A Court of Golden Shadow || Elain x Azriel

Chapter 18 - You Came For Me

Elain's body stilled, the light from her hands beginning to dim. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the water, allowing herself to scream once more, a single name shooting from her gut.

Azriel .

And as she felt her body finally rest on the floor of the riverbed, Elain grasped for conscious thought. She pushed and pulled, willing herself to think of her sisters... of Nyx... her flowers... and Azriel. Anything that would give her strength... anything that would keep her going.

But it was no use. She felt her mind emptying completely, unable to even forge the image of Nyx' sweet face in her mind.

But then there was a hand. A hand on her wrist. Air. Air on her face. A body holding her... the hard ground beneath her back. Had she died? No... she felt alive.

Coughing and sputtering, Elain gripped onto her savior, trying to open her eyes through the mess of kohl stinging her lids. Hysterical sobs escaped her throat, the coughing river water still draining from her mouth as she pulled herself closer to the fae. Taking a gasping breath, she smelled cedar. And mist.

"Azriel" she whimpered, her eyes still closed, unable to quench the relief she felt as she smelled him. "You came for me."

Dragging her face close to his chest, she peeked her eyes open as she felt his wings wrap around her, the light from her fingertips beginning to dim now, glowing warm and golden against his shadows. She felt his scarred hand rubbing her back as her chest heaved with labored breaths and sobs breaking through every so often.

"It's okay. I'm here. I have you." Azriel was whispering through her sopping hair, his mouth to her ear as she felt her breathing begin to steady and her soul center.

And they stayed like that for what felt like both a short and a long while. Close.

But then Elain felt another hand, a firm and angry hand grasping her arm. Her eyes flew open in confusion as she realized she was being ripped away from the Shadowsinger's chest; away from his safety, his scent, her center.

"Get your fucking hands off my mate!" The words hissed into her peaceful serenity as the hand wrenched her toward its master. She flailed, reaching back toward Azriel, but the hand was stronger, pulling her close before throwing her back behind it, onto the hot marble. Elain's desperately covered her head with her arms, breaking the impact as she smacked into the hard stone.

She turned then, eyes wide as she saw Lucien towering above her, facing away toward the Shadowsinger. Azriel lunged toward her but Lucien blocked his way, slamming into the Shadowsinger. Drawing to his full height, Elain watched with mild terror as Azriel narrowed his eyes toward the fireling, his wings flaring to their full width, and his shadows creeping up her mate's ankles, twisting and turning until Lucien's whole body had nearly been enveloped in chilling darkness.

He yelped, trying to kick away the crawling shadow as Azriel stepped toward him, his fists balled, violence throbbing in his gaze. "Your mate? You mean the female you just violently wrenched to the ground?"

Lucien seemed to blink, whirling around, which left an opening for Azriel, who immediately strode past him, scooping Elain to his chest again. She curled into his scent, relief coursing through her as she tucked her face into his chest, trying to block out the sight of her mate gaping toward them in anger.

"She was drowning in the fucking river. She was screaming and swallowing water. I saved her. You're welcome." Azriel spat the words toward Lucien as Elain let out a shudder, nudging her face closer to him, pushing her nose into the space between his chest and arm, hiding herself in him.