Auriella laid in her bed, staring at her exquisite ceiling.

After she had left the throne room, she immediately ran to her chamber, slamming her door shut, and fell onto the floor, silently crying in her hands.

It came as a shock to her. Feyre, Prythian's savior, was responsible for the death of Clare; responsible for the death of three people Auriella cared for the most. She felt her resentment rise higher.

Pathetic, Auriella thought. She didn't want to hate someone who didn't deserve it. Feyre must have had a good reason for doing what she did. She wanted to stay alive, to survive Amarantha's wrath. But that didn't change Auriella's emotions.

She shifted in her bed, parting away from the resentful thoughts. Instead, her mind focused on those hazel eyes, remembering every unfamiliar feeling that was sent down the newfound bond they shared. Auriella couldn't believe it; couldn't grasp how, in the midst of the chaos, she had found her mate.

And somehow, it was the Spymaster of the Night Court.

Through her tears, she laughed. The thought was ridiculous. How could the spirits be so cruel to plant yet another weight on her shoulders? Wasn't she already dealing with enough?

Not that she didn't want to get to know Azriel, but she didn't know how it could be possible. She was of the Dawn and he was of Night. They were both complete opposites and living in different parts of Prythian, serving their High Lords that do not get along. It was pointless.

Even with the impossibilities, Auriella felt her heart swell, knowing that she had been paired with someone. She had always expected to find love in the streets of the Dawn Court, scouting out men with her attendants and play matchmaker.

But after Under the Mountain, she could have cared less about love. She repulsed at the idea of it. During that dreadful year, there were only painful memories, horrific nightmares, and hopelessness that lived in her mind. Love had died with Marcellus, Poppy, and Clare.

And now that she knew who her mate was, Auriella couldn't bring herself to think further about Azriel. From the stories and rumors she had heard, the Spymaster was loyal to his court. She believed he wouldn't risk himself for someone who belonged to another court, who, in his mind, could be a potential enemy.

The Daughter of Dawn rises from her bed, walking out her balcony doors, and staring out to her dimly lit court, admiring it.

Auriella couldn't feel his presence in the palace, but her heart skipped at the thought of being under the same roof with him. She was two levels up from the guest rooms where the High Lords, and their companions, were staying. Her level was heavily guarded, keeping everyone in their places.

But she knew Azriel was out there, keeping himself close to his High Lord. He was distant, but not far. If anything, he could have been perched on top of a rooftop and watching the palace from afar.

Auriella groaned, wanting to stop thinking about him. But a part of herself could not help but wonder if his thoughts were filled with her as much as hers were with him.

***

As the sun rose, Auriella was up before her attendants came in. They walked as she was changing into her casual clothing, ready to go down to the training area.

She looked at them, "I am going spar today. Whatever battle is coming our way, I want to prepare for it. I don't care if my fathers approve or not. Hybern cannot have the upper hand." Auriella says.

Valeria nods, "Of course, Ella. Do you require assistance?" She asks.

Auriella shakes her head, "Not right now. But when I get back, can there be a hot bath waiting for me?" She asks. Her attendants nod.

When Auriella makes her way to the training room, she could hear low voices echoing down the hall. She ignores them, wanting to get to her destination without anyone stopping her. She had too much on her mind that she wanted to blow off.

Once she arrives there without interruptions, she can see that Damian has moved things around or added new weapons to the racks.

Auriella scanned each one, seeing how her brother has grown and trained himself to be a warrior. He was the Son of Dawn. His responsibilities were different than his sister's. He had to protect his court, help lead troops with his father, and maintain order. He pushed himself to the limit, making sure he was better than the day before.

Auriella was proud of Damian, seeing how far he had come. When she arrived back from Under the Mountain, her brother was the first to burst out from the doors and embrace her, lifting her from the floor and crying into her shoulder. Her body was in agonizing pain but, in the moment, she didn't care. She could only smell the sea and lilac scent of her brother, letting herself remember what she had forgotten.

She wouldn't know what to do without him.

The Daughter of Dawn picked up her sword, Soulender. She couldn't remember the last time she had wielded it, but the grip of it became familiar to her hand. She carefully swung it around, letting herself become used to it again. The blade could cut through almost anything; the weight of it perfect for her slim figure.

The sword had a unique style to it, designed by her father, Zephyr. The steel blade was sharp enough to cut at the slightest touch. It's hilt contained amethyst gems, added for decoration, but ignoring the grip of the blade. The weapon was made for pure destruction.

It was a refreshing moment for her, knowing that not everything she had once learned was gone. Tears made their way to her eyes, but she blinked them away.

Auriella made her way to the middle of the room, preparing herself. She cleared her mind, temporarily ripping herself away from everything that distracted her. She imagined herself in the middle of the incoming war, picturing the enemies that were coming for her.

The Daughter of Dawn unleashed Soulender, remembering her past training. She let Zephyr's voice guide her, using every part of her body to bring down her enemies. Sweat quickly made its way down her forehead and she could not stop.

Suddenly, Auriella was not on the battlefield anymore. Instead, she was Under the Mountain, in the middle of Amarantha's throne room.

She fought every guard that kept her in there, ending their lives with a swift cut of her blade. They would not overpower her. She was free.

The rage and anger that she had felt had taken over her mind, taken control of the blade, unlike anything that she had ever experienced. She was determined to end the chaos that Amarantha had made. She wouldn't let anyone else die by her hand.

Auriella's blood-soaked hands were trembling, her body overflowed with adrenaline. The room was filled with the creatures' bodies, but one was kneeling in the middle. The Deceiver herself.

The Daughter of Dawn decapitated her without a second thought.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

Auriella reacted, snapping out of the trance. She pointed her sword at the direction of the sound, seething with anger.

Damian stood at the edge of the mat, his arms crossed against his chest, his face filled with sympathy and regret. "After so many years, I didn't think you remembered anything. But somehow, sister, you keep proving me wrong." He says.

Auriella dropped her sword to her side, wiping the sweat off her brow. "It would be hard to forget it. Father trained us for years. But you are far more experienced than I am, brother. I hope in my..." she trails off, "absence, you were able to learn more than what was taught to us."

Her brother nods, going over to the rack to pick up his sword, Wrathbringer. His sword was crafted by Zephyr, made to bring death upon any enemy in its path. The steel blade was long, containing small creases to add design. Its hilt was perfect for Damian's hands, letting him handle the sword with no issue.

"I did not let anyone touch Soulender, not even myself. I wanted it in the same place when you got home." Damian says, examining his sword, before putting it back.

Auriella shakes her head, "I wouldn't have minded it." She says to him.

He turns to her, "This war that's coming... I want you to be prepared for it. As the Children of Dawn, we are to protect our court." he says, "I don't want you to fight, but I know that at some point you might have to. I saw the way you displayed yourself, how you used your anger to fuel you. Use it."

Damian takes Soulender from her hand, "You aren't ready to wield her just yet. With you, we have to go back a few steps and get you where you need to be. I'll train you, Ella. Even in the short time we have, I'll help you." He tells her.

There he was. The Son of Dawn, ready to assist those who needed it. Auriella could only nod, agreeing with her brother. If he said that she wasn't ready, then she wasn't.

"When did you become so wise, brother?" Auriella asked him.

Damian scoffed, "Being without your family for so many years can change you. I had to grow up, become a leader, make sure to keep an eye on Atreus and train my ass off to not let myself go deep into a void I couldn't come out from. It was hard, Ella, to be without you and our fathers. There wasn't a moment when I wasn't thinking about you three." He admits.

Auriella takes a deep breath, "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve to be alone. When I was there, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I missed you so much. I wished that I could have fought to come home with our fathers, but I had no chance against her." She tells him.

"Ella, we both survived dark times, you more than me. I had read through all the plans with Atreus, trying to figure out how we could get you all out of there, but there was no use. Amarantha made sure to build that place like a fortress. There was one way in and one way out. If anyone was to try and make their way through there, they would die instantly." He told her.

She held a hand up to him, "We need to leave that in the past, Damian. There is no way I could blame you for anything that happened. The important thing is that we survived. I know that I am not the same person I was before I was taken, but I'm still healing." She says.

He nods, "I just want you to know that I tried. I would be able to contain the guilt if I didn't." He tells her.

Auriella pulls him into an embrace, "I'm glad you did." She tells him.

Once they pull away from each other, Damian smiles at his sister, "Even though you tired yourself out, are you up for a lesson? Or are you not up for it?" He asked.

Before Auriella could answer, the ground shook beneath her. It was a rumble she had never felt like a powerful storm had made its way into her court and had every intention of destroying it.

And when the wall had exploded, Damian quickly shielded her, taking any kind of impact from the debris that landed. Immediately, guards flooded to the room, swords out, ready to protect the Children of Dawn.

When the twins stood from the ground, Auriella could hear the cries of her people throughout her court. Screams came from every direction. They stepped through the opening, walking out of the palace onto the grassland, her guards following their every step.

"What happened?" Auriella breathed.

Deep down, she knew what was happening, but she couldn't believe it. It was all too fast.

Damian's face had become pale, "It seems that Hybern has brought down the wall. Which means," he looks to his sister, "the war has begun."