"Wake up." A hand shook her roughly.

Nascha groaned, swatting it away. "Leave me alone."

"You have training and I'm going to be late for a meeting if we don't leave soon. Get up," Fenrys replied. There wasn't an ounce of sympathy in his voice.

Nascha sat up and massaged her temples, where a dull headache throbbed. The sunlight streaming through the open window only made it worse. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get up."

"Prick," Nascha huffed. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and brought her head down between them. "Get me some water, unless you want me to throw up when I try to stand."

Fenrys sighed and grabbed a cup off his nightstand. He crossed over to the bathroom, keeping her in his line of sight. He filled the cup with water from the sink before returning. Nascha took the cup and sipped slowly, letting the cool liquid settle in her stomach. She stood hesitantly and waited for her head to stop swimming before she began to gather up her clothes.

She was aware of Fenrys watching her. There was a certain curiosity emanating from him. Nascha fought back a blush as she recalled what had transpired the night before. She couldn't believe she had actually flirted with him! And not only that, but she teased him about fucking her!

That was the last thing she wanted. Suppose he had taken her seriously? Would she have come to her senses in her drunken state or would she have let him do whatever he wanted? Part of her thought Fenrys wasn't the type of male to take advantage of her like that. The other part of her wondered if he would have declined if she actually offered herself to him.

Nascha glanced at him from the corner of her eye. It could be worse, she thought. I could've flirted with Lorcan. And there are less attractive males to have a drunken hookup with. She had admitted that fact to him and to herself, and she knew she couldn't take the words back. She found Fenrys attractive.

"Are you planning on watching me change?" Nascha grumbled.

"If you don't change within the next five minutes, I'll do it for you."

"At least turn around."

Fenrys obliged her, but she didn't miss the teasing look in his eyes. "You've spent most of your life on the run. I'm surprised you're so modest."

"I haven't known you that long," she pointed out, jumping into her pants.

"And yet you've seen me naked every night for the past...almost two weeks."

"I didn't look, I'm relieved to say. Anyway, not everyone is comfortable with putting themselves on display to others. Despite the circumstances I faced, I've always tried to have some dignity." She slid her shirt on and fastened a leather tunic over it, before grabbing her boots.

"I'm dignified."

"Hardly." She joined him and crossed her arms.

Fenrys' gaze swept over her. "At least I'm not the one who was begging for someone to fall in love with," he chuckled.

Nascha curled her hand into a fist, but a bout of dizziness made her reconsider her intentions. "And at least I'm not the one holding someone hostage because my Queen is incapable of negotiating."

All laughter faded from Fenrys' eyes. He strode out the door, beckoning for her to follow. Nascha lifted her chin and complied. Once they were outside the cabin, Fenrys took her by the arm. Wind roared in Nascha's pointed ears as he teleported them to the Bane's camp.

Fenrys released Nascha and vanished without another word. "What did you say to him?" Vaughan asked behind her.

"Nothing of importance." She started towards the training rings, but Vaughan blocked her with an arm. "What?"

"You'll be practicing your magic this morning instead of combat training. Your group is out on patrol with Kyllian."

"Who's Kyllian?"

"You've been coming here a little more than a week and you don't know who Commander Kyllian is?"

"Obviously," Nascha scoffed. They began walking through the camp as Vaughan explained.

"Kyllian is Aedion's second in command. He oversees the Bane when Aedion is gone."

"What about Elgan?"

"He's a Captain."

"Is he older than Kyllian?" Vaughan nodded. "Then why isn't he the Commander?"

"That's a question for Aedion."

They moved beyond the camp and reached the clearing where she usually practiced her magic. Vaughan motioned for her to begin. Nascha dove into her well of magic, dredging it up and shaping the darkness into a writhing mass between her curved palms. Starlight wound through the inky tendrils.

"Fenrys told me how his brother died," she admitted. "He also told me that you were the one to burn his remains."

Vaughan went stiff. A guarded look filled his dark eyes. "I was."

"Were you close to Connall?"

"Connall wasn't very close to any of us, except Gavriel. Even then, Connall held him at arm's length." Vaughan turned away from her, lowering his head.

She could tell the words he spoke weren't entirely true, but Nascha didn't question him further. Her head ached and her magic required more focus than usual. She would find out the secrets surrounding Fenrys' twin later.

◦ ~ ❘ ☼ ❘ ~ ◦

Fenrys slid into his seat at Aelin's left with only minutes to spare. He rubbed his forehead wearily, doing his best to ignore his lingering headache. Aelin narrowed her eyes, watching him. Aedion and Lysandra were the last to take their seats. Once they did, Aelin called the meeting to order.

"Rayan and Eliora are still refusing to negotiate," she sighed. "Have you made any progress with Nascha, Fenrys?"

Fenrys ran his fingers through his hair. "Hardly. She grows more determined not to take her place every time I bring it up. I do have a few ideas I'm going to try in the future and see if there's any progress with them."

Aelin nodded and opened her mouth to reply. Darrow spoke before she could. "Perhaps Nascha needs an encouraging reminder."

"What do you mean?" Aelin asked.

"She's been away from Terrasen for the past eleven years. Her last memories of it are nothing but death and carnage. She might need to be reminded of the way things were before Adarlan invaded."

"How do you suggest we remind her?"

Darrow faced Fenrys. "Take her to Arcelia for a day or two. Let her reacquaint herself with her childhood home. Memories can be a powerful motivator."

"We can't let Rayan and Eliora know she's in Terrasen," Rowan reminded Darrow.

"They wouldn't have to know. She can go in disguise."

"Won't Rayan and Eliora recognize Fenrys?" Elide asked. "If they do, they'll invite him to stay with them because he's the ambassador."

Fenrys shifted his gaze to Aelin. There was a contemplative look in his Queen's eyes. "Rayan and Eliora might, but the people won't," Aelin said slowly. "As long as you both stay out of sight of the Tarins and are careful to disguise yourselves, I think it will be safe for you to go."

"Nascha won't agree to this," Fenrys said.

"It won't be difficult to convince her otherwise. Make sure she understands that it's just a short visit, not an attempt to force her to take her place," Aelin replied. "Darrow is right. A reminder might serve her well. I was afraid of revealing myself and taking my place for a long time." Rowan's hand slid onto hers. Aelin gave him a small smile. "But I was reminded how much Terrasen and her people meant to me. I think it might be the same for Nascha."

"All right. I'll make the arrangements."

Everyone rose and filed out of the meeting room. Fenrys quickly caught up to Darrow, recalling the promise he'd made to Nascha the night before. "Can I help you?" Darrow asked.

"I was wondering if you knew what happened to Soren, Carpathia, and Vandran Makatza after they died. Were they buried, cremated, or..." Fenrys trailed off. Perhaps there had been nothing left of them by the time it was safe to return to the battlefield for bodies.

"Their remains were recovered and laid to rest in the Makatza family crypt, in Arcelia," Darrow replied.

"Where is the crypt?"

"I've never been there myself, but I've heard that it was built within the mountains beyond their estate."

"Was the estate or crypt destroyed when Adarlan sacked Arcelia?"

Darrow shook his head. "Adarlan stole a fair amount of riches from the estate, but they never found the crypt. Both locations remain intact and the damage sustained by the estate has already been repaired."

Fenrys dipped his chin. "Thank you." He carried on alone until he was outside the palace. Fenrys summoned his magic and let it carry him back to his cabin.

◦ ~ ❘ ☼ ❘ ~ ◦

Nascha was sore, nauseous, and exhausted by the time she and Vaughan flew to Fenrys' cabin. Vaughan didn't leave until she was safely inside the wooden walls. Fenrys was sitting at the table, flipping through a book. Her heart skipped a beat before she noticed that it wasn't her notebook. She might die of embarrassment if he read the stories she'd written in it.

"I have good and bad news," Fenrys said, lifting his head.

Nascha sat down across from him. "What is it?"

"We're going to Arcelia."

Her nausea worsened. "What?"

"We're going to Arcelia and we'll be staying for a few days, but we can't risk Rayan and Eliora seeing us."

"Why not?"

"If they find out you're in Terrasen and refusing to take your place, they might feel betrayed by you too. War could come now, rather than in six months."

"Why are we going if that is the risk we take?"

Fenrys crossed his arms, kicking his feet up on the table. "Because you need to be reminded of your home and family. You need to remember where you come from and your duty to your people."

"You're wrong. I don't need to have anything to do with them or that city. I'm not going back there."

"I've already begun making the arrangements. Don't worry. You don't have to stay forever and no one will proclaim you Lady of Arcelia while we're there."

Nascha stood, shaking her head. "I'm not going back. I can't. You can't make me."

Fenrys tilted his head. "Watch me."

"No, you don't understand." She gripped the table, fighting to keep herself upright. "I can't go back there. Please don't ask me to."

"It's already been decided, your Ladyship."

"Don't call me that. Do not fucking call me that." Nascha forced herself to let go of the table. "I won't go back there. I won't."

"You will."

Nascha stormed past him, her stomach churning. Being in Terrasen was hard enough. She couldn't go back to Arcelia. She couldn't bear it. Not now, not ever. Didn't they have any idea what they were asking her to do? She couldn't go back. She couldn't.

Nascha stumbled into the bedroom and dropped into a chair, flipping open her notebook. She was vaguely aware of Fenrys when he arrived and sat on the bed. She grabbed her pen and began to write, pouring out her frustration and pain in the only way she knew how.