As Azriel was leaving to Under the Mountain, Rhysand winnowed in.

"You usually leave on time, brother. It seems that the Daughter of Dawn is keeping you." The High Lord says, leaning against the concrete of the house.

Auriella turns back to him, "How does Feyre put up with you, I wonder?" She asks.

Azriel scoffs, "She has her son to keep her sane." He mutters.

Rhysand narrows his eyes, "I will have you know that my High Lady is fairly happy with me... most of the time." He says, smirking.

Auriella chuckles, turning her attention back to her mate. She didn't feel the same after their intimate morning, as if everything he had shown her was an arrow bolt to the heart. He had shown her something so painful, so cruel, that he experienced as a child.

But at the same time, he showed her something heartfelt and cherishing. His mother was his lifeline, keeping him alive with the love that she gave him. She saw how her eyes gleamed when she looked at him, filled with passion and sorrow. It was enough to sustain him, to keep him from falling into a void of darkness.

Auriella felt the tears start to well in her eyes, but she blinked them away. She smiled at Azriel, who stared down at her, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

Anything to say before I go? He asked through the bond.

She nods, "Come back in one piece." She says to him.

The Spymaster smiles at her, before planting a kiss on her forehead. Auriella feels him place something in her hand. He pets Perseus on the head before he steps away from them. She looks down to see one of his daggers, clean and shining in her palm.

She looked up at him, eyes wide and confused, even her shadows seemed conflicted.

Take care of that one for me. It'll be another one of our lessons soon. He says, before taking off, his wings blowing dust into the air. Auriella's gaze follows him as he ascends into the sky, seeing how majestic he looks when he flies.

The High Lord of Night stands next to her, his arms crossed against his chest. He watches his brother fly through the air, "You don't need to worry about him. He'll be fine. As long as he follows my rules, everything will run smoothly." He tells her.

Auriella could hear the shakiness in his voice, as if he was trying to convince himself with his own words. She knew Azriel could handle himself, but this time, it was different. He would be flying to Under the Mountain, a place where she and many other faeries suffered.

"Were you the one who told him what happened to me?" She breathed, still staring off into the blue sky, Azriel's figure becoming distant with every second that passed.

Rhysand took a deep breath, "Was I not supposed to? I didn't think you wanted to keep it a secret, especially from him." He says.

She shakes her head, "No, it's alright. If anything, I'm glad that he knows. Also, I'm glad that you were the one to tell him. You'd know better than anyone about what she did to me." She says, memories flashing in her mind.

"We went through a lot in the hands of Amarantha. You didn't deserve what happened to you. When I saw you in Under the Mountain the first time and heard Thesan cry out to you... I knew I had to do something. No father should ever have to see his child suffer." He says.

Auriella purses her lips, tears threatening to spill. "I never thanked you for what you did for me. I knew that she was using you too. She was hurting you and abusing you. I think I was the only one who saw that. We were toys for her, to use for her pleasure." She says.

She remembered what everyone called him. "Amarantha's Whore" was his pet name for decades, always being said whenever he walked in or out of the room. Rhysand would be stone-faced, looking as if it unfazed him.

Auriella knew that it did. Their eyes would land on one another, gazes filled with sympathy and understanding of how painful it was for the both of them.

"You don't need to thank me, Auriella. I did what I thought was right. Yes, you were the only person who knew that what she did affected me. Before Feyre came, it was only you who knew the extent of what Amarantha could do." Rhysand says, turning his head to look at her.

Auriella nods, "Sometimes, I don't feel like we ever escaped. I feel as if I will wake up one day... and I am still in my cell with blood running down my back. The fucking bitch is stuck inside of my head and I don't know if I'll ever be able to get her out." She breathes.

Rhysand scoffs, "It's the same for me. I think that the life I'm living now is only a dream, that my mate and my son is only a figment of my imagination and they will disappear at any moment," his violet eyes brighten, "but what makes me know that they are real, is their pulse. Whenever I am near them, I can hear their heartbeats, sense their emotions, and smell their scents." He says.

"That is how I know that this is real, that we made it out of there, that we survived the unbearable. I had to learn to live with the memories, Auriella. If you dwell on them for too long, you eventually fall. I can't let that happen. I will not let my family suffer through that, especially in times when they need me the most." He finishes.

Auriella takes in his every word, letting her mind process them. She knew that the High Lord portrayed himself to be strong-willed, but she could feel his guard come down, calmness overtaking him. It seemed that those words needed to be said, to be put out into the world for him to realize what he had been holding in.

Rhysand went through hell and back to get to this point in his life. Now, he has Feyre beside him, along with their son, Nyx, and their companions who would lay down their lives for their court.

She admired him, knowing that he did everything to secure the future of the Night Court, and for himself.

"I hope that I will get through this. It's all I can do for now." Auriella says, staring down at the dagger, feeling the smooth edge of the blade.

Rhysand clears his throat, "You need people beside you, Auriella. This is something you can't do alone. You will never get through it if you do. Surround yourself with those you trust, with those who you are close to, and will do anything to make sure you are safe." He says.

Underneath those words, she knew who he was referring to. Her shadows immediately started whispering his name, swirling around her as if it were a song. She felt her face redden, hating how they would give away her thoughts.

The High Lord smiled, "What you and my brother do isn't any of my business. He is someone who has wanted this for a long time. He has struggled for centuries, dealing with things that he doesn't talk about with anyone, not even me. You are helping him come out of that shell, slowly but surely. You are good for him, Auriella. I want you to know that." He tells her.

Auriella's heart tightens at his words, her mind flashing back to what her mate had shown her. She remembered when he cowered away in a corner, hiding behind his wings in order to prevent anyone from taking him.

In a way, he was still hiding behind his wings, not wanting anyone to see the insecurities or horrific memories that he held. But it wasn't until Auriella had come that they were dropping lower and lower, slowly revealing everything that he held within himself.

"We should head back to the House of Wind. Your brother is waiting to speak with you, along with everyone else. You must know they have questions for you that await answers." He says, holding out his hand.

Auriella lets out a deep sigh, grabbing Perseus by his collar. "I will not be surprised if they do, especially now that everyone knows that the Spymaster is my mate." She tells him.

He smirks, "Hopefully, you know that Cassian will never leave you two alone, especially when it comes to making fun of Az. He will do everything to irritate the both of you, I should know." He tells her.

She rolls her eyes, and takes his hand, letting him winnow them back to Velaris.

***

As they both entered the House of Wind, Auriella could hear numerous voices coming from the dining room, everyone speaking all at once.

When they both entered, everyone turned, their eyes landing on the Daughter of Dawn. The room immediately went silent, as if she was someone they were seeing for the first time.

Auriella felt her blood boil at the silence, her skin becoming warm and sweat trickling down the back of her neck. She wanted to hear the crack of the fire or the footsteps of someone walking. But here, no one moved or spoke.

After a moment, Rhysand spoke, "Why are you all standing there like you've seen a ghost? Move. Do something. Don't just stand there. It looks ridiculous." He mutters, heading to his seat at the dining table.

Feyre follows him, with the High Prince waddling towards his father. The High Lord grins as he sees his little boy, kneeling on the floor and cooing at him. Nyx smiles, holding out his arms to his father, who takes him into his arms once he reaches him.

When everyone starts to move again, Auriella walks towards her brother, who pulls her into an embrace. "I hope you had a good rest." He tells her. She could feel him smirking over her shoulder. She pinches his side, making him yelp and pull away from her.

"You don't need to be so hostile, sister. It was an unusual night without you." He says, kneeling down to pet Perseus. The wolf licks his face, greeting him.

Auriella shakes her head, "I'm sure no one gave you trouble, brother. And I know that you didn't miss me too much. You always say that I bicker." She says, staring down at him.

He rises from the floor, "Well, I did miss you. I haven't seen you for nearly two months. There has been a lot that's happened since then. I want to speak to you in private about them, but I'm sure that you want to greet everyone first." He says, gesturing to Helion and the others.

Helion was as vibrant as she remembered him. He was in his usual white attire, decorated with the finest gold around his body. His amber eyes were stunning, staring into her with an intenseness that sent a shiver down her spine. He was like a walking painting, handsome and breathtaking.

The High Lord of Day takes her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Daughter of Dawn, how wonderful it is to meet you again." He says, his amber eyes gleaming in the sunlight.

She smiles at him, "I can say the same, Helion. I hope my brother doesn't give you trouble back at the Day Court. He can be a jokester at times." She says to him.

Lucien scoffs beside his father, "The complete opposite. There is a certain someone there who puts him in his place." He says, earning a nudge in his side from his mate. He looks down at Elain, smirking.

The High Prince of the Day Court wore a flowy white shirt and trousers, not bothering with a more sophisticated attire. His red hair was braided to the side with small gold gems pinned into it. He wore a gold chain around his neck, along with his wrists, mimicking his father's jewelry.

Auriella raises a brow, looking over to her brother. He purses his lips, "That is one of the things we need to speak about." He tells her, putting his hands into his pockets.

She nods, looking over to Elain. "It's great to meet you, Elain. I wondered when I would get the chance to meet the second Archeron sister." She says.

Elain's face was painted lightly, still being able to see her undeniable beauty. She wore a light pink dress, decorated with flowers. Her golden-brown hair was let down, curled, and adorned with a silver headband. Her blue-gray eyes gleamed, filled with genuine kindness.

"And I was wondering when I would get to meet the famous Daughter of Dawn. Damian has told me much about you. It seems that he really adores you." Elain reveals, a smile rising to her lips.

Auriella chuckles, "Well, that is unexpected. My brother can barely stand me." She says.

Damian rolls his eyes, "You're not wrong. There are times when I want to jump off a cliff because of all of the stress you cause me." He mutters, "But I can say that there are times when I missed you commanding me around. I hated the feeling."

Auriella playfully shoves him, "Oh, my brother, you act as if I won't ever do it anymore. Once we get back home, I'll resume back to bothering you as I did before." She tells him.

Lucien wickedly grins, looking at Damian, "I wonder what his lover might think of that. Then again, you both are incredibly close." He says.

Elain slaps his arm, "Even when living in the Day Court, you are still a fox." She says to him before leading him away to the dining table.

Auriella looks back at Damian, "Is there something that you'd like to tell me, brother? Who is your lover that they speak of?" She asks him.

Her brother was the kind of man who women would swoon for. Whenever they both walked through the Dawn Court, girls would stare at him and laugh as he passed. Damian would smirk at them, but would never heed their advances.

Yes, he had relationships here and there, but they would never be more than physical. As the years passed, Auriella knew that he already had someone in his mind, but whenever she tried to ask him about it, he would only tell her that it was a complicated situation.

But now, it was clear that her brother finally accepted someone in his life.

Damian takes a deep breath, "Let's go talk, Ella." He says.

***

The twins sat in the private library of the House of Wind, sitting separately from each other.

Auriella laid back on the couch, putting a soft pillow in her lap. She had left Perseus in the dining room. He sat on the floor next to Feyre, playing with the High Prince. The wolf laid his head in the little boy's lap, being gentle with him.

As she stared at Perseus and Nyx, something stirred inside of her. She had felt a calm wash over her body, knowing that they were safe and okay.

It was weird not having him beside her, but she didn't mind it much. She needed to start lessening her attachment to her companion, knowing that it wasn't healthy to cling to him, even though her heart was overwhelmed with love for him.

"So, do you start or should I?" Damian asks her.

Auriella keeps silent, staring at her brother with a blank face.

He nods, laying back on the couch, "Well then, if we both are laying things out on the table, I should do something first," he says, taking out a necklace from underneath the collar of his shirt. There was a gold ring around it, but he took it off of the chain, slipping it onto his ring finger.

Auriella's eyes widened, becoming confused, "What the hell did you do?" She breathed.

Damian didn't meet her gaze, "You always asked me if there was someone I liked. I gave you pathetic excuses for answers, but that is because I was afraid of how you'd react if I told you who it was. I had planned to tell you, but I never got the chance because you were taken to Under the Mountain." He tells her.

"As the years passed of not having you or our fathers, I started to break apart. I had to take care of the palace while making sure that Atreus didn't make mistakes when he temporarily ruled the Dawn Court, and worrying about all of you. It became a heavyweight to carry because I didn't know how to do any of it. I wasn't prepared to lose everything so suddenly."

"But throughout everything, Valeria and Lara were there for me. They clung to me because they didn't have you. They were a huge part as to why I am still alive today, especially Lara." He says.

When Auriella was Under the Mountain, she had thought about her attendants only a handful of times, knowing that they were safe in the Dawn Court. She missed them dearly, but there were bigger things to worry about, like her fathers and the other faeries who were suffering down there along with her.

She trusted Valeria and Lara with everything in her, knowing that they were faithful, even though they both came from different courts. Valeria came from Winter, while Lara came from Day. Lara had shared her story of wanting a life different from hers from her home court, saying that things were too bland for her there.

Valeria rarely ever spoke about her family in the Winter Court, feeling uncomfortable whenever the topic came up. Auriella had asked her once about it, but her attendant was hesitant to answer. So instead, she waved it away, not wanting her to feel pressured.

Damian continues, "For most of my life, my heart has only been for Lara. When you were still in the Dawn Court, she and I would go on secret rendezvous, getting to know one another and slowly falling in love. In a matter of months, she had become everything to me, and my mind was clouded with her."

"But after everything that happened, it would be nineteen years after you were taken, that I finally had enough strength inside of me to try and at least regain some happiness that I lost. And it started with her. Even as decades had passed, my heart never stopped loving her."

"We were together even after you and our fathers came back from Under the Mountain and after the war with Hybern. When you and I agreed to depart for the Day and Night, Lara arrived a day later because she wanted to visit her mother and I wanted her there. It wasn't even two weeks before I had asked her to marry me in the middle of one of Elain's gardens."

Damian smiles, recalling the memory. "She was shocked at first, worried about what would happen, but I reassured her that everything would be okay. She eventually said yes and I was overjoyed. That same night, we found a priest and he married us. And now, here we are." He finishes.

Auriella felt like she couldn't speak, unsure of how to take such news. She didn't expect her brother to do something so scandalous, nor did she expect this from Lara. It was as if he had dropped a bomb on her.

But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She knew that Damian suffered so much while she and her fathers were held captive. He had responsibilities to uphold, even in his grief and pain. And knowing that Lara was his only tether to life that he had left, she wasn't angry with him.

She shifted in her seat, "You and Lara were together throughout everything? Even before I was taken Under the Mountain?" Auriella asked.

Her brother nodded, twisting the ring on his finger. She could see the guilt written on his face, thinking that this confession would break her. But in fact, it did quite the opposite.

Auriella scoffs, "Our fathers are going to kill you, Damian." She breathes, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Damian sits up, "You aren't angry with me?" He asks.

She shakes her head, "No, brother. I am not angry with you, even though I should be. Listen, if she makes you happy and you are in love with her as you say, then who am I to get in the way of that? She is a beautiful person with a pure soul and there is no one I would trust more with her heart than you." She tells him.

He grins, lifting himself up from his seat, and kneeling in front of his sister, kissing her hand. When he looks up at her, tears gleam in his eyes, "You don't know how your approval means to me. I don't care what our fathers say about this, but you... this is what I needed to hear." He tells her.