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“Ugh, I don’t think I can move,” Cassian groaned as he leaned back in his chair holding his flat stomach like a pregnant female cradling the curve of her belly.Nesta's brow furrowed and she quickly twisted in her seat to face the male. “Are you insulting the House’s cooking?”Elain stifled a laugh as her younger sister rolled her eyes and Rhys sighed so heavily it sent a few strands of Elain’s golden brown hair skimming across her cheek.“We’ve told you before we don’t want to hear your foreplay.” Amren told them dryly. Elain looked down to the end of the table where Azriel had quietly sat half hidden by his shadows and the poor lighting in the corner of the restaurant for most of the night. Smiling, she dipped her head to try to catch his eye, but he kept his gaze low as he reached a scarred, shadow-ringed hand towards his glass of wine.Cassian's eyes gleamed wickedly. "Now, now, Amren -"“All right,” Elain’s chair vibrated from the sudden weight of Rhys’ hand on the top rail. “Let’s get this young male home.” He nodded down to his chest; Elain’s smile revived at the sight of the black haired, velvet winged babe snoring gently.“Yes, time for this young male to get home,” Cassian quipped.Whatever else said he with a taunting smile that made Nesta blush and Amren roll her eyes was thankfully lost in the scrape of chairs on the polished walnut floor.“Ooh!” Elain breathed, a shiver wracking her shoulders as she left the warmth of the restaurant. With the brilliant star strewn sky now fully covering Velaris it felt like the temperature had dipped enough to rival a night in the Winter Court.Nesta and Cassian brushed past her, her older sister calling over her shoulder that she’d see her the next day. Cassian paused long enough to graze Elain's cheek with wine warmed lips before he jogged over to the empty stretch of the river walk where Nesta waited. He scooped her up, and with a powerful thrust of his wings launched them into the sky. They disappeared in the darkness, their progress towards their home in the eastern mountain range marked only by a smooth line of stars blotting out in succession.Reaching into her coat pockets for her gloves, Elain stepped to the side to let a faery couple with fish scaled purple skin, drooping earlobes, and shimmering, violescent wings pass by.“You’re welcome,” Rhys’s voice drifted from inside the restaurant as he held the door open for them. “Thank you. He’s almost eight months old now.”“Ready? Az agreed to winnow Amren home once she finishes her drink since I want to try to get a little sleep in before Nyxie wakes again.” Feyre said.Elain hummed in agreement. She knew Azriel wouldn’t winnow her to the townhouse, there was no reason to when Feyre and Rhys could, but it had been so long since he last wrapped his arms around her.“I know I put them in my pockets,” Elain muttered, scraping her fingers along the seams of her pockets like the action would make her gloves magically appear. She turned in a circle. The delphinium blue leather should have stood out like a faelight against the cobblestones.“Your gloves?" Feyre shifted to study the ground too.“What’s this? I thought you would have left by now.” Rhys asked.“Elain can’t find her gloves,” Feyre replied. She shook her head. “I don’t see them.”“I didn’t spot them on my way out, but I wasn’t looking,” Rhys said.Elain sighed. “Would you mind waiting a minute? Perhaps they fell out in the coat room.”“Of course,” Feyre half shrugged.“Just buy new ones.” Amren pitched in as she joined them.“Do you buy something new every time you lose something?” Feyre asked, sounding aghast.Elain was as surprised as her sister. For the last three years she had more money than a mortal could spend in their lifetime but she still strived to be as economical as possible after spending eight years starving with her family in a ramshackle cottage.Amren arched one thin black brow. “Why not?”Leaving them to it, Elain turned and nearly collided with something broad and dark and soft looking.“Oh, I’m sorry.” She stammered, stepping back and angling her head up to see Azriel’s hazel eyes staring down at her. His full lips twitched upward in a small, dry smile. This close Elain could tell his sweater wasn't black, it was the color of the Sidra at night, and she could smell cedar and mist. She shivered.“I found these on the floor.” Azriel held out her gloves.Elain stared at them for a moment admiring the juxtaposition of the smooth, soft blueish-purple leather against the raised ridges and valleys of his golden brown scars. They were so small in his large hand. “Thank you.”“Excellent. I’m glad you found them. Let’s go, Elain.” Rhys said briskly.“Good night, Elain.” Azriel nodded down at her.“I’ll make you quiver later,” he whispered, his little finger caressing the back of her hand as he walked past her.A frisson of anticipation and pleasure rushed through Elain’s body. The three weeks he’d been away on a surveillance mission was too long to be apart.Azriel nodded to Rhys and Feyre. “Good night.”“About time. I’m sure everyone is eager to get home.” Amren said pointedly.Elain hastily tucked her gloves back into her pocket. As her hand slipped out something cool weaved around it and nipped at her fingers like tiny love bites. The weight of her gloves pressing against her thigh disappeared and the pocket fell flat, empty. Elain wiggled her fingers, teasing the shadows she realized had been sent to steal her gloves. Again.“Yes, it’s been a long day and it’s caught up with me.” She agreed as she crossed back to take her sister's hand. “And we have our first meeting with the Palace governors about Solstice celebrations tomorrow.”As the night turned to writhing smoke Elain smiled. In a few minutes she and Azriel would finally be alone in the home no one knew they shared.