"No!" Elain shot out of her chair, fuming. Rhysand stood as well.
"Elain! Do you realize we have Winter Court soldiers that would do anything to get her back in captivity? It is a threat to this Court! What if they mention her to Beron? This is necessary, Elain. Once that rush of feelings is finished, they may not have an interest in continuing anything," he snapped. Elain gritted her teeth, looking down at Aurora, who slowly rose from her chair.
"I hope that they take you. I hope you're sent back to that damned cell and I hope those soldiers take their turns nice and slow," she snarled before leaving the room. Aurora cleared her throat. Feyre stood and quickly followed behind her.
"Aurora, it will all be okay. If you'd prefer to do this private, we can wait outside of the room to ensure nothing comes about it," Rhysand said softly. Aurora nodded, eyes lowering to Azriel. His head was down and his hands closed in fists. She didn't look away as everyone began standing and walking, and when silence consumed them, Azriel looked up. He looked exhausted.
"Do you really want to do this? I'm sure Kallias would let me kill them just to get it over with," he rasped. Aurora swallowed, grabbing the toast from her plate.
"I'm fine, if you are," Aurora whispered. Azriel looked towards the door as his tongue ran along the inside of his cheek.
"I want this, but if you don't, please let us find another way." Aurora walked around the table where he sat, and he stood from his seat. Her eyes soaked in the sight of him. His wings spread, shadows hanging around his head and shoulders. His eyes looked dull and glazed.
"I'm okay with this, Azriel. If it's what I can do to help protect this Court, I will do it."
His nostrils flared as he looked down at her. She felt the pull then. Aurora felt the whispers of his name along her skin, the ache in her chest, the warming in her stomach. She saw the way it affected him, too; his lips parted and the tensing between his brows lessened slightly. Aurora rose up on her toes, her hand reaching for the scruff that grew along his jaw. Azriel's lashes fluttered and a content sigh left his lips when her palm rested on his face.
"Aurora-."
"I accept you as my mate, Az. With everything in me, I accept you as my mate. It will take time for me to truly accept it, but for now, I understand and I accept you," Aurora murmured. It felt incredibly stupid to settle this with a piece of toast, but she extended it to his hand anyway. Azriel's fingers twitched before he took the piece of food. His eyes didn't leave hers as he lifted it to his lips and took a small bite. Her eyes fell to those lips.
"Aurora, I don't know how well I can handle this," he spoke, and his voice sent chills throughout her. The way his voice had carried to her before was like a caress to her skin, but now it felt as if he had been saying those words with his teeth on her. She exhaled lightly, flicking her eyes to his.
"I know," she whispered. It took everything in her to pull her hand from his face, but Azriel caught her wrist. Aurora's eyes widened slightly but he cut off her thoughts by pressing his lips to hers. The taste of wine and whiskey remained on his tongue, the way she smelled it on his breath days earlier. It was the morning, could he be drunk already?
Her hand rose to his cheek again as his hand fell to her waist. Azriel kissed her deeply. She wanted this, but she didn't. Everything in Aurora's body was screaming how incredibly right this was, but her mind broke the rush of lust by telling her she needed to control herself. Aurora parted their lips, sucking in a breath.
"I'm sorry," she murmured. Azriel shook his head lightly.
"Don't be. I don't want the way the bond attracts us to push you past your boundaries. I swear to you, I will do my best to stay away from you, Aurora. Damn it, I'll have Cass and Rhys tie me up if need be. Please, don't move too fast with this just because of the lust you feel. I don't think I could forgive myself if I took you to bed before you were truly ready."
Aurora pulled further from him and let her hand fall. She swallowed as she nodded lightly and forced herself to walk around the table. Rhysand came into the dining room at that point, glancing between the two of them.
"This is going to be hard. Azriel will probably try and kill us for keeping him away from you," he grinned lightly. Aurora just flattened her lips into a line and pushed past him. She needed to bathe, she needed to do something to get him out of her mind.
As Aurora made it into her bedroom, she slammed the door and pressed her back to it. Everything called for her to return to him, to go back down those stairs. She felt like she had while reading those books. Insatiable. Aurora tore her training clothes off and went to the bathing room. She turned on the water and sat on the edge of the tub, staring out the window while her leg shook. When the water was at a sufficient level, she turned the faucet off and threw whatever scents she could into it to smother the smell of Azriel on her skin.
As she sunk beneath the surface of the water, all she could picture was him. His hazel eyes that seemed to glow when light hit them, his sharply cut face that called the shadows to it. The small scars that were scattered around his brow, cheeks, and lips. The way his muscle tensed when she'd touch it. Everything had her drowning in emotion. Aurora held her head beneath the water, hoping the pictures of his body and face would disappear when she emerged. They didn't.
The bath was agonizing, as was the feeling of the clothes on her skin when she dressed. Mor had left a gown on her bed along with a coat. It was a long sleeved gown of midnight, the black color was in contrast with the white fur on the coat. She tugged on stockings and thick wool socks beneath the gown and boots. Before Aurora could pull on the coat, Mor came into the room.
"Rhys wants you to show your power. Not literally, but look like you belong here. That you have no desire to return to them because you have thrived in the Night Court. He also told me I shouldn't have you wear a white coat with a black dress," she rolled her eyes as she dropped a black fur coat onto the bed. Aurora noted the bag in her hand. "Come sit at the vanity," Mor instructed. Aurora stood and did as she was told. Her eyes fell onto the face that stared back.
Aurora hated looking in the mirror, and she didn't do it often. The last time she had was when Madja showed her the scars on her body. Back then, she had been hollow, shadows cast beneath her bones and eyes. Her hair had been the dullest of auburn. Now, her skin had a touch of sun to it; tanned with a hint of pink along her cheeks and nose. Freckles had begun to appear dotted along her face, a face that had filled out and looked soft compared to the angular look before. Her hair shown in the light and wasn't flat atop her head, rather, near her scalp where it had dried, her hair was voluminous and a much brighter coppery color. Her eyes. The emerald color was brilliant, light reflected and they looked full of emotion.
"I'm going to curl your hair and apply some makeup," Mor explained as she pulled a brush from her bag. Aurora nodded and studied herself as Mor worked. Her hair had dried in curlers as Mor used brushes and her fingers to apply makeup to Aurora's eyes and lips. Aurora blinked at the mirror when Mor returned to her hair.
She had coated her eyelids with deep brown shades, her lashes dark and long. Her lips were painted the same red that Mor wore proudly. Aurora felt her chest ache at the sight. Finally, she felt like she belonged with the females in this house. They all had devastatingly beautiful features that always seemed enhanced by color and shine; Aurora was average in her mind. Now, she held that same soul-crushing stare that Nesta or Mor had, the one where any male would drop to their knees for them at an instant.
"Cauldron," Aurora whispered, leaning forward. How had such little application changed her view on herself so easily?
"I know, you're beautiful," Mor grinned as she tugged the curlers from Aurora's hair. "You always have been, especially now that you're healthy and strong, but makeup always makes a female feel powerful, doesn't it?"
Aurora nodded as she gaped at herself. Her somehow brighter hair fell over her shoulders in loose curls. Aurora felt the ends of them, the smooth hair threaded through her fingers. She turned and grinned at Mor.
"Thank you." Mor gave her a soft smile as she ran her fingers through Aurora's hair.
"You're welcome. Now, let's get down there before Rhys kicks my ass."
Aurora stood, gathered the black fur coat in her arm, and followed Mor out the door. Mor was in a long sleeved red gown, the same red that stained both their lips. She had taken the white fur coat for herself. They moved down the stairs, and Aurora felt him. The shadows called to her, led her to Azriel. Her breath grew heavy as he came into view. Cassian had a grip on his bicep, anchoring him beside him. Azriel's head was dipped, his eyes meeting hers through dark lashes. She watched the black fabric on his chest rise in a deep breath. Those blue siphons flared, his jaw clenching. He was in a fitted black outfit, sword tucked behind him and a dagger on his thigh. His wings seemed to rise along with the shadows. Cassian's grip on his arm tightened.
"You look beautiful," Azriel spoke in a low voice as she grew closer, stopped by Mor's hand on her arm.
"So do you," Aurora whispered, unsure if the words reached him. They did, she knew now, as his eyes darkened and tongue ran along his bottom lip. Aurora swallowed hard as she tore her eyes from him and turned to Mor and Rhysand. Rhys, Cass, and Az were all in black. Rhysand's was a stunning outfit with silver laced in the thread of his coat, somehow heightening the violet in his eyes. Cassian wore the same outfit as Azriel, but Az had taken her breath away.
"Mor and I will be winnowing us all to Kallias's estate. Beneath it is the dungeon with Aldric's cell. Cormac will join us in the throne room, he requested an audience. Azriel and Cassian will join you in the dungeon, all of us will be in the throne room." Rhysand's tone was low, sending chills through Aurora. Was he dreading this? Should she be more afraid than she already is?
Mor released Aurora's arm to tug her coat on, Aurora followed in suit. Azriel didn't move his eyes from her. Every time she met them, it felt as if her heart would throw itself out her chest. Rhysand marched over to Cassian and Azriel, gripping both their arms as they were all wrapped in shadows and night itself. When they were gone, Aurora turned to Mor.
"Ready?" The female asked, gently taking Aurora's hand. She nodded, letting out a slow breath. With the absence of Azriel, it felt as if she could breathe again. Mor shot her a smile before they, too, were wrapped in darkness.