Chapter 105
*Pls note, I have no memory of what the River House looks like*
Azriel landed at the front of the River Houseâa grand estate. Nothing short of a home for a High Lord and Lady. He tucked his wings to his back and knocked on the door. Rhys was quick to welcome him in but as Azriel entered the main foyer, Rhysand kept the door open and looked between the empty space and his brother.
"I thought Arwen was coming with you," he said.
"She's winnowing down," Azriel said, pulling himself away from examining the details of the room. His shadows went to work exploring as he looked at Rhys. "Nightmare. It was bad." The memory of waking to her thrashing about in the sheets flashed in his head. It had scared him, perhaps as much as whatever the nightmare was about, scared her. "She doesn't wish to be touched today." Not even by him to fly them across town. "She might walk here. The weather is nice."
"I'll let Feyre know," Rhysand said softly, sounding as though he was drifting in thought. "And Cassian, if he shows up. You don't sound happy either. Here I was hoping for a happy day, revealing the home I've been working on for weeks to my family."
"Sorry," Azriel muttered. "Wasn't the best morning." He made a gesture with his head to the large archway that led to the rest of the house, prompting his brother to lead on.
Rhysand smiled the whole way, and they met Feyre in the large sitting space which was open to the rest of the house. It had a large fireplace, tall windows on either side. Welcoming, but not homely like the town house was. Azriel was glad that they still considered the town house the place to meet together, even if it meant more disruptions to his living space.
He sat on the arm of a leather chair that had been dyed white, listening intently as Feyre pointed out all her choices of design. She hardly skipped a beat when another knock resounded through the house. Rhysand left, returning with Mor and Cassian at his heels, giving them the same tour as Azriel had just received. Mor had her head tipped back, examining details on the high ceiling that he hadn't bothered to check.
Cassian found his way to Azriel's side. "Rhys said she had a nightmare," he murmured as Mor gushed to Feyre about something Azriel didn't bother to note.
Azriel hummed in confirmation. "Give her space today."
"Any idea what it was about?"
"No," he answered, looking at the Sidra that lapped beyond the tall windows. "And just so the warning gets into youâI had to sleep in another room for half the night. So don't push her." He elongated those last four words.
He looked affronted by the tone. "I wasn't going to."
"Yet you have a marvellous habit of pushing her to tell you things she doesn't want to share."
Cassian looked at Azriel for another moment before giving another nod. As Feyre brought them back into her conversation with Mor with an offer of wine that Cassian perked at, the gentle creak of the front door came once more.
"I see knocking isn't going to be a habit," Rhysand sang beneath his breath, though he was smiling and left again to greet the newest arrival.
Azriel wasn't surprised to see him return with Arwen. Rhysand had his head tilted down as if talking to her, but neither of their lips were moving. Arwen had her arms gently folded, swathed in her light green sweater despite being a summer's day. Her lips were sent in a steady smile, violet eyes wandering as they took in the expanse of the River House. But her eyes had dark rings, a sure sign that she didn't sleep even after he had left the room. Azriel's shadows went to her, their presence unfelt but would keep her company just as they did for him.
"I'm going to look upstairs," she said, and without waiting for guidance, headed towards the staircase leading to the upper level.
"Oh, we may as well show them the whole thing. Nesta and Elain aren't coming over for a few hours and Amren is visiting Varian," Feyre said to Rhysand. "Show them the upper balcony and I'll bring up some wine."
Rhysand gave her a mocking bow, lips cutting into a smirk before gesturing to the rest of them to follow. "The balcony was in the top-ten must-haves," he told them as they strode up the marble staircase. "Feyre is very much in love with it. She spent more time out here than with me yesterday."
Azriel couldn't get over how exceptionally bright the entire place was. The town house, and a good part of the House of Wind had earthly tones and closed spaces. This entire house was like one giant room, unable to distinguish one from another.
They were led to a large balcony and it was admittedly beautiful, but Azriel knew that the way it overlooked the Sidra, which was only a minute or so's walk away from the foot of the house made the spot truly spectacular.
That and the fact that his mate was leaning against a thin metal railing.
"What a surprise finding you here," Rhysand called.
Arwen half-turned back and gave a small, tired shrug. "Feyre has been raving about it for weeks. I had to see it for myself."
He leant against the railing next to her. "And what do you think?"
She looked back to the River. "This house is big enough for me to stay in, isn't it?"
Her brother laughed. Arwen grinned, leaning back onto her heels, weight held by her grip on the railing. "It's big enough for you to visit, yes," Rhysand answered. Arwen gave a playful scowl at his particular choice of words.
Azriel went up to her other side as Cassian and Mor went to peek into some of the other rooms. The gentle breeze ruffled through his hair and lifted the lightest strands around Arwen's face. She gave a light smile in greeting to him.
"I've done all the paperwork for the town house," Rhys continued. "You just need to sign it and it's all in your name."
"Are you sure you want to give it away? I'm happy to keep it under your name."
He frowned. "Why wouldn't I? It's yours."
Arwen stretched the sleeves of her sweater over her wrists. "It's always been yours. Always been a place that you considered home. I don't want you to feel like it's not. That you can't stay there from time to time."
Azriel smiled and restrained himself from reaching out to stroke down the back of her hair. He had been wondering what had gotten her so agitated in the past week and now he realised; she didn't like the splintering of her family. She had lived under the same roof as Rhys all her life minus a few short periods of separation. More than that, she had been at his side for centuries by a tether. That thought weakened his smile. Living away from Rhys, even if she wanted it, was not something she was yet entirely comfortable with. Azriel likened it to being separated from his shadows, at how unnatural it would feel to not have them nearby, whispering at all hours in his ear.
"Please," Rhysand scoffed. "I'll be over there all the time." Azriel knew that he just went down the same road of thought. "You're going to have to redo the wards to keep me from winnowing in."
Arwen laughed; a true and deep one. "I think Azriel will appreciate that more than I will."
"Then he'll have to remember all the times he's come banging at my front door," Rhys remarked with a smile over her shoulders to Azriel who smiled back, content to remain a listener and nothing more to the conversation.
"Rhys!"
Rhysand perked at the frantic call of his mate. Arwen and Azriel spun around to find Feyre standing in the doorway leading to the balcony. Cassian and Mor were emerging from within, a glass of wine in their hands. "We forgot to bring over the good wines from the town house."
"Wine is wine!" Cassian bellowed to no one in particular, happily sipping at his own.
Rhysand chuckled. "I think our guests won't mind this one blunder."
"Speak for yourself," Arwen muttered. She backed against the railing and made a small jump, propelling herself to sit upon the narrow bar. "If you don't get it by the time I sign that paperwork, it belongs to me."
Rhysand teasingly smacked her hanging calf. "I'll get out own supply. Just so I don't have to listen to your whinging about it."
"I do not whine about wine, Rhys." She grinned, proud of herself for the play on words. Rhysand gave an incredulous laugh. Azriel chuckled under his breath, inching closer to her side with a quick glance at the height of the balcony from the ground below.
Feyre handed them all the promised wine. Azriel stayed with Arwen who was content on the railing as the others drifted closer to the shade the walls of the house offered. "Did you walk or winnow over?" he asked quietly.
"Winnowed," she said into her glass. "I think I might walk back."
"May I join or do you want the quiet?"
She smiled up at him. "You are the quiet, Az. It is getting you to talk that I have problems with."
He sipped his wine. "The other night you were complaining that I was too loud."
She blushed, failing to hide it with her ducked head. "Elain was home."
"Let her hear," he said, shrugging. Arwen gaped at him. Azriel shrugged again. "I don't care who listens or watches. It is a mark of pride for me to be with you. My limits are your comfort."
She didn't respond. But soon her arm was gliding around the backs of his shoulders and using his stability to slide down from the railing. Arwen didn't move far from it, settling tightly into his side, holding the back of his leathers. It was the first contact he's had with her in hours and couldn't stop the tightening of his own arm around her. "Walk back with me," she murmured into the side of his chest.
"Just let me know when you want to leave."
"Not for a while. I haven't annoyed Cassian yet."
Azriel regarded his brother for a moment. "Just give his wing a tug."
Arwen's hand slapped his stomach. "I wish to live."
He kissed the top of her head, smiling slightly into the thick hairs as she nuzzled against him. He had come to love her habit of clinging to him. He thought he wouldn't. Had spent hours contemplating how he would handle their difference in displays of affection yet as soon as she was in his hold, he had no mind for letting her go again. "Feeling better?"
"It's wearing off," she whispered. "The sweater helps."
Azriel balanced his glass on the thin railing behind him and leant against the frame. Arwen followed suit, placing her glass on his other side before turning into him, burrowing her face in the space between his arm and body. Her weight sagged against him. "You should sleep when we get home," he told her.
Her reply was muffled by his body. "You hardly sleep."
It was true. He only slept when he needed to. Most nights he spent awake laying in bed next to her. He used to occupy himself with other tasks, sometimes just flying. But he was also sleeping more now that he kept himself in their bed so she wasn't alone. "I still sleep when I need it."