Wounded Healers: Azriel x Gwyn

Haunted

Azriel seated himself in Rhysand's office. He saw nobody but Feyre on his way up, who looked overjoyed to see him within her home again. He had seen his family sparingly since his bargain with Rhysand had been made, keeping his meetings with his High Lord only on a need to know basis. He was glad to see that Feyre looked well. He inquired after his nephew Nyx, who she had just laid down for the night. 

Rhysand peered at Azriel as he leaned against his desk informally. "I've missed you, Azriel. I hope that now that Lucien has gone, you'll be spending more time here again."

"I don't see why not," Azriel replied. "What is it you wanted to tell me?"

Rhysand seemed to be inspecting his brother carefully as he began. "As I've said, Lucien is gone. I assume you guessed as much from the fact that I invited you here. Before he left, Lucien and Elain broke their mating bond. He's gone back to the human realms. Therefore," he pulled Azriel's collar down to look at the tattoo on his neck, "I'm dissolving our bargain."

No sooner the were the words out of Rhysand's mouth when the tattoo on Azriel's neck vanished. Azriel sat, contemplating the news; assessing the feelings they brought on. 

"Elain requested that I send you to speak to her as soon as we're done. There's something she wants to tell you in particular. There's nothing stopping you two from speaking with one another privately, now."

Nodding, Azriel stood. It looked like he'd be facing Elain again sooner than he thought. He was ready for it, and he knew exactly what he had to say to her. 

He turned to Rhysand. "I want to thank you for putting the bargain upon me. Even though I resented it at the time."

Rhysand looked at Azriel peculiarly, as if noticing the glamour on him. Azriel knew the moment that Rhysand registered Gwyn's scent upon him through the glamour. 

"Because were it not for the restriction you placed on the relationship I had thought I wanted, I may not have seen clearly enough the woman I actually want to love for the rest of my life."

A laugh of surprise and delight came out of Rhysand as he scanned his brother's face. Azriel smiled at him, and all was well between the two brothers. 

                                                                                          ___

Elain sat in the private sitting room, wringing her hands. Feyre had warned her that Azriel was here talking with Rhysand, and that she'd send him in to see her when they were finished. 

The knocks on the door alerted her to his presence, and she composed herself at once. Despite it all, she felt herself smile when she saw him. He was always a welcoming presence to her. His expression was impassive as he greeted her. 

"You're well, I hope?" Elain asked kindly. 

"Exceedingly," Azriel answered honestly. He hoped it didn't sound like gloating. "And yourself?"

Elain smiled shyly. "Well, I assume Rhysand told you that Lucien and I are no longer mates?" she started, wasting no time.

"Yes," he admitted. He was hesitant - he didn't expect to have to have this conversation tonight, although he was prepared for it since the day he threw away her headache medicine.

He looked upon Elain, lovely as she ever was, and felt as though she were nothing to him but a ghost of his past that no longer haunted him. With her mating bond broken, they were technically free to explore whatever potential they had both felt previously. But he was not free, nor could he ever be free, of all that he felt for Gwyn. Nor did he want to be. Azriel gazed at Elain's brown eyes with a deep knowing in his heart that he had never felt anything real towards the woman in front of him. He had only fooled himself into thinking so, guaranteeing that he couldn't risk his heart completely. He had known real love, and it was what he felt for Gwyn.