AZRIEL

The Spymaster, along with the General, tried to get through the creatures that stood in their way as they got closer to The Prison.

But as much as they fought, they were both becoming drained of any power they had regained. With their wings severely injured, it was clear that trying to get to The Prison would be a suicide mission, seeing as the creations were practically hoarding them.

And the downpour didn't make it any easier.

Azriel gave it his all, ignoring the screaming pain his body was feeling. The only thing he wanted was to regain his mate and his brother. In his mind, he prayed to the mother, hoping that she would grant him that wish.

But the Spymaster was not able to fight any longer, succumbing to his exhaustion.

Azriel immediately ran to his brother, winnowing them to a brick roof. He collapsed as he used the last ounce of his power, feeling as if he was dying. His vision became blurry and the world around him was slowly fading.

He wanted to sleep, to let his wounds heal.

As the Spymaster closed his eyes, he thought of Auriella laying beside him, feeling the warmth of her bare skin radiating onto him. He could smell her scent of berries and feel her fingers tracing his tattoos. He could picture those green eyes clearly - beautiful and adoring.

Even if he was dying, Azriel wanted Auriella to be his last thought before he died. They had spent a short time together, but he was grateful to have those memories, to share his soul with the one he waited so long for.

Come back soon, sunlight. He said through the bond.

A moment later, Cassian was shaking him, "Don't die on me, you son of a bitch. If you do, I promise that I will go to the depths of the afterlife to bring you back." His brother says.

Azriel opens his eyes, "Did you think that I would give up so easily, brother?" He asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Cassian plopped down next to him, looking down at the hoard of creations that were creeping around on the brick road. The courts were filled with them now, meaning that nowhere was safe.

Nesta was marking her territory: Prythian was hers.

Azriel felt a jolt of pain go through him as he sat up, stretching out his arms as he watched the creations invade his home. He didn't turn to his brother, "Did you ever feel anything become different through the mating bond with Nesta? There had to be some sort of warning." He asked his brother, not expecting him to answer.

Cassian scoffed, "After Nesta rejected the bond, I wanted nothing more than to be rid of it. I didn't want to waste away, weeping over her. I knew I was going to lose myself if I did. So, I had to find my own way to shut it off. I had to ignore it. Every shift, every jolt, everything that came through, I ignored it. My body would always pull me to her, but I kept myself in place. I had to make my mind my own again."

He continues, "After I met Emerie, the bond started to become easier to ignore as things escalated between us. Of course, I would feel jolts from time to time, but I made my mind listen to me, commanded it to stop thinking about Nesta. As the years passed, the bond would remind me it was there, but it would not pull me towards her, it wouldn't whisper to me, it would just stay there, waiting." He explains.

The Spymaster narrows his eyes, "If you had kept control of the bond, then why did you lash out on Auriella the day she trained with Nesta and the sisterhood? She was in the wrong too." He says to him.

His brother nods, "You know the bond never goes away. It wants you to protect your mate from any harm, whether or not they started it. When I saw Auriella's sword pointed at Nesta's neck, I wasn't able to control the anger it brought me. It wasn't until Mor reminded me of the rejection when I was finally able to cool down." He says.

Cassian sighs, "After that happened, I helped Mor with the preparations for the next day, then I went back to the House of Wind. I told Emerie about it. She understood, knowing that it was the one time that I wasn't able to control it. Even when I wanted to protect Nesta, it did nothing to change the way I feel about Em. My heart is undeniably hers." He finishes.

Azriel takes a deep breath, holding his aching rib cage, "And now what do you feel through the bond? Do you feel Nesta at all?" He asks.

Cassian shakes his head, "It feels cold. She's there, I know it, but I... I don't feel an ounce of the person she was. Nesta has succumbed to Dathomir's possession." He tells him.

At that, the Spymaster feels something shatter within himself. If there truly was nothing left of Nesta Archeron, he was certain that his mate would not survive her wrath if she decided to unleash it. Through the bond, he could feel Auriella's steady heartbeat and the weakness that overwhelmed her.

Cassian puts a hand on his shoulder, "Auriella is going to be alright, Az. We'll find her. You and me. We'll do whatever it takes to get her back." He says.

Azriel doesn't look at his brother. He keeps his eyes focused on the hoard of creations that were trying to get to them, their screams filling the air. He saw their white eyes, their decayed faces, and their controlled bodies. His heart broke for each one of them, knowing that they were all controlled by The Being.

No one would survive this many of them.

Suddenly, Amren winnows onto the roof with them.

She is covered in blood, breathing heavily as her power flows through her. She stares down at the hoard of creations, "Whatever energy you have left, I need you to use it and gather as many people as you can. Take them to the shores of the Night Court and tell them to head down to the mortal lands. Rhysand commanded this." She tells them.

Azriel stands, "I have to get to Auriella." He says.

Amren looks up at him, "Morrigan has her. She has already headed down to the Spring Court. That is the refuge point. I promise you that your mate is safe, Spymaster. Now, Rhys has given you an order. Follow it." She says to him.

Cassian becomes confused, "How is the Spring Court a refuge point? Nesta has made it clear that she wants all of the courts." He asks.

Amren nods, "Yes, but the Woman of Winter has made the divide. The creatures that swam to the Spring border were trying to overwhelm them. With the help of Kallias and Vivianne, her ice power was enough to cause a literal rift in the courts, separating the Spring from all of the rest. Helion will cast a protection spell over it once we have gathered as many citizens as we can." She explains to them.

Azriel narrows his eyes, "The Woman of Winter? What are you talking about?" He asked her.

She grunts, "We're wasting time! Once we have evacuated as many people as we can to the shore, you will see for yourself! That is the last command Rhysand has given me and I don't plan on failing him!" She yells at them.

Cassian scoffs, "Are we just going to leave him in the hands of Nesta?! You must be mad if you think I am going to leave my brother to suffer! We need him with us!" He exclaims.

Amren walks up to him, "Cassian, listen to me! This is nothing like Amarantha! Dathomir planned on taking over the world, not just Prythian! This is only the start of something bigger! I have to keep this contained or else Nesta will be out of control. The only way I can do that is..." She trails off.

After a moment, she shakes her head, "You two must go. Do whatever you can to get our people away from here and to the Spring Court. There will be people waiting for you. Be safe." She tells them, starting to winnow away.

Azriel grabs her hand, "Are you saying goodbye?" He asked.

Tears well up in her eyes, "We all have to make sacrifices, Spymaster. This is mine." She tells him, a smile tugging on her lips, "Varian will expect me soon. Let him know once everything is done?"

Azriel swallowed the lump in his throat, nodding once.

Amren was a cruel creature to those who didn't know her. She was cold, cunning, and a death bringer if anyone ever crossed her. Azriel had never thought of her as a sister, but she was a part of the only family he ever knew. She was a powerful woman, knowing the risk of every mission that ever came their way.

She would be difficult at times, but her loyalty would always remain the same.

Azriel let go of her hand, letting her disappear into the darkness that enveloped her.

***

Amren winnowed to the Illyrian Mountains, stepping onto Ramiel's peak.

Feet away, the human Cauldron stood at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the chaotic continent of Prythian. Her green dress violently waved in the raging wind, but she did not look fazed by it at all.

Amren could feel the power radiating from her. She could feel the power she once had resting inside of the Cauldron's body as if it was calling her back to regain it.

"How surprising. Your power still calls out to you after all this time. It makes sense, seeing how you found me so easily." The Cauldron says, her voice soothing as the snow on the ground.

Amren takes a few steps towards her, "I can feel that you are angry with me, Cauldron. I don't think you like how I cheated death. Even though you have the power I was born with, you are still unsatisfied that I have escaped your grasp." She says to her.

The Cauldron chuckles, "I am dissatisfied. The High Lord of Night was able to head back, but that was only because he was revived by the others, including by his mate. You, however, were supposed to stay. It was because I was healing that he had that slight chance. In reality, I should take his life for doing so." She tells her.

The human Cauldron turns to her, giving her a deadly smile, "I can only guess why you are truly here, Second Commander. Is it because you came to retrieve the power you once possessed? Do you believe you can destroy The Being?" She asked.

Amren shakes her head, "No. I am here to bargain with you." She states.

The Cauldron laughs, "Oh, now this is truly delightful. Are you a fool? I created this world from nothing, used my power to create this very mountain, and created each specimen that stands around you. Why would I bargain with you?" She sneers, stepping closer to her.

"Nesta will not stop until she has taken over the entire world. Dathomir never only wanted to rule a single continent. He wanted all of them. You know that. Prythian might be in her hands now, but she will want more and her power will only grow. That was the reason why the Children of Day and Night were made. They wanted to stop him before that ever happened." Amren says.

She continues, "I've seen what Dathomir's power can do. I witnessed it. He showed no mercy to those who turned on him. If he wanted something, he would do everything he could to gain it. He had you in his grasp as well. He was going to use you to gain the world. The same thing will happen with Nesta if we don't put a stop to this."

The Cauldron tilts her head, "Go on," she says.

Amren lets out a breath, "You gave Nesta his power because you believed she was worthy of it. You believe that you can control it this time but look around you. Nesta has destroyed the courts within hours of establishing her rule. Imagine what she could do in a year or more. She could gain the other continents around us and bring them down. She could destroy the world if she wanted to."

She takes another step, "She could destroy you too. With Hybern, the Cauldron cracked. With Dathomir, the Cauldron could come apart if she wished for it." She finishes.

The Cauldron's green eyes gleam at the words, "And what do you want from me, Commander?" She asked.

Amren sighs, "I want Nesta's power to extend no farther from Prythian. She will not be able to reach another continent, another sea, or another land that is not within our jurisdiction. We must establish a shield, one that cannot be destroyed by her. As you said, you created this world, meaning that you can protect it." She tells her.

The Cauldron nods, "And what will I get from you, Commander?" She asks.

"You will have control of my very being until the Children of Day and Night return from the realm they have landed on. In exchange, you will create the shield around Prythian and it will stay until the High Prince of the Night Court and Elain and Lucien's child have made their appearance back on this world." Amren demands.

At that, the Cauldron raises her brows, "You were not born in this realm, Amren, and yet, you are willing to give yourself up?" She asks.

The Second Commander lets out a breath, "I may not have been born here, but I have gained a family that I do not want to lose. The power that Nesta holds does not deserve to be unleashed upon this world or any other. If sacrificing myself is the price, then I will gladly pay it." She tells her.

"There is no telling when the Children of Day and Night will return. It could take hundreds of years or more. Once we seal this bargain you have made, your mind will no longer be yours. It will be mine. You will rest in the Cauldron, sleeping until they have returned." The Cauldron explains.

Amren narrows her eyes, "Where did you send them? Nyx and Elain?" She asked.

The Cauldron smirked, "To the red star that plummeted through this world."

Amren had no idea what that meant, seeing as there had been nothing unusual. She debated on asking another question, wondering if she wanted to know. Things were already complicated as they were. She didn't need any more weight piled upon her.

Instead, she kept silent.

The Cauldron held out her hand, "Are you ready, Commander?"

Amren thought of it for a moment, remembering everything she had gained here in Prythian. She had made a name for herself here, building up a reputation that would make anyone fall to their knees. She had gained a family that cared about her as she did for them.

She had found love in the midst of the chaos with Varian, thriving in their private moments, sharing secrets that only they knew.

She would cherish every memory of him, of her family, and of the home she had grown to love.

Amren took her hand, letting the world around her glow in white.