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I t took us longer than I’d like to admit to make it back to The Haven. Aurora was exhausted and leaned on me the entire way, slowing us down, but I didn’t mind.

Shortly after Aurora relayed her message to me, Byn and the rest of the group found us. Once I explained who Aurora and Eden were, Byn simply asked what I needed.

Byn took Eden for me, after I introduced him to her and showed her that he was trustworthy. He mentioned taking her to the den where Atlas and Lychen stay, since they didn’t exactly have a place to keep griffins, to feed her and clean her up.

Seeing my husband care for my griffin was a sight I never thought I’d see, and it pulled at my heart strings to watch.

Rayven went with Byn, while Laurence and Quinn trailed behind Aurora and me as we all hiked back to The Haven.

Quinn tried to object to taking her into our home, but I reassured her that Aurora was like a sister to me.

Quinn mumbled something about that not meaning much nowadays, but I didn’t take the bait, ignoring her and taking Aurora down the private wing, to the room I had originally stayed in.

The room still had some of my old clothes—dresses and such that I knew Aurora would feel more comfortable in.

Teagan and I had been redoing my wardrobe the past few weeks, adding in regal dresses for formalities, as well as things I’ve found I’m comfortable in.

Things that made me feel more like myself, such as trousers and vests.

For once, I was in a place in my life where I could dress for myself instead of for everybody else, and I’d been taking advantage of that.

That was why I was still so surprised that Aurora hadn’t said anything about my appearance yet. Not only the change in eye color or display of power, but also the way I dressed and held myself.

I was chalking it up to the shock and exhaustion, but this still didn’t seem like the same female I knew.

Something had changed.

Or maybe it was simply that I’d changed.

Once we made it into my old chambers, I leaned Aurora against the bed and gathered up some clean clothes, then set off towards the washroom. I started her a hot bath, using some fancy soaps that smelled like eucalyptus to create lots of bubbles in it for her.

Barely speaking any words to each other, I did for her what she used to do for me countless times after exhausting myself using my zirilium—I helped bathe her.

I turned my head while she undressed, then turned back after I heard her settle into the bubbly water. She let out a long sigh of relief, and I could see some of the tension in her shoulders melt away, the same way the dirt slid off of her pale skin.

“So,” I said as I used my zirilium to pour some water from the bath onto her head, drenching only her hair, “would you rather talk to me about things now, or would you rather us continue this in silence, and you explain everything afterward to not only myself, but my husband, as well?”

Aurora shot me a look I couldn’t quite place, and that stunned me momentarily. Usually I could zone in on her expressions and the emotions they held—I’d known her for so long, it was like second nature.

Maybe I’ve just been away too long, I thought.

“Just you, Viva,” she said finally, and I nodded.

I reached over and handed her some soap, then made a motion, encouraging her to talk as she cleaned off.

As she began to talk, I started to shampoo her long, bright blonde hair, massaging her scalp with care. After her hair, I moved onto her wings, delicately washing them free of dirt and sweat. They hung over the sides of the tub, which was obviously not meant for Northerners.

Despite everything, she had still always been there for me. The least I could do was return the favor.

“It all started when I overheard your father and Dimi talking in one of the lounge rooms. I had just been walking by, but I heard my name and stopped to listen. I thought maybe they were talking about me and my progress with Hugo as far as my trokav training went, but I was sorely mistaken.”

Aurora took a shuddering breath before continuing on.

“They were going to try to kill me. Well, King Heartshire was, anyways. When Dimi asked why, all the king said was that I had information I shouldn’t , and that I had to be taken care of .

I don’t know what he thinks I know—the only thing I can think of is that he finally caught on to me knowing about your zirilium, but I can’t know for sure now.

Anyways, Dimi must have panicked, because he suggested instead of killing me, they simply throw me into the dungeons to rot ,” she said the last part with anger, but I could see the tears that glistened in her eyes that told me she was hurting.

“Dimitri really suggested that?” I asked, stunned. The brother I knew wouldn’t let anything like that happen to an innocent, especially Aurora.

Aurora nodded. “He’s not the same since you left, Viva.

He’s cold, distant, and sometimes outright cruel.

Your father has really started to depend on him, giving him bigger tasks and keeping him on a tight leash—nearby at all times.

He’s kept him under his wing like never before, and Dimi is suffering because of it.

Your father is rubbing off on him in the worst ways possible.

You would hardly recognize him now, after the past three months. ”

This information came like a punch to the gut. My twin was always so kind, so unbreakable in spirit, despite everything our father put him through. Hearing that Father had finally crushed his will… it must be much worse than I thought.

Before I could ask any questions about Dimitri, Aurora carried on.

“That snippet of their conversation was enough for me to want to run by itself, but I was so scared, I was frozen in place. I stayed rooted to the spot, but now I’m grateful I did.

The next thing Dimitri said was that they shouldn’t worry about how to handle me until after the attack on Cairnyl.

That the attack, which was happening so soon, should take priority over everything else.

Your father, albeit begrudgingly, agreed. ”

Aurora took another deep breath, setting the soap on the rim of the porcelain tub.

“After I heard that bit, I snapped back to reality. I got out of there as fast as my wings could carry me. After I snuck Eden out, we didn’t look back. You trained her well. I don’t know how she knew, but she knew we needed to go right then and there. She’s quite a trooper.”

I took a moment to digest this information, forcing myself to remain calm, before asking, “When are they coming?”

Aurora looked down at the bubbles before her as she murmured, “Tomorrow night. They want to attack when the moon is out and strong so their moon stones have a constant charge as they fight.”

I opened my mouth to talk, but was interrupted as Aurora turned her head to truly look at me for the first time since we entered The Haven.

“Your father used you as a ploy. He’s claiming the South kidnapped you and forced you into marriage.

That’s why there was nobody there besides us during your send-off, and we were not even permitted at your wedding.

He didn’t want anybody to know his true plans.

Aviva, he wants to rule the entire continent.

And he’s not afraid to kill everybody and anybody standing in his way. ”

My hands went still from where they were cleaning Aurora’s wings as I listened to her speak. I wasn't entirely surprised at my father’s lies and deceit, but I was surprised Aurora was able to make it here without much trouble to tell me all of this.

“Aurora, how exactly did you escape? How were you not caught?” I asked slowly, resuming my gentle strokes along her smokey gray wings, carefully keeping my expression neutral.

“I knew I couldn’t leave Eden, nobody would have cared for her if I had left her.

So I snuck her out like old times, then we took to the skies.

The snow hasn’t completely stopped yet in the mountains, despite us being far into spring now.

So we used the clouds as coverage until we couldn’t fly anymore, but I knew we weren’t in the North anymore when we landed.

Then, we walked through that forest for what felt like forever, until those guards found us,” she explained.

“I told Hugo before I left that I wasn’t feeling well, and that I was going to stay with my parents down in Hollis for a few days.

He didn’t have any issues with that and accepted my leave on the spot. ”

Aurora surged forward suddenly, water sloshing over the sides slightly at the movement.

Grabbing hold of my hands, her voice was dripping with concern as she said, “I had to make it to you—you had to know. You have to save yourself. You have to flee, get as far away as you can. Viva, your father will stop at nothing—he will strike you down the moment he sees you simply to cover his tracks.”

I reeled back as if she had physically slapped me.

“You want me to do what ? Aurora, I’m not going anywhere,” I said, visibly shaken.

Aurora’s brows furrowed and she shook her head, dropping my hands. “I don’t understand. I came all this way to warn you—so you could flee . So you could survive .”

“I’m not going to go into hiding while these fae stay behind and get slaughtered. I’m going to fight, to do my part. It’s the least I can do,” I said confidently.

To my surprise, Aurora let out a sharp laugh.

Once she caught her breath, she blurted out, “Let’s be real—you can hardly even wield a sword!”

Offended and bristled, I let loose the grip on my fire zirilium until a ball of blue flames sat in the palm of my hand. I could see the reflection of my flames in her icy blue eyes.

“While that isn’t even remotely true, I don’t need swords anymore. A lot has changed, Aurora. I’ve changed,” I said icily.