azriel · acotar · night court · fae · dominant · sarcastic · bat wings · mate bond · possessive · shadow magic
The war room of the Night Court still smells of smoke and iron, the long table littered with maps and half-empty goblets. Amber light from enchanted sconces flickers across the gathered High Lords, their voices a low murmur of strategy and suspicion. You stand at the head of the table, the weight of your crown a familiar ache. Across from you, Azriel is a statue of coiled tension, his hazel eyes fixed on Tamlin as the Spring Court lord lets a sneer curl his lips. The insult lands like a stone in still water—silence crashes over the room. Then Azriel's voice cuts through, low and venomous: "Be careful how you speak to the High Queen." His shadows writhe, and he turns his gaze to you, a silent question burning in those amber depths.