A Court of Whispers and Song

Chapter 54

Standing there, stunned, Gwyn's pulse raced inside her numb body.

The necklace was... Elain's?

But she remembered that day vividly.

Clotho motioned for Gwyn to follow as she shuffled out of the evening service at eight with the other priestesses. When they'd arrived at her desk, Clotho's gnarled hands pushed a splendid necklace across the surface toward her. A dainty charm of glass dangling from the delicate gold chain.

"That's beautiful," Gwyn said fondly. "Did someone drop it? I can find out who and return it straight away."

Clotho's head shook beneath her hood. The scratch of a pen following, No, Gwyneth, it's a gift.

"Well, that is a wonderful gift. Do you want me to deliver it? Who is it for?"

It's meant for you.

"It's—this for me?" she'd asked, her voice rising with surprise. For no one besides her mother or Catrin had given her a gift.

It's from a friend, Clotho's pen scrawled on her ever-present book of parchment. Even in the dim glow of fae light, Gwyn swore the High Priestess's mouth curled up on one side with a secret.

The young priestess's heart swelled as she accepted the jewelry in her palm, trembling fingers curving around the cool metal and glass. Gwyn had never received such a gift before. At least not ones that weren't homemade. After all, priestesses were not ones to fixate on worldly possessions. That a friend left this for her? She wondered who...

Two Solstices ago, a day or so before. A chilly night alone on a rooftop, a snapping, belligerent white ribbon and a crisp breeze her only companion.

A gift from a friend.

A pair of tired hazel eyes found her, watching. Clouded breath and shadows.

A gift from a friend.

Icy eyes thawing with amusement at her dismissal. "Are you kicking me out?"

A gift from a friend.

"Try cutting the ribbon again."

A gift from a friend.

The world shifted beneath her feet.

Gwyn glanced down at her wrist, the charm adorning her friendship bracelet—the same pendant that had inadvertently saved their asses during the Blood Rite. A precious bauble Gwyn had removed from the gold chain when she misplaced the third ornament for the Valkyrie friendship bracelets.

She shook her head in disbelief. The silly thing was, Azriel had been on her short list of suspects. Gwyn knew none of the priestesses could have afforded such a gift. Nesta would have presented it to herself. As would Emerie. Cassian's sole focus at the time was Nesta. That left only one person...

Over these months, Gwyn waited for Az to acknowledge the gift. He never did. Not once. Truthfully, that had been fine. When he'd left it, they'd been merely training partners. A teacher and eager student. At the early stages of a budding friendship.

"Azriel gave it to me. A Solstice present," Elain said, confirming what Gwyn had already pieced together. "If it helps, I returned the necklace to him."

The middle sister offered Gwyn a wry smile, gracing her full lips. "I realized then that you two were close," Elain continued, keeping pace in front of the fireplace. "I was still skeptical about you. I wished to give you the benefit of the doubt, you see. So I engaged the help of another."