9

                                    

                                          
When Gwyn wakes, Emerie and Azriel are in the chairs near her bed, and she almost turns around to look for Catrin and her mother, the vision of the two of them seems so incredible. Then Emerie realizes she's awake and smiles, her golden eyes tilting up, and Gwyn realizes that she's really here, that Azriel has fallen asleep waiting for her to wake, and when she smiles back at Emerie, she hopes her friend can't see the heat that's rising on her cheeks.
                          
"He didn't want you to be alone when you woke up," her friend says, "and Anahit has said I need to spend some time upright. Madja took a look after she saw to you and said that I was recovering nicely."
                          
"You're practically healed." Gwyn's eyes have filled with tears, which is unlike her. But today -- or however long it's been since the firebird appeared over Velaris -- has undone something inside her, and now she's full of too much power and too many emotions, too exhausted to fully control her more embarrassing reactions.
                          
Emerie knows better than to tease her. She only reaches out her hand, her bracelet with its silver charm glowing on her wrist, and Gwyn takes it, even though the motion makes her realize the ache in every one of her joints, worse than the first week of training.
                          
"You're going to be all right?" Emerie asks. "I felt the power even inside. Nesta and Cassian said it was you. That Azriel was frantic."
                          
"I'll be fine in a few days. I need to learn better control."
                          
"You're going to tell me why you never mentioned your powers?"
                          
Gwyn presses Emerie's hand, grateful for the question, the lack of accusation in it.
                          
"I could make you do anything I wanted," she says, the softest way she can explain it. "In the temple, the high priestess told me the power was an aberration. I had to control it all the time, or I could hurt people. And then, when Hybern came..." 
                          
She cannot talk about that now, not with so much in her mind, and Emerie squeezes her fingers tight.
                          
"Nesta says you saved everyone," is all Emerie says.
                          
"Only because I was stupid." Because if she had left the box where it was, maybe there would've been another way.
                          
"Sometimes that's another word for brave, Gwyn."
                          
She shifts in bed, feeling the exhaustion creep in, despite the fact that it's been years since she spent so many hours asleep.
                          
"How do your wings feel?"
                          
"A little sore and very weak. I'm going to start doing Cassian's exercises tomorrow. Anahit was very impressed by his regimen."
                          
"I'll help."
                          
Emerie snorts. "I'd like to see you try and strengthen your wings."
                          
"Maybe I'll compel you if you start slacking off." 
                          
It's the first time she's ever joked about her powers, and she expects to be scolded, but instead Emerie lets out a cackling laugh that makes Azriel startle out of sleep.
                          
"You're awake," he says, and the dreamy smile on his face makes Gwyn burst out with her own grin, not caring that Emerie is watching, that later she will have a hundred questions.
                          
Emerie is healing and Azriel is looking at her as if she is so precious, and for now, at least, Gwyn lets herself smile and enjoy.
                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          
"I have no idea how to break this spell," Lucien Vanserra says three days later, squatting in front of the box. "The signature of this magic is barely a part of this world. I'm not sure if it's even Koschei's."