𝒜 𝒞𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝑅𝑒𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒮𝒸𝒶𝓇𝓈 | ᴀᴢʀɪᴇʟ

Chapter 115

Chapter 115

"You are going to poke another hole through your ear," Azriel drawled from somewhere behind her. Arwen glared, finding him in the mirror she was bent forward to see into. The earring just wouldn't go where she wanted. "And that mirror will shatter soon if you continue looking at it like that. Cauldron—Arwen!"

"It won't go in!"

He was at her side a moment later, peeling the earring from her fingertips. Azriel turned her away from the mirror and gently held her head still whilst she tried to ease her breathing. He slid the earring into her lobe then smoothed his hands down to her shoulders. "I never have trouble getting things in tight spaces." She snorted half-heartedly as he smiled. "Are you sure you want to go tonight? I'm sure our High Lord and Lady won't mind if you're not feeling up to it. You've been antsy all day."

"I can't not go," she murmured, sighing. Her brother and his mate were throwing a formal dinner at the River House as a proper celebration for the completion of their new home. That included Elain, Nesta and even Lucien had been invited but she overheard that he wouldn't be coming for Elain's sake who avoided him like he brought a mortal plague. "Besides, I'm feeling fine. Just... Irate."

The reason wasn't exactly a secret. Cassian still hadn't deigned to speak with her for the past week. They hadn't crossed paths often in that week, both working from their respective homes.

"I can talk to him," said Azriel. "Get Rhys to talk sense into him."

In a moment of childishness, she had almost demanded Rhysand to make Cassian speak to her but an image of herself stomping her foot against the ground like a bratty youngling had her stopping. "He is a grown male," she said quietly. She ran her hands along his black shirt, the wool soft against her palms. "If he doesn't want to speak to me then I shall put up with it. Besides, I have you to annoy instead."

He smiled crookedly. "Which is why I asked Rhys to seat me on the opposite end of the table from you." Arwen smacked the chest she had been admiring a moment earlier. "I tease. I'm apparently the only one that can put up with you, anyway."

He snatched her wrist with a laugh at her second shot. Hooking her other arm around his neck, she forced his head low so she could kiss it, tasting the cinnamon from the drink she had made him earlier. "Next week," she whispered. Dark lashes peeled back open as he searched her face for the meaning of her words.

"The bond?" he asked softly.

She nodded. "I don't care what plans you have, I'm done waiting for the right moment. I'll choose a day. I'll wake up and think 'this is it' then I'll make you something for breakfast. You will eat it and we will be a properly mated pair."

The smile continued to inch higher into his cheeks as the seconds passed. "The anticipation is going to keep me up every night."

Almost unconsciously, she drew her hand from his hold and traced the deep wrinkle the smile caused in his cheek. "If we are going to be away for some time, then I suggest we spend this evening with our family. I think we are already late."

"We are," he confirmed. "I just didn't want to face that glare of yours pointing it out. It's quite intimidating."

"Says the spymaster," she said, smiling and stepping away from him to find her shoes. "Can we fly over?"

Golden light spilled from the River House's arching windows and on the front steps, she could already hear the merry laughter and voices of her family inside. True to form, Arwen didn't knock and instead just walked in. Feyre who heard their entrance greeted them first. Arwen held up a bottle of wine that she managed to find down in her cellars.