How is that in ACOWAR, Lucien had to question if Elain's worth fighting for, his own mate?

"I want to see her [Elain]. Just once. Just—to know." "To know what?" He hitched my damp cloak higher around us. "If she is worth fighting for."

Meanwhile in that same book, Azriel who doesn't believe he's mated to Elain, didn't even hesitate. Azriel knows Elain is worth fighting for.

From the shadows near the entrance to the tent, Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, "I'm getting her back." Nesta said, "Then you will die." Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, "I'm getting her back."

So you mean to tell me that after all of these:

Elain rasped, "Nice to meet you," before hustling after her, the silk skirts of her cobalt dress whispering over the parquet floor.

A faint smile bloomed upon Azriel's mouth as he noticed Elain's fingers white-knuckled on that fork, but he kept silent

But Azriel's attention was on my sister, a polite, bland smile on his face. Her shoulders loosened a bit.

Elain said to Azriel, perhaps the only two civilized ones here, "Can you truly fly?" He set down his fork, blinking. I might have even called him self-conscious. He said, "Yes. Cassian and I hail from a race of faeries called Illyrians. We're born hearing the song of the wind." "That's very beautiful," she said. "Is it not—frightening, though? To fly so high?" "It is sometimes," Azriel said.

Elain, noticing Azriel's ease as proof that things weren't indeed about to go badly, offered one of her own as well. // ACOMAF ch24

And I think Elain—Elain would like it, too. Though she'd probably cling to Azriel, just to have some peace and quiet." I smiled at the thought—at how handsome they would be together. // ACOMAF Ch49

Hello, sweet thing. Hello, lady of night, princess of decay. Hello, fanged beast and trembling fawn. Love me, touch me, sing me.

Cassian and Azriel on either side of the bay of windows where Elain and Nesta stood in their finery, // ACOMAF ch57

Azriel arrived first, no shadows to be seen, my sister a pale, golden mass in his arms.

Azriel smiled faintly. "Would you like me to show you the garden?"

But Elain did not balk from him, did not shy away as she nodded—just once. Azriel, graceful as any courtier, offered her an arm.

I couldn't tell if she was looking at his blue Siphon or at his scarred skin beneath as she breathed, "Beautiful." Color bloomed high on Azriel's golden-brown cheeks,

Elain sat silently at one of the wrought-iron tables, a cup of tea before her. Azriel was sprawled on the chaise longue across the gray stones, sunning his wings and reading what looked to be a stack of reports,

"Why not make them mates?" I mused. "Why Lucien?"

"A mating bond can be rejected," // ACOWAR Ch24

"Can I set you up in the garden? The herbs you planted are coming in nicely." "I can help her," said Azriel, stepping to the table as Elain silently rose. No shadows at his ear, no darkness ringing his fingers as he extended a hand

The two Illyrians paused their inspection of me long enough to note my sisters finishing up breakfast, Nesta in a pale gray gown that brought out the steel in her eyes, Elain in dusty pink. Both males went a bit still. // ACOWAR Ch30

"Elain is fine," Rhys said. "Azriel was at the town house. // ACOWAR Ch32

"See what he can do. If anyone can sense if something is amiss, it's a mate." // ACOWAR Ch28 to this "She doesn't need anything," Azriel answered without so much as looking at Lucien. Elain was staring at the spymaster now—unblinkingly. "We're the ones who need ..." Azriel trailed off. "A seer," he said, more to himself than us. "The Cauldron made you a seer." // ACOWAR Ch32

It made sense, I supposed, that Azriel alone had listened to her. The male who heard things others could not ... Perhaps he, too, had suffered as Elain had before he understood what gift he possessed. ///ACOWAR Ch33

while shadows gathered around Azriel, Elain at his side, wide-eyed at the spymaster's display.

Then Azriel, gently taking Elain's hand in his own, as if afraid his scars would hurt her. // ACOWAR Ch50

But Azriel asked softly, "What about Elain?" // ACOWAR Ch 63

Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, "I'm getting her back." Nesta slid her gaze to the shadowsinger. Azriel's hazel eyes glowed golden in the shadows. Nesta said, "Then you will die." Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, "I'm getting her back." // ACOWAR Ch64

Azriel gently removed the gag from her mouth. "Are you hurt?" She shook her head, devouring the sight of him as if not quite believing it. "You came for me." The shadowsinger only inclined his head.

Azriel still cradling Elain to his chest. He dripped blood behind him the entire time

Yet Elain didn't seem to notice them as she rose up on her toes and kissed the shadowsinger's cheek. // ACOWAR Ch65

Azriel, still limping, merely nudged aside Cassian and extended another option. "This is Truth-Teller," he told her softly. "I won't be using it today—so I want you to."

He gently took her hand and pressed the hilt of the legendary blade into it. "It will serve you well."

Never, Rhys said from where he finished buckling on his own weapons against the side of the wagon. I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife.

Elain looked up at Azriel, their eyes meeting, his hand still lingering on the hilt of the blade.

I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection ... that knife. // ACOWAR Ch69

"What now?" Elain mused, at last answering my question from moments ago as her attention drifted to the windows facing the sunny street. That smile grew, bright enough that it lit up even Azriel's shadows across the room. // ACOWAR Ch80

To know when and if Lucien sought her out. What they did together. "You sure about that?" I asked quietly. Azriel's Siphons guttered, the stones turning as dark and foreboding as the deepest sea. "Where did Lucien go."

Nothing. Absolutely nothing on that face, on his scent. The shadows, whatever the hell they were, hid too well. Too much. Azriel only said coldly, "If Lucien kills Graysen, then good riddance." // ACOFAS Ch7

"Don't," Elain said flatly, starting once more into a walk, veils of steam drifting past her shoulders from the roasted rosemary potatoes in her hands, as if they were Azriel's shadows.

Azriel emerged from the sitting room, a glass of wine in hand and wings tucked back to reveal his fine, yet simple black jacket and pants. I felt, more than saw, my sister go still as he approached. // in time to see Elain say to Azriel, "Hello." Az said nothing. No, he just moved toward her.

But Azriel only took Elain's heavy dish of potatoes from her hands, his voice soft as night as he said, "Sit. I'll take care of it."

Azriel didn't let go. "Wait until everyone is seated before eating." // Elain swept in, apron gone and hair rebraided. // ACOFAS Ch12

Azriel strode to the lone window at the end of the room and peered into the garden below. // "No," Azriel said, not turning from the window. // Azriel remained at the window // Azriel said, turning from the garden window at last. // ACOFAS Ch16

I found Elain studying it, beautiful in her amethyst-colored gown. I made to move toward her, but someone beat me to it. The shadowsinger was clad in a black jacket and pants similar to Rhysand's—the fabric immaculately tailored and built to fit his wings. He still wore his Siphons atop either hand, and shadows trailed his footsteps, curling like swirled embers, but there was little sign of the warrior otherwise. Especially as he gently said to my sister, "Happy Solstice." // ACOFAS Ch 19

"I had Madja make it for me," Elain explained. Azriel's brows narrowed at the mention of the family's preferred healer. "It's a powder to mix in with any drink." Silence. Elain bit her lip and then smiled sheepishly. "It's for the headaches everyone always gives you. Since you rub your temples so often."

Then Azriel tipped his head back and laughed. I'd never heard such a sound, deep and joyous. // Azriel mastered himself enough to say, "Thank you." I'd never seen his hazel eyes so bright, the hues of green amid the brown and gray like veins of emerald. "This will be invaluable." // ACOFAS Ch20

It was three by the time the others went to bed // Azriel and Elain remained in the sitting room, my sister showing him the plans she'd sketched to expand the garden in the back of the town house // ACOFAS Ch22

Azriel stilled. "What happened to Elain?" Cassian waved a hand. "A fight with Nesta. Don't bring it up," he warned when Azriel's eyes darkened //ACOSF Ch19

Feyre smiled. "Elain was the only one who guessed. She caught me vomiting two mornings in a row." She nodded toward Azriel. "I think she's got you beat for secret-keeping."

Nesta saw the blow land, like a physical impact, in Elain's face, her posture. No one spoke, though shadows gathered in the corners of the room, like snakes preparing to strike. // ACOSF Ch21

Azriel stiffened. "I know. I helped rescue Elain, after all." Az hadn't so much as hesitated before going into the heart of Hybern's war-camp.

He was still happy to be Mor's buffer with Azriel, but there'd been a change lately. In both of them. Mor no longer sat beside Cassian, draped herself over him, and Azriel ... those longing glances toward her had become few and far between. As if he'd given up. After five hundred years, he'd somehow given up.// ACOSF, Ch22

Azriel stiffened, an outright sign of temper from him as he said quietly, "There is an innate darkness to the Dread Trove that Elain should not be exposed to." // ACOSF Ch29

Feyre said, "We won't allow any harm to come to Elain. Rhys warded her this morning, and we have eyes on her at all times." "Eyes can be blinded," Nesta said. "Not the ones under my command," Azriel said with soft menace. // ACOSF ch31

"Like you two," she said, nodding to Cassian, and then, a bit more shyly, to Azriel. Azriel offered her a small smile that Elain quickly looked away from. Cassian tucked away his puzzlement. // ACOSF Ch44

Feyre and Rhys took their thrones, and Nesta and Elain came to stand at the foot of the dais, between him (Cassian) and Azriel. // ACOSF Ch57

She scanned Elain from head to toe, wondering if she'd been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends.

Azriel stood in the doorway, monitoring them. As if he'd heard Elain's sharp laugh and wondered what had caused it. // Then his gaze shifted to Elain, and though it was utterly neutral, something charged went through it. Between them. Elain's breath caught slightly,

"My shadows don't like the flames so much." A pretty lie. She'd seen Azriel before the fire plenty. But she looked at who sat close to it and knew the answer.

Shadows darkened his eyes, full of enough pain that she couldn't stop herself from touching his shoulder. Letting him see that she understood why he stood in the doorway, why he wouldn't go near the fire. His secret to tell, never hers. // ACOSF Ch58

Plus the Bonus Chapter:

He didn't need his shadows to read her tone, the slight tightening of her face.

She hadn't bought her mate a present. But she'd gotten Azriel one last year—a headache powder he kept on his nightstand at the House of Wind. Not to use, but just to look at. Which he'd done every night he'd sleep there. Or attempted to sleep there.

Because her mate had been in the family room and Azriel had needed to stay by the door the whole time because he couldn't stand the sight of it, the scent of their mating bond, and needed to have the option of leaving if it became too much.

Elain's large brown eyes flickered, well aware of all that. Just as he knew she was well aware of why Azriel so rarely came to family dinners these days.

Elain sucked in a soft breath that whispered over his skin. His shadows skittered back at the sound. They'd always prone to vanish when she was around.

A thing of secret, lovely beauty.

Azriel let his shadows whisk away the box as she said softly, "Put it on me?"

He knew it was wrong, but there he was, sliding the necklace around her. Letting his scarred fingers touch her immaculate skin. Letting them brush the side of her throat, savoring the velvet-soft texture. Elain shivered, and he took a damn long time fastening the clasp.

Until his palm lay flat against her neck. It had never gone this far. They'd exchanged looks, the occasional brush of their fingers, but never this. Never blatant, unrestricted touching. Wrong—it was so wrong. He didn't care.

What those perfect lips tasted like. Her breasts. Her sex. He needed her coming on his tongue— Azriel's cock strained behind his pants, aching so fiercely he could hardly think. He prayed she didn't peer down. Prayed she didn't understand the shift in his scent.

He had only allowed these thoughts in the dead of the night. Had only allowed his hand to fist his cock and think about her then, when even his shadows had gone to sleep. How that beautiful face might appear as he entered her, what sounds she'd make.

Her arousal drifted up to him, and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head at the sweet scent. He'd beg on his knees for a chance to taste it. But Azriel just stroked her neck again.

She looked up at him, her face so trusting and hopeful and open that he knew she had no idea that he had done unspeakable things that sullied his hands far beyond their scars.

Offer and permission. He nearly groaned with relief and need as he lowered his head toward hers.

"What if the Cauldron was wrong?" // . "The Cauldron chose three sisters. Tell me how it's possible that my two brothers are with two of those sisters, yet the third was given to another." He had never before dared speak the words aloud.

Azriel scowled. "I think Lucien will never be good enough for her, and she has no interest in him, anyway."

"You can't order me to do that."

"I'll defeat him with little effort." Pure arrogance laced every word, but it was true.

After all of this people still believes these are not enough for Elain and Azriel to be "pretty obvious" endgame? 

That these are not enough build up? 

These aren't romantic? 

This is not the author setting a slow-burn romance? 

These aren't endgame material? 

This is the author setting them up for their book.

I NEED THEIR BOOK.

LIKE NOW.

But I'll do it myself.

This will be a crossover between TOG and ACOTAR.

Plan: 50 years after Nesta and Cassian get together and after the fight that I plan to put in the book, between Rhys and Elain who is so pissed off at him for trying to control her

Velaris Attacked

Elain and Nyx portalled to Terrasen accidently

Azriel works with Inner Circle to get his pregnant wife back.

Elain talks with Aelin about her relationship with Azriel and how Rhys hated their relationship so they left the Inner circle

Aelin tells her story about her fire

Both work together to solve the issue

But then

Elain gets a vision

And it's about Aelin

GASP

Then Chaos ensues.

Ask me any questions.