Thain had come. My heart felt like it could burst, he had not only come but he brought more people with him. Our chances of success had just reached skyward.

"Thain!" I called his name as I rushed toward him, and he came to meet me. The moment our bodies collided, he wrapped his arms around me and I was lifted off the ground. Tears stung my eyes in the chill of the air, and I buried my face in his shoulder.

"I can't believe you're here!" I sobbed.

He put me down, pulling back enough to wipe a thumb across my cheek where the first tear fell. "You called me here, silly."

I laughed, tears sill stinging my eyes as I rubbed at my face with the back of my sleeve. "I know. Just, I was worried you'd be too late."

"Never," he said softly, pulling me in close again.

I took a deep breath, stepping back from him but still holding his hands in mine. "We have much to discuss. And, you brought so many with you."

I looked over his shoulder to the watchful fae behind him.

"I did," he said. "You said there would be a battle here."

I bit my lower lip, glancing behind me at Schula and Spaulder. None of the others were in sight, but I knew they must be around somewhere.

"Thian," I said softly. "There are people you need to meet, but I'm not sure how well you...anyone...will take their presence here."

Thain nodded. "I think I've put it all together, Wren. This place, who helped you after the Summer lands. I will have the others camp away from here, until the time is right to reveal them."

I sighed, sagging into his touch. "Thank you."

Thain turned around enough to face the others. "Set up camp in the tree line. Stay out of sight, and out of this place. We will watch only the north, there are eyes here for the south. Scout for the enemy and set up a watch. When Nassir returns, send him our way."

Several of them crossed an arm across their chest, the familiar militant motion I would see in Thanantholl. I just hoped they would obey and not pry in this direction.

I held back a smile at Thain's expression. He clearly hated the position of leadership that came with his long history of battlefield prowess. It was no wonder Eberon was his match, someone suited to taking over for him and allowing the dark fae to have his silence.

"Thain," Schula smiled, reaching out to join our embrace as we happily pulled her in. "I'm so glad you're here."

We pulled back, but I kept a hand in Thain's as we spoke. "So you...think you know who is here with us?"

He nodded, his solemn eyes sliding around the clearing, as if he could see through the trees themselves to pick out the elven children.

"I believe so, and you were right not to say it."

I tensed. "I didn't know they'd be here, but do you have a problem with it?"

His jaw ticked, then he sighed. "No. My oath is now to a...new king. I have no orders to harm the elves, and I am glad they were here to help you."

Schula spoke softly. "I know this is going to be hard for you, but thank you."

Thain's eyes came back down to meet ours. "The most important thing now is to keep you safe and defend the Wyldes."

"Agreed," I said. "We should go to the meeting room and sort out everything."

Thain frowned, looking around the clearing that was so obviously empty of buildings of any kind, and certainly meeting rooms. But, in a very Thain fashion, he said nothing and followed when we walked.

As we approached the cellar door that would take us to the room, I glanced around for a sign of the scouts. I didn't see any, but that didn't mean they weren't around.

Schula kneeled down and knocked on the door four times, paused, then three more times.

"I saw Liana do it before," she explained. "I think it means something to the effect of a friend is coming in. Just so we don't go in with spears at our throats."

Thain's face remained blank, his body at complete ease as I was once again reminded that there was little that concerned him when it came to a fight.

Schula opened the door, and we descended into the room, torchlight already flickering brightly and illuminating the whole space well.

Teyber was already there, sitting on one of the logs we dragged in as a makeshift bench at the table. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his face was serious. On either side of him was a scout, hands on spears but otherwise not aggressive.

Teyber and Thain locked eyes immediately, and I felt a tension between them that betrayed their easy postures. This could be a moment that falls either way, considering the history between their people.

"Teyber," I started. "This is Thain. He's on our side, he brought..."

I hadn't even finished speaking before Teyber's face broke into a smile. He stood from his seat, no longer playing the hardened captain as he strode over to Thain.

"So this is Thain," he said, offering a friendly hand right away. "Wren told me about you. If she trusts you, we trust you."

Relief flooded me as my shoulders sagged and I let out a breath. I hadn't given it much thought before, but telling Teyber about the people I loved from the Wyldes had been a very wize move, even if I didn't know it at the time.

Thain grunted, shaking Teyber's hand and letting go with an ease about him. "She spoke highly of you as well, Teyber of the elven children."

Teyber nodded. "Good, we won't waste more time on introductions then. Have a seat, let's see what information we can piece together between us."

Teyber went back to his seat at the table, and Schula and I followed. Thain took a moment as his eyes swept the room, lingering on the mural at the back wall before he stepped forward and sat down across from Teyber. My dark fae's eyes landed on the table where makeshift maps and written reports were scattered across the entire surface.

Teyber seemed to be giving Thain a moment to take it all in. Knowing Thain, he wouldn't rush himself as he looked around. Still as stone, the only part of Thain that moved were his eyes as the roamed the table. Finally, after a bit of a wait, he reached out and took a collection of pebbles from one place on our crude map and scattered them into two other groups elsewhere.

Teyber raised an eyebrow. "You're sure?"

Thain nodded. "The group I removed is dead by my own hand, and we skirted the other two groups on our way here."

Teyber's face broke into a wide, toothy grin. "I like you already. Let me show you a report I was just looking over."

After that, the conversation was rapid and actions were quick. Thain was able to correct a lot of the information we had on the movements around us, and we filled him in on our suspicions about Bara Khalja and the bones buried here. In turn, Thain told us what happened to Yusellia.

The Summer City still stood when he left it, but it had been assaulted terribly. Peyorla led her people with a fierceness that locked them in battle for days. But rather than his small group wading into the fray, he focused on the refugees that Spaulder had wisely sent into the mountains. Thain and his group found them and set them back to Thanantholl, the group splitting so there could be an escort for safety.

Thain was going with them, but when Puko brought my message, he took some of the Autumn creatures and came to find us here.

And after much discussion, dinner, and planning, we finally wrapped up our day. Teyber was clearly tired, but insisted he wanted to visit some of his posted scouts before he rested. We left the planning room, the fresh air of the evening held a crisp chill to it. I didn't mind, the air was much better up here than it had been underground.

The stars overhead were already coming out and the light of day was fading. My boots crunched on the dry grass of early winter as we walked in the open field.

"Thain, would you like to sleep in our space?" Schula asked. "It will be much warmer than sleeping in the trees."

Thain glanced in the direction where the other Autumn court were, then his eyes slid down to me. "Yes."

I blushed, looking away, a sudden shy feeling overtaking me.

"Good, we have mats to sleep on and cloaks to lay under," she added, a mischievous grin now settled on her face.

I gave her a panicked look, knowing what kind of trouble she could cause me when she felt up to it, but her expression didn't give anything away as we took the last few steps to our space.

"Here it is," Schula said, opening the door and gesturing for us to go in.

I shot her one more suspicious look as I took the first steps down the stairs, Thain following after me.

"Oh dear," Schula said. "It's far too cold for me tonight. I'm going to sleep by Spaulder for warmth."

My face heated up, my eyes widening. "Schula!" I snapped.

"Good night, my beloved friends." She winked, dropping the door closed behind us.

My heart was pounding as I looked to Thain in a panic. He was, of course, as calm as ever. His face was still, his eyes soft as they looked at me.

I bit my lower lip, taking him in with what torchlight our cellar room provided. Taller than me, broad shoulders, travel-worn black clothes that replaced his Autumn court red that I had seen him wear in the battle. I was embarrassed to still be in my red garments, though it's not like I had anything else to wear since fleeing Thanantholl.

"I've missed you, Wren," he said softly. He even gave me the flicker of a smile, and my heart skipped.

"I've missed you too," I said, and suddenly the closeness of the space was suffocating. A warmth settled between us, the wavering light flickered in his silver eyes, and I was suddenly aware of my erratic heartbeat.

Thain lifted a hand slightly, then dropped it again.

"I can sleep outside, if it will be a problem," He offered, already taking a step back up the stairs.

My hand flew out, grasping at the hem of his shirt. Both of our eyes followed the motion, and then my mind went blank as I realized I had to say something in this suffocating emptiness.

"You don't have to," I murmured, catching my lower lip between my teeth. "I'm glad you're here."

He watched me, still as stone for a moment before answering. Something I appreciated about him, he tried to think before speaking. It may seem to some that he didn't want to answer, but I knew he just wanted to decide on his words.

He came back down the stairs, a clear decision to stay as his eyes roamed the space. It wasn't like we had much in it, but a few scraps of food and my collection of witchcraft necessities.

I swallowed, taking a breath and trying to make the awkwardness go away. "I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

He shook his head slightly, turning to face me again. "I was worried for the same thing."

I gave a nervous laugh. "I guess we have both had a lot going on lately."

He was a king's triquetram. He had a history with both my elven ancestors and my witch half, and while he never spoke of it I could still tell there was something there I hadn't uncovered yet. I had wondered more than once where we would both end up after this war, and if we had a place next to each other at all.

With a sigh, I walked over to sit on my sleeping mat. "Things didn't feel this complicated before, did they?" I asked, dully.

Thain's eyes softened and he slowly approached. Sitting on Schula's mat, the one next to mine, he reached out and took my hands in his.

"Fae live a long time, but they do not change."

I raised an eyebrow, wondering where he was going with this.

"But you, Wren," he said, slowly, "you are an ever-changing wonder. Who I am now differs very little from who I was a century ago. Who I'll be in another century. We are born into our natures, and we keep them. I have already seen you change. A beautiful transformation from a strong but lost half-fae, through finding your parentage and embracing it. You are willful, clever, skilled, and brave. I see so many things in you, Wren, and I am afraid I won't be able to follow your path. That you'll leave me behind."

My heartbeat rose into my throat as I choked on my own emotion. We had nearly the same fears but for different reasons.

"We're both idiots," I choked out, and threw myself forward as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Thain hugged me back fiercely, his big hands stroking my hair, my back. When I pulled back to look at him, his expression was shifted enough that I could tell I had taken him by surprise.

I giggled and sat back down. "I was worried I would have no place by your side. You belong so thoroughly to Thanantholl, and nothing in my blood even has a claim to exist there. And yet, I refuse to leave this place where it all feels so right. I just... I suppose I thought we would naturally have to pull away."

Thain reached out and pulled me to him, much gentler than I had thrown myself at him before. "Then it's true, we are both idiots."

I laughed, happy to lean into his chest. Hearing his heartbeat, smelling his rough scent, the feel of his skin on my cheek which lay over the part of his shirt that opened with the lacing.

"I don't think we can keep this thing between us out of the way until after the war like we had agreed," I said.

"No," he mused. "You are probably right."

I nodded slowly, still leaning on him. "So, what do we do?"

I felt the motion of his shrug. "We don't try to stop ourselves anymore. Whatever will come after the final battle, we will figure it out then. Right now, if something happened to either of us tomorrow, the other would hold nothing but regrets."

He was right. Mother, he was right.

I pulled my head back, the soft expression on his face was so rare, so raw, my breath caught in my throat when I saw it. I pushed forward, closing the distance between us, and kissed him.

Thain didn't waste a heartbeat, he sank into me, our lips soft and hungry at the same time as we took each other in. His hands brushed my braid over my shoulder and to my back. I reached my arms up, exploring his shoulders, his arms, his chest.

Our bodies warmed the small chamber we now shared until morning. Thain, who never was one to overdress, removed his lips from mine long enough to yank his shirt off.

I had seen endless warriors at this point in my life, and in every state of undress. They were just bodies to me, nothing more. After my experience in the Winter lands, in Icehold, I held little regard for embarrassment any more. But suddenly, there was a whole new reason to care about what I looked like under my clothes.

Thain, bless him and his mindreading, kissed the nape of my neck.

"You know I think you're beautiful, right?" he asked.

A shiver ran down my back. The feeling was mutual.

Last threads of hesitation gone, I tossed my outer garments to the side, landing somewhere near Thain's shirt.

Tangled in each other's arms, we proceeded to unleash our feelings. Living for the moment instead of for the future.

Schula was a true she-devil, but I owed her anything she could ask for after this.

And after warming the cellar with our body heat, I fell asleep tucked in Thain's arms.

My heart full, and my spirit ready for anything.