PLAYING ON AZRIEL’S SYMPHONIA : “NEVER TEAR US APART” - INXS OR PALOMA FAITH
PLAYING ON ELAIN’S SYMPHONIA : “UNCOVER” - ZARA LARSSON
The three of them burst into the most joyous fits of laughter, Elain’s arms crossed over her stomach as she tried to catch her breath.
Azriel strode quickly to the kitchen when he heard a loud crash. When he entered he found Nuala and Cerridwen getting started on some bread.
“Everything alright in here?” He asked, his hazel eyes scanning the room for anything that might be amiss.
“Yes, Nuala just dropped the bread pan, so noisy...” Cerridwen said, going back to mixing the dough for their bread.
Azriel nodded, arching a brow. “Alright...No Elain today?” He asked, trying but failing to sound as casual as possible. The wraiths had detected how drawn the Spymaster was to Elain long ago, perhaps even before he had realized it himself.
“Yes, she’ll be dropping by shortly.” Cer said, smiling over at him.
Nuala nearly choked, moving to get herself a glass of water.
Cer smiled and laughed nervously. “The flour can be irritating to her throat.”
“Right...carry on then.” Azriel gave them a strange look, but nodded and headed back out, not seeing Elain curled up behind the counter, hands clamped over her mouth, tears of laughter spilling over her cheeks. “Ow...” She whined, once she was sure that Azriel had gone far enough away that he wouldn’t hear her.
“I told you it was a terrible idea.” Cerridwen chided.
Elain waved her hand dismissively. “Ooh, I’m fine. I want to try again. It could be useful.”
“In what way is dropping you through the floor useful?” Cer demanded.
“The element of surprise and time efficiency, of course, as previously demonstrated. If walking through walls can be useful then why not dropping through floors?” Elain asked, lifting her chin in challenge.
“Because Nuala does not nearly break both legs when walking through walls.” Cer answered, crossing her arms and cocking her head to the side.
Elain couldn’t help the giggle that bubbled up. “You look JUST like Azriel when you cross your arms like that, and it certainly got me downstairs quickly.”
Nuala bit her lip, stifling her own giggle. “You looked like a teabag dangling there…”
The three of them burst into the most joyous fits of laughter, Elain’s arms crossed over her stomach as she tried to catch her breath. “Just-just one more time, please. It worked so well the first time.” She pleaded through her laughter.
Cer grumbled to herself but quickly relented. Elain had been in a melancholic mood all morning-since the red-haired male had come. Though he seemed nice enough, Cerridwen didn’t trust him and his visits always seemed to throw Elain into disarray and fill her with sorrow. This little game seemed to lift her spirits, and Cer couldn’t help but give in to see her friend smile. “Only once more today, and you mustn’t squirm so much or I may drop you again.”
“I didn’t mean to, I promise. We must move slightly to the left, so that I don’t miss the counter again.” Elain laughed, following her back upstairs to the empty room above the kitchen.
“Cauldron help me with this one.” Cer teased with a smirk, taking Elain by both hands and using her powers to allow Elain to pass through the floor.
Elain pointed her toes, feeling for the counter when she gasped and held Cerridwen’s hands tighter. “Pull me up!” She hissed, panic written all over her face. Cer tried to pull her up, but she wouldn’t budge, she looked to Elain for an explanation but her friend looked like a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. “Save yourself, its too late for me.” Elain whispered, cringing as Azriel’s voice could be heard from the room below.
“I have her, Cer, you can let go.”
Cer bit her lip, her eyes widening as she whispered an apology, releasing Elain’s hands and stifling another laugh as Elain crossed her arms, pouting already as she sank the rest of the way through the floor.
Cer could hear the amusement in his voice and knew that Elain could too, a smile playing at the corners of her friend’s lips.
Azriel cocked a brow, glancing up at Elain who sat perched on his forearm, her arms still crossed. “I can’t wait to hear this story.” He said, already chuckling.
“There is no story, now kindly set me down.” She said, nose in the air, a smile tugging at her lips.
“Why don’t you hop down, surely someone partaking in such dangerous stunts couldn’t be afraid to do that.” He challenged with a smirk.
“I can’t.” She said, narrowing her eyes. She’d have kissed that smirk off of his face if Nuala weren’t standing there and he knew it, he was torturing her on purpose.
“And why is that?” He inquired, sitting her on the counter, planting his hands on either side of her as Nuala disappeared into the shadows.
“Deserter.” Elain hissed before mumbling something indiscernible.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” He asked, his smirk growing,
“I may have perhaps, possibly, hurt my ankle the smallest bit.” She offered with a casual shrug.
Azriel chuckled, shaking his head. “Elain, what possessed you to do such a thing?”
“Curiosity...and boredom.” She reluctantly admitted.
“What if you’d been stuck between floors?” He asked, fairly sure that she hadn’t considered that.
“Can that happen?!” She asked, slightly concerned now.
“Well, I don’t know, perhaps you’d like to continue your experiments and we can find out for certain.” He offered, crossing his arms over his chest.
Elain tilted her head, considering. If he was going to tease her then she would give it right back.
“Elain, no. No one would be pleased to find you trapped in the floor.” He said, kneeling to assess her ankle.
“Cassian would probably find it funny as long as I wasn't injured.” She countered. “Alright, I’m sorry. It was silly, the girls were just trying to cheer me up, please don’t be upset with them.” She said, watching him as he moved her foot around gently.
“It isn’t broken despite your best efforts.” He said, massaging her ankle a bit.
Elain blushed, watching him. He was so handsome, his hand on her bare ankle sending electricity through her. She saw a shadow curl around Azriel’s ear and he immediately tensed.
“Lucien was here.” Azriel finally said and he felt a change in her too.
Elain nodded, her body tensing at the mention of his name. “Yes, he had some reports to drop off. It was fine, nothing happened.”
Azriel watched her, her hands nervously fidgeting with the fabric of her skirts now. He stood, taking her hands in his. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. If I’d known, I would have been here.” He knew he had no right to keep her mate from her and part of him knew that Lucien posed no danger to her, but he wanted her to know that he would protect her from anyone, her mate included if she wished it.
“Nuala and Cer were here, they’re never far when he comes around. And your little friend was floating around as well” She said, fairly sure that that had been on Azriel’s own order.
Azriel nodded, glad to hear it when Elain looked up at him and asked. “Would you like to know what he reported?”
“I’m sure Rhys will tell me-“ he paused and smirked. “You listened in?”
Elain nodded, smiling proudly. “Mostly boring talk about Spring and Tamlin, he arrived with a stack of paperwork and left empty handed.”
“And you weren’t detected?” He asked, arms crossed, playing his part.
“Not that I or the shadow could tell, by the time the subject left I was back downstairs enjoying my tea.”
Azriel closed his eyes, slowly exhaling as he asked. “Did you get there through the floor?”
Elain pursed her lips. “I feel that you already know the answer to that question. As I said, it can be very useful in certain situations.”
“And if I asked you how long they spoke?” He asked.
“52 minutes.” She answered.
“Rhysand’s mood?”
“Slightly bored, but not completely disinterested.”
“What color was the subject’s waistcoat?”
“Green, he always favors green with gold stitching and buttons.”
“Is the subject left or right handed?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.
“He held the reports in his left hand, so…right?”
Azriel couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. “Elain, I’m very impressed, but you know, you don’t have to practice on him if it makes you uncomfortable.”
“If I can practice on him then there won’t be anyone I can’t observe.” She wouldn’t deny that it had been difficult for her, but she had been wanting to push herself and there wasn’t much opportunity for her to practice her skills around the house. Unfortunately for her, she still couldn’t avoid the dismal mood it put her in, being reminded of their bond and the expectations that came along with it. The things that she wanted that the bond kept her from. She was grateful to Nuala and Cer for helping her through it every time she had to endure one of his visits.
“I’m very impressed with your eagerness to learn, Elain.” Azriel said, leaning in and kissing her. Elain kissed him back, her heart racing knowing there were others in the house. Azriel kneeled before her again and Elain bit her lip as his hand slid over her ankle, the other on her calf, massaging gently, his eyes not leaving hers. “I think you should be rewarded for your good work, don’t you?”
Elain nodded eagerly, eyes trained on him until Cassian pushed his way into the kitchen.
“Hey, what happened?” He asked, barely paying attention as he rummaged in the pantry.
“Elain hurt her ankle.” Azriel said, placing his lips on said ankle, smirking as Elain’s eyes blew wide and she looked back to where Cassian stood, his back to them.
Azriel slowly and gently kissed up Elain’s leg, her eyes like saucers as she continued to look back to where Cassian stood her hand weakly batting at Azriel.
“Making bread is dangerous business, huh?” Cassian chuckled, back still facing the pair.
Elain gave a nervous laugh, Azriel’s lips trailing up toward her knee before placing a few more kisses on her ankle. “Dangerous, but so worth it…bread is amazing.” Elain said with a soft laugh before Azriel straightened and Cassian turned toward them again and headed back out. “You should rest that ankle, have Az make himself useful and take you out to the garden.”
“Would you like me to help you out to the garden?.” Azriel offered as if nothing had happened. Elain just nodded, looking up at him in shock, she wasn’t the only one feeling a little daring today it seemed. Azriel took her into his arms and carried her out to the garden where his reports were already waiting. They spent the afternoon there, Azriel pretending to focus on his reports and Elain pretending to read a book she’d borrowed from Nesta, as they passed messages back and forth using Azriel’s shadows.
Cerridwen laughed and held her hand out to Nuala. “Pay up, I told you he wouldn’t question her injury AND he would carry her.”
Nuala grumbled and slapped the gold into Cer’s hand. “That’s hardly fair, the general suggested carrying her.”
“It still counts, don’t be a sore loser, Nuala. It is unbecoming of a lady.”
Nuala snickered as she went back to the bread dough. “You sounded exactly like her just then.”
The two wraiths laughed and chatted as they baked their bread, checking on the couple in the garden every now and then.
