A Court of Gold and Shadows

Something good and right and real: Chapter 9

He wasn't the only one. His shadows actually did.

Besides, we are talking about the future High Lord and High Lady of Day, so I am sure you can make space in your busyschedule for them, Rhys' mental voice dripped with sarcasm but Azriel just stayed silent.

Rhys sighed.

Get over yourself, Azriel, Rhys said quietly.

Right.

That's all he was ever supposed to do, right?

He smashed down against the bitterness that welled up into him at that because quite frankly, it didn't fucking matter anymore.

It didn't.

I actually do have plans, Rhysand. I can come for dinner, but I am not staying for dessert, he gave back clipped instead.

Fine.

Rhys left. Azriel snapped his mental walls down behind him with far more force than necessary.

He focused back on Oriana, who still sat on his lap, watching him carefully.

"I am expected for dinner," he said quietly.

"Want to go out dancing another time?"

Maybe he shouldn't have expected something else, because Oriana had never asked him to tell her anything more than he had been willing to offer up by himself, but he still was. He still waited for the moment when she would be upset or angry with him because he couldn't force himself to drag her into the abyss that was his work. Couldn't force himself to answer a question.

That was one thing. Oriana was another thing.

It was unfair, he realised that. She told him about her family. About growing up and how Enya braided her hair and Kiran had used to let her run wild in his forge, about how Samson had let her hold his sword when she had just been a child of no more than 5, about how Titania was strict and seemed arrogant but had still sobbed over her husband losing a leg, and weeks later about the prothetic that Oriana had enchanted...about Cyrus and her playing together, the brother with whom she shared a father and the reality of being a child of two worlds and somehow not belonging into either.

He couldn't even open his mouth and tell her about Cassian or Rhys.

He wanted to sometimes. Sometimes he thought about it.

About what Cassian would say if he came to his brother the next day and admitted the whole thing.

Cassian would be happy for him. He knew that.

At first at least.

But he didn't know how Rhys would react and he wasn't willing to stake Oriana's happiness or safety on it.

Not yet.

"No," he said quietly. "I'll be done by nine? Is that early enough?"

"That's the time, I am just starting to drink at," Oriana said with a grin. "I'll be waiting. I am the one in the red dress."

He couldn't help but smile at that.

"So who is coming for dinner? If you can tell me?" she asked curiously. "Your brother?"

"Both brothers," he answered. "Their mates. Some old friends. Lucien and Elain."

He could give her the names. It didn't matter.

She pulled back, looking at him curiously. "Lucien Vanserra? Or whatever he calls himself these days?" she asked, her voice curious, but there was something else there.