He slid the small box across her desk. "If you see Gwyn, would you give this to her?"
Clotho angled her hooded head, and her enchanted pen wrote on a piece of paper, A Solstice gifi from you?
Azriel shrugged. "Don't tell her it came from me."
Why?
"Does she need to know? Just tell her it was a gift from Rhys."
That would be a lie.
"Look, I..." Az searched for the words, his voice becoming quiet. "If there's another priestess here who might appreciate it, give it to them. But I'm not taking that necklace with me when I leave."
She wrote, I'll give it to Gwyneth, Tell her a friend left it for her.
He wouldn't go so far as to call Gwyn a friend, but... "Fine. Thank you."
Clotho's pen moved once more. She deserves something as beautiful as this. I thank you for the joy it shall bring to her.
Something sparked in Azriel's chest, but he only though, as he ascended the stairs back to the House proper. How Gwyn's teal eyes might light upon seeing the necklace. For whatever reason... he could see it.
But Azriel tucked away the thought, consciously erasing the slight smile it brought to his face. Buried the image down deep, where it glowed quietly.
A thing of secret, lovely beauty.
art credit: fictional.bee