By late afternoon of their second day in Arcelia, Nascha had already shown Fenrys several of her old haunts. He'd been surprised by how many stories she told as they visited each location. Arcelia was having an effect on her. Only time would tell if that effect was good or bad.

Fenrys was choosing to hope that it was good. Nascha hadn't been snapping at him as much lately, but she was unusually quiet. Every time he looked at her, she almost seemed to be fighting back tears. The sight sent concern spiraling through him and it was all he could do to refrain from reaching out to her. He knew she wouldn't accept comfort from him, even if he knew how to offer it.

He wished he could offer it, but he couldn't find the right words to say or the right things to do. Nascha wouldn't accept an apology or condolences from him. She likely wouldn't accept any advice he offered. She certainly wouldn't accept any attempt at physical contact.

Part of him thought maybe that was what she needed. After all, how long had it been since she let someone embrace her? Judging from the way she kept her arms wrapped around herself...far too long.

Fenrys wasn't sure why he cared. He shouldn't feel sorry or concerned for her after everything that had happened. Knowing that didn't dampen his feelings in the slightest. All it did was confuse him.

Nascha's own confused emotions were part of the reason why he hadn't told her where her family was buried yet. When she shared stories about fun things she did with her family, she grew happier. As soon as the story ended, her mood fell once more.

He'd woken up the night before to the sound of her sobs. Fenrys kept himself still, pretending to be asleep so she wouldn't feel like she had to stop crying. She'd cried for hours. He pretended not to notice how red her eyes were when she woke, or how her hair stuck to the damp trails tears had left on her cheeks.

Nascha rubbed her eyes now, stifling a yawn. Fenrys followed her through the streets beyond a library, where she claimed to have spent many hours buried in books with her father. "I'm sorry I'm so tired," she murmured. "I guess I didn't sleep well last night."

"It's all right." Fenrys pursed his lips as dark tendrils wound around her fingers. "If you feel up to it, I think I have something to show you."

"What?" Nascha glanced at him over her shoulder.

"I spoke to Darrow about your parents and Vandran." Nascha stiffened. "He said they were buried in your family crypt." Her brown eyes became glassy.

"I know where it is," she rasped. "It might be under guard though. It always was when my parents were alive. Some of our family's most precious heirlooms are kept there."

"I can teleport us there if you want to go. You'll just have to describe the location and show it to me on a map."

Nascha bit her lip. "You can see it from our room at the inn." Fenrys waited. At last, she nodded. "All right."

She touched his arm as he dove into his magic. It carried them back to the inn and directly into their room. Nascha let go of Fenrys and approached the bay window. She kneeled on the cushion, pointing to a mountain in the distance. Fenrys joined her, accidentally brushing their arms together. Nascha's gaze flickered to him, but she gave no other reaction.

"The crypt is built into that mountain. There is a set of carved stone doors bearing the family crest. When you enter, you go down a flight of stairs until you reach a vast underground chamber. There are rows and rows of raised tombs and a few larger mausoleums. The mausoleums are inscribed with names, but in reality, that is where the heirlooms are stored. Is that enough information to take us there?"

Fenrys nodded. "It should be. I'll try to teleport us right into the crypt so we don't have to deal with the guards."

Nascha inclined her head and took his arm again. He didn't comment on how badly she was trembling. Wind roared in Fenrys' ears as he teleported them once more. When he opened his eyes this time, they were standing in a dark crypt, lit only by sconces embedded in stone pillars in between the tombs.

Nascha drew away from Fenrys, her shoulders rising and falling as she drew uneven breaths. She seemed to know exactly where she was going. Fenrys studied the names and dates on the inscription plates as he passed by each tomb. Some of the names had a second surname carved in front of Makatza.

"They married into the family," Nascha explained, noticing his gaze. "My father's will be like that." She swallowed, her gaze landing on the last eight tombs in one row. Only empty space waited beyond them.

"When a child is born into the family, their tomb is built beside their parents'. A second tomb is placed beside it for their future spouse. Other tombs are added as their children are born, and so on." Fenrys joined her as she reached the tombs. She traced her fingers over the carved names.

Carpathia Makatza
Soren Flamion Makatza
Vandran Makatza
Zeno Makatza
Nascha Makatza

The inscription plates on the tombs in between each of her sibling's names were blank and forever would be. Nascha paused before Zeno's tomb. "I wish he could be with Mother, Father, and Van," she whispered.

"I would..." Her voice caught. "If I was Lady, I would have his most precious belongings placed in this tomb." She pointed to the one right beside Vandran's. "I would reorder the inscription plates so that these tombs could be used for future generations, instead of lying empty."

Fenrys briefly considered pointing out that with one word, she could accomplish all of that. He restrained himself however, knowing that would probably be the dumbest thing he ever said and she would likely seal him in an empty tomb alive and leave him there. Nascha stepped in front of her own tomb.

"I should be lying there with them." She closed her eyes. "Not standing here with you." Fenrys still didn't speak. Nascha returned to her father's tomb, fighting back tears. A few of them beaded on her eyelashes, though they did not fall. "They used to call me Stardust."

"Why?" He asked.

"My skin looks like it's coated in stardust after I use my starlight."

"I've never noticed that before."

"You can only see it in the dark." Nascha formed strands of starlight between her fingers. Fenrys' eyes widened. Sure enough, a sparkling silver dust coated Nascha's bare skin. She let her starlight fade, but the dust remained.

"Stardust," Fenrys said, testing the name. "I like it. It's much better than your Ladyship."

Nascha's lips twitched up in a smile. She sniffed, wiping a hand across her cheeks. "You know, Van and Zeno would've called me that just because it annoyed me. They would have loved you."

"You think so?" Fenrys crossed his arms.

"I can just imagine what kinds of trouble they would drag you into."

"Maybe I would've been the one dragging them into trouble."

"Probably," Nascha replied with a faint giggle. All too soon, her smile faded. She lowered herself to her knees, bracing her hands on her mother's tomb. "My parents wouldn't want this. A civil war. Arcelia seceding from Terrasen. Strife amongst the people."

Fenrys watched her warily. "You're the only one with the power to stop that."

"I can't. I can't become Lady of Arcelia. I can't take up the burden they left behind." She lowered her head, shaking. Her crimson braid fell over her shoulder. "It hurts. It hurts and I can't make it stop."

Fenrys crouched beside her, resting his hand on her back. Nascha flinched and he drew his hand away. "I know."

"How could you possibly know? You lost one person. I lost my entire family. I lost my home. I lost my freedom. I lost...everything."

"I lost my entire family too. Connall and Gavriel were the closest things I had to family. My parents were never really my parents. They didn't raise Con and I. They left us with the best mentors they could find and hurried off to obey Maeve's every order. I went back to Doranelle and looked for them after the war, but I couldn't find them. They were avoiding me. They never answered my letters when I served Maeve. When they visited her and I was there, they ignored me."

"You lost your home and I lost mine. Doranelle used to be precious to me. The place where I grew up used to be special. I know I could never return now without burning those places to the ground. I lost my freedom when I swore the blood oath to Maeve. You aren't the only one who lost everything. Everyone in Aelin's Court lost all that was precious to them at some point or other. We just chose to do something about it. You didn't."

"There's nothing I can do!" Nascha's head whipped up as she met his gaze. "This is not my role. This is not my place. I can't become Lady of Arcelia. I can't do what my parents did. What my brothers were supposed to do."

"You can't or you won't?"

"Why won't anyone in this fucking kingdom listen to me?" Nascha exclaimed. "I..."

"Who goes there?" A voice boomed through the musty air.

Fenrys grabbed Nascha without a moment of hesitation. He teleported just as five guards ran into the crypt. They landed in their bedroom at the inn and Nascha shoved him back. "Get away from me!" She ordered. "Leave me the fuck alone!"

"Keep your voice down," Fenrys hissed.

"You don't get to tell me what to do," Nascha sobbed, jabbing an accusing finger against his chest. "You dragged me to Terrasen. You forced me to come here. You won't listen when I try to explain. All you care about is making me become Lady to prevent a fucking war. A war that has nothing to do with me!"

"It has everything to do with you. This city is yours. You..."

"This city stopped being mine the day my brother and I were forced to run because we were left to fend for ourselves when Adarlan invaded. I was fourteen and hardly knew enough about fighting to keep myself alive! Zeno had to choose between me and Arcelia, and he chose me! He did everything he could to protect me! To keep me safe and give me a chance to live! You're taking that away. If I come back here and do what you ask, my family died in vain!"

Nascha stumbled back from him, glaring through tear filled eyes. "So leave me the fuck alone, Fenrys Moonbeam. I fucking hate this kingdom. I fucking hate this city. I fucking hate you!" She ducked into the bathroom and he heard the lock click. Fenrys glowered at the door, Aelin's command already gnawing away at him through the blood oath.