When Auriella and Azriel walked into the throne room of Rhysand's estate in Hewn City, everyone turned to look at them.

Perseus was immediately on guard, sensing the undeniable tension in the room. He stepped in front of his owner, letting out low growls. Azriel snapped his fingers at the wolf and Perseus went silent, still protective over the Daughter of Dawn.

Rhysand and Feyre stood in front of their starlight thrones, their faces holding nothing but fury. Auriella could feel the darkness in the corners of the room, ready to pounce if needed. Her shadows cowered away, peeking out from her shoulders.

Auriella had become a threat to the Night Court and she didn't blame them one bit.

The High Lord of Day stood at the foot of the dais, looking at Auriella with curiosity written on his face. It seemed that he didn't know what to think of her.

Damian was right next to him, staring right at his sister with worry in his eyes. Auriella could see a change in his caramel skin, holding a dim glow she had never seen before. His green eyes sparkled in the torchlight, gleaming with life. She could see him lightly shaking, but there wasn't any way to tell if it was out of fear or anger.

What should I do? Auriella asks through the bond.

It was clear that the Inner Circle didn't trust her anymore, seeing as she was the only one left alive in the arena. The sisterhood had disappeared without a trace and their mistress had done something to her that she wasn't able to remember. She could still feel the prickle on her chest from what was etched into her skin, sending small jolts of pain through her body.

Wait. They are assessing you. Rhysand and Feyre are wondering if you are a threat. As are the rest of them. Azriel tells her.

She couldn't help but ask, Do you think I am?

Auriella wouldn't blame him if he thought she was. He would have every right to. She had agreed to a bargain with the being that wanted her. It wouldn't be fair to be angry at him for something that deserved the hard truth.

But that didn't mean it would hurt any less.

After moments of silence, Rhysand was the first to speak. "Can you explain to me what happened in the arena, Daughter of Dawn?" He says, his voice deathly calm.

There were no delaying answers this time. The High Lord wanted everything on the table, but Auriella wasn't able to give them all to him, not when she didn't have a lot to lay out.

Auriella took a deep breath, her hand going up to the zipper of her suit. Immediately, her mate stood in front of her, his hazel eyes looking down at her. She could see the fear in them, sense the rising rage that bubbled underneath his skin. He didn't know how his companions would react to the marking.

I have to show them, Az. She says to him.

"Step away from her, Azriel," Cassian said from behind. There was no humor in his voice. This was commanding - like a General would be. Auriella wouldn't be surprised if he had soldiers stationed outside of the doors, ready to strike.

The Spymaster turned his head to the side, snarling at his brother. Cassian growled, taking a step forward before Emerie grabbed his wrist to stop him. He turned back to his lover, who shook her head, knowing that conflict would surely arise between them.

Everyone was at their wit's end.

"Get out of the fucking way, Azriel! Now!" The High Lord of Night demanded, making everyone stand upright. The darkness in the corners crept closer, no longer hiding.

Auriella was surprised that he still kept his ground. She could feel that every fiber of his being told him to move out of the way, to let her show Rhysand the unknown mark. But his fists were clenched at his sides, shaking with defiance.

Azriel, I must show them. Move out of the way. Auriella said, putting a hand over his blue siphon that laid on his chest. He gently wrapped his hand over her wrist, his warmth mixing with hers. Their shadows moved through the air, brightening at the contact.

Since every one of his companions knew about the bond, there was no use in hiding it. Auriella knew that he was protective of her, any mate would be, but there was a possessiveness he had that thrilled her. If she accepted the bond, she was sure that her very being would belong to him - that he would devour her for the rest of their lives. She was sure that he would kill a man if they touched or looked at her the wrong way.

He was the Spymaster of the Night Court, ready to kill, torture, or maim anyone that threatened him or his court.

But it seemed that his mate was one of his weaknesses.

Azriel moved out of the way, letting his mate be visible to everyone once again. She unzipped the top of her suit, showing them the mark that The Being had carved. There were lines of blood streaming down her skin, staining the inside of her attire.

Auriella's mark was made up of intricate lines, dots, and shapes that she wasn't able to explain. It covered her entire collarbone, dropping down the valley between her breasts, and ending right above her abdomen. In the middle of the mark laid a crescent moon, marking her as the Child of Night.

"When I awoke in the middle of the arena, this was engraved into my skin. I accepted a bargain with The Being. But the problem is, I do not know what it was. I am not even able to remember her name." Auriella says to them.

Feyre raises her brow, "How do you know it's female?" She asks.

Auriella looks at her, "I know who it is, but I cannot register the name. It was as if The Being had taken control of my mind, wiping away the memory of who it was. When she held me captive under the clouds, she had taken away everything and made me focus on her. I wasn't able to do anything." She explains.

"What can you remember?" Nesta asks, her arms crossed against her chest. She was still in her battle attire, which was covered in spots of blood. It didn't seem to bother the Kingslayer.

The Daughter of Dawn shakes her head, "I remember seeing the sisterhood killing the entire brotherhood. They were under some type of trance. When The Being arrived under the clouds, they bowed to her." She says, her mind recalling the vivid memory.

Emerie sneers, "You lie! They would never bow to someone else other than who rules over them. I know each one of those women and they would never betray their own court." She tells Auriella.

"She isn't lying," Morrigan speaks, making everyone turn to her, "Everything the Daughter of Dawn has said so far is the truth. If it wasn't, I would have called it out by now." The truth-speaker says.

The Third Commander stares at Auriella with blank eyes, occasionally looking over to Azriel, who lightly pets Perseus. The wolf sits in between him and the Daughter of Dawn, obedient and alert of everything around him. It seems that some of the tension has died down, but not all of it.

"If she has the mark of Night, then wouldn't..." Helion starts, turning to Damian, who pales under his gaze.

The Son of Dawn musters up his strengths, releasing a breath. He takes off his shirt, revealing the same mark, but only with a sun in the middle of the design, marking him as the Child of Day.

Damian stares at his sister, "When I was in the Day Court, it formed in my sleep. I didn't know what it was. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. It was like something inside of me told me not to; commanded me, until now." He says.

Nesta scoffs, "So who are they exactly? The saviors of Prythian?" She asks, looking over to Feyre and Rhysand, who stare at the Children of Dawn.

Helion smirks, "They are more than that. Once everyone finds out who they are, especially Thesan, there will be talk about what we will have to do with them. Right now, they are the best lead we have to find this being and put a stop to her before she consumes Prythian." He says, turning to Rhysand.

"Prythian is already being consumed. She has already killed hundreds of people from each court and placed them on every shoreline. The Being is killing for sport, wanting us to find out who she is. She has the sisterhood behind her, who might have been working with her for quite a while and we were dumbasses to not see it." Amren tells them.

Varian nods, agreeing with her. "It's true. Tarquin is restless. We are losing people day by day, mostly the ones from the Spring Court. We don't know why Tamlin is the most targeted out of any of us." He explains.

He was right. The death toll was higher for the Spring Court out of all of the others. It didn't make any sense, seeing as Tamlin's court was still in disarray, but it seemed like this was a personal attack from The Being. She wanted to weaken him more than he already was.

Cassian turns to Lucien, "What if it's you? You could be mistaken for a female with that long red hair of yours." He says, making the Day Court heir roll his eyes. Elain purses her lips, failing to hold back her smile.

Morrigan scoffs, "If anything, it could be you, Cassian. With those luscious locks, you could fool anyone into thinking that you are a girl, seeming as you fight like one." She hits back, making the General raise his finger at her.

Feyre takes a deep breath, ignoring her companions' remarks at one another. She turns to her mate, "We have to travel to Under the Mountain. If that's where The Being is taking refuge, then that is where we could find answers. At some point, this was bound to happen. The more time we lose, the more lives that are lost." She tells him.

The High Lord of Night nods, rubbing the stubble on his chin. He looks straight at Azriel, whose gaze is already fixed on him. Once again, tension forms, seeing how the Spymaster did not obey him minutes prior.

Rhysand clears his throat, "Azriel, tomorrow you will travel to Under the Mountain. If you see something out of the ordinary, report back. If things get too risky, get the fuck out of there. I don't care if you have something or nothing, you will follow my orders. Do I make myself clear?" He asks his brother.

Azriel nods once, understanding the rules.

Az, it's too dangerous. If anything, let me go with you. Auriella sends down the bond.

The Spymaster was quick to answer, No.

Anger bubbled beneath her skin. She would speak to him about this later.

As everyone started their own conversations in the throne room, Auriella made her way up to Damian, pulling him into an embrace. She cried into his shoulder as he hugged her tightly, planting a kiss on the side of her head. "I missed you, sister." He says, calling her a name she hadn't heard in decades.

She chuckles, "I've missed you too, brother. You don't know how happy I am to see you. I'm sorry that it's under bad circumstances though." She tells him.

Damian pulls back, wiping a tear from her face, "I don't care. I am just glad that I get to see you. There is much I want to discuss with you before I head back to Day." He says.

Auriella nods, "Me too, especially about this." She gestures to their marks.

"Let's speak tomorrow morning. Right now, I am too exhausted for anything. I didn't get a good sleep last night because I was worried for you and this damn competition. How could you do something so reckless, Ella?" Her brother asked, putting his shirt back on.

She sighed, "As you said, we will speak about this tomorrow morning. All I want to do now is get some rest, even though I don't think I'll get any, knowing that the courts are becoming unsafe as the days pass. Have you spoken with our fathers about any of this?" She asks.

Her brother shakes his head, "I have sent letters back and forth about everything that I've done over at the Day Court, but nothing about what has been happening personally. I think it's best that we do that when we get back home." He says to her.

Auriella nods, thinking the same. If her fathers found out what they were now, the Children of Dawn would surely be whisked away, hidden somewhere where no one would find them so they would be safe. She shivered at the thought, not knowing if she could be confined in a small space once again.

***

As night descended upon Hewn City, Auriella stood on the terrace, looking at the sunset.

The sky had glowed in beautiful colors of yellow, orange, and red, turning darker and darker as the minutes passed. She stayed until the sun was no longer there - until she was staring at nothing but the gleaming ocean.

From below, she could hear the ruckus of the inhabitants of the Court of Nightmares roaring through the streets, shouting things that she wasn't able to make out. They were lined up outside of taverns, starting brawls, or just sitting on the streets screaming and laughing.

It didn't seem bad, not like the stories she had heard, but it looked normal. She wondered if walking through the city was worse, not knowing what or who was lurking around the corner.

Even the High Lord himself said that he despised this place, saying that it was full of nothing but wickedness and cruelty. He and Feyre departed to their estate in Velaris, wanting to get back to their son. Helion and the others had gone with them, but Azriel decided to stay, seeing as how the Court of Nightmares was close to Under the Mountain.

Auriella refused to go back to Velaris without him, telling Rhysand that she would stay with him and Perseus. The High Lord understood, agreeing to take her back once the Spymaster had left for the mountain.

Damian had questioned her, but eventually, he gave up, understanding why she wanted to stay. Her brother had seen the Spymaster in his panicked state, hearing that he was yelling Auriella's name, and begging his brothers to let him go to her. She promised to tell him more tomorrow and he agreed, saying that he had personal things of his own he wanted to tell her.

When she turned back, her wolf was laying on the bed, sleeping soundly. Auriella smiled at him, her heart tightening at how this four-legged companion was her friend. She was unable to comprehend the love she felt for him, knowing that he stood at her side for over two years.

Are you alright? Azriel asks through the bond.

Auriella scoffs. What's the point in asking if he already knows what she feels? No, she wasn't alright. She was confused, angry, and in pain with everything that was piled on top of her. She didn't know how much more weight of the world she could hold.

Do you want to talk about it? He asks. It seems that her silence said enough.

You shouldn't go to Under the Mountain tomorrow. There is no telling what could happen. She tells him.

Auriella steps back from the terrace, closing the double doors. She changes into a black silk nightgown, sitting on a purple ottoman. She stares into the blazing fireplace, basking in its warmth that embraced her entire body.

She wished it was the Illyrian male that was only a door away.

I have to. We have lost much as is. And I have to keep you safe. He says.

She rolled her eyes, You forget that I was raised by a High Lord. I am perfectly capable of keeping myself safe. Let me come with you. We could work together. She says.

The Spymaster doesn't answer. She knows that he hasn't changed his mind. But the silence that took over the room was deafening. Even the roaring fire wasn't enough to fill the echoes in the room. Auriella hated it.

The Daughter of Dawn got up from her seat, quietly exiting her room, and heading next door to the Spymaster's bedroom. "You know I don't like it when you're silent." She says outside his door, her voice echoing through the estate.

There was nothing but silence in this place. Unlike the House of Wind, it was alive, attending to her every need. But in this House, it seemed that darkness was at its every corner, waiting for someone to pass by so it could swallow them whole.

Even now, staring down the dark hallway, she waited for something to creep up behind her, feeling the hairs standing in the back of her neck.

Auriella was about to head back to her room when the door opened.

First, she was met with his tattooed chest. She remembered tracing her fingers on those black lines in the early morning, his arms around her as they flew into the sky, ascending above the clouds. She recalled how warm his skin felt beneath her skin - how his shadows brightened when she touched him there.

Even now, she wanted to trace them again, to feel his warmth envelop her again.

It seems that her mate had wanted the same.

Azriel took her hand, placing it on his bare chest. She had done the same hours before, but with the blue siphon beneath her palm. His eyes were filled with silent rage but soon settled into a calm that she instilled in him.

But now, it was quite the opposite.

When Auriella stared into those hazel eyes once more, they were blazing with desire. She could see him put a restraint on himself, waiting for her to make the first move. His breathing had become shaky, like this interaction on its own had stirred something inside of him.

Auriella raised her brow, "What are you thinking, Spymaster?" She breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing their bodies together. His hands went to her waist, squeezing her sides. She nearly moaned at the action itself.

Her lips brushed the skin of his neck, planting light kisses under his ear. She licked away the drops of sweat that streamed down, her tongue gliding across his throat. He let out a low groan, his hands sliding further down her back.

Auriella could already feel the wetness in between her thighs. She was aching for him, restraining herself because she didn't want to show how much she wanted this. She craved for more of him, to let him ruin her until she couldn't take it anymore. The mating bond roared to life, waiting to be sealed.

"I don't like the silence, Spymaster." She whispers against his neck.

Those words were enough to break the tether that held him back. Their shadows scattered, hiding in the dark corners of the estate, knowing exactly where this was going.

Azriel snarled, wrapping her legs around his waist, "Your screams will be filling the halls soon, sunlight." He says, backing into the room, and shutting the door.

The Spymaster walked over to the bed, his wings tucked in tight behind him. Auriella bit her lip, gliding her finger over the ridge of it. He bit her neck in response, silently telling her that the sudden motion affected him. She whimpered from the light pain, his tongue making lazy circles, rising underneath her jaw.

Azriel laid her on the silk sheets, never breaking contact with her skin. Auriella's fingers dug into his hair, keeping him there. Her legs were still wrapped around him, their arousals barely touching. Unable to stop herself, she pulled him forward, closing any distance between themselves.

Auriella gasped at the feel of her mate's erection. He groaned, lips still on her neck, sucking hard on her skin, leaving marks that she would surely see in the morning. She gently moved her hips up, rubbing herself against him. Within seconds, she was growing closer to the horizon of release.

He placed his hands on her waist, stopping her. "Not yet, sunlight." He purred in her ear.

"Then touch me," Auriella breathed into his ear.

A hint of surprise ran down the bond.