A Court of Fire and Shadows -ON BREAK!!!-

Feyre

The second I woke up, one thought clanged through me.

Tamlin.

His actions would cover Jurian's betrayal. I had no doubt Tamlin had gone back to Hybern's army after the meeting. But not to betray us. No, he went back to play spy. 

Though after last night... it was unlikely he'd get close to Hybern again. Not when the king himself had witnessed everything. I didn't know what to make of it.

That he'd saved me- that he's given up his deception to do so. Where had he gone to when he'd winnowed? We hadn't heard anything about the Spring Court forces.

And that wind he'd sent... I'd never seen him use such a power. 

The Nephelle Philosophy indeed. The weakness that had transformed into a strength hadn't been my wings, my flying. But Tamlin. If he hadn't interfered... I didn't let myself consider.

It was only when I sat up that I realized two things.

Number one: Elain looked happier than I had seen her in a long time, even happier than when she was with Az and the Erileans. There was a huge grin on her face, even though she was asleep.

Number two: There was a second, faint scent intertwined with hers. I couldn't quite pick it out, but it seemed familiar.

What the hell was she hiding now?

I shook my head. Patience, I reminded myself. I carefully pried myself off the bed and eased out of their tangle of limbs. I washed my face in the copper basin across the tent, facing the wall. A glimpse in the mirror above it revealed I'd seen better days. Weeks. Months.

I peeled back the neck of my white shirt to frown at the wound bandaged at my shoulder. I winced, rotating the joint, marveling at how much it had already healed. My back however-

Aching pain jolted and rippled all along it. In my abdomen, too. Muscles I'd pushed to the breaking point to get airborne. Frowning at the mirror I braided my hair and shrugged on my jacket, hissing at the movement in my shoulder. Another day or two and the pain might be minimal enough to wield a sword. Maybe.

I prayed Azriel would be in better shape. If Thesan himself had been healing him, perhaps he was. If we were lucky.

I didn't know how Azriel had managed to stay aloft- Hell, I didn't know how he'd even managed to stay conscious during those minutes in the sky. I didn't let myself think about how and when and why he'd learned to manage pain like that.

I turned back to the bed, and realized that Elain wasn't there. 

Panic flooded through me. I sprinted out of the tent and looked around wildly, only to see Elain casually walking away from the tent, still wearing her night gown with a dark cloak wrapped around her.

I opened my mouth to call out to her, but Aelin beat me to it, "Ellie!!" She called. Elain turned, just in time to see Aelin, Elide and Lysandra sprinting towards her. They nearly tackled her to the ground. They spun her around and started walked across the camp, naturally, I followed them.

I knew it was wrong, but what can I say, I was curious. I strained my ears to hear what they were saying.

"-so exciting!!" Aelin gushed to Elain, "I'm so happy for you."

"She's been talking about that all morning." Lysandra said putting a hand on Elain's shoulder, "I haven't seen her this happy since Elide and Lorcan officially mated." Lysandra wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Elain playfully shoved her shoulder, "Not yet."

Not yet what? Not yet getting mated? And since when does Elain 'playfully' do anything?