Azriel Scene

An intimate interlude from Azriel's perspective on Winter Solstice night. Azriel nearly kisses Elain before Rhysand intervenes, then receives a sharp warning about pursuing her. Later, he encounters Gwyn in the training pit and gives her Elain's intended necklace as a gift.

The chapter opens with Azriel unable to sleep after the Winter Solstice party at the river house, consumed by envy over his brothers' mates. Elain finds him downstairs and gives him a gift—ear plugs to block noise from Nesta and Cassian. Azriel, in turn, presents her with a delicate rose necklace of stained glass. As he fastens it around her neck, their interaction becomes intimate and charged with attraction; he nearly kisses her before Rhysand's mental command stops him. In Rhys's office, Azriel argues that the Cauldron may have been wrong about Elain's mating bond to Lucien, but Rhysand sternly forbids him from pursuing her, warning that a Blood Duel with Lucien would shatter their political alliances. Azriel flies to the House of Wind's training pit, where he encounters Gwyn practicing. They share an easy, warm interaction in which he helps her with her sword technique. Later that evening, instead of returning Elain's necklace, Azriel gives it to Clotho to pass to Gwyn as an anonymous gift from a friend, claiming it came from Rhysand.