A Court of Golden Shadow || Elain x Azriel

Chapter 23 - You Reap What You Sow

Elain wiped the sweat from her brow as she adjusted her sunhat and leaned back onto her ankles. The sound of wooden sparring swords thumping and clashing carried over her flowerbeds, drawing her attention from the azalea she was replanting. Elain reluctantly peeked her head over the raised garden bed to get a better view of the training session. Azriel was sparring with Gwyn, her bouncing red ponytail flashing in the sun, a smile beaming across her freckled cheeks as she danced around the Shadowsinger, dodging the blows and gracefully avoiding the surrounding plants and flowers.

Elain sighed.

They looked good together.

A Valkyrie and the High Lord of the Night Court's Shadowsinger. They seemed like opposites in many ways; the light around Gwyn dancing and reflecting off her sparkling eyes as she blocked blow after blow while Azriel's shadows pooled and billowed around his ankles and wings. Elain couldn't help but frown.

The Valkyeries had been taking up practice in Helion's garden courtyards during the afternoons Elain spent exploring her magic with plants.

Azriel had been leading Emerie and Gwyn through their typical training in sword fighting, dagger work, and to Elain's chagrin; hand-to-hand combat. Lucien had been joining her recently as well, forgoing the pegasus rides with Helion to spend time in Elain's company. She wondered vaguely if the presence of a certain winged male had anything to do with Lucien's sudden interest in following her around the gardens, but she did not mind. If they were to be together for the rest of her life, then she wanted to show him her newfound magic.

Sandrielle had been helping Elain hone some of her power recently, and the two females had discovered that Elain could manipulate the very movement or growth of plants by concentrating her power toward them. Just yesterday, Elain had moved an entire tree branch, and two days ago, she had manipulated a lilac bush to grow entirely new stems out of thin air. Upon this discovery, a delighted Helion had joined her and the High Priestess in the gardens, following them around the courtyards, directing her toward different plants and shrubs, excitedly clapping every time she grew a flower larger or caused a fruit tree to blossom. The High Lord had showered her with his typical litany of compliments, declaring that Elain's residence in Velaris had been a crime against Prythian, though he was pleased that the jewel had come to stay in his palace.

Rolling her eyes to herself with a smile, Elain fingered an azalea bloom through her thumb and forefinger, and reached to pick up her gardening sheers. Lucien was leaning against the raised flowerbed beside her, his back to the Valkyrie training session. His arms were crossed and he had resting back, eyes closed, soaking in the warm Day Court sun. Elain wondered if Lucien felt at home in Patras... if the sunshine somehow felt more comfortable to him than the bristling dead leaves of the Autumn Court.

Ever since Feyre's revelation, she had not been able to tear her eyes away whenever Helion and Lucien interacted, wondering when and how the information of Lucien's paternity would surface. IF it would ever surface.

Drawing her eyes back toward the clashing swords, Elain watched as Azriel and Gwyn sparred across the small courtyard. Azriel was forcing Gwyn backward, jabbing and lunging with the wooden sword, the Priestess narrowly dodging and twirling, almost like she was dancing. But she was no match for the Shadowsinger, who seemed to be toying with her before growing weary of the sparring, flipping around and taking her from behind, his arm wrapped across her collarbones, a scarred hand gripping shoulder with Truth Teller raised to the side of her neck. Gwyn shrieked, laughing and pulling at his arm, begging for release as she lifted her feet from the ground, kicking and thrashing.

Elain watched, her eyes glued to the duo as they struggled, as she saw Azriel's hand release, a rare smile breaking across his tanned face.

And Elain heard, rather than saw the heavy garden sheers fall from her hands, cracking beneath on the marble. Lucien, startled from the noise sprang up into a fighting stance and reached for a dagger on his bandolier.