𝐂 𝐎 𝐒 𝐌 𝐈 𝐂   𝐋 𝐎 𝐕 𝐄   !

𝙲 𝙷 𝙰 𝙿 𝚃 𝙴 𝚁   𝚂 𝙴 𝚅 𝙴 𝙽   !

( 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔩𝔞𝔰𝔱 𝔡𝔞𝔶 ! )

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

          𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃.

It was her final day in Velaris and she didn't know how to feel. On one hand, she was excited to return to the Institute and spend time with her Parabatai and family, telling them all about her time in Prythian and filling them in on its beauty. She was excited to train with Izzy and playfully argue with Jace over hair care products. She was anxious to joke around with Alec and pull pranks with Magnus. 

But on the other hand, Ana was sad to leave. She didn't want to abandon the beauty of Velaris, or the comfort of being around Rhysand and his Inner Circle that had slowly become her family as well. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to training with Cassian and shopping with Mor. Nor was she ready to leave behind the late-night talks with Azriel or the teasing glances she shared with Amren. And she definitely wasn't ready to say goodbye to Rhys.

Within her time in Velaris, she had grown exceptionally closer to the High Lord. Her feelings, which she was still slightly unsure of, had amplified, causing her to smile at the mere thought of his violet eyes and smooth voice. Their mental conversations had grown deep and meaningful⎯beyond the point they had already been at⎯and their time spent together was now one of the few things that made her unbelievably happy.

She didn't want this warm feeling inside her chest to leave, nor the comfort that he brought her. She was scared that the second she returned to Brooklyn, the nightmares would return at full force and she'd go back to barely sleeping and eating. 

The sky was slowly brightening as the sun rose above the mountain peaks, casting rays of gold across the sleeping city. Ana was perched in her usual place on the roof, enjoying the gentle breeze combing through her hair and brushing against her cheeks. It was calm moments like these that she would miss once entering her other world⎯moments of tranquility and peace. Sure, the mornings at the Institute were nice, but not like this. Not like the mornings of her childhood in Russia⎯before Viktor, that is. 

Sighing, Ana ran her fingers through her hair and curled into herself more. What was she going to do during her last day? Who would she spend her time with? She knew she'd be back in two weeks, but they seemed so . . . long? Far away? She didn't know really. 

Part of her felt like she was betraying her original family by wanting to remain in Prythian for a bit longer. But she knew that if they were there with her⎯if they saw the beauty of it⎯they would understand. 

Ana's ear twitched at the sound of flapping wings. Without turning, she noted the arrival of Cassian on the rooftop. "I'm surprise you were the first to find me."

The male chuckled as he approached her, taking the empty spot beside her. "I know. Usually Az or Rhys are on this roof with you. But I thought I'd give one of your rooftop chats a try, you know? I hear they're pretty special."

The blonde huffed a laugh. "Well then, I hope to live up to your expectations."

Silence encased them for a moment, with their breaths being the only noise aside from the waking city around them.

"Today's your last day." Cassian's voice held a twinge of sadness. "These next two weeks are going to feel like hell. We've all grown pretty close with you."

Ana hummed. "I've grown close to you all, too. I'm . . . I'm sad to go, but . . ."

"You miss your other family." Ana nodded. "I get it. I can't relate, since this family is really the only one I've ever had, but I can try to understand. Having two families can be hard, I assume. Choosing to split your time must be heartbreaking."

The blonde looked at her fingers. "You don't know the half of it," she mumbled. Family had always been a touchy subject for Ana, which was understandable, given her history. Her mother and father⎯non-biological, keep in mind⎯had been . . . disposed of due to Viktor. Same could be said for her chosen family of Nadia and Dmitri. And now she had two families in two different worlds. It was as if the world wanted to remind her of her failure with family. "I don't know what I'm gonna do if I ever have to choose between worlds."

Cassian placed a hand on her shoulder. "These past weeks have taught me a lot about you, Ana. I know that, if the situation ever presents itself to you, you'll do what's right. You always seem to, even if it doesn't look that way at the start."

"You're making it seem like I'm a good decision maker." The blonde tilted her head back, allowing her eyes to catch the sky above her. A few fluffy clouds had settled, drifting silently overhead. Morning birds swooped between them, their calls mixing with the sounds of citizens getting their early shopping done. "I make horrible decisions most of the time."

Cassian tilted his head, intrigued. "Oh, yeah? What horrible decisions have you made recently?"

A list ran through her mind⎯lying about her nightmares whenever people asked her about them, lying about eating when Rhys asked her why she was so skinny, falling for Rhys when she wasn't sure he felt the same way, making this stupid bargain that would just make her attachment issues stronger. Just to name a few.

"Letting Mor get me drunk last night, for one. My head still hurts like a bitch." They'd gone on another trip to Rita's to celebrate her last night in Velaris, and they'd gotten even more shit-faced than the previous time. "Agreeing to train with you and Az one last time this morning. Not sleeping in this morning. I've made plenty of bad decisions."

She let her head fall back down, spotting Cass's look. "I feel like you aren't telling me everything." His hand landed on her shoulder. "What's going on?"

Ana didn't know what came over her. She wasn't one for spilling her thoughts to people she didn't know for longer than at least six months. But here she was, prepared to tell Cassian all her deepest worries, after knowing him for two weeks. This place had really changed her and it had only been two weeks.

"I'm worried I made the wrong choice in allowing myself to get close to you all." Her voice was soft, but she knew he heard her. "Family has always been something I struggled with. It seems like all the people I consider family either end up damaged or dead, and I don't want that to happen to you all, either. And to add to it all, now I have to worry about you guys while I'm in the other world, and worry about my other family while I'm here. It's just . . . so much."

Cassian moved to wrap an arm around her, pulling her into his side. "We can take care of ourselves, Ana. We've been doing so for hundreds of years before you came around. So you don't need to worry about us⎯even though I know you probably will." Ana closed her mouth, having opened it to retort. "And about the damaged family? No family is perfect, and as long as we work together and look out for one another, we won't die. Things won't turn out like they have for you in the past, Ana. I promise."

She smiled as she set her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Cass." He'd managed to settle her thoughts . . . for now. "Too bad I'm gonna end up kicking your ass in a few moments."

Cassian rolled his eyes. "Someone's confident."

"Always am."

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

"You're an idiot."

Rhysand knew he was in for it when Mor calmly walked into his office, her arms crossed and lips pursed. He knew he wouldn't be leaving the room without a long lecture and a few whacks to the head. If he was lucky, he'd be able to cut the lecture down to half an hour, but only if he allowed for Mor to hit him with a shoe, rather than just her hand. 

He watched as she took a seat before him, legs crossed and eyes boring into him with such scrutiny, he felt as though he was sitting before his father. Despite him being in the seat of higher power, Mor somehow found a way to reduce him back to his young days at the war camps. But only ever when she was pissed, and luckily that was rare. 

The male opened his mouth to retort, only for her to raise a sharp brow and stop him. "You're an idiot, but you're smart enough to listen to what I have to say before trying to correct me." His lips sealed instantly. "According to Cassian and Azriel, you plan on staying cooped up in this office today. I know you're not dumb enough to forget that Ana's going home tonight, but apparently you're dense enough to try and hide from that fact."

Even though she was scolding him, her voice remained leveled and calm. It was something that activated his fight or flight response immediately.

"She's your mate, Rhysand. I may not have one, but I can understand that watching her leave for two weeks will be more painful than any wound you've ever experienced. But hiding from her and locking yourself away won't ease that pain⎯it'll make it worse, and you know it." Mor's expression softened. "Look, in the end it's your choice. But you can either continue to hide from her until she leaves, which will definitely hurt the both of you, or you can spend as much time with her and be the last to hold her before she leaves." She stood, patting his hand gently. "Just think about it."

There was no room for argument as Mor left the office, silence swallowing him whole. He knew she was right⎯hiding away from the reality of what today was would only hurt him in the end. But each time he thought of leaving his office, his heart lurched painfully and his feet glued themselves to the ground. His body was fighting his mind, and it was winning. 

Sighing, Rhys rested his head in his hands, his eyes closing in frustration. What was he going to do? Just the thought of seeing Ana leave for two weeks made him want to punch something. He knew he couldn't keep her in Prythian, and he knew he couldn't ask her to stay. She had a whole other family⎯one that she'd grown up with⎯waiting for her in a whole other world. He couldn't keep her from them. He couldn't keep her from her family⎯her Parabatai. He may not know how deep the bond between his mate and Izzy went, but he knew that it was strong enough that keeping them apart was dangerous. 

But she was his mate⎯however unaware she may be of that fact⎯and she was about to leave. For two weeks. Might as well be two hundred years for him, what with how much he knew he'd miss her. To wake up without hearing her melodic laughter each morning left him aching. To know that for fourteen days he would be without her bright eyes and beautiful smile made his heart wilt. He'd grown more attached to her than planned, and now he was cursing the bargain more than ever. 

It was selfish. He was aware of that. He had no right to keep her to himself, and yet that was all he wished to do. It stemmed not just from her being his mate, but also from a well of worry that had dug itself during her first two weeks out of Prythian. What if something happened in that other world? He wouldn't be able to reach her, and he didn't know her other family well enough to entrust them with her safety now that the mating bond had clicked into place for him. Call it basic instinct, but he felt as though he was the only one truly able to keep her safe and happy.

These two weeks were going to be Hell for him and his family. Mor would be bored without Ana there to joke with her and go to Rita's, Cassian would be moping over missing his sparring buddy. Amren would be able to hide it, but everyone could see how fond of Ana the Ancient One had grown, sometimes hearing the two of them chatting late at night about different mundane things. And, surprisingly, Rhys knew that Azriel would miss her as well. He wasn't oblivious to their rooftop chats, nor was he blind to their inside jokes. Everyone would miss her, but she had to go.

So why was he hiding? Why wasn't he by her side, enjoying her presence until the last second? 

With a groan, the male pushed himself to his feet and forced his feet forward. He wasn't going to hide anymore. He wasn't going to be the idiot that his Inner Circle knew him to be at times. He was going to make Ana's last day in Velaris memorable for both himself and her. Even though he would be miserable for two weeks, he didn't want to send her off without letting her know just how much she meant to him.

As if hearing his thoughts, Nuala and Cerridwen were waiting outside of his office, arms held behind their backs and stances attentive. Rhys smiled at them, thankful that he didn't have to search the townhouse for them. That would only extend his time without Ana, which was something he desperately wanted to avoid.

"What can we do for you, High Lord?" Nuala asked, her voice as soft and smooth as the shadows themselves. 

Rhysand listened closely for any hidden ears before motioning for the wraiths to come closer. "I need your help."

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

Azriel huffed as his back met the harsh concrete of the training arena, wings splaying out behind him. Sweat slicked his skin as the sun beamed down on him and his opponent, the soft breeze tousling him hair. The glowing sapphire siphons resting upon the backs of his hands were useless against the fighter standing above him, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement⎯something his brother's eyes did more often than not. 

Cassian was a mess of laughs and gasps off to the side, his arms wrapped tightly around his abdomen in an attempt at easing the pain. Mor and Amren were no better, both smirking in amusement at the Shadowsinger's failure to beat a girl half his size. In his defense, though, she was stronger than she looked⎯even without the use of her abilities.

The blonde extended a hand, her victorious smirk simmering into a cheerful smile as she helped Azriel to his feet. One of the upsides of losing to Ana was that she wouldn't hold it against anyone. She was nice enough to help the loser up even after receiving her fair share of hits. Azriel admired that about her and part of him wished for those qualities to be spread to the Illyrian legions. Maybe then they'd be less stubborn.

"You're better than I thought." Ana gave his hand a friendly squeeze before letting go. "Much better than Cassian, if I'm being honest."

The laughter came to an abrupt halt, quickly being replaced by Mor's as Cassian glared at the blonde. "Wanna put that observation to the test? I'll put you on your ass faster than you can blink."

Ana rolled her eyes. "Grow up, you big baby."

All Cassian's retorts were drowned out the moment Rhysand's voice filled her head. Ana, darling. Where are you?

Hope bloomed in her chest. For the entirety of the day, she'd operated under the belief that he was ignoring her. She hadn't seen him all day, nor heard from him, leaving her to believe he was avoiding her during her final day in Velaris. That thought was proven incorrect, though, leaving her beaming. 

My love. I'm currently kicking your brothers' asses on the roof of the House of Wind. Where have you been all day, if you don't mind me asking?

She could feel him sigh. Locked in my office working on High Lord things. Boring things, honestly. I spent that time wishing I was with you instead. You are much more interesting than my High Lord duties.

A teasing smirk tugged at her lips. So, what you're saying is that you would rather do me than your High Lord duties? There was a flush of warmth from his side, and she knew she'd gotten the reaction she'd been hoping for. Naughty, naughty. At least take me out to dinner first.

As long as you promise to be the dessert. Ana's cheeks flushed with burning heat, her eyes growing wide at his retaliation. Warmth flooded her lower stomach, burning with the intensity of a wildfire left unchecked. The sultry smoothness of his voice made her mind spiral, lurching toward the darker places of her mind that she had tried to avoid. She was well aware of her growing . . . feelings toward Rhys, but she was still unsure of them. Were they born just out of physical desire, or were they there because of something much deeper? Something much more meaningful?

Hmm, bolder than I'd anticipated. She tried to play off the obvious affect those words had had on her by continuing their teasing banter. If it had worked, she wouldn't know. But she could pray. Well played, High Lord. Well played.

His chuckle reverberated through her entire body. Speaking of dinner . . . meet me in the townhouse dining room tonight at sunset. I have a surprise for you.

Ana's eyes sparkled with anticipation. Despite telling him time and time again to not get her anything special, Rhys continued to spoil her with surprises of all kinds throughout the two weeks of her being in Velaris. The surprises ranged from little gifts⎯clothes, jewelry, books, weapons⎯to adventurous outings⎯the woods of Velaris, swimming in the ocean, etc.

She glanced toward the sun, which rested halfway between the peak of the sky and the horizon. She had roughly four hours until the meeting at the townhouse, which was four hours too many. What was she meant to do in that time between now and then? She'd already trained hard with Cassian and Azriel, and she didn't want to go on another impromptu shopping trip with Mor. She supposed she could spend some time reading, maybe even dining with Amren (she wasn't opposed to the blood drinking of the Ancient One, already having grown used to it in her other world).

As if hearing her thoughts, Amren's silver eyes locked with her own across the arena. Cassian and Azriel had already jumped into another sparring match, Mor watching them with amusement, leaving the two other-worldly females to their own devices. 

Ana approached her friend, intrigued by the smirk on her bloodred lips. "The boy have anything planned for you?"

"Always does, I'm afraid." The Ancient One huffed a laugh. "Sadly, no plans until sunset. Leaving me too much spare time on my hands." She glanced at the sky, hoping that the sun had moved, but it hadn't. "Damn him and his mind games."

Amren's ruby lips parted to talk when a panicked voice broke through Ana's mind. Ana! I can't breathe! I cant⎯ I can't breathe!

Ana's eyes widened. "Feyre." She shot an apologetic toward Amren, who nodded in understanding, before drawing on her power to take her to the Spring Court. To her friend. Her sister. 

When Ana's eyes opened once more, she found herself in the same bathroom as always. The toilet was splattered with whatever Feyre had managed to get down at lunch and the stale air hung with the smell of vomit. Feyre herself was curled up on the tiled floor, her frail arms tight around her stomach and her chest heaving.

The blonde didn't waste a second, kneeling by her friend with eyes full of worry. "Feyre, by the Angel!" The poor girl didn't even flinch in acknowledgement, too wrapped up in her panic. "Feyre, love, breathe. Listen to my voice and breathe."

Ana placed her hands on Feyre's biceps, ignoring the way her fingertips touched due to how tiny her arms were. She tugged the brunette into a seated position, leaning her against the wall so she could look into her eyes. The blonde then cupped Feyre's face in gentle hands, forcing her to meet her gaze.

With much effort, Feyre opened her teary and tired eyes, finally taking note of the female sitting before her. "Ana."

"Hey, love. Hey. Can you do something for me?" Feyre nodded slowly. "Can you try and match my breathing? You're having a panic attack and while they seem scary, all you need to do to stop it is to breathe with me."

Feyre did as she was told, inhaling when Ana did and exhaling. A minute or two later, Feyre was breathing normally and her tears had dried, but the shaking remained. Ana double-checked that her friend was okay before pulling her into a hug. 

"Thank you," Feyre managed. She wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand and attempted to dry her tears. "I don't know what happened."

Ana's heart ached as she took in her friend's appearance⎯boney arms, hollow cheeks, colorless skin, matted hair, and empty eyes. Feyre looked worse than she had when she'd first appeared in Prythian, and it pained Ana so deeply. 

The blonde took Feyre's hands and allowed some of her healing power to calm the girl. "I do. Those nightmares of yours . . . Feyre, have you told anyone about them? Lucien? Tamlin? Aurelia? Alice? Hell, maybe even Ianthe."

Ana had had the misfortune of meeting the priestess during her last visit to Feyre, and by the Angel did she despise the female. If rich bitch privilege were to take Fae form, it would be her. Ana wanted to punch her into the deepest pits of Hell.

Feyre shook her head. "No. No, I don't want to bother anyone with them."

"Feyre, you won't be bothering anyone." Ana met her eyes to make sure she got her message through. "Someone who went through what you did is bound to have terrors, and the only way they'll go away or stop hurting you as much is if you talk about them with someone. Hell, talk to me if you need to. I'm always one thought away."

The female's eyes watered once more as she threw herself into Ana's waiting arms. This was the first time someone was telling her to lay out all her problems. The first time someone had truly shown they cared about what was going on in her head and wanted to help her. She didn't know what she'd do if she didn't have Ana to help her through all of this. 

Ana just rubbed Feyre's back comfortingly, whispering sweet words to the girl. She wondered for how long Feyre had been keeping up this facade of being okay. Had she been like this ever since leaving Under the Mountain? And if she had, how could no one notice the change in her behavior? They better not be blaming it on her new form as a Fae, otherwise Ana would enjoy using her power of destruction on them.

When the tears finally dried, Aurora picked Feyre up from the ground and left the bathroom. She walked down the familiar halls of the manor, doing well to avoid all servant activity. Despite Feyre loving both Ana and Tamlin, the two blonds continued to fight. Tamlin despised Ana for her connections to Rhys while Ana loathed Tamlin because of . . . well, everything he was and stood for. If she could convince Feyre to leave him, she would. But until then, she'd watch over Feyre like always, seeing as no one else in the Hell that was Spring Court decided to do so. 

Ana reached the kitchen and gently set Feyre down on the counter, the layout completely familiar despite the months she'd been away. Silently, Ana got to work, wanting to whip up something easy for Feyre to eat but also filled with protein and other necessary things. She settled on ginger and sweet potato soup, something she remembered Alec making her once when she was sick, and a mug of lemon tea. 

While she cooked, Feyre remained silent. Ana kept her ear out for movement, wanting to make sure Feyre was okay at all times, but when she realized that Feyre's heart and breathing were normal, she relaxed. 

It took roughly an hour for the food to be done. Ana served the soup to Feyre in a bowl, placing the steaming lemon tea down beside her with a smile. "Eat and drink up, love. You need something in your system."

Feyre shook her head, looking gaunt. "I don't know if I can keep it down."

"That's why I made you this specifically." When the Archeron looked at her oddly, Ana explained. "The soup is made of ginger and sweet potato, two things which have natural anti-nausea aspects. Plus, broth is always good to eat when sick. Lemon tea is known to soothe the stomach as well. You don't have to eat much, I promise, but you need to have something in your body so you aren't starving."

The brunette eyed Ana for a moment before taking the spoon and tasting the soup. The second Feyre swallowed, she reached for another bite, her eyes glittering with hunger. Ana chuckled and moved the rest of the cooling soup to a container for preservation. If anything like this were to happen again, Feyre could just heat soup up and eat it.

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

The sun was beginning to set when Ana finally left Feyre and the Spring Court. The two had spent their time talking about everything going on⎯the rebuilding of the lands, their lives as Fae, and so on. Feyre attempted to dig up information on Ana's and Rhysand's relationship, but Ana didn't trust that spies weren't lurking about, so she kept things brief and polite. By the time she left, Feyre was tucked in bed with a satisfied smile and sleepy eyes, lifting a weight from Ana's chest.

Just as Rhysand had asked, Ana had winnowed to the front porch of the townhouse, the sun just dipping below the mountain peaks as she opened the front door. Immediately she was hit with the smell of food⎯chicken, steak, rice, potatoes, and a bunch of other spices and ingredients. Ana followed the smell to the dining room, her eyes widening and instantly filling with tears.

Laid out on the table was an array of dishes she was all too familiar with. All of them had been made within her small amount of time living in Russia, and they all held a special place within her heart. And standing behind the table, looking at her with gentle eyes, was Rhysand. His clothes were covered in flour and stains, but he was smiling nonetheless.

Ana's hand covered her mouth as she took everything in. There was kurnik, a Russian chicken pot pie that she'd had at a cousin's wedding when she was five. Borscht sat in the middle, its red broth reminding her of when her dad would make it⎯it was the only thing he knew how to cook. Shashlik (Russian meat skewers) were steaming on a plate at the other end of the table, the meat cooked perfectly. Finally, set off to the side for later, was ptichye moloko, Ana's favorite dessert. The layers of cake with chocolate mousse and cream between them made her mouth water as much as her eyes.

For the first time in years, Ana felt like she was truly home.

"Rhys . . ." She could hardly speak, too stunned. "When . . . ?"

"While you were kicking my brothers' asses, no doubt," he answered. "Nuala and Cerridwen helped me. They didn't trust me to make all of this without blowing something up."

Ana laughed a watery chuckle, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. "It's perfect." 

"Good." Rhys took her hand and led her to the table, having her sit at one end and him the other. The table must've magically been shrunken so they could sit close together while fitting everything on the table comfortably. When Tamlin had done it, Ana had cringed. But with Rhys . . . "I hope you like everything. I don't know if it will taste like it had in Russia, but . . ."

"It doesn't matter," she said, quick to reassure. "The fact that you even tried to make it in the first place is perfect enough."

Still, she prayed that everything tasted good. With an eager mind and stomach, Ana served herself a healthy helping of everything, her tastebuds excited for the taste of home. Rhys watched her, waiting for her reaction with bated breath.

Upon the first bite of kurnik, Ana was practically moaning in delight. The food was amazing, filled with flavor and spices and . . . absolute perfection. Tears streamed down her cheeks as memories of her eating with her mother and father filled her mind. She was so happy.

"Please tell me those are happy tears and not tears of disgust, darling." Ana laughed as she swallowed her food, nodding. Rhys let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the cauldron. I didn't screw up."

Ana's smile became fond and soft. She watched him try the food of her home country, giggling each time his eyes would light up with pride and enjoyment. While Russia may not have been where she was born, it was the place she spent her childhood before . . . well, everything. It would always hold a special place in her heart, and it warmed her to know Rhys had done so much to remind her of home.

"So . . . how many tries did it take you to make kurnik?" Rhys's face went red, and she got her answer. "Don't worry. I've been making it for years and I still burn the first batch every time."

Rhys chuckled. "I never realized how good all of this tasted. I was a little worried at some of the combinations, but it all tastes amazing."

That's how most people thought when trying new foods. Ana had nearly cringed at the idea of eating Spanish cuisine when she was younger. But the food had been delicious (probably because Izzy hadn't made it.)

"What made you do all of this in the first place?" Ana was curious. She hadn't seen him all day only to find out he'd been making this food. But this wouldn't take all day to make, so what had he been doing?

A shadow of regret seemed to sweep across his face. "I felt guilty for hiding." Ana's brows furrowed. Hiding? "I . . . I couldn't stand the thought of you leaving, so I thought if I didn't see you today, it wouldn't hurt as bad when you left. Of course, Mor nearly beat me for that, but still." 

The blonde looked at Rhysand⎯really looked at him. His shoulders were slumped and there seemed to be a darkness in his eyes that showed more than he'd probably intended it to. Her heart ached within her chest at the thought of Rhysand hiding away from her because he couldn't stand her leaving. Sure, it would only be two weeks . . . but that seemed so long now. 

Ana reached across the table and took Rhys's hand in her own, smiling at the familiar feeling of his calloused skin. "Hey." He looked up at her soft voice. "Do not feel guilty. I understand how you feel, really. It's such a bittersweet feeling, leaving Velaris and you. On one side, I get to see my other family . . . but I'll be leaving this one to do so. And that makes this so much harder." She squeezed his hand. "So don't feel guilty for dealing with it how you did. If the roles were reversed, I'd probably do the same."

Rhys looked from her sincere eyes to their joined hands. He laced his fingers with hers, lifting them and pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. "Thank you, darling." Then, without lifting a finger, two slices of cake appeared before them, forks waiting patiently at their sides. "Cake?"

They broke into laughter, the sudden serious mood lifting as they dug in. The townhouse was filled with joy that night, despite Ana having to take her leave. She and Rhys spent the last two hours of her visit wrapped in warm happiness and comforted by the knowledge that they'd see each other again. They'd have more moments like these in the future.

So, when the time came for Ana to leave, she didn't feel as sad. Because she knew that in just two weeks, she'd be back. And that was enough for her to leave with a smile on her face.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

𝐀 𝐔 𝐓 𝐇 𝐎 𝐑 𝐒   𝐍 𝐎 𝐓 𝐄   !

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

It took so incredibly long for me to write this chapter and I am so sorry, y'all! I've been working and traveling for most of my summer so I've barely had time to sit down and write. But I tried to make a longer chapter for you guys to read to make up for the wait. This is the final day in Prythian for Ana, but don't worry, she'll be coming back.

Or will she?

I'm hoping to make this part only twenty or so chapters, so we're almost to the halfway marker, then we enter ACOMAF. Now, do you guys want Ana and Rhysand to get together before ACOMAF or after? I'll take your comments into consideration, and if more of you want to see them together earlier, or later, then I'll do that. I live to make my readers happy!

We saw some bonding time as well in here. Ana and Amren are obviously friends, as well as her and Mor. She and the Illyrian brothers are also fast friends (though they are hell bent on beating her in sparring). I also added some more Feyre, since I want Ana to be a big part of her healing process since Ana has been by her side for almost everything. And you can bet Ana will happily beat Tamlin's ass in ACOMAF!

We're gonna see more of Ana with Izzy, Alec, Magnus, Clary, and Jace soon, as well as some hints from her past! And expect to see the Inner Circle traveling into the Shadowhunter World soon! I literally can't wait!

Okay, comment and vote!

I love you all!

a.h.