The month had gone by quickly.

Auriella was just as exhausted as Aiko was, spending every morning before the competition training the female with Cassian helping her.

Aiko had improved tremendously, her fighting style becoming more advanced as the days passed. Auriella knew that, even when she nor Cassian weren't present in Windhaven, Aiko spent her nights' training with little to no breaks.

The Illyrian female sparred against Auriella a couple of times, using everything she had learned. They both sparred until their arms could no longer bear to hold the weight of their steel swords. During the last week of training, Aiko had to spar against Cassian, who went easy at first but became more aggressive.

Aiko stood no chance against the General, and she knew that. But Auriella knew that her chances of winning the competition had increased immensely. Byron didn't hold the strength that Cassian did, but Aiko could not let her guard down.

Morrigan and Nesta would observe her from the sidelines, staying silent the entire time, occasionally whispering into each other's ears. Auriella would briefly look at the two of them, wondering what they could be talking about.

But she didn't let curiosity get the best of her, focusing herself back onto Aiko.

When she would leave the Windhaven Camp with Cassian, Azriel was always waiting for her at the front doors of the House of Wind, leaning against the wood.

Cassian would make inappropriate remarks at his brother as he walked into the House. He would glance back at them with a wicked grin plastered on his face. Sometimes, Auriella wondered how Azriel hadn't punched him yet.

Would you like me to? He had asked her through the bond.

Auriella chuckled, That is ultimately your choice, Spymaster.

Azriel would winnow Auriella and Perseus to the forest, immediately going straight into training. Their sessions would consist of using her shadows to find him, trying to build them up from their deteriorating state. Even though she had used them to find him the first time, they were still weak.

Auriella practically mapped out the entire forest as she looked for Azriel. She would hum her father's (Zephyr) song, letting her shadows whisper in her ear, leading her to him. She didn't need to close her eyes, seeing as how her shadows were motivated by her music. They danced around her, feeling slight tugs in the direction of her mate.

Every time she found him, her heart skipped a beat. He was a wave of darkness that engulfed her. She would gladly drown in his very being, wanting to know everything about him. He was like a book, mysteries written on every page.

She wanted to uncover them all.

They hadn't talked about that night since it happened. Neither of them had brought it up, but Auriella could feel the tension in the air. Even when they were inches apart from each other, it was hard to keep her mind appropriate, seeing how attractive he looked in the afternoon light.

She thought about that night in the music room every day. It would replay in her mind, remembering how desiring the moment was, how feral they were for one another - desperate to tear away the clothing that kept them from going any further.

The day after it happened, when she was completely alone in her room, Auriella was driven mad with heat, feeling her core pulse with arousal. She laid on her bed, and closed her eyes, sliding her hand down to the wetness that was pooled there. The memory immediately appeared in her mind and she could feel everything.

She pictured Azriel next to her, watching as she touched herself. She imagined his heated gaze right on those sinful fingers, wanting to lick them clean with his tongue. She could feel his breathing on her skin, the warmness of him was enough for her to let out a moan, drifting closer to the horizon.

Auriella could feel him peppering light kisses on her skin, trailing further down to her core. She imagined Azriel smirking, knowing how torturous this was for her. She was burning on the inside, yearning for the sweet release.

And when she came, it was his name that left her lips.

Auriella felt her face heat up at the memory, embarrassed that she could even think of it when she was standing right in front of her mate, who tilted his head slightly, wondering about what she was thinking. She was glad that she kept her shields closed or...

She didn't even want to know what would happen.

But now that they had reached the end of the month, Auriella spent the entire morning with Emerie down at the library beneath the House of Wind.

Since the competition at the Arena of Nightmares was tomorrow, Morrigan demanded Aiko rest for the entire day. The female was stubborn at first, not wanting to rest, but Cassian set her in place, saying that it wasn't up for discussion. Morrigan told the other females to watch over Aiko, to make sure that she rested the whole day.

Auriella took a deep breath, hoping that Aiko was prepared enough for this fight. This competition could probably end her life, along with the sisterhood. It was their final chance to prove that the sisterhood deserved to stay - to be its own place where the Illyrian women could train themselves to be more than housekeepers or housewives.

Auriella hoped that she did enough. It was all she could do.

Emerie tapped her shoulder, "Are you okay, Auri? You seem a little nervous." She says, flipping through pages of a book.

Emerie had been down in the library for the past two weeks, trying to find anything that could possibly figure out what she and Damian were. She looked through shelf after shelf, having other priestesses help her look around, but it seemed that there wasn't anything that gave them the answers they needed.

The thought made Auriella's blood boil, wondering if she would ever find answers to what she truly was. She had sent a letter to her brother days prior, asking him if he found anything, but he hadn't sent word back. Again, all she could do was hope.

She shook her head, "It's nothing. I am just unsure of the competition tomorrow. It's eating away at me not knowing if Aiko is going to win or not. I don't want her to fail, especially since she has come so far." Auriella says.

"Aiko had two of the best people training her. You and Cassian. Even if she does not succeed, you both tried your hardest to make sure she was prepared. Aiko put her trust in the two of you and I'm sure she wouldn't want to let you down." Emerie tells her.

Auriella puts the useless book back on the shelf, taking out another. "It's not about letting us down, Emerie. This is about her survival, along with the sisterhood. They both have to stay alive. Those women, including her, have a passion that I have never seen. They want to fight. They want to prove themselves, even though they already have. There is a fire inside of them that isn't going out anytime soon." She says.

Emerie smiles at her, "I agree with you on that. Those women will do anything to make sure that nothing breaks the sisterhood apart, even the competition. They will still fight for what they believe in." She says.

Auriella nods, flipping through a book that talks about things she doesn't understand. She lets out a sigh of frustration, putting it away before standing at the railing overlooking the vastness of the library and the darkness right below it.

She expected to turn away from it, to feel her heart race with fear, but there was only calm. It was as if she was used to it, remembering her years in her cell in Under the Mountain. Whenever the torch outside of her cell wasn't lit, she was surrounded by darkness.

She would crawl to the corner of the concrete cell, laying her bleeding back on the cold wall. The darkness had been her friend. She would sometimes see shadows move around the room and she grinned lazily at them, feeling like she was growing mad.

Auriella had thought that it was because of the amount of blood she lost, remembering that Amarantha whipped her hours prior. But now, she wasn't sure.

From above, she could feel the darkness beckoning her to go down, to be its embrace once more. Her shadows even peered closer, intrigued.

Emerie came beside Auriella, putting her arms on the railing.

"What's down there?" Auriella asked, her eyes still fixated on the dark void.

Emerie sighs, "There used to be a creature that lived there. Its name was Bryaxis. It fought in the war of Hybern, but never came back when it ended. Rhysand and Feyre have tried to locate it, but they can't find him anywhere."

"Cassian told me that he encountered it once, saying that it showed him his worst nightmares. He's terrified of it. It showed him things that..." she trails off for a moment, "he wishes to forget, but at the same time, he doesn't." Emerie explains.

When Auriella is about to say something else, her shadows twirl around her, as if they were suddenly disturbed.

Light.

Dark.

Answers.

You.

Damian.

Auriella hears her shadows whisper all around her. She puts a hand to her forehead, a burst of pain overtaking her mind. She holds back her cry, feeling as if she is tearing in two. Her teeth chatter from the searing pain. But when she looked down into the darkness once more, she could see it shift around, as if there was something still down there.

"Ella, you've gone pale. Let's get you out of here. We'll try again tomorrow." Emerie tells her. But when Auriella's arms leave the railing, she falls to her knees, her vision becoming blurry. Emerie is immediately there, speaking to her, but Auriella cannot make out a single word.

Child of Night, I am coming for you. An unfamiliar voice echoes through her mind.

Auriella felt the dark presence squeeze her mind, torturing her.

Who are you? Auriella asked, unsure if she said it out loud or in her mind. She could feel Azriel trying to break through her shields, which were closed, but not by her choice. It was as if this being had the power to control her very mind.

You'll find out soon. You and all of Prythian will. The voice says, letting go of her hold.

Auriella falls to the ground, unable to see or hear clearly. She could make out the dark robes of the priestesses circled around her. Emerie's hands were holding her face, the warmness of them lulling her to sleep.

As her eyes close, she feels herself grow weightless. Her body was no longer on the concrete floor but in someone's arms.

In her mate's arms.

Her head droops onto his chest, smelling the familiar scent of wind and rain. She could feel him breathing heavily, his heart beating fast against her ear. Her consciousness started to drift farther away, begging for sleep to come.

She felt the warm press of his lips on her forehead, "I'm here. I have you. I'm here." He says, his voice shaking.

It was the last thing she heard before falling into oblivion.