In her dream, she was painting. She sat in Feyre's art studio with Elain at her side. A cup of paint lay on the table next to her. Seren dipped her brush into it and began.

    Her breath quickened as rolling waves took form beneath her hand. Seren tried to stop, but she couldn't. She painted more and more. There was a flash of dark curly hair. A hand reached out of the water. Waves surged over it. Steam curled up from the waves. Seren dipped her brush into the paint again, only, it wasn't paint.

    Blood dripped down the canvas of the painting, mixing with the waves. The entire painting took on a ruddy color. Elain was motionless as she watched. Seren drew back when the painting was completed.

    Elain reached out a hand and touched the still drying blood. "The flames and shadows are separated, now. Water has joined the flames. Water surrounds the flames. There is nothing left but steam. The flames are gone." She looked at Seren, her brown eyes clearing. Recognition flashed across her features, and she disappeared.

•༻☾☽༺•

    Azriel entered his room and froze. Elain stood before Seren's paintings. "Elain? What are you doing?"

    She turned and he spied another painting in her hands. It was unfamiliar to him, but the style was obviously Seren's. "I had a vision," Elain murmured. "I was watching Seren paint. When I...woke up...I checked the art studio and found this."

    She set the painting down on the table. Azriel joined her and looked it over. The painting portrayed a hand reaching out of rolling waves. He narrowed his eyes and sniffed. "It smells like blood." The whole painting bore a rusty coloring.

    "In my vision, she was painting it with blood."

    "She painted this? In your vision?" Azriel touched the painting. It was dry, but in one corner, there was a set of fingerprints.

    Elain pressed her index and middle fingers against the prints. They matched. "I touched it right after she'd finished. It showed me another vision. I saw flames evaporate into steam. Water covered them and there was silence."

    "Elain, how is this possible? If this was a vision, then it shouldn't really exist." Azriel touched the painting again. He breathed deeply. Beneath the mingled scent of blood and paint, there was cinnamon and honey. His heart twisted with fear and longing.

    "I don't know how it's possible. I looked around Feyre's studio but I didn't see the paintbrush or the cup of blood. Just the painting."

    "Have you told the others?"

    "Not yet." Elain hugged herself tightly. "This is the third time I've seen a vision like that. Azriel, it's water. Water will kill her."

    "I won't let that happen," Azriel promised, even as his own heart faltered with fear. "We have two days until the end of the week. Eris will tell me what's going to happen and we'll rescue her."

    "I'm going to show this to the others," Elain whispered. "So they know what's going on." She picked up the painting and left the room.

    Azriel closed the door and rubbed his forehead. Seren? He tugged on the Bond gently. She didn't reply. He hadn't felt anything from her for several hours. She was either unconscious or holding strong during an interrogation. "Please, talk to me," he begged the shadows. "Is she all right?"

    She sleeps, they answered. Her pain is great. She longs for death.

    "Can you tell me her thoughts?"

    She will not share them.

    Azriel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Seren, don't give up. Please, my love. Please. He scrubbed at his face once more, forcing aside his weariness. Azriel pried the door open and headed down the stairs.

•༻☾☽༺•

    Seren's eyes stung, but she couldn't cry. Her tears had dried up long ago. Her voice had given out too. She couldn't speak at all. The only sound she made were small broken squeaks.

    Eris leaned against the cell door, watching her. A bowl of soup sat on the floor before her, but she had yet to take a bite. "It's getting cold," he said finally. "Eat." Seren closed her eyes, looking away. Eris crossed the room and grabbed her chin. "I'm not letting you die. Eat."

    He released her and she took a small mouthful. It was delicious. She couldn't tell if its thin warmth affected her body. Heat coursed through her veins, even though goosebumps pricked her skin. She longed to release her flames, but the faebane still inhibited them. Her hands shook as she took another bite.

    "I...I'm sorry," Eris muttered, "about your hands." He swallowed and looked away. "He cut off the tips of her fingers."

    The Lady, Seren realized. That was her punishment for helping me. She watched Eris and continued to eat.

    "I hate him," Eris spat. "I can't wait to watch him die. I hope he rots in a Mother forsaken place where only the scavengers will find him. Even that would be too good for him."

    Seren nodded her agreement. She ate the last of the soup and pushed the bowl aside. Eris picked it up and headed towards the door. He paused, looking back at her. She tilted her head quizzically.

    "Where would you leave your marks?" He asked. "If you were the one to kill him?"

    Seren lifted her hands and wrapped them around her own throat. In her mind's eye, she could see Beron's flesh melting. She could smell it. She could feel it. She would melt his skin until his head separated from his body. Anger burned in her gaze and Eris returned the look. He clenched his jaw and gave her a short nod, before leaving the cell.

    Azriel's shadow wove through her hair, brushing up against her neck and cheek. She lifted a hand to it. It wrapped itself around her finger. Seren's eyes stung again as she looked at the scars forming on her hands.

    I understand now, she thought. I understand the taint he saw. I understand why he didn't want to touch anyone or hold Nyx. They're hideous. They're cruel. She closed her eyes and a single tear managed to drip down her cheek. I deserve them.

•༻☾☽༺•

    Azriel lay awake that night, as he had each night before. Elain's words tumbled through his mind. It's water. Water will kill her. He closed his eyes, feeling a burst of pain on the bottom of his feet.

    The shadows were alert, circling around him and searching for threats. There were none to be found. The room was silent. It was too much. He began to cry. Shame washed over him and Azriel swiped a hand across his cheeks, but it didn't stop the tears from falling.

    He spent the rest of the night that way. When dawn broke, his tears gave way to anger. Azriel readied himself quickly. He pulled on his leathers and checked that his siphons were secure. He left his weapons behind. He felt incomplete without Truth-Teller against his thigh.

    Everyone waited for him near the front doors when he made his way downstairs. Mor hugged Azriel tightly. "I'll bring Madja to the cabin as soon as you arrive."

    "I still think..." Amren began.

    "Oh, shut the hell up," Nesta snapped. "We know what you think, but your opinion isn't the only one that matters. She made a mistake and the Mother knows we've all made ones far worse than hers." Amren looked faintly surprised. Azriel flashed Nesta a grateful look.

    Feyre and Elain both watched him, their eyes displaying their anxiety. "Let's go," Rhys said. "Eris should be there soon." They left the house and Rhys grabbed his shoulder. Azriel took hold of Cassian and Cassian gripped Lucien.

    They winnowed away from the river house and arrived at the meeting place. Eris was already there. "Brother," he greeted Lucien with a sneer. Lucien didn't reply. "Mother sends her love."

    "I send mine in return."

    Azriel stepped in between them. "Do you have a plan?"

    "Father hasn't ordered her execution yet, but it will be today. I'm not sure how he plans to do it."

    "Water," Azriel said. "It will have something to do with water."

    "All right." Eris didn't question him. "Then I think I know where he'll take her. There's a lake a good ways past the Forest House. She won't be able to fight back. She'll be bound in faebane chains and she's been fed faebane the entire time she's been a captive." Azriel snarled and Eris raised his hands. "The food and water I gave her was clean. Some of it was laced with healing herbs."

    Azriel drew in a deep breath, calming himself. "How many males will be escorting them?"

    "Likely my father's personal guard. They'll surround her until Father kills her. If you think there will be water involved, my guess is they'll try to drown her in the lake. As soon as you arrive, Father will speed things up to distract you. Don't let him." Eris crossed his arms. "I'll grab Seren while you handle the guards. Remember, you can't kill anyone."

    "Your father will see you go in after her," Azriel pointed out.

    "No, he'll see you push me into the lake."

    Azriel couldn't help it; he grinned. "I like this plan."

    Eris rolled his eyes as Cassian snickered. "I'll pull her as close to shore as I can, but I won't risk my father seeing me with her. If he does, I let go and it's up to you."

    "All right. Push you into the lake, no killing anyone, and make it fast," Azriel recapped. "I can do that."

    "And one more thing," Eris said. Azriel waited impatiently. "If she asks me to let go, I will."

    "No," Azriel began shaking his head. "You can't."

    "If she asks me, I will," Eris repeated firmly.

    "You promised to keep her alive."

    "And I have. I've done what I can, but she's..." Eris faded off.

    Azriel tensed. It must be bad if Eris is reacting this way. He would let her drown as a mercy.

    "I'll contact you when we leave for the lake," Eris said. "Don't come a moment before." He vanished and Azriel began to pace.

    "Az?" Rhys called hesitantly.

    Azriel didn't answer. He pulled on the Bond, sending his love across it. Seren was silent, but he felt no more pain from her. The shadows whispered inaudibly. Anger ignited in his gut and Azriel continued to pace, letting it fester until it blazed into a flame.