Winds of Fire [ACOTAR]

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Velaris was practically empty as Prim made her way back to the House of Wind. It was like everyone had heard of the war rumours and decided to stay inside. If that were true, Prim couldn't blame them. The air felt heavier than usual, as if there was a weight to it that wasn't there before. Prim weaved her way through the streets, carrying her bag of books and looking over her shoulder as if something bad was going to happen. By the time she reached the House of Wind, she was hurrying up the stairs to get inside. Upon entering, she could hear low chatter coming from the sitting room. Azriel was still here. Removing her shoes and coat, and placing her bag of books down on the table, Prim wandered into the room. Azriel was sat on the sofa, his wings spread out behind him as he leant forward over a plate, a slice of lemon drizzle cake in his hand. Orion was sat in the armchair, his leg crossed over his knee and his own plate of cake balancing upon it.

Prim cleared her throat, announcing her presence as she crossed her arms over her chest, "You know Elain made that cake for me, right?"

Azriel's eyes went wide, a small smile on his lips as he set his plate down, "Sorry, I didn't realise."

Prim chuckled, shaking her head and moving toward the table to cut herself a slice, "It's fine, I wouldn't be able to eat it all by myself anyway."

Without a plate, Prim moved to the other armchair and sat herself down, pulling her knees up beneath her and using her palm to collect crumbs as she bit into the delicious sponge. "Nesta said you would be here," Prim told Azriel, speaking between the food in her mouth.

"You saw Nesta?" Asked Orion curiously, setting his empty plate back down on the table.

Prim nodded, "Yeah, at the bookstore, she told me that Azriel would be here telling you about the meeting tomorrow."

Azriel nodded, "I told him that already, we were also discussing the Illyrian war camps, now that we might have a war on our hands it's very important to know who is under control of what."

Orion nodded in agreement, leaning back in his chair, "My cousins - Lyra and Apollo - are currently holding up the fort there. I've agreed to join them if things get too much."

This was Prim's first time hearing about Lyra and Apollo, she was almost certain she had not met them before. "Are those Cassian and Nesta's children?" Prim asked, to which Orion simply nodded.

Aziel spoke next, his voice as gentle as always, "It's not likely that they'll need Orion's assistance but it's always nice to have a backup plan, just in case."

Azriel was not like Cassian, Prim thought. They were both Illyrian warriors, but there was something deeper separating them. Azriel was soft and gentle, kind and compassionate. Cassian was far sharper, loud and easily bothered, stubborn and assertive. Something told Prim that most Illyrians were like Cassian, and that Azriel was a diamond in the rough.

"Of course," Prim agreed, though she did not like the idea of Orion leaving, "I understand."

Having finished his cake, Azrielstood up from the sofa, stretching out both his arms and his wings. "I should probably get going," He sighed, "I don't like being away from Elain for too long."

Prim smiled at that, at the love that Azriel so clearly had for his wife and unborn child, "How is Elain?" 

Azriel's lips immediately spread into a grin, "She's good, the pregnancy is being kind to her."

"That's good to hear, tell her I said hello," Prim insisted, standing up as Orion did to show Azriel out. Azriel said his goodbyes to Prim and she stayed behind in the sitting room as Orion led him out into the foyer. She could hear the gentle chatter from them as she moved through the room to collect the plates. The door swung shut and Prim turned in time to see Orion walk back into the room, he scooped up the plate with the cake on and they moved toward the kitchen together.

"Do you really think you'll have to go to the Illyrian camps?" Prim asked as she brushed the crumbs from the cake into the bin and set the plates down into the sink.

Despite having her back to him, Prim could practically see the smirk on Orion's lips as he spoke, "Why? You're not worried about me, are you?"

Prim chuckled, turning toward Orion. He was leaning against the counter, smiling at her gently. She found herself stepping closer to him, looking up into those bright blue eyes of his. She was bitting down on her bottom lip as she whispered, "I'm worried about everyone now."

Orion nodded slowly, "It's going to be okay, Prim. If there's anything I promise, it is that."

Prim knew he could not promise such a thing, but it made her feel better. Orion was always making her feel better recently. She gave him her best attempt at a smile as she brushed past, collecting her books from the foyer and disappearing upstairs.