Auriella swung Soulender through the air, picturing herself on the battlefield once more.

After spending a majority of her time out in the gardens by herself with Perseus, she had grown restless, yearning to wield her sword. She immediately ran up to her room, changing out of her elegant clothes.

She had searched up and down the House of Wind to find the training room. And once she did, her heart raced with excitement.

The training room was enormous, filled with all different kinds of equipment. Auriella recognized most of them. Back at the Dawn Court, Damian would be the one to lift weights and increase his strength, while Auriella relied purely on her body.

Perseus carried the stick from the gardens, sitting on the floor, gnawing on it.

Within minutes, Auriella had dripped sweat onto the mat, breathing heavily. She used every move her fathers and brother taught her. She pleaded with her mind to use her shadows, seeing if they would react, but nothing.

She kept trying. Time and time again, they would shift, but nothing would happen.

But suddenly, her shadows reacted, but not because of her. Even Perseus stood from his spot, dropping his stick, and standing in front of his owner, protecting her. He let out a low growl in warning.

Glimmering grey smoke protruded from the walls, making Perseus let out a bark. Auriella took a stance, lifting Soulender. "Show yourself!" She yelled out.

The smoke immediately turned black. Two beautiful fae females revealed themselves from the shadows. The women were identical to one another; twins. Their dark skin gleamed, along with the silver jewelry that was around their arms and necks. They were dressed in the same clothes, a beautiful black and gold silk dress that complimented them perfectly.

Auriella stared into their piercing blue eyes. She had never seen these women before, but she was sure that she knew them, but nothing came to mind as to how.

One of the women stepped closer to Auriella, a smile rising up to her lips. "Hello, Daughter of Dawn. It is an honor to meet you. I am Nuala," she gestured to her twin, "and this is my twin sister, Cerridwen." She says.

Auriella sheaths Soulender, wiping the sweat off of her forehead. "Please, call me Auriella. I'm sorry for pointing my sword. I thought I was alone." She says.

Perseus cautiously goes over to the twins, sniffing them. The twins chuckle, petting the wolf. He wags his tail, licking the hands of the girls. Auriella became skeptical. Perseus wasn't particularly kind to people he just met. He needed to be around them more to be comfortable, but with the twins, it was like he already knew them.

She let her mind wander to Azriel, remembering how Perseus did the same. Azriel had smiled at the wolf as if they were both reunited once again. Her heart tightens at the memory.

Nuala looks up at the Daughter of Dawn, "Would you like anything, Auriella? Our High Lady has assigned us to look after you. We are here to help with anything you need." She says.

Auriella scoffs, "Thank you, girls. If it's not too much trouble, I would like a glass of water. I forgot to bring one from the kitchen, mostly because I forgot where it is." She tells them.

Cerridwen chuckles, her gorgeous smile illuminating her face. "We will get that for you. Again, we are delighted to have you here, Auriella." She says before the twins both disappear in their clouds of smoke.

Perseus turns back to his owner. She looks down at him, narrowing her eyes. "It seems like you get comfortable with the Night Court folk very quickly. Is there something that I am missing here or are you getting soft on me, Perseus?" She asks.

Her wolf barks, lifting his front legs up and planting them on her stomach. Auriella chuckles, petting his head, earning a few licks on her face from the mutt. "Alright, I won't say that again. But you better not prove me right next time." She says.

The doors of the training room open. Auriella expects the twins to walk in, but instead, Cassian and Emerie are there. "Well, would you look at that? The Daughter of Dawn is getting her training in early." The Illyrian male says, kneeling down, patting his thighs for Perseus to go to him. The wolf does.

Emerie walks up to Auriella, "Ah, so you are the impatient type, aren't you? From what Cassian said, you are pretty badass with a sword." She says.

Auriella huffs out a laugh, "My brother and I trained almost all our lives with it. I wouldn't say that I am a badass, but I'll take the compliment." She says, nodding to Cassian, who coos at the wolf.

The Illyrian female chuckles, "Well, I'd like to see what you got, Daughter of Dawn. I hope you don't mind people watching you, but you have me a bit curious." Emerie says, backing from the mat, giving Auriella room.

She unsheathed Soulender once more, making Cassian whistle, "She is a beauty up close. I'll trade you for a better one for her." He says.

Auriella scoffs, examining her sword, "Whatever you trade me is utter trash compared to my sword. Soulender is one of a kind. My father designed her for me. I couldn't bear to part with her. She has been with me since I was young." She says.

Cassian smirks, "And what would you do if someone took it from your hands?" He asks.

The Daughter of Dawn's dimming shadows swirled around her like they could sense her conflicting emotions. She looked over to the general, "Then I will have to stain another sword with the blood of my enemies until I find Soulender again." She says.

The general walks up to the Daughter of Dawn, unsheathing his own sword. "If you are so confident in that sword, I would like to see you take it up with mine. I don't have a name, but she has helped me in plenty of battles." He says, holding it up.

Auriella scans it for a brief moment, seeing the sharpness of the blade. The steel gleamed, reflecting in the light of the room. It was a beauty to be sure. There was no design on it like Soulender, but it was clear that the general took care of his sword.

She looked back up at him, nodding. "I would like to take that challenge, general," Auriella says, making Cassian grin, looking over to his lover with a wink. He ripped off his shirt, extending his wings, ruffling them up for battle.

Auriella would have lied to herself if she said it wasn't attractive. The Illyrian male looked like he was sculpted by gentle hands.

They both stepped back from one another, leaving space in the middle of the large mat. From her peripheral vision, Auriella could see the doors of the training room open, seeing the twins come back into the room once again. They do not say anything.

There was only the deafening silence.

Auriella takes her stance, one foot in front of the other. She held Soulender in her right hand, slightly raised. She took a deep breath, studying the general as he was with her. She could see the confidence he held, his head raised high, but always alert.

A general in every way. Cassian reminded Auriella of her father, Zephyr. He was a captain, but he led the Peregyrns with honor and force. He was respected in his court.

Auriella remembered the brutality that Cassian unleashed on Hybern's soldiers. He was coated in blood, slicing the bodies of his enemies as if it was nothing to him. She supposed it was, knowing that he was involved in the war long ago. The stories of what he did were still spoken around Prythian as if he was a legend.

The Daughter of Dawn knew she might not stand a chance against him, but it was better to learn than know. Even if she failed, she'd be proud.

The two walked in a circle, boring into the eyes of one another, taking in their opponent. Auriella blocked out every distraction, including everyone who was watching them.

It was simply Cassian and her.

The general made the first strike. Auriella easily blocked it, the clang of steel echoing throughout the room. They both moved back, expecting a strike. But again, they sized each other up, wondering who they were dealing with.

This time Auriella moved to strike first, swinging her sword. Cassian blocked it, but he immediately reacted, going for another strike.

The sound of metal against metal filled the room, the challenge becoming more aggressive as it went. The blades sparked as they hit each other, the little particles falling and onto the mat, along with the sweat that dripped down the fighters.

Auriella tried multiple times to knock him down, but Cassian would notice her move at the last second, blocking it either with his sword or ducking under it.

Cassian had the same problem, only that Auriella was extremely flexible and quick. She dodged his moves by flipping over his attacks or sliding under them. She came back with equal force.

As the fast-paced battle slowed, neither of them gave it. With their heavy breathing and seething mouths, Cassian and Auriella backed away from each other, once again boring into each other's eyes. It was a challenge both hadn't expected to last long.

Once he recovered himself a bit, Cassian swung his sword again. Auriella blocked it, ducking under. She immediately turned back, pointing Soulender to the general's neck. And he had his pointed at hers, the battle ending at a tie.

With their blades at each other's throats, Cassian chuckles darkly, "I can't say that I expected you to put up a good fight, Daughter of Dawn. I would have thought you'd give up because of exhaustion." He taunts.

Auriella scoffs, "I actually expected more from you, general. Seeing as you have much more experience than I do, losing was something I was willing to handle. But it seems that your age is finally catching up to you. Is it time to retire the role?" She asks.

Simultaneously, they sheath their blades, looking back to their audience.

Auriella was immediately caught off guard, seeing Azriel standing there, leaning against the threshold of the doorway. His heated eyes stared into hers with an intensity that could have melted her if she wasn't already worn out. Her shadows shifted, hiding behind her.

"What a surprise to see you here, brother. I thought you said you were going back to your cabin. I wonder what changed your mind to come back here?" Cassian says sarcastically, looking between them.

Azriel didn't take his eyes off his mate, "There were things I needed to take care of here. Fortunately, I had time to see this." He says, folding his arms against his chest.

And how did I do? Auriella asked.

The sense of admiration flowed down the bond.

"I wonder how she will come back from the mountains? Morrigan and Nesta will make sure she is all strong and prepared for you to train her shadows. The males would immediately fall for her once they see what she can do. I wouldn't be surprised if they went on their knees and worshipped her. Imagine how filthy their thoughts would be?" Cassian asks, the bastard grinning.

Azriel snaps his eyes to his brother, throwing invisible daggers. No, he knew how they would all be, especially those who were looking for new meat.

Once word got out about Auriella's Shadowsinger abilities, the Court of Nightmares and the Illyrian Mountains were filled with disgusting and degrading rumors about the Daughter of Dawn. Rhysand had told Azriel had to stay away until they all died down in both areas.

Azriel had agreed, knowing that he would have left nothing but carnage if anyone talked down about Auriella in front of him. The thought of it was enough to simmer his blood.

Nuala walks up to Auriella, handing her the glass of water. She chugs it down, not noticing how dry her mouth was. Feyre's maiden chuckles, "You were phenomenal. I can see that you were trained well. I think the Illyrian Sisterhood would look forward to having you." She says.

Auriella's eyebrows narrow, "What is the Illyrian Sisterhood? Some kind of cult?" She asks.

Emerie laughs, "It sounds that way, but it isn't. The Illyrian Sisterhood was formed by Morrigan and Nesta, who trained the oppressed women in the Windhaven Camp. They learned how to fight, joining the war-bands if they wished. Eventually, it evolved, becoming its own thing. The women there are strong-willed, ready for anything." She explains.

Cassian scoffs, sitting in between his lover's legs. "It's unfair that I don't get any credit. I had the idea, you know? But Morrigan and Nesta took it all for themselves." He says, feigning hurt.

Emerie shakes her head, ignoring Cassian's words. "Auriella's presence here in the Night Court will cause quite the uproar. No one knows she is here other than us, but that's about to change when the High Lady takes her out into the streets of Velaris tomorrow." She says.

"The High Lady has entrusted me to take care of Auriella, while Nuala stays here with her," Cerridwen says, her voice low and sweet.

Auriella takes a deep breath, "Hopefully, I don't make any enemies, but from the way you all are speaking, I believe that it is inevitable. I will take any aid that comes my way. All I want is to get through this and strengthen my abilities. I didn't come here to cause trouble." She says.

Cassian's devilish grin comes back, "Oh, Daughter of Dawn, as long as you are in the Night Court, you will face nothing but trouble. I promise it'll get better, but that will ultimately be your choice to make. I just can't wait to see how it unfolds." He says.

Auriella scoffs, knowing that he is talking about the bond. She looks over at Azriel, whose gaze she held once more.

Would they recognize me if I disguise myself as an Illyrian? She asks, jokingly.

They would think you are making fun of them. It would make them like you less than they already do. He replies.

She shrugs. Aw, I'd have admirers. Hopefully, one of them swings at me. Maybe my shadows will finally react if I fight them.

It would be entertaining to watch. He says, reciting the words she once said.

Auriella lets out a laugh, quickly covering her mouth. Everyone stops their conversation, looking over at her. She smiles, "Sorry, Perseus did something that was funny to me." She says, blaming her wolf, who looked confused as to why his name was said.

But when Auriella looked over to her mate once more, she could see the small smile on his face as he looked around the room.

A warm feeling fluttered through her, and for a moment, Auriella let herself think about the possible future that was ahead of her, wondering what it would be like if he was in it.