Nayleen Crest screamed as Foxe held her back. "C-Celeste!" she sobbed, melting in Foxe's arms. Zinnia, who was in a battle stance with Ankou, stood there silently, processing everything that happened.

Astoria checked both of Thatcher's and Celeste's pulses. "They're dead." She stood up, scouting the battle. So far, there have been no deaths, but many injuries. "Everyone, listen to me," she shouted. "We have to stop this insanity."

Ankou widened his eyes. "No, but—"

"Ankou, revenge on the kingdom won't solve anything, it'll forge mistrust and hatred between Valdor folks, Viscount folks, Darklings, dwarves..." Astoria shook her head. "We are not going through with the Viscount takeover plan."

Astoria looked at Elias, her gaze softening. He smiled slightly, nodding for her to go on. "Heirs," she said to Zinnia, Nayleen, and Foxe, "Valdor's situation is horrible. It's been like this ever since I was a child, people are barely surviving out on the streets. Nearly a year ago, I created a contract that stated that if the Council of Viscount members died along with their children, all their funds would go supporting the Slums, maybe even Viscount."

Silence, pure silence.

Zinnia nodded, walking over, passing by Viscount Kingdom soldiers and Darklings. "I will offer my life if it means protecting everyone." Her eyes wandered to the Darklings. "I see the truth now."

Nayleen and Foxe nodded as well. "We'll die as well," Foxe shut his eyes, "we can't escape the contract."

Astoria looked over to Ankou. "Do we have a peaceful death spell in the Book of Darkness?" Ankou nodded and told Isla to go back to the De Vil Manor to fetch it. He walked to Astoria, wincing.

"I will call off our plans, Paloma Yearwood was correct—there are better things than revenge." He looked slightly anxious as he addressed the Darklings and Viscount soldiers, telling them to rest back in the manor. "The battle's over, let's go treat our wounded."

The Darklings and Viscount army helped to carry the injured. Ankou looked stunned, still recovering. "You...You convinced them to die for Valdor, to serve Valdor. I don't know what to think of it, Astoria De Vil."

"Thank you, but just call me Astoria, it's a bit freaky."

༻༺✧༻༺

Ankou and Astoria stayed before to perform the death sleep, they would slowly fall asleep, but never wake up. Zinnia was the first go, her eyes fluttering closed. Ankou offered his hand for comfort and Zinnia took it, silent tears falling down her face.

"I love you, Mama," she whispered as her eyes closed. Her body went limp and Zinnia Xing was no more. Elias came over, placing a hand on Astoria's shoulder. I love you, she wanted to tell Elias.

But a thought was gnawing at her.

Nayleen and Foxe held hands as Ankou chanted out the spell. Their grip tightened as a wave of dizziness hit them. "You were t-the funniest foxe I've ever met," Nayleen laughed, kissing Foxe's forehead. They slumped together until their last breaths, their eyes stilling.

"Ah, young love," Ankou mused, shaking his head. He said his goodbyes before heading off back to De Vil Manor, shaken by the offers of death. Even if he lived in Archemoros, the Underworld, he didn't seem to like the thought of dying.

Elias and Astoria stayed behind, watching as Zinnia's, Nayleen's, and Foxe's corpses faded away in a huff of mist, an after-effect of the death spell. "We did it, Starshine." He gazed up at the stars, twinkling brightly.

Astoria's upper lip trembled. "We sure did, Hawk."

He stole a glance at her, furrowing his brows. "What's wrong, Astoria?" Elias moved closer and Astoria took a shaky breath. "Astoria, please, tell me what's wrong." I have to do this.

"For the past few days, I was thinking about being Celeste's half-sister. I didn't want to think about it, so I distracted myself..." Astoria swallowed hard. "Do you remember the words that Ankou chanted out for the spell?"

"Yes," Elias said slowly. "Wait..."

"I need you to cast that spell on me." There, Astoria had said it. Realization filled Elias' face before he settled on dread.

"No."

"I'm Otis Laurier's daughter, Celeste's half-sister, I'm a part of the contract. The funds can't properly be transferred if I'm alive," she choked out a sob. "Elias, you're the one person I want to send me off to Archemoros."

Elias looked away, tears in his eyes. "I won't, A-Astoria."

"Please," she begged, feeling desperate. "For me, for Valdor, for everyone." Elias nodded weakly as Astoria moved towards him, grabbing his face. She traced his bruises and scars with her thumb. "I love you, Eli. I should have realized that sooner, m-maybe not on the day I'll die."

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I love you too, Tori." Then they sat down, Astoria's legs draped over his, and Elias began to whisper out the spell. Astoria's eyes became heavy and so did her breathing. Is this what dying felt like?

Elias smiled sadly. "Look up at the stars, Starshine."

Astoria saw the stars disappear as morning arrived. "Look, it's now Febra 5th, happy b-birthday, Hawk." With her remaining strength, she lifted herself up to kiss Elias' cheek. "It's probably selfish of me to die on your birthday."

"No, it's not." He choked out a strangled laugh. "You're the Lady of Dread after all."

"Goodbye," Astoria said softly. She took a final breath before her chest sank, never to rise again. Elias Lennox held Astoria De Vil, dying, in his arms.