The Daughter of Dawn woke before daylight broke on the horizon.

She laid in her bed for a few minutes, staring up at the starlight ceiling. It was as beautiful as she remembered it, gleaming in the moonlight that shined through her window.

Auriella stayed in her old room at the House of Wind. She hadn't realized how much she missed it until she took one step in, feeling her heart grow heavy. When she had first arrived, the room was like a breath of fresh air, knowing that she was in a place away from her home in the Dawn Court.

It was as if she was being let free from a cage that she could never get out from.

And now that she had returned back to the Night Court, the feeling had come back to her all at once, hitting her like a ton of bricks. She cried herself to sleep on the first night, letting out the emotions she had been holding within herself for the three months she left.

Too much, she thought to herself.

After everything that her father revealed to her, she didn't know how she was able to keep her mouth shut, especially to Rhysand and Feyre.

Protect. Protect. Protect. Her shadows whispered to her, but she waved them away.

Auriella expected herself to be more content coming back to the Night Court, seeing as she had reunited with her mate, who she hadn't spoken to in almost an entire week, not even through the bond.

After that moment they shared in a secluded room, they both headed back into the throne room to face Rhysand and Feyre once again, but with their Inner Circle gathered in the room. They spoke of what she had been doing the past three months, including the protection of all the court borders.

She remembered glancing at Azriel, who stood like a statue beside his High Lord and High Lady. It was clear that he didn't know about anything that Auriella had done in the past three months. She could feel his anger radiating down the bond; the rage building up in his body, she believed he would explode.

But after revealing more of what she had been doing, her mate decided to leave the room without a word to anyone, especially not her.

Auriella wanted to go after him, but she didn't, not even when Feyre nodded at her to leave. Instead, she shook her head and sparked conversation with them once again.

She hadn't seen Azriel again for the whole night, not even a word through the bond.

She deserved silence from him, seeing as she had ignored his words and feelings for almost the entirety of her absence. She wanted to speak with him, but it was too risky. She didn't want her fathers to find out about Azriel and the mating bond they shared. She knew that they would never let them see each other again if they did.

The only thing Auriella could do was wave him away and it had been the most heart-wrenching thing to do.

Her dreams back in the Dawn Court would only consist of him. His face, his body, his smile... every night she would fall asleep thinking about the Spymaster she left behind.

Her mate, who called her name every morning and night since she went back home.

Auriella sits up in her bed, wiping the tears from her eyes. Her shadows came back around her, coming out from the dark corners of her room. They cocooned her in their darkness, swirling around her, trying to provide any sort of comfort.

Before, her shadows were dim and barely there.

And now, they were filled with life, becoming visible to all who saw them.

Back in the Dawn Court, Auriella trained herself day and night, making sure to use her shadows while she fought off invisible enemies. She had gained control over them, making them listen to her every command. Even when she fought with Soulender, Auriella implemented her shadows in combat.

And when she was fighting off enemies from the borders of every court, her shadows hid her in the darkness or wrapped around her sword, making it shine in the dead of night.

She had used every technique Azriel had shown her. It was because of him, she had learned how to winnow. Her fathers had helped her with the process, seeing that it was difficult to learn at first, but eventually, she mastered it within a few weeks. It was because of him, her shadows had grown stronger and more vibrant than before.

Mate. Mate. Mate. They whispered in her ear.

Auriella took a deep breath, standing from her bed and heading to the bathroom. She quickly freshened up and changed into the pure black armor that Ruth had given her, sheathing Soulender to her side. Her shadows whirled in excitement, knowing what was coming.

The Daughter of Dawn made her way down to the foyer, heading to the tall oak doors.

But before she could open them, a small whine made her freeze. Hearing her companion behind her brought tears to her eyes, knowing that she had left him for longer than she had intended.

Auriella turned around to see Perseus in the foyer with her. The wolf stared at her with his head tilted, unsure of whether he should head towards her or not.

She let out a sob, "Perseus?" She breathed, kneeling down on the floor.

The wolf immediately went towards her, jumping onto his owner with excitement and longing. Auriella laughed as she petted her companion, feeling relief and regret in her heart. She had missed him so much, needing him beside her more than ever.

Even when she was back home, she believed that she could survive without him. But after the first days, Auriella realized that her companion had provided comfort to her when she needed it. Without him or her mate, Auriella only had Damian to rely on, along with her attendant and her brother's wife, Lara.

They were the only people she could trust in those months, seeing as her fathers would go insane if they knew what she had been doing the past four months in the Night Court. Auriella knew that the information would get to them at some point, but she was relieved that they hadn't found out yet.

"I miss you too, boy. I missed you so much." She says to him, the wolf licking her face.

Auriella looked around the room, seeing if Azriel was there. She could smell his scent on the fur of her wolf; a handsome aroma that awakened her tethered thoughts.

But there was no one, not even a sound from the House.

The Daughter of Dawn stood from the ground, looking down at her content companion, who stared up at her, breathing heavily.

"You can accompany me today, boy. I don't have much to do." She tells him, making the wolf bark with content.

The pair headed out the doors.

Auriella grabbed onto her wolf's collar, winnowing them away to the Night Court border.

***

Once the Daughter of Dawn arrived, she could already see a dozen of her father's soldiers getting armed and ready. The Peregryns armor carried the Dawn Court insignia, shining in gold.

Auriella was grateful that Rhysand and Feyre allowed her small platoon to camp near their border, knowing that she was protecting them for a reason, even if she hadn't revealed to them what it was yet.

They will find out soon, Auriella thought to herself.

She stared out to the shattered brick wall that separated the Day and Night. From where she stood, Auriella could see Helion's golden palace. Clouds wrapped themselves around it, the sun beaming down onto it. The court lived up to its name.

One of the Peregryns, Arsenio, stood beside her, "My lady, we haven't had much activity the past few nights. There were only about thirty of those creatures that came through. We took them down at the border. There were zero casualties on our part." He explains.

Auriella doesn't turn to him, "That doesn't make sense. The Being makes them come in hoards. If anything, you should have been taking down more than a hundred of them. Something isn't right." She tells him.

Arsenio nods, "That is what the men have been saying. They believe that The Being's strength is depleting or she isn't here. After the many creatures we have fought the past three months, I believe it is safe to assume that she has her attention on something else other than the courts." He tells her.

She looks to him, "Have you spoken with Tyr or Atreus? Did they have anything on their end?" She asks.

The Peregryn nods, "Fortunately, we have. Tyr said that the Day Court border hasn't received any sort of activity. Atreus said that the Dawn Court received minimal attacks, but none that are too concerning." He says.

"And my brother?" Auriella asked.

Arsenio clears his throat, "Your brother is currently watching over the Autumn Court border. It was said that the High Lord, Beron, trusted him more than a random guard. Also, his eldest son, Eris Vanserra, has joined alongside him, volunteering to protect his court." He reveals.

Auriella's blood boils underneath her skin, "If the son of that disgusting High Lord lays a hand on my brother or anyone of the Peregryns, he should know that war will be upon him and his court." She says, balling her hands into fists.

The Peregryn chuckles, "Your brother said the same to him." He says.

"If anything major happens, please get to me quickly. I'll get here as soon as I can. For now, I must depart back into the Night Court." She tells him.

Arsenio nods, "Of course, my lady. We will be sure to inform you of anything out of the ordinary." He says, nodding his head once, before heading back to his companions.

The Daughter of Dawn turns back to the broken border, wondering what The Being has planned next.

***

Auriella winnowed to the entrance of the Windhaven Camp.

She didn't believe that she would be back here, seeing as the sisterhood had been corrupted by The Being and her dark magic.

The last time she had stepped foot here was the morning of Aiko and Byron's competition. She remembered feeling the nervousness that surrounded every single one of the women, including herself. She remembered how afraid Aiko seemed that day, not knowing if she would make it out alive or dead.

Auriella still couldn't believe that those women were tied with The Being. It didn't make sense to her.

She was hungry to seek answers.

The Daughter of Dawn walked into the Windhaven Camp, already feeling the many eyes upon her. Her wolf let out a low growl, but nothing that made Auriella be on guard, but she kept her hand on the hilt of her sword.

As she approached the sisterhood compound, a male Illyrian soared down from the sky, landing on one fist and one knee.

Threat. Her shadows whisper.

Devlon.

The Lord of the Windhaven Camp raises his head to look up at the Daughter of Dawn. He stands from the ground, his face holding nothing short of rage. It seemed he wasn't fond of her presence in the camp at all.

Perseus growled at the male, moving in front of his owner.

"What are you doing here?" Devlon sneered at her.

Auriella gave him a small smile, "I am here to find answers. You are in my way. I assure you that it has nothing to do with you. I must head into the sisterhood compound." She tells him.

"Get out." He says.

She shakes her head, "Let me find what I need, and then I will leave. Do not escalate things any further." She tells him.

Devlon chuckles, "How do I know that you won't infect my camp? You were underneath those dark clouds in the arena. For all I know, you could have been the one who killed Pyxis and the brotherhood." He tells her.

Auriella scoffs, "Says the man who flew out like a coward. If you were down there, you would have seen what really happened. The Being killed those men. She used the sisterhood like puppets and made them slaughter the brotherhood. Those men never stood a chance. They didn't even know what the hell was going on." She explains to him.

Devlon shakes his head, "How disgraceful. Those men were on their way to being warriors and our inferiors had to murder them in cold blood. Do you understand what you and your sisterhood have taken away? You took our best commander, you took sons from their mothers, and you took part of our land to create this useless compound that has been abandoned!" He yells at her.

"I understand that you are beyond angry at what happened back in the Court of Nightmares, but we cannot change anything. The only thing we can do is move forward and prepare ourselves for what is to come. I wish that I could have saved the brotherhood, but The Being held me down. If I had a chance to save those men, I would have. They didn't deserve the death they received." She says.

He shakes his head, "People like you will be our downfall. What happened in the Arena of Nightmares was the first step to bringing Prythian closer to doom." Devlon says, "You have fifteen minutes to look through the abandoned compound, then I want you and your mutt away from my camp." Then, the Lord of Windhaven takes off into the skies.

Auriella doesn't waste any time. She immediately heads into the sisterhood compound, her wolf following close behind her.

As she stepped into the building, Auriella was hit with a wave of emotions, remembering every training session she had with the women. It was as if she could see them there, laughing and encouraging each other to keep fighting, to never give up.

Now, there was nothing but darkness and silence.

Auriella immediately headed into the women's changing room, seeing all of their stuff still lying on the floor, forgotten. She rummaged through each of their things, scrambling to find something that led her one step closer to understanding why they worked for The Being.

But it wasn't until she got to Delphine's things when Auriella uncovered a small note tucked deep underneath her satchel.

She opened it up:

"Once Aiko has proven herself worthy, it will not be long until we reveal ourselves to all of Prythian. Be ready, my creations. Time is running short."

Auriella scanned the note a dozen times, feeling her heart tighten with betrayal.

Aiko was the one who struggled most with wielding a sword. Mor and Nesta chose her because they knew she would improve in the month, but that is exactly what The Being wanted.

Aiko was always supposed to be chosen.

"What are you doing here?" Auriella hears a familiar voice behind her.

She turns to see Morrigan standing underneath the threshold, her arms folded against her chest. The Third Commander stares at her with narrow eyes, looking her up and down.

"Why did you choose Aiko for the competition?" Auriella asked her.

Morrigan tilts her head, "Why do you ask?"

The Daughter of Dawn lifts up the note, "Why did you and Nesta fucking choose Aiko for the competition? Why didn't you choose any of the other women?" She asks.

"The Illyrian sisterhood wanted Aiko to be chosen. Nesta and I each gave them a slip of paper and they wrote the name down on it. Yes, Nesta and I were supposed to choose because we were the leaders, but we decided to do it differently. We wanted them to have a choice." Morrigan explains.

Auriella sighs in frustration, handing the paper to her, "You gave them what they wanted. Aiko was supposed to be chosen the entire time. It seems that she had to prove herself to The Being. The competition was her chance to do so and she did." She says.

The Third Commander shakes her head, "This is unbelievable. After everything we have done to build the sisterhood up, we have just made them into stronger warriors for The Being to use. And with her dark magic, they are unpredictable." She says.

Auriella sits down on the floor next to Perseus, "This is fucked." She mutters.

"Well, at least you found something that could help us. I didn't even think to check back into this place after what happened in the Arena of Nightmares. I had too many memories with those women. Even Nesta was heartbroken about them. She doesn't even talk about them with me." Morrigan says.

Auriella looks up at her, "Where is Nesta?" She asks.

"She is in the Day Court visiting Elain for a few days. She decided to get away for a while. I don't blame her at all. Things aren't as they used to be anymore. It seems that every day that passes, bodies come up dead at the shore or an attack happens somewhere in Prythian." Mor says.

The Daughter of Dawn nods, taking a deep breath of the crisp air.

It was only months ago that unusual things started happening, but it felt like years. Auriella couldn't even fathom that deaths, destruction, and decay were laying around Prythian because of what The Being had done.

She was treading carefully, not wanting to get caught too early. And as the months passed, she was slowly revealing what her abilities can do; what she is capable of doing.

Auriella knew The Being wanted Prythian to herself, but now, it was only a matter of time before she snatched it from underneath them.

***

Auriella spent the rest of the day in the music room in the House of Wind, playing different melodies on the starlight piano.

Perseus laid beside her, sleeping soundly as she delicately touched the keys.

When she had returned to the Dawn Court, Auriella asked for her orange piano to be placed back into her room. When it was, she didn't waste any time before sitting in front of it and starting to play, the music echoing in her room.

She ran to her drawers where she kept her old music sheets, taking them out, and scattering them all over her piano. She played for hours, crying, smiling, or laughing at the familiar melodies she had forgotten. It was as if she was a little girl again, remembering the times before the pain.

Every day for three months, Auriella played her piano. It didn't matter if it was one note or a whole song, she touched her piano, even when she didn't have the energy for it. Even when exhaustion racked her body, she played, knowing that it was the one thing that kept her from shattering completely.

It was the one thing that made her feel closer to her mate, even though they were miles away from each other.

Azriel was her inspiration, her muse, and her lifeline. He was the person who encouraged her to keep going, to not be afraid. Every night when he called out her name, she would fall asleep to the sound of his voice, letting it run through her mind like a song.

Yes, there were nights where Auriella believed she couldn't tether herself any longer. There were nights where she wanted to go back to her mate and never be away from him. But she kept herself together, remembering why she had chosen to stay home.

Protect. Protect. Protect. Her shadows whispered, reminding her.

Now that she was back in the Night Court, Auriella felt peace within herself. She wasn't burdened as much as she was in the Dawn Court, seeing as her fathers always hindered her. At every moment, they wanted to know if she was safe or if she was hurt or feeling different. Again, she felt like she was suffocating.

But in the Night Court, she was free; she was untethered.

When the Daughter of Dawn went back into her room, she immediately changed out of her clothing, fitting herself into a silk black nightgown and soft gray cardigan. She let down her hair, massaging her scalp, and stretching out her muscles.

But as she was getting ready to go to bed, Auriella could see a folded paper lying right on top of her pillow.

She walked towards her bed, unwrapping it.