little trill of protest, but didn’t move.
“Oh, don’t be like that” he murmured, cradling her a bit closer. “You’re a very fetching owl, but I miss your blush.”
She turned her head, deliberate and regal, fixing him with two wide golden eyes. He smiled. Not even the forest dared interrupt this standoff.
“We’re still not speaking?” he asked.
The owl blinked.
Lucien chuckled low in his throat, brushing a kiss to the top of her feathery crown. “You can’t sulk forever.”
She fluffed up in reply, all pride and stubbornness, which he took as a challenge.
“All right then,” he said, voice gone velvety with amusement. His hand stroked along her back, patient and warm. “You eventually have to shift back, Elain. And when you do…” he leaned in, brushing his lips just behind where her ear would be, voice a conspiratorial purr, “…I’ll keep you in bed for days.”
A very indignant trill rang through the trees.
And then feathers shimmered.
Light cracked through the spell like sugar spun to glass. One heartbeat she was fluff and talons, the next she was blushing skin and narrowed eyes, perched in his lap with no sign of retreat.
“That's manipulation,” she said, breathless.
“I knew you'd come back to me,” he murmured, brushing her tangled hair behind her ear and tucking a soft feather into the strands, lips hovering just close enough to steal the space between them. “Though I admit, I was starting to wonder if I’d have to seduce an owl.”