A Court of Nightmares and Rejects

Chapter eighteen

Days later I could walk around easily, run if I wished, too. Azriel was slowly easing my back into flying, with shredded wings it could take a while. Things were beginning to look up.

The shadow had given whatever information Rhys wanted from it before Az had quickly returned the beast to the mountain, where it could roam or return to whatever place it'd been in in the first place.

Today Morrigan finally stopped shopping, proud of her efforts, seeing she didn't have to do any last-minute money spending. Feyre was spending all of her time either painting or with Nyx, her mate getting away with no work for once and hanging out with Cassian.

The storm had settled, for now.
That were, until we were informed of a High Lord meeting, a week before the Solstice occurred. Now, this wouldn't end well, at all. And apparently every single High Lord had accepted; even the Spring Court. No, shit is definitely going down in four days.

I stared at the little boy in front of me, his wings were about double his arm length, his violet-blue eyes laughing along with him as he played around with my hand, pulling on my fingers. A little hurricane of black hair atop his head. I smiled at Nyx, and he giggled, his chubby cheeks showing dimples with the motion.

"Aunt Cia?" Nyx said slowly, he'd figured out how to pronounce it correctly in the spring of last year, and though I'd felt bad for him calling me Aunt, You are apart of the family as much as he is. Feyre had told me, so Aunt Cia it was.

"Yes, Nyxy?" I asked, removing my hand gently from his to tickle his underarms, he shrieked, falling against me, and I stroked his hair away from his forehead as he cackled. "Isn't my mother's birthday soon?" The was he spoke 'birthday' sounding a lot more like 'bidday'. I smiled softly, planting a kiss on his nose, "Yes, it is. Are you excited?"

The little boy nodded, tanned cheeks bright, and he said, "Can we buy her a present?" Present sounding more like peasant. "Yes, of course! Do you want to go now?" Nyx nodded his head in excitement, scrambling up to his feet quickly. I pulled myself to my feet, my shoulder only slightly protesting as I propelled myself upwards. 

Nyx gripped my hand tightly, grinning up at me, I winked at him in a silly way and he laughed. We turned to the door. "If you're buying Feyre a present, maybe I could come with you both?" Az asked, standing in the entrance way, his hand slack at his sides, and shadows curling every so often to tighten around him. "Yes, Uncle Az and Aunt Cia!" Nyx yelled, letting go of my hand to dart to the Shadowsinger.

Azriel chuckled, smoothly picking up the small boy and holding him. I smirked at Azriel, but then I felt my vision swim, Nyx's eyes slowly turning hazel, his body becoming smaller, the body parts softer, more feminine. His black hair suddenly was bronze curls, and another toothy smile was aimed at me, then at Azriel.

"Ciana?" I blinked, and it was gone, Nyx glancing at me in confusion, and Az in concern. I shook my head, "I'm fine." I muttered, "Was just thinking." Azriel, from his unmoving expression, didn't believe that fact, not one bit.

"Let's go." I said, making my way past the two males, and down the staircase to the main floor. I pushed on the glass doors, and they opened- like a phantom breeze had brushed against them.

Az set Nyx down, but the boy immediately took hold of his scarred hand, he didn't seem fazed by the scars on his uncle's hand, but Azriel looked quite nervous. Nyx dragged Azriel, who halfheartedly followed him, until he could reach my hand, too.

Azriel smirked at my surprised expression over Nyx's head, and my toes curled slightly at that lazy smile.

After walking around the city in circles, having bought presents for everyone in the Inner Circle except Az, Nyx and Feyre, I also hadn't done Rhys, hoping that I could do the mates together. Azriel quickly winnowing everything up into his and my room, so no one would touch it between stops- I felt Nyx stop, tugging on my hand. I turned, just at the same time as Azriel faced the young newborn. Some lights had been switched on around in shops, the sky getting a shade dimmer. "Can we buy me presents now?" He pouted.

I chuckled, Azriel attempting to hold in a smile, "But it needs to be a surprise." I told Nyx, "Otherwise it won't work." Nyx's body hunched over as he sighed sadly, for a three year old, he was quite good with understanding things. "But... if Uncle Az is alright with it, we could split up." I suggested, "You maybe come with me so Az can buy your present, then we switch."

Azriel nodded, and Nyx grinned, "Yes!" He beamed, jumping on the spot, other people looked at us in awe, two Spymasters playing around with the High Lord's son was probably a sight they'd never seen- or will again. "We can also buy each other's presents and Feyre's when we're not with this little rascal, because he'll probably try to tell his mother." Azriel added, pulling a face at Nyx, who giggled. 

Az picked him up, and Nyx let go of my hand, "I'll take him first, you go buy something for us, Boo." My face heated, but luckily Az shot upwards, fae gawking as he went, little Nyx shrieking as they flew. I smiled a secret smile to myself, I already had ideas.

After carrying around Nyx's present for a while, I finally managed to get to the painting studio - Feyre, bless her, was luckily not inside.

I painted for a solid hour, before deciding Azriel would be ready to switch soon, and I'd need to buy him something before the switch-over. Feyre and Rhys's gift would have to finish later. Or I could just also buy Az's later, so I wouldn't get caught trying to find something for him. 

I picked up the painting and strode across the room, before glancing around. Whenever I had a piece of art work I didn't want to get rid of yet have anyone see, I put it over here. I bent low and snagged my fingers on the wood, pulling the floorboard up as it groaned, placing the canvas on the outer edge of my other art works. It wouldn't look good, but the High Lord and Lady would know I tried.

I made my way out the door and onto the street, making all of a few steps before a large figure landed beside me. Azriel stared at me with those hazel eyes, Nyx beaming wildly, "He's had an early dinner, so you don't need to stress about that." Az said, assessing me silently, I swallowed, his gaze noting that, too. "Alright, come on Nyx, now you get to be with me." I told the boy, he cackled, pushing out of the Shadowsinger's grasp and ran over to me. I pulled him up smoothly, the little boy sitting at my hip as I whispered, "Thank you."

Azriel's eyes glowed, and he nodded. "Now I'll go buy Nyx something, try not to miss me too much, you two." I frowned, no humour lay in his voice, the glow that had been in his eyes disappeared after a second. "See you soon." I said, but it sounded more like a question.

A question Azriel didn't answer as he shot upwards, leaving me with Nyx.