A Court of Darkness and Melodies

Chapter 3

Azriel's POV

Azriel dropped onto the balcony of the House of the Wind, his head pounding and his eyes aching from the lack of sleep and food these past three days.

He walked into the dining room and dropped into a chair, rubbing his eyes in soothing circles. Upstairs, he could hear Gwyn and Emerie having their usual lesson joined with both Rhys and Feyre.

 Not wanting to face them in this state, he walked into his room and took off his rumpled shirt. He went to the bathroom and stared at himself in the mirror. There were purple shadows beneath his eyes and he knew it was high time he apologized to Rhys. Washing his face, he went back into his room, dragging his towel roughly around his profile and sighing.

He was so, so tired.

He heard footsteps coming down the hall and they stopped right in front of his door. A delicate hand knocked once, twice. When he didn't answer, the knocking became insistent. Exhaling heavily, he padded to the door of his room and wrenched it open to find Gwyn's lips parted, ready to speak.

"Rhysand and Feyre want you to- Oh! You're naked!" She cried out, covering her eyes with her hands. 

Some tiny part of Azriel wanted to laugh at this, but he was too weary to do anything. His shadows emerged at the hint of a smile from him when he saw her peeking at his face only, two of her fingers parting so she could see from one eye. 

"I'm not naked." He said, his voice hoarse from disuse. Her peeking eye darted to his bare chest and back again, and he could see the red spots blooming on her neck and face as she covered her eyes again. 

"But you're shirtless." She mumbled, turning her back on him as she was clearly having trouble keeping her eyes averted.

"Anyways," she cleared her throat, her back to him, "Rhysand and Feyre want you to join us for brunch to discuss the upcoming war and... stuff."

"What stuff?" He asked, desperate to keep the normal conversation to continue. He hadn't had one in days. 

"I don't know! Ask them!" She babbled, clearly flustered as she turned back to him.

That was when he noticed the necklace she was wearing. The golden chain hung around her delicate neck and the glass rose charm rested above her breasts on her training shirt. As he stared at it, Gwyn started fidgeting. She slowly grabbed the open fronts of her robe and closed it over herself nervously.

That was when Azriel realized she must have thought he was staring at her breasts and his eyes shot up to her face.

"Uhh.." He stuttered, then mentally slapped himself. He was pretty sure after the incident in Sangravah, she never wanted anyone to look at her in that way. He swallowed. 

"That's a beautiful necklace you're wearing." 

She smiled lightly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you." She murmured. Then abruptly said "We'll be waiting for you at the dining table." After looking at him for another minute she spun on her heel and quietly walked down the hallway as he stared after her billowing priestesses' robe.

Only after she was gone and he was standing in his doorway staring at the place she had been did he realize that his shadows had been dancing all the while he was talking to her and it was only when she had turned the corner and gone out of view that his shadows had dissipated.

*******

Azriel stood by the window looking out over the city of Velaris in the dining room. Nesta and Cassian had finally come out of their room but were staring at each other rather hungrily from the seats they were sitting in. Rhys had made sure they sat on opposite corners of the table.