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T eagan and Byn caused a variety of flowers and plants to sprout around Ezra’s body—a small way to honor him until the battle was over and we could come back for him in order to give him a proper burial. So we could take him home, one last time.

We stood at the edge of the forest, upon a hill overlooking the battlefield, as we plotted our next moves.

Rayven had arrived at the perfect time.

Because we were losing.

The sheer number of soldiers the North had on us was starting to take its toll on our army, and not even the extra power of the sun coming up on the horizon was enough to turn the tides in our favor.

Teagan left after the revised plan was in place, both her and Byn refusing to let Margo be on her own for too long without one of them nearby, even if Lychen was a good enough protector on his own.

Quinn, Byn, and I all raced for Atlas, then charged across the field to meet Rayven after Teagan departed.

The Islanders were already charging into battle, battle cries flooding the air as they descended into the fray.

The Southerners, upon seeing that the Islanders weren’t cutting them down but rather the Northerners, took up arms with them and began pushing the Northern army back, step by step.

It was difficult to tear my eyes away from the shadow wielders and warriors that joined the battle.

I watched as one shadow wielder used the tiny spots of darkness clinging to one Northerner in the sky to make himself appear mid-air next to the soldier.

Before the Northerner could even process he was under attack, he had lost his wings, and the Islander was already jumping away through shadows to his next victim.

I cringed internally as I watched the Northerner fall to the ground—wings separated from his body. I looked away before his too-still form touched the earth.

The sight replayed in my head, reminding me of Laurence. I sent a silent wish to the Stars that he and Eden were alright.

Before the three of us could slide off of Atlas’ large form to meet Rayven, he appeared next to us on the wolf’s back, having used his shadows. His expression was neutral as always, yet somehow still gave away the urgency he felt.

“Seems like we made it just in time,” Rayven said, looking across the battlefield after quickly scanning the three of us for any fatal wounds.

I could feel Byn’s relief at seeing Rayven unharmed, and it matched my own.

“Rayven…” Byn started, but was interrupted by Quinn’s sudden scream of pain.

She fell to her knees atop Atlas’ saddled back, and I was instantly there to catch her so she didn’t fall further.

“Quinn? What is it?” I asked, anxiety once again pooling in my stomach.

“Something’s wrong,” she panted, clutching her chest with both of her hands, as though she could ease some sort of pain there.

She doubled over, groaning in agony, clawing at her chest as though she could physically remove whatever was ailing her.

Then, as though nothing ever happened, she ceased her sounds of pain and slowly sat up.

She was still panting heavily as Byn, Rayven, and I looked between each other, obviously troubled.

Byn leaned into Rayven’s ear, likely telling him about Ezra by the look of grief and horror that passed over Rayven’s usually guarded expression.

Pulling back from Rayven, Byn started, “Quinn—”

“I’m fine,” Quinn said, forcing herself to her feet. “For the sake of the Stars, let’s win this battle already.”

With that to set the mood, we caught Rayven up on our plans, despite how reckless they might've been. While we were all curious how Rayven rallied our new ally, we didn’t have time to get into the details.

Rayven shook his head, obviously not agreeing with our plan to put me in harm’s way. Byn didn’t either at first, but both males quickly seemed to realize how little options we had left, despite their wishes to keep me safe.

It had taken pulling Byn off to the side and reassuring him I’d be fine to get him to calm down. That he had to trust in my abilities, and that he couldn’t protect me himself forever—I had to do that for myself, too.

Now that it was raining, the soot had been washed away from my wings.

The same dual colored wings that would have easily given me away before I could get close enough to my father to do any real damage.

This small detail in itself ruined our original plan, along with the fact that the messenger’s cloak now covered Ezra’s body, drenched in blood and rain.

So we reassessed.

Once we were all on the same page, Quinn mounted Willow, sitting behind Rayven but leaving obvious space between their forms. I remained on Atlas, gripping Byn as both wolves broke out into a run on the outskirts of the battlefield, away from the forest behind us.

And towards our enemy.

***

It was easy enough to run through—or over—the few soldiers in our path as we made our way to the far, northern side of the battlefield.

From our original spot on the hills by the forest, the tents set up by my father’s people looked like no more than specks in the distance.

But now, with every step Atlas and Willow took, those tents grew larger, and the situation laid out before me became more and more real.

I was here to put a stop to my father.

No matter what it took.

Now that we were growing closer to their king, the winged soldiers were turning their attention to the two large wolves in their midst. Most had been stopped by Robyn’s earth or fire and Quinn’s crystals, but if any of the soldiers from above happened to shoot for us, I’d readied myself to use my ability to manipulate the air around us to make shields or to block any arrows.

As I formed one of those hard wind shields around myself and Byn, just in case, I couldn’t help but wonder how I’d changed so much, so fast.

When I arrived in the South just a handful of months ago, I was untrusting. Skeptical. Rude, even. I kept to myself as much as possible, because I didn’t want to trust those around me. It had always been me, Dimi, and Aurora against the world. Without them, who was I?

Then came in Byn. I was so sure in the beginning that it was all a trick. I mean, who wouldn’t after being told a lifetime of lies about those who I was now surrounded by? But piece by piece, I saw that the South wasn’t trying to trick me—I had already been lied to, manipulated.

Byn had been so patient, so caring, until I saw for myself that the South wasn’t my enemy. I wouldn’t be surprised if he truly had begun to fancy me that very first day when I pressed a dagger to his throat.

One Northerner dipped down from the sky, getting a little too close to Rayven and Quinn. Before he could do any damage, he fell victim to one of my rogue air currents that sent him crashing to the ground faster than he could right himself.

We were maybe two hundred feet away from the campsite now. Byn and Quinn were defending us brilliantly, Rayven even disappearing for a moment at a time to intercept a soldier or two with his shadows.

A sudden, bright light caught my eye to the right, likely only a hundred yards from our current position.

The light was something I had only read about in books, and pity washed over me at the sight.

I watched as the Northerner’s light grew brighter, his form still swinging his sword at those who came too close. The light seemed to emit from inside of him, like a caged animal finally breaking free of its restraints.

Once he felled those around him, and those who remained realized what he was doing, it was too late.

He gave himself over to the Relenting.

Blinding, white light shone from where he stood, his form no longer visible, as he gave up every piece of himself in order to kill those around him—Northerner and Southerner alike.

The Relenting was a last-ditch effort—most fae never even witnessed it in their lifetimes. It was the act of surrendering yourself to the Stars—your zirilium, your energy, your entire being. And then—

The surrounding area of where the Northerner had stood exploded , originating from the light that had only grown brighter and brighter.

I shielded my eyes with my arm, forcing myself to look away as those who had been too close were reduced to ash.

The Relenting was considered a war crime—there was no safe way to enact it. The more powerful the person, the larger and more impactful the Relenting. It was an extremely painful way to go, for both the fae Relenting and those who fall victim to it.

“ Avi. ”

I wrenched my arm away from my face and forced myself to not look back at what I knew would simply be scorched earth and piles of ash.

Byn threw me a knowing look over his shoulder, then pointed to what was ahead of us.

A weight that felt like pure dread settled in my stomach at the site of the nearing tents, and what they meant.

I hadn’t seen Father since the day I'd left the North.

The day he forced me to leave everything I had ever known behind, including the only people I had loved—at the time.

He used me like a pawn in his game—though I supposed that was all I ever was to him, anyways.

Something to be used then discarded. Never cherished, never loved, not the way a daughter should be.

He only ever tended to me out of obligation, so he’d be seen a specific way.

Like a loving father, a fair ruler. Little did his subjects know that the mask came off when the doors closed behind him.

That he may wear a smile on his face, but his eyes matched his soul—void of any emotion beyond greed and selfishness.

I rarely saw him outside of our morning visits for my elixirs. Though I bet he spun some elaborate tale in front of others to make it seem like he simply visited each day because he enjoyed my company.

After so many years, I believe we both preferred it that way. Living separate lives within the same castle.