Seren knelt on the cold stone ground beyond the cabin. Flames crackled to life around her. She focused her breathing and felt tension leave her body. Azriel's shadow slid down her arm and wrapped around her wrist.

    She lifted her hands and eyed them. The scars were brutal, not yet dulled by time. Seren let flames emerge from her skin. Her heartbeat quickened at the sight of fire covering her hands once more.

    I'm in control of this fire, she thought. It won't hurt me. These are my flames. They don't scare me.

    The cabin door creaked open. She felt Azriel tug on the Bond. An image crossed over it. Seren saw herself wreathed by fire. Azriel's love and admiration accompanied the image.

    He joined her after a moment. His shadows began to dance with her flames. "Are you ready to go home?" Azriel asked.

    Seren drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I think so."

    Azriel took one of her hands, not flinching at the fire that covered them. He pressed her palm to his lips. Seren caught a glimpse of a ring on his left hand.

    Guilt flooded her mind and she looked away. "I don't know what happened to my ring. I can't remember if I was wearing it when I left. I'm sorry."

    "It's at home. You never put it on that day. You'd been having a nightmare, remember?" Azriel tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Don't apologize for that either."

    She gave him a small smile and let her flames fade. He pulled her to her feet. "Can we fly home?"

    "If you want to." Azriel pulled her against his chest and spread his wings. Seren clung to him as they took off. When they evened out, she craned her neck to survey the land.

    Seren laughed, a thought popping into her mind. Azriel smiled happily. His joy came across the Bond, joy from hearing her laughter. She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

    "I was just thinking about the first time I came here," she said. "I wonder what I would have thought if I'd known you were my mate when you, Cassian, and Nesta found me."

    "I don't know. I'm not sure what I would have thought if I'd known."

    "I remember being scared and confused, but your scent was somehow calming."

    "You were scared of me. I saw those memories."

    Seren knit her brows, thinking. "I was scared because I thought I'd be found out. I was scared of the stories I'd heard about you all." She glanced at him. "But the first time I spoke to you on my balcony...it was strange. I was scared, and yet I felt safe. A part of me must have recognized you, even then."

    "Do you remember the first time you held Nyx?"

    "Yes. I was in the garden with Elain and Feyre. He started crying so I sang to him." She thought for a moment. I haven't hummed in a while. Not since we came back from Ironcrest, I think. Resolve washed over her. I'm going to start singing again soon.

    Azriel spoke, drawing her out of her thoughts. "And you began to look around as though you thought someone was watching you."

    Seren's mouth dropped open. "I never told you that. Did you see it in one of my memories?"

    Azriel shook his head. "I was watching you."

    "I didn't realize my mate was such a stalker."

    "Spymaster. There's a difference."

    Seren's smile faltered at the word, but only for a second. Velaris appeared in the distance. She could see the Sidra and far beyond it, the House of Wind. The river house came into view. Already, she could see people gathered in the garden.

    Azriel landed just beyond the gates. Madja was the first to approach them. She ran her hands over Seren, humming thoughtfully to herself. "You are doing well," Madja said. "But you should rest a few days more. No training until I say so."

    Seren nodded and Madja headed off. Azriel rested his hand against the small of her back. Seren gave him a grateful smile and passed through the gates. Mor and Elain were up and running within seconds.

    They both threw their arms around her, squeezing her tightly. Seren winced, but hugged them back. "I can't breath," she whispered. They loosened their hold, but only slightly.

    "I'm glad you're all right," Mor said, taking one of her hands. Seren closed her eyes, waiting to see how she'd react. Mor said nothing. She just squeezed her hand tightly.

    Elain grabbed the other. Her face paled slightly, but she didn't look away from Seren. "I'm sorry. We should have done something. We should have come after you."

    "It's not your fault," Seren replied. "I..."

    She didn't get a chance to finish. Cassian butted in between Mor and Elain and swept her into a crushing hug, even tighter than Mor and Elain's. Azriel tensed behind her, but didn't move.

    "I'm sorry I pushed you away," he said. "I shouldn't have. You could have helped. We should have listened to you. I should have come after you."

    Seren couldn't form a response. I thought I was the one who would be doing all of the apologizing, she thought. But they all...she took in the expressions on their faces. Even Nesta seemed a little remorseful. They all seem as sorry as me. The only one with an unkind expression was Amren. "I'll accept your apology if you'll accept mine," she said at last.

    Cassian set her down with a nod. Seren lifted her chin and Azriel drew closer. He laced their fingers together as they approached Feyre and Rhysand. Feyre passed Nyx into Nesta's arms.

    She hugged Seren, tears shining in her eyes. "I'm glad you're home."

    "Me too." Seren's gaze flickered to Rhysand. Feyre pulled back. Azriel let go of Seren's hand. She stepped closer to the High Lord, refusing to let herself tremble. "I'm sorry. I lied to you all and put you in danger. I have my excuses and I could share them, but I won't. I know what I've done. I feel awful for doing it. I hated myself when I agreed to it."

    "But I never told Beron anything," she continued. "Not one word. I knew I couldn't. I never wanted to and I knew I couldn't betray your trust." Her voice faltered, but she spoke still. "I ended up doing that anyway. Just know that I never told Beron anything. My loyalties are with my mate, and that means they are with his family, my family, as well."

    Rhysand clenched his jaw as his gaze drifted to her hands. He took in the scar on her cheek and the ones visible on her arms above the burns. Seren swallowed, longing to reach for Azriel. She restrained herself, though. His shadow tightened around her wrist.

    Seren gasped as Rhysand pulled her into a hug. "I'm the one who should apologize," he said. "I sent you away. I threatened you. I didn't even listen to you when you tried to explain yourself. I didn't give you a chance when I should have. You could have gone to Beron and told him everything you knew about us just because of what I did."

    He hugged her even tighter. "But you didn't. You went to him and let him torture you for keeping our secrets. I am the one who betrayed your trust. This was why you never told us the truth in the first place. You were afraid of me and what I might do." Seren was unmoving as Rhysand's voice became hoarse. "I was going to let Beron kill you to prevent a war. I stopped Az from going after you. You, his mate. I kept my brother from you and I kept you from him. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

    Seren hesitated, then hugged him back. "We all make mistakes. You saw me as a threat to your family and your court. You did what you thought was right. I can't blame you for that."

    Rhysand drew back, shaking his head. "After everything you did for us, I still chased you away. I acted on impulse and it nearly got you killed. I...you..." his gaze roamed over her.

    Seren understood the thoughts that now circled through his mind. She could see them in his guilt ridden eyes. He would be haunted by this almost as much as she was. He would always see her scars as a sign of failure on his part. She couldn't let that happen.

    "Don't look at me like that," she said firmly. "I earned each and every one of these scars." Azriel inched closer, but she shook her head gently. "I earned them by lying to you all. I earned them by protecting you all. They..." Seren's eyes widened, the realization coming to her. "They are a punishment, and also a prize. I deserve them because of what I did."

    Rhysand began shaking his head. "I do," she said again. "I deserve them. They are my punishment for lying to you all and they are my prize for protecting you. I can...with time, I can be proud of them. They're a sign of Beron's failure, not yours. He failed to break me. He failed because I love you all more than I feared him. I can be proud of these scars. Someday, I will be."

    Seren began to smile. She would be proud of them. Someday, she would look at herself in the mirror and not be disgusted by what she saw. These scars were hers. She earned them and she would not be ashamed of them.

    "You have our protection," Rhys said, smiling as well. "You're a part of this family and no one here will ever forget that again." He flashed a pointed look to Amren. "Welcome home."

    Seren dipped her head to Rhys, her High Lord, and her brother. Azriel took her by the hand once more and they entered the house. They headed up the stairs towards their bedroom. Seren paused, spying a new painting on the wall. It was the one she'd painted in her dream.

    Seren crossed over to it. There were Elain's fingerprints in the corner. She sniffed and caught a hint of blood mixed with paint. "It appeared in Feyre's art studio," Azriel explained. "Elain said she dreamed that she was watching you paint it."

    "I did paint it in a dream," Seren replied. "And now I will title it. Reaching for Life."

    She turned and Azriel held up her ring. Seren offered him a hand and he slipped it onto her finger. She lifted her hand, letting sunlight reflect off the blue fire opal. It was beautiful against her marred flesh.

    "Did you really mean what you said back there?" Azriel asked. "Can you be proud of your scars?"

    Seren faced a mirror and watched herself briefly. "Yes, I think so. It might not be for a long time, but I think so." Azriel kissed the scar on her cheek. Shadows drifted over to her, mingling with her hair and curling around her shoulders.

    Seren let her flames appear. The shadows began to dance with them once more. Flames and shadows wrapped around her and Azriel, writhing with life and joy. She leaned back against him and let out a sigh. She was home. This was home, this court of flames and shadows.