𝒜 𝒞𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝑅𝑒𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒮𝒸𝒶𝓇𝓈 | ᴀᴢʀɪᴇʟ

Chapter 118 - Final

Chapter 118

Mor visited first. Arwen's cousin perched on the armchair in the sitting room with an unrelenting grin, the blond hair tumbling down her shoulders only adding to the glow she radiated. Azriel, the second Mor entered, had drawn back into himself and Arwen lamented to see it happen before her very eyes. He still sat next to her, holding her hand. But the day before he wouldn't have settled until she was on his lap.

She stroked her thumb over the backs of his knuckles. "How is Elain taking to living at the House?"

"Oh, I wouldn't know," Mor said. "Cassian could tell you, but I hear you two still haven't spoken."

It had been over a month now. The separation felt strange and most of her anger had extinguished over that time, though a few embers of bitterness remained.

"Arwen was talking about hosting dinner here," Azriel said, his gaze settled on her, though his words were meant for Mor. He sensed her discomfort. "Despite my best efforts to entertain her, she's lonely without everybody else around."

Arwen sent him a knowing smile. "I'm not lonely, I just haven't seen my family in weeks. I miss them." Rhys had eventually reached out to her mind not long after Cassian's short visit but it wasn't the same as seeing him in person.

"Are you sure you're up for that, Az?" Mor inquired, her tone devious. "Or was three weeks alone with your mate not enough?"

To save Azriel from answering, Arwen snorted and brought her bare feet to the lounge, tucking her knees to her chest, his hand hidden away in her lap. "I was thinking tomorrow night. It'll give me time to get everything I need. Just depends on if everybody is able to come."

Mor looked away thoughtfully. "I assume so. Varian is visiting as well. Which means that either both he and Amren will come or neither."

Arwen hummed and glanced to Azriel for confirmation that he would be up for helping her play host. His smile was near invisible but her eyes were trained to find it. "Spread the word then," she declared. "Arrive when you feel like it, but dinner will be served just after dark."

~

Arwen's face was pulled in a permanent wince as she combed her hair. It had been tied in buns for the past few days and even washing it and adding oils hadn't made the process of de-knotting any easier. She watched the bedroom door open in the mirror over the vanity she sat at, Azriel slipping in. He met her gaze through the reflection and seemed to question whether he should take the comb away from her, offer help, or remain silent.

"Do you know how to braid?" she asked.

He blinked out of his trance and walked closer. "I'm familiar with the process."

"I want a braid but once I finish brushing my damn hair, I think my arms are going to fall off." And she still had hours of cooking to do. Azriel had offered to help her but she knew with the expectation of having guests she'd be nippy and asked him to simply tidy the house up since they had barely bothered recently.

Azriel chuckled as she winced out another tangled mess. Once she had finished, he stood at her back and meticulously divided her hair into three sections, confirming the style she wanted.

She tapped her nails on the vanity. "Are you looking forward to tonight?"

He didn't look up from her hair. "That feels like a double-edge question."

"It's just me here, Az. You can tell me the truth."

He sighed. "I'm not sure. Mor, Feyre, Amren—I'll be fine around them."

She raised a brow. "Rhys? He is my brother."

His throat bobbed as he reached the near end of her hair. He was incredibly gentle, the tugs on her roots soft and almost affectionate in some strange way. Her hair had grown long, now brushing her hip bones when she let it loose. "The jealousy isn't just sexual. It's not even jealousy really. It's the threat that another male could take you away, family or not, that makes it difficult. It's there with females as well, but not as strong."