In Her Shadow (ACOTAR)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Magic Pet

Training took over Isolde's life for the next two weeks. She would wake early and go straight to the House of Wind where she would eat breakfast with Azriel, Nesta and Cassian, then back to the River House to train with Rhys. She would usually join them for dinner and she found that most nights they ate as a family in the huge dining room, laughing and teasing each other. Isolde wondered how many nights like this Azriel had missed with his family because he had been dealing with her.

By day's end, she only had the energy to crawl up the stairs, grunt a good night to Azriel before she fell into thankfully a dreamless sleep.

The King had not been able to penetrate her mental shield and there had been no word of retaliation against the Night Court from Valhallan. But there had also been no word from Elinoire.

Isolde knew if her sister wanted to she could winnow, albeit only across small distances and she sometimes wondered if her sister had died and she just did not know. But would she not have been able to feel it?

Rhys had sent a man called Lucien to scout the places he was familiar with for Isolde's sister but to no avail, they were not able to find any trace of her. This was no accident, if there was anyone who was able to hide in plain sight or cover their tracks, it was the Golden Thorn. Elly wouldn't reveal herself until she wanted to.

She had not seen Baer since the night they spent together, although Isolde had tried to convince herself to pass by his house, or go to Rita's to see him. She did not want him to think she had just used him as stress relief, he had been so kind to her.

But for now she was content to fall into the rhythm she had with the Night Court and try to convince herself that she belonged here with them. That her days weren't numbered.

It was an oddly sunny day for winter, the warmth beginning to thaw the snow and provide a much needed respite from the chill that had been in the air for so long. Isolde sat on the lawn of the River House with Rhys, a book about healing magic and shields open on her lap. Rhys was on his back, an arm over his face, humming absentmindedly.

Out of the males in this court, Azriel included, Isolde felt the most comfortable with the High Lord. He understood her need to sit in silence and never pushed her more than she asked him to.

Are you going to read that, or just use it as a blanket? His voice slid into her head.

I'm taking a break. You can't talk, you've been snoozing for the past half an hour.

Yes, but I have memorized that particular book. This is your study session.

Isolde let a rope of fire find the talons he was creeping into her mind and wrapped it around them, squeezing until she heard him let out a breath.

Not fair.

Well then stop creeping into places you're not welcome.

Stop letting me.

Isolde shut the book and stretched her legs out in front of her, fixing him with a glare.

"I haven't had as much practice as you,"

Rhys sat up, "And why is that?"

She paused. This was where they always came to a crossroad in her training. He wanted to push past her barriers, but he didn't understand just how deep they went and she didn't know how to tell him that without revealing that she suspected a lot of why her magic was unpredictable was because she had never been able to defend herself against the king. Yes, she had always been forbidden to use it, but she also knew it was something to do with her mating bond. And how would the Night Court react to this? And the fact that she had hidden it from them.