A Court of Ash and Necromancy

5. Strange but Adorable

    Her first few nights in Velaris passed relatively quietly. For the first time in weeks, Estelle slept more than one night without suffering from a nightmare. She had shielded her room, just in case though. She had come here to put an end to her nightmares and give Mikael a chance to relax. She wouldn't unload her problems onto her family in his absence.

Estelle tugged her leathers on and buckled Aesira's sheath in between her wings. She slipped Znaniya into the sheath at her thigh, before making sure all seven of her gold siphons were secure.

A knock sounded at the door. "Let's go, Essie. Some of us are running on schedules here," Lysander hollered. His boots thudded against the stairs a moment later.

Estelle ducked out of her room and joined him downstairs. Seren lounged in a chair in the sitting room, a familiar book in her lap. "Do you like it?" Estelle asked with a laugh.

Seren smiled. "It's given me a few ideas for some new paintings. It's been a while since I asked your father to model for me." She looked back at her book, Sign of the Blood Rose.

"Gross, Mom," Lysander said with a grimace.

I haven't painted in a while, Estelle thought. I should later. Maybe I should paint scenes from my nightmares, just to get them out of my head.

Seren glanced up, and Estelle knew her mother had sensed those thoughts using her daemati powers. Estelle rapidly shielded her mind and flashed Seren a smile before following Lysander out of the house.

They spread their wings and leaped into the air, soaring away from Velaris. Lysander looped through the sky, giving a sigh of contentment. His emerald siphons glittered in the morning sunlight. Lysander wore a sleeveless tunic, flaunting his warrior tattoos. He smiled, catching Estelle's eye, and flexed his arms.

Estelle rolled her eyes. "Very nice, Lys."

"Hey, I earned these."

"I know you did. I earned mine too. So did Mikael."

It had been a year since her little brother, Corbin, and Nyx entered the Blood Rite, exactly one year after she and Mikael were dragged into it. The Boys had known they would enter the Rite, but that didn't make it any less dangerous, or them any more prepared.

They'd faced their share of struggles as they fought their way to each other, then up the side of Ramiel, and to the onyx monolith at the summit. The three of them had touched the monolith and won the Rite, becoming Carynthian warriors, just as Estelle and Mikael had.

"Nyx has been worried that someone will try to pull Ven into the Blood Rite next year," Lysander said. "Devlon promised she'll only enter it if she wants to. So far, she has no desire to. She just wants to be able to defend herself, should the need arise."

"As Nyx's mate and Tamlin's daughter, there will inevitably be a need," Estelle replied. "I'm glad she's willing to train, and I'm glad Devlon isn't being a prick to her."

Lysander snorted. "Venelia has that special charm. It's impossible to be mean to her. Everyone loves her, even Devlon."

"Or, maybe Devlon has softened up since his son was born," Estelle pointed out.

"That too. Do you know how strange it is to see Devlon barking orders to the warriors, while holding his son's hand, or letting him sit on his shoulder?"

"Strange, yes, but it also sounds adorable," Estelle chuckled.

"The words Devlon and Adorable should never be put in a sentence together."