Cassian is halfway to us when the blast shoots through the sky and completely incinerates thousands of soldiers. My friend screams, but I can't hear anything other than the dullest of sounds as the power hollows out my ears. I feel Rhys's power stretch out again as the High Lord's rally, but I'm not expecting it when the Cauldron strikes in the midst of its own troops. The Carver, that strange, inhuman being, is wiped off the earth without a hint of effort.

To their credit, the Illyrian's and the human armies don't break rank while others panic. It's a small relief when Cassian lands and pulls Nesta into his arms. "What is it, what—"

"It's gone quiet again." She breathes and that's a small mercy.

"Get back in line. The soldiers need you there." Rhys commands only for Cassian to bare his teeth.

"What the hell can we do against that?" He asks and my wings extend the same time as Azriel's. We glance at one another and nod.

"Together."

"I'm going in."

"And so am I."

"No." Rhys snaps, but neither of us pays him any heed.

"Chain me to a tree, Rhys," Azriel says softly. "Go ahead. I'll rip it out of the ground and fly with it on my damned back." The men stare at one another even as Az secures the buckles on his body. Violet eyes turn to me as I do the same.

"You gave me authority over them. I won't abandon them." I tell him and roll my shoulders to feel my wings. His mouth opens only for another horn to sound and that weight in my chest becomes heavier. That won't belong to another ally. We have no other allies. We all turn to look and see ships, an entire armada of ships, all with Hybern's flag. Amren swears.

"We might need to run, Rhysand. Before they make landfall." She says despite the fact that I know he will never run. Not so long as people's lives are in danger here. Which means the rest of us won't either.

"Azriel, you lead the remaining Illyrian's on the northern flank." I can see that Rhys hates the command, but my mate only glances at me before shooting up into the sky.

"I'll find you afterward." He tells me and I swallow the emotion that rises in my throat. I know he doesn't mean after the battle but after this life.

"Good luck hunting to whoever's first." I return before Rhys's attention turns to me.

"Go into the Attor's ranks. Slink through their shadows and take out the archers." His eyes slide over the scars on my wings that are stark in the sun while I turn to Shadow in the last second.

"Stay with Elain." Nothing will happen to her. His big amber eyes shine at me and I swallow before I push myself into the air, shooting for the ranks of beasts.

"Stay close to Shadow. Keep them safe." I tell my shadows while I hear the pup cry. I don't turn away when I hear the trumpets, or when I see the other armada of ships along with the white-winged soldiers filling the sky.

"Drakon and Miriam. They're here." Azriel tells me and it takes all I have in me not to cry. A chance. There's the slimmest chance of winning this.

"Then let's show them how it's done." My shadows burst from me, the twin to Bryaxis but airborne, as I shred into the Attor legion in the sky. It's harder to focus than it was on the ground, but I keep to Rhys's instructions. Slipping in and out of shadows as I slice and rip and tear my way through the ranks. I become slightly more careful when those white wings move to my side, but attack with no less savagery. A flickering light catches my eye more than once. The shape of a bird burning through Hybern's armada, but I have no time to spare it a good look.

I'm already weary from using such magic earlier and now my wings—my wings are failing me. I manage to put a dent in the army, but then I have to land. But that doesn't mean I have to stop fighting. My wing dip into the muddy blood puddles as I continue moving through enemy ranks on the ground and it isn't long before Azriel joins me. Back to back, shadows to shadows, we fight on. Rhysand is on the killing field as well and seeing him change into...something else, something with feathers and claws and sharp teeth—that nearly has me falling to the ground with shock. Then Azriel and I are fighting with him as Helion shifts as well while Hybern soldiers do their best to flee from before us.

It's only when a naga-hound comes before me that I pause. This one is fully-grown and nearly my size with sharp claws and sharper teeth flecked with gore. That big, black nose flares and I know she's scenting me, scenting the pup that she'd hidden for safety. "I kept him safe." My chin flicks to the hill I left him on and her amber eyes shift for a moment, then level with me. Her eyes seem to search me for something, then she turns to tackle a Hybern soldier to the ground and crushes his head in her jaws. I grin, then move to fight at her side.

It's a piercing scream that has me turning back towards where we came, the same sound that called to me that day I crawled out from that pile of bodies. "No," I murmur as I see Cassian's wing bent just as Nesta releases a shocking amount of power over the killing field. "No," I say again, but there's nothing I can do. I can't fly. My power is too depleted for me to winnow and it would take me hours to cut down the people between us in order to reach them. Azriel seems to realize the same even as he rallies power to him—and finds it wanting. Despite the odds, we turn to fight towards them.

We watch helplessly as Nesta is disarmed.

As Cassian fruitlessly tries to crawl towards her.

As she lays her body over his as they both wait for the killing blow.

The king hesitates and I barely see a tiny figure pulling at the hem of his pants. Fear strikes my heart when I realize it's Shadow. My shadows flare around him protectively as the king pulls his leg back to kick him away while the female near me howls. The king is too slow. Elain shoves Truth-Teller into his throat without a second of hesitation. We don't have time to keep watching or to celebrate because even with their leader gone, his army is relentless. Another roar of pain catches our ear and we move as one towards Rhysand. Two shadows, one tinted blue and the other green, as we hurry towards our High Lord. We don't get there before the world shakes. Something...someone made of fire and rage and fury burns through the sky with a light brighter than the sun. Fire and brimstone rain from the being as it coasts over us all, but only on Hybern. Amren. I name it with my heart squeezing.

She surfs over the entire host as she turns them all to ash, then turns into nothing. Troops around us burst with joy, but Azriel and I both stare out at the water where she vanished. The price for our victory. We turn to one another with no care to the filth covering one another as our heads press against one another. His arms lock around my waist while my own lock around his neck. We take a few moments to bathe in one another. The fact that we're both here and whole.

"Sister." A voice leaks around me and Azriel stiffens, but I put a hand on his sword. A growl rips from the female who is still surprisingly lingering near us while facing the terror.

"Do not look," I tell him before turning to the swirling mass of shadows. My eyes behold the swirling image that I saw in the Ouroboros, changed, different, but similar. The sister to that image. "Bryaxis." I greet her and our shadows seem to skim one another as if testing the waters.

"I saw how you fought today. Saw, however unrefined, your skill. How you have earned the loyalty of dark creatures." She leers over me a bit more and Azriel's hands pull lightly on my waist in case he needs to pull me back. "For this reason, I offer you this. Should you ever wish or send for me, I will come." My brows furrow, but I bow my head slightly.

"Thank you."

"We are similar, sister. Remember that. Our shadows...they know each other. They come from a similar place." Her teeth shine as she grins at me and I nearly smile back.

Then the screaming starts. Azriel and I instantly turn in the direction of the Cauldron. The direction of Feyre. Together, we muster enough power to get to Cassian, then winnow to Feyre where Mor already stands. The sight shocks me to the core. Sound hollows out as I stare at her bent over Rhysand's limp body, screams ripping from her as if her soul itself is trying to tear her apart from the inside. Mor tries to pull her off of him but releases her when her fingers don't budge from her mate. My heart shatters as Feyre lays over him and he doesn't move. Doesn't lift his arms to hold her.

I still can't hear as Thesan moves to see if he can help, then pulls back with a shake of his head. The High Lords gather and there's buzzing in my head as they speak, but I can't hear a thing. Azriel's hand in mine is the only thing holding me to this plain. Only when they step forward and drop light onto his body do things start soaking back into my body.

"Tell me how." Feyre growls and Thesan launches into an explanation until light appears in her palm. She lays it gently on his throat. One more left. Tamlin stands before us without an ounce of emotion on his face. "Please." She begs. "Please. I will—I will give you anything—" We all would. "Anything. Anything." She repeats and I'm not sure if anything in my life will shock me as much as what happens next. Tamlin moves forward to stand in front of Feyre with that light flickering in his palm.

"Be happy, Feyre." He whispers, then lets that little flame fall onto Rhys's body.

For a few seconds, nothing happens.

My ears strain as I desperately wish to hear something. A breath, a beat, anything. Then my wish is granted. Thump. Thump, thump. Then a deep breath before his arm lifts to hold his love. "If we're all here, either things went very, very wrong or very right." Cassian laughs brokenly as I release a sharp sob. "You lot will be pleased to know...my power remains my own. No thievery here."

"You do know how to make an entrance. Or should I say exit?" Helion drawls and I don't know whether to laugh or hit him.

"You're horrible." Viviane snaps. "That's not even remotely funny." They descend into bickering while I sink into Azriel's side, helping keep Cassian upright, but soaking in his comfort. The next thing I hear has me stiffening all over again.

"Someone fish out dear Amren before she catches a cold." Rhys points to the Cauldron and Mor is instantly there to haul out Amren. Azriel passes Cassian to me and I hold him close as the small female emerges, whole, but without that shifting of her eyes.

"How?" Feyre breathes.

"She was there. When the Cauldron was sealing. Going...wherever we go." Rhys says as the woman spews water everywhere with Mor slapping her back. "So I reached out a hand to see if she might want to come back." And when Amren looks up with a wide grin on her face, we all loose a smile of relief.

* * *

As we all settle, I go with Mor and Cassian to a healer. Simply to sit with him as he once sat with me and to be with Mor who looks rattled. Then again, aren't we all? I find Shadow and his mother sitting happily together on top of the hill and don't bother questioning it when they both follow me into camp. They're nestled together outside the tent flaps at this very moment where I can keep an eye on them. And so they can keep an eye on me.

Azriel moves around the camp tirelessly, but makes the time to bring us food. It's a little strange for both of us for Mor to stare at us as his hand brushes over my bloodied hair, then slips out again. We'd all have to talk things through at some point. I don't want to lose my friendship with Mor and I know Azriel doesn't want to lose her either.

"I'm happy for you, you know." She whispers when the healer leaves and Cassian sleeps off the sedative. My eyes lift to meet her warm brown. "For both of you. I'm...I'm actually thrilled." She sighs and I can see truth shining in her eyes alongside the insecurity. This will change things between them. For the better, I hope. "He deserves someone who can make him see how wonderful he is and you deserve someone patient. I could never have let either of you go for anything less." She smiles at me and I return the gesture, then shuffle slightly in the silence afterward.

"If it doesn't work out, you'll be the first person I call." I tease hesitantly and her eyes widen as she looks at me, then howls with laughter. I join in before Cassian groans.

"Why the hell would they let you two noisemakers into my tent?" He grumbles and I reach over to flick his nose.

"They tried to get someone else, but no one would sit with you," I tell him as his eyes crack open to roll to me. "People kept saying you were too shaggy and smelly to be near, much less tend to." Mor has a hand over her mouth now while Cassian frowns deeply.

"You are just as smelly as I am and far shaggier." He points out and flicks his chin to the braid over my shoulder.

"Mm, true, but I make it look good." Mor bursts again at the look on his face and the three of us giggle until we're pulled apart. Mor and I need healers as well for our own injuries. With a locked jaw, I do my best to sit still as I'm wrapped in bandages, then splints are added to my wings from working them too hard. I feel a little better about them when I finally limp to Azriel's tent and see him in the same. "You look nice." I bid, but even though it's a tease I mean it. Seeing him here, whole, clean, alive after everything we faced; my gratefulness is enough to make me cry. Him being shirtless is also appreciated.

"So do you. The splints bring out your eyes." He comments and it's enough to make me laugh again. It's so good to laugh. So good to see his eyes shine as he watches me, as if my joy is better than his own. There's a soft whine at the door and we turn to find Shadow flouncing around while his mother tentatively sticks her head inside. "Have you adopted a pack?" He asks while my hand slides over the scars caused by a hound.

"Only two. They're cleaner than Cassian." He rumbles a laugh at that before I walk over to the two hounds. The mother appraises me cautiously, but Shadow immediately starts licking the blood off my hands. I look to her. "You may stay with us and your son too, but you must obey certain rules. But I will never whip you. I will never chain you or cage you. Either you remain here and obey or you leave." I condition and her eyes rove over me, her son, and the male on the other side of the tent before she growls funnily.

"She wants to know what the rules are." My shadows translate and my head shakes, but I do as she's asked.

"No killing or hurting people. You will be fed appropriately by me. No maiming, attacking, or anything of the sort unless on my order. No destructive behavior unless sanctioned by me. I may add to this list, but that's the general idea. You'll be given a place to rest, my protection, food, water, and anything else you might need. That's the deal." We stare at one another for a few moments until Shadow paws at her leg. She growls softly and turns towards the door with him following. "Think about it. If you come back, you agree to my terms." My heart squeezes slightly as Shadow twirls around her legs, but she looks back at me before they leave the tent.

"No one touches them," I tell my shadows and a ball slithers after them before I sigh, turning back to Azriel. He has a soft, apprehensive look in his eyes as my shoulders lift and fall.

"They deserve a chance," I say and the corner of his mouth lifts as he nods.

"Whatever you say." He allows and I pinch his arm as I come closer.

"I need to bathe," I say with a glance down to my body still covered in gore. The only spots that are clean are where the healers wiped in order to bandage me.

"Let me." He requests and waves a hand to the basin in the corner of the tent. My head shakes even as I draw a little closer to him.

"No, you're tired. You don't need to do that." I tell him, but he doesn't move and his hazel eyes don't leave mine.

"I'd like to." He says and I realize that he needs this. He needs to be near me in whatever way I'll allow, to touch me, to feel I'm alive. I say nothing, but start to disrobe before him. He helps me with the more difficult bits, then keeps his eyes on me as I step into the basin. The water is blissfully warm and makes it easier to relax. "Do you want to sit?" He asks softly and I don't look down at the water before nodding. His rough hands are firm on mine as I lower myself onto my knees, then stop. My next breath is shaky and I know that this is as far as I'm going today. He gets onto his knees as well before me.

Azriel's hand leaves mine to grab the cloth and dips it into the water, then gently runs it across my skin leaving a clean line in his wake. He releases my other hand to help and my fingers curl around the rim of the basin. "Will you buy that house we saw?" He asks quietly and my fingers loosen their grip a bit. "By the Sidra." He reminds me and my head tilts slightly.

"Maybe. Definitely, if you agree that it won't just be mine." His hand pauses and eyes flick back to mine. His hand continues when he starts to speak.

"Are you sure?" Drops of water trickle into the water as he squeezes the towel. "Would you rather have your own space for a while?" He questions and I take a moment to think on it. I'd never lived alone in my life except for the time I lived in that cage. Other than that I was with my family, then the House of Wind, then the townhouse.

"I'm sure. We can have different rooms if you'd like space, but I want to be as close to you as possible. I...I want the place I come to after a long day to be filled with your things and mine. I want the sheets to smell like us. I want to share a bed with you every night. I want us to make a home together that's wholly ours." I tell him quietly, but my every word is sincere. He rests his forearms on the ledge between my hands and leans forward.

"Then we'll make one." He says with shining eyes and a soft smile on his face. My clean hands raise and skim his face, then glide through his hair leaving streaks of water in my wake. He doesn't care in the least and brightens at my touch.

"It'll have a study for all your secret papers and a desk for you to brood over," I murmur against his lips while he pulls my hair free of its braid so it tumbles freely down my back.

"And a fireplace big enough to stand in."

"With a chair big enough for two just in front of it."

"And drawers full of socks." He goes on and I grin, then press my lips to his in a slow, languid, thorough kiss. I feel the heat of his hand as it slides over my wing without touching, then stills over that sensitive apex of my wing. My breath catches and my eyes flash open, pupils blown, to meet Azriel's. The corner of his mouth quirks up as my hands bunch in his hair. The rough pads of his fingers barely brush the area and a shiver of pleasure trickles through me with only a drop of shame.

"Again," I demand and his eyes widen. He obeys and presses a little harder, eliciting a groan from me.

"Kaira." Az murmurs and his voice is strained. My eyes open as I reach for his other hand and guide it to my body. His hand cups my breast that had grown fuller and heavier than before I was fae, before I was so well cared for.

"Just...slowly," I tell him even as goosebumps raise at just this simple touch. He takes a steadying breath and swipes a thumb over my nipple while I drag my bottom lip between my teeth. Azriel pauses to take in my face, my body language, before continuing. His other hand cups my other breast and now his thumbs work in unison as they brush, tweak, and draw circles on my skin. That little drop of shame remains, but he lavishes that with as much attention as my body. Love washes over me along with pride. His pride in having me, holding me, touching me. I start to not even notice that little piece.

"More," I ask and he growls.

"You have to tell me. I don't...I don't want to hurt you." He breathes even as my shadows themselves seem to keen safe. I lean forward and press my lips to his, then take his hand and guide it down. His fingers glide along my skin all the way, even when I pull it under the water, then pause on my stomach. The heat burning just below my skin is enough to boil the water and so is the heat in his eyes. "We don't have to do anything more." He assures me and I nod. He would let me leave things here, let me stop whenever I wanted.

"I don't want to stop," I whisper and his jaw clenches as he swallows, then nods. We move our hands together further down until he's cupping me in his hand. I let go and place my dripping hands on his shoulders to squeeze. Once again, he waits until he's sure I'm alright before his fingers glide around my folds. I squeak, back arching to push myself further against his hand, but he's very careful not to move until I settle again. His fingers coast around the outside a few more times before sliding a finger inside. A whimper slides from my lips and a shield slams down around the tent. I nearly laugh.

Slowly, he moves in and out of me with his palm rubbing over my most sensitive spot. His hand on my breast squeezes lightly and his thumb teases my nipple. I keep my eyes on his to remind me who this is, but also to watch him take me in. He gathers every bit of information I give him; what touches have my breath catching, what swipes have my back arching, everything. When my nails are digging into his skin, he adds a second finger and my shout rings through the air while Azriel gazes at me without looking away for a moment.

"Azriel." I gasp as water sloshes onto the ground from the basin. Neither of us care. The corner of his mouth flicks up and I pout as his hand leaves my breast, but quickly returns to caress the apex of my wing. "Azriel," A warning and a plea all in one as I tell him I'm close. So desperately close.

"Kaira." He says in return and the gravel in his voice sends me over as he presses hard against my core and my wing. His name echoes in this small space and in my head as lightning bounces around my body, even making my toes curl. He's gentle as he coaxes me back down only for a wave of shame to crash over me. I pull away from him and pull my knees up to my chest while crossing my arms. Azriel remains in his spot watching me. Waiting.

"I'm sorry." I breathe, the shame now mixing bitterly with frustration. "I don't know why I'm still...why this still—" I huff and run my hands over my hair to find it still covered with flecks of bone and blood.

"You were betrayed by your body. It doesn't know pleasure without pain or terror. You need time to learn." Azriel's voice is as soft and gentle as a light breeze tickling tree branches. Guilt bites at me. He must be sorry to have been saddled with such a mate. "Never think that." Cold fire flares to life in his eyes as his head shakes. "It's an honor to be your mate. To walk through life with you. To shoulder your joy and your pain." I stare into his eyes as I feel the honesty from his words over the bond. After a long breath, I nod.

"My hair," I state and he reaches for the bucket nearby, but I catch his hand. His eyes snap to mine as my fingers wrap around his. "Hold onto me," I ask and he nods with furrowed brows. I take another breath before turning with my side towards him, then leaning back into the water until I feel the water tickling the edges of my face. My heart is beating fast, but the panic remains at bay so long as Azriel is touching me. His other hand moves through my hair to comb it and free all the bits of gore stuck in it. My hand is solid on his and the rim of the basin. Frozen. I'm afraid if I move, I'll lose what composure I've gained. When he's done, his hand slides under the back of my head to lift me out of the water.

Pride shines out of his eyes as I gift him a small smile at the improvement, then he helps me stand and get out. My toes are pruny from all that time in the water, but I think of them as a temporary trophy. Azriel gets a towel and sidesteps my arm to instead wrap me in the soft, plush material. "I'm going to get food while you dry." He tells me as he folds me neatly in the warmth. Even though I'd rather it was his arms.

"Mm. You're sure you don't want me to get it?" I offer and a smile slices across his face.

"In your towel?" He reminds me and I shrug as his fingers graze up and down my arms.

"It certainly would cheer up the soldiers, don't you think?" He snorts and I laugh softly.

"Unless the sight of you struck them dead with awe. You forget they saw you in battle. To an Illyrian, seeing you fight like you did today is nearly better than seeing you naked. Nearly." He tempts a smile onto my lips as his skim my hairline to breathe in my clean scent. "Besides, I like serving you." His eyes are bright with love and light as he pulls away to head to the door.

"Azriel," I call and twist my hands together as he glances back at me. "I'll do better. I promise." His brows furrow and his head shakes almost immediately.

"You are perfect. We both have things that we will work on and we will heal and move forward together." I take this in and as the words settle inside me, they warm my heart. I nod and he spares another moment to look at me, then slips out. Soft humming fills the tent as I dry myself and slip on one of Az's shirts, then spot his desk. An idea pops into my head as I swipe a sheet of paper and a writing utensil, then lay out on the bed as I write. I'm still writing and humming when Azriel comes back and I nearly jump out of my skin at his silhouette frozen in the doorway.

"You're humming." He says softly while walking over with a tray of steaming food. My face flushes.

"I...well. It's a habit. I've done it most of my life." But only when I was happy. I remember and the thought makes my smile grow a bit. Azriel's eyes shine a little as he settles beside me with the tray right in front of us.

"It's beautiful." I stare at him a moment as he tries to spy what I've written on my paper.

"My mother used to do it," I murmur and his eyes return to mine. "Especially when she was cooking. She loved music. She was the only one to ever encourage me to pursue it when I was younger even though the rest of my family came around eventually." My hands hold the paper in my hands closer to my chest as I remember doing the same when she bought me sheet music for the first time.

"My mother used to hum." He says so quietly I nearly miss it. "Tunelessly. Terribly. But when it stopped, I always missed it." That explains the look in his eye when he came in. I lean into him, giving him the comfort of my body as words fail me. His arm wraps around me under his shirt and I sigh softly at the pleasure of the simple touch. "I love your hair down." He murmurs into my dark curls and my shadows preen as if he'd complimented them.

"You said before that you liked my hair up." I remind him.

"Mm. Correction then, I like your hair." A soft laugh tumbles from my lips again before his fingers skim over the paper as he tries to swipe it.

"Nice try. Why don't you try asking?" I scold playfully and he pulls back with such happiness on his face that my heart hurts. His brows raise in a silent question and my eyes roll. "I thought that maybe we should have a list of rooms we want in our house. We can figure out which are most important to work on and prioritize those."

"Practical." He says and I have a feeling he means it as a tease.

"Bedroom, study, kitchen, dining room, living room—"

"A music room." He adds and my eyes lift to his.

"Really?" I ask and his head tilts.

"Yes. I want you to fill our house with music, Kaira. With humming." My eyes are lined with silver and he gently presses a kiss to my temple.

"Well, I don't know if I have enough money," I say and he chuckles.

"We all have more money than we know what to do with and you are being paid the most out of all of us. Other than Feyre." My eyes bug out of my head and his smile widens.

"I'll have to talk with Rhys about that. That's ridiculous." I state, but Azriel shakes his head.

"He'll just give you more to spite you. Besides, you have and will earn it, Kaira." He assures me and pushes some food my way. I consider it, and him, for a moment before sighing and giving in. But not before writing music room on that list.

That night, tangled up in Azriel, I hear the soft padding of paws on dirt just before I fall asleep. A small weight settles next to my feet and I hear a heavy huff as another rests on the ground just underneath. There's a smile on my lips as I huddle closer to my mate, then fall asleep.

*A/N*

The penultimate chapter. As with this whole book, I loved writing it. I hope you all have loved reading it. Of course, Shadow and his mom are going to stay with Kaira which will be VERY fun. ;)

One more chapter to go! <3