A Court of Lightning and Shadows

Twenty

——
Briar POV

When she returned to the river house, she immediately checked on Azriel. He was asleep, not even waking up from her opening the door. She let him sleep, promising herself to spend the night with him.

Feyre and Rhys had also returned to the house, Nyx in Rhys's arms.

Amren had joined them for lunch, even though Briar couldn't get anything inside her mouth. She was still full from her small breakfast.

Nyx sat on her lap, trying to eat small pieces of toast from her plate.

"I think he likes you more than me." Feyre said.

Briar laughed, "He's just a very social kid."

Rhys was talking to Amren, she had no idea what they said.

Briar was snapped out of her thoughts by the High Lord, "We will winnow somewhere when you're ready." Briar nodded.

She gave Nyx back to Feyre and walked out of the room with Rhys. Amren had even smiled at her as a goodbye.

They stepped outside the house. Rhys grabbed her hand and winnowed. She hated the feeling of winnowing.

It was a clearing that spread far. It looked like they were on a mountain.

"There's a shield around this area, It keeps you from lighting everything up." Briar didn't smile at the High Lord's words.

"Have you ever practiced with them?"

She shook her head. She had never been allowed to, "I don't even know how to use them."

Rhys nodded.

"The only times I've really felt its presence, was when I was really mad or sad. The last time it happened I could even feel the clouds around me, like I could control them." she said.

It had been a while since it happened, but she could still feel it like it had happened yesterday.

"I want you to really focus on that feeling. Think about the lightning. What it felt like when you used it."

She did what he told her to do. Briar closed her eyes and tried to remember the feeling.

Briar tried to remember the first time she played with the lightning. It came out of her hands, dancing and sparkling like stars. The color of the small lightnings were a shade of purple.

She felt something tingle in her hands and opened her eyes.

Rhys still stood before her, waiting with patience.

The feeling disappeared as soon as she looked at her hands. She sighed.

"Try again." Rhys said.

She closed her eyes again and focused on the day she had broken down. The lightning from her hands had fought the lightning from the sky.

The lightning had felt like a warm comfort in her hands, tingling a bit. It didn't hurt, it felt like it was the right thing to do. Like the power was hers.

She held her hands before her, her eyes still closed as she felt that warm tingling feeling from her memories.

She didn't want to open her eyes, she was scared that she might find her father in front of her instead of the High Lord. That he was waiting to punish her for using them.

"Open your eyes." Rhys said. She shook her head.

"Briar, It's okay. Open your eyes."

She carefully opened them, looking at her hands.

There were small lightnings dancing from her palms, the purple color sparkling.

Her eyes widened as she mouthed a small woah.

She met Rhys's eyes and saw some sort of pride shine in them. "I did it." she said.

"Yes you did. Now, let's try some things."

——

They had spent hours on the clearing, lightning shooting everywhere.

Rhys helped her control it, calling for it when she wanted to.

Briar had managed to do it every time. She felt happy while doing it, not scared.

They came back just before dinner, Briar eating a full plate of food.

Feyre had already brought Azriel some food. They still hadn't allowed him to walk downstairs.

Briar stumbled into her room, drained from her lesson with Rhys. She bathed quickly and changed into pajama shorts and a shirt.

She sat down on her bed, thinking. The using of her powers had brought up some memories. She didn't let Rhys see it, but they haunted her thoughts during every minute of training.

She needed to take her mind of everything, sleeping alone wouldn't do her any good.

Briar opened the door of the now familiar room, revealing Azriel sitting in his bed with a book.

A smile formed on his face as he saw her. He placed the book on the nightstand.

"How did it go?" he asked.

Briar walked over to the bed. She climbed in it and snuggled into his side.

"Good. I can control it now."

He placed a kiss on her head, wrapping his arm around her, "That's good."

"It made me very tired though." she said while yawning, "How was your day with Cassian?" she asked, looking at him.

"Amazing. He wouldn't let me out of my room." she let out a snort.

"I came to see you when I returned to the house, but you were asleep."

"I indeed was. I slept very well, so thank you for not waking me up." he said. Briar rolled her eyes at him, a smile on her face.

Azriel laid down, Briar still curled into his side. Her was head now placed on his chest.

"Could you teach me how to defend myself, when you are allowed to train again?" she asked.

He nodded, "Why not let Cassian or Rhys teach you?"

"Because I want you to teach me. Rhys already helps me with my powers and Cassian is busy doing other things."

"We will start as soon as possible."

"Don't rush yourself into recovery, you could easily open up the wound with the wrong movement." she said.

"Are you also putting me on bed rest?"

"No, but I don't want you to hurt yourself." Briar rolled her eyes.

They stayed silent, only the sound of breathing being heard.

"So, I assume you're staying in my room from now on?"

"Only for the nights, yes." she said.

She didn't want to go too fast, with their newly found relationship. Sleeping in his bed was already a big step for Briar. Normally, the touch of people would scare her, but Azriel's touch felt safe.

Briar's eyes started closing. She hadn't felt so tired in a while.

"Goodnight, Briar." she heard Azriel say before she fell into a deep sleep.