"Some only talk towards the heavens when the end is feeling desperate
Have the overwhelming feeling
That there's nobody who's looking down"

Notre Dame - Paris Paloma

⛪️

I need to find him.

Damned be my feelings, damned be his.

Leila's heart burst with the truth, her lungs with hunger. Violent grief seeped through every orifice, drenching her in a past that was too heavy to carry.

"You passed out! Are you okay, you were awake, and then your eyes rolled back-" Lily was crying, and her mind was reeling. She could not focus on the sound.

One thing was certain; Lily had not led her astray from what she translated. All the words she had spoken were practical and without true detail. Watching Jae once again lose his love right before his eyes was an entirely different feeling. And of course, Anastasia's implication in the matter had been swiped from the history books.

All the family had felt was a tragedy and blamed themselves for it. Leila was done letting Taehyung hurt for a crime he did not commit. She needed him to know of his family and everything he had come to be.

"I need to find the prince. Wrath and all." Leila got up without Lily's help, pulling the ripped fabric of her dress together as she walked down the hallway.

The sun had faded to a deep orange, that of honeyed mead. The halls had become darker, and each stone still carried its glittering light.

Sunset. Her heart fluttered under her crossed arms, realizing she had been in that vision for hours now. To see it in person was something else entirely. And still, all she could think of was Jae's final look at the sun. How broken he seemed, even as he tried to give life to his wife.

Taehyung, I need you.

Lily walked in stuttering steps behind her, but the princess turned to address her. Lily was shocked and turned yellow and pink by the fading sun.

"Find my sister, tell her what happened. Tell her I am sorry but am alive so she cannot be too mad. Inform Aera to tell the nobles that are left here of what occurred, so that they can visit the Immortui villages and let them know the sun is safe for them all." Leila commanded confidently.

Lily took her in appreciatively, "What did you see when you were gone?"

"Everything." She bit her lip, trying not to shake, "You were right Lily. What you translated of the book happened. But there was so much we did not know of."

The woman nodded, a line appearing between her brows. A little family trait Leila had come to adore, "Good luck. Don't fuck-I mean fight."

Too late.

Leila crinkled her nose, pushing the girl away from her. Lily's laugh echoed down the hallway, a burst of color as she flickered down the hall like a firefly. Leila pretended that she did not see a private moment, where Lily turned to the windows, and craned her head to let the light hit her. Eyes closed.

But it was enough to know Leila had made the right decision.

Leila found her way to the prince's room easily, even with the new aid of brighter halls. And still, she could not find the courage in herself to open the door. She told herself a thousand times that it did not matter if he hated her after this. That she could live with it, as long as he remained on this Earth to do so. And still, the syrupy-thick despise of her could be felt through the door.

Her stomach was tied in heavy knots. Between her vision and the nerves the prince gave her, she was glued to her spot.

She was given no choice when the door opened for her.

Her organs plummeted down, and then rose to her throat. Both of her palms clammy and looking for reprieve. She was too hot and too cold all at once, and all she could think was that she was royally fucked.

He was not in her line of vision, but she could sense his presence. She stepped slowly into the room, enjoying the roughness of stone beneath her feet. She relished in the blend of blues that were ocean-like, black wood turned cherry by the fading sun. She caught the prince by his large, arched window. The same window he had taken her over. The same window to which he pressed his palm into the stone, his back facing her. Made an outline by the riveting sky, the sun which now kissed upon it's horizon.

Leila waited, her pulse a moth in her throat.

Everything she wanted to say felt menial, childish. Not ever enough to mend what she had broken.

"You are truly here?" The prince broke the silence, his voice low and heated. All Leila could feel was sadness. He sounded so much like his father. "This is not some image and story I made up because I went insane from losing you?"

Oh gods.

She stepped forward, grabbing at the aching part of her chest. She cared little if her dress fell open now, their flesh was made of one. She stepped closer to him, much closer. She could see the stutter than stillness of his body as she reached out a hand, letting it drop before she touched him.

He would still not face her.

"I am here. I am real Taehyung. I kept my promise." Leila whispered, feeling despair and love choke her.

He cocked his head to the side, and turned slowly around. Leila was surprised to see his eyes brimming with tears, while the rest of his face burned with pitch black anger.

"You did not." He answered in contradiction.

Leila nodded, accepting her pitiful state of repentance. "I owe you an explanation."

"Several." His lip lifted in a snarl.

"I know I must have traumatized you."

"That is putting it quite plainly."

The woman cringed, holding up her hands in surrender, "I know you're livid and pained-"

"An understatement." Taehyung crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes flickering to her body. Without making a fuss, he grabbed a blanket from his bed and handed it to her. Not allowing her to thank you for the covering as he began to berate her, "But go on Leila. Give me all your reasons as to why I should be calm, that this is all a misunderstanding, and how I should forgive you. I am finding little to hold onto at the moment." His lips parted, his breath stifled as more moisture appeared in his eyes, "I need to know what the fuck just happened and why. I need to know why you were so willing to risk your life. Yourself." He shook his head, "You know Leila, I know you. And I know you feel more guilt over my reaction, my pain to seeing the light leave your eyes. But it's fucked. You should care that you had so much life to live, and you ended it yourself. I did not believe you were gone. I-I dragged you from the water. I made you a crown of shell. I plaited your hair. I read the last of your book to you. Why? Just why?"

"The sun-" Leila started weakly, because he was right. His pain meant more to her than her own. And she knew it disappointed him.

"Give me something real or I will not stay here any longer." His chest moved heavily with every breath, like he was holding himself back from running.

Leila nodded, wiping away tears. Knowing she deserved every second of his respite, "Please, sit."

Taehyung looked as if he were going to protest for his right to angrily pace, but he took one long glance at her and nodded stiffly. He placed himself on the window sill as she plopped onto his bed. The distance like scratches along her skin. But she knew he needed it, from the way he kept looking at her like she would dissipate into thin air.

"Well-" Leila awkwardly coughed, her cheeks heating under his introspection. If only she hadn't been conditioned to find his anger to be mortally attractive. It sent a hot flash of shame through her. "You know that Lily had been giving me tea. And that it was not filled with poison, but a plant that helped me to heal quicker."

Taehyung looked annoyed, but answered, "Yes."

"She was dosing me with Lunetta."

His brow lifted high on his head.

"That is impossible."

Leila explained why it was not. The prince seemed more agitated than ever. She explained further.

"Lily knew little about the flower, but enough to know that it temporarily heals. It is not enough with just the flower to bring someone back from the dead. I did not die when Jimin slit my throat, I merely passed out until I healed. And with everything about the curse that we told Lily, she became curious. And her curiosity paid off, as it helped with her translation of the book."

Taehyung barked out, "Which said what?"

Leila bit her lip, knowing this is when things would get messy, "She told me that the book told the origins of the curse. And the parameters of it, as well as the original stanza. But we can discuss that later. The first Vipera had been sired by a viper bite on the day of the black sun. That they were not 'Immortui' until the first being was fed a flower blessed by both Solis and Lunaith. That the bite, and the divinely ordained flower helped to give them immortality."

The man before her did something unexpected. He laughed.

Leila grimaced, as the man leaned forward. His elbows resting on his knees as he clutched his chin. "Are you fucking serious? You killed yourself on a goddamn whim and a possibly incorrect translation of an old book, in a language Lily barely understands?"

"It was not wrong." Leila frowned, crossing her arms to match him, "It worked!"

Taehyung stood, a shadow as the sun continued to sink in the sky. His eyes blazed onyx once again, "I could have told you the first Immortui was bitten by a viper! I did not know about the properties of Lunetta, but again what does it matter? We were looking for ways to break the curse so that you did not have to die. This was not your promise!"

Leila was growing in frustration. He did not even ask how Lily managed to receive a blessing from both the sun and the moon deities. He did not ponder their preparation, or their ability to decipher the stained glass.

"I had little choice! Of course I wanted to wait and work on a safer, less risky solution. Do you think I wanted to watch you suffer? Do you think I wanted to make my love drown me? Every minute I hated myself more than you ever could. Even if you wish me gone, I wish myself far worse. But Lily told me Setareh had a vision." Leila held herself together. "Today, on the Summer solstice, you died for me. The gods did not approve of the four of us corners at a standstill. They were going to let Nox take over Jimin's body, and to kill us all for good. There would be no next cycle Taehyung, you have no heir to pass on your curse to yet. I could not let that happen, I just couldn't." Leila shuddered, "I could not let you die when there was a chance I could come back, and bring the sun along with me. I am sorry I broke the curse, and I am still not enough for you."

Taehyung's eyes flashed, "Do not say that."

Her lip quivered as she sunk in on herself, "Do not think it."

The prince swallowed, before he grabbed at the edges of his dark hair. He closed his eyes, before falling to his knees at the side of the bed. Leila faltered when he grabbed her hands, his eyes softened and still severe, "You have always been brilliant. I knew you would break the curse, with or without me. I just wish I would have known before."

Leila lifted her hand, taking his place as she ran her fingers through his hair. He breathed in sharply, but let her touch continue. "I wanted to tell you. I truly did. But the book also detailed that bringing back the sun requires sacrifice. Hence, why the daughter of the moon is meant to be killed. And if you knew that I were to come back-"

"It would not count. That is why you used my hands bound around yours? Why you kept it from me?" The man looked shocked, falling back from her.

"Yes. And you would have never let me even try." Leila steadied herself, "While you would never risk my life, I would never risk yours. I thought it better to chance it, to possibly bring myself back from the dead than let you and the light sink into oblivion."

Taehyung nodded, before furrowing his brows in thought. Leila almost smiled at the expression, despite their harrowing predicament. "What do you mean my death would end the cycle?" Then he paused, looked down at his body. He lifted his hand, the last line of red from the summer sun grazing his hand, "And why am I allowed in the light?"

Leila smirked, telling him the easier answer first, "There was only one curse. So when the sun came back, your Immortui curse lifted. And while you are not made into ash by the sun, you cannot unmake what was born. You can only undo what was made. All those that were born Immortui are left to live as such. But they can walk freely in the night and day."

She realized from his contorted expression that she had lost him. And, that she would have to detail the entirety of her last vision from his mother and father.

"Your parents, and even the castle itself have been trying to gift us verity the entirety of our lives. There is a reason why we found each other." Leila looked her prince in the eyes, clutching his hands dearly to her chest, "Your father was the first Immortui." His hand went limp in her own, and she held him even tighter, "The curse was created by his desperation to save a woman he loved. And how could we ever blame him?"

Taehyung paled, his face dropping in horror, "How?"

Leila knew he anticipated the worst. Because he always felt ashamed. She knew the man had believed their family responsible for endless night, somewhere along his lineage.

But she needed him to know his burden was in vain.

She told him of his father's life, and of his first wife, Aisulu. Of her condition, and how his father's powers hurt her. They traveled to this region in order to find a cure, with the guide of Solis. Taehyung gripped her hand painfully, absorbing it all through wary eyes. Leila told her that she suspected Nox feigned as Solis in his dream, and brought him to Romania on purpose. Since the god needed one soul of a sun descendent, Jae's search for a cure made him vulnerable and easily manipulated.

She told him when they arrived, a local witch-doctor appeared. Along with his children, which Leila knew were the Queen Anastasia and Clarisse. All descendants of Nox. How as they built a kingdom, Aisulu was fed Lunetta by the doctor. She improved, until once again she began to experience severe blisters, organ failure, and extreme pain. That as the Priest knew, the Lunetta would eventually stop working and he would have Jae in the palm of his hand.

"When the Priest asked for you father to forfeit his soul, he gave it freely. All he wanted to do was stop Aisulu's pain. She could barely breathe Taehyung, she could not bathe. He wanted her to live without hurting. She would not leave him, no matter how much his powers worsened her condition. He did not care if he died in the process, he thought her better off for it." Leila felt at her throat, trying to ease the emotion that strained her words. Taehyung closed his eyes, his head shaking. But she could not stop, "On the say of the black sun, the Immortui curse was implemented. Nox mocked him with Aisulu's condition, and gave him abilities of a hunter in order to keep the balance. Both give and take. Nox promised his followers immortality in endless night. And they hoped that Jae would become so lonely in his condition that he would turn his people, and eventually create a reason to keep the sun away. For he would not want endless night to end, if it would kill him and his people."

Taehyung hands trembled in her own. She tried her best to soothe him, as she spoke of Nox's deceit. How with Jae's predicament, and his lack of an heir, his death would seal the curse of night.

"Solis and Lunaith wished to prevent this. Therefore they added to the newly forming, divine curse. They offered to bless Lunetta in order for it to be fed to Jae, so his life could prolong and therefore there would be more time to undo the curse." Leila shivered, her throat tightening, "But they knew to break the curse would require a great sacrifice. And because Jae signed his soul away for love-"

"Love turned the world dark. Now love will bring it light." Taehyung whispered to himself, his face clouded with furious emotion.

"Yes. The deities made his wife the first daughter of the moon. And if he were to kill her after she gave him immortality, he would wipe away his sins. Break the forged curse. Undo all the wrongs he had done." Leila bowed her head, "He was not given the chance. The Priest must have been overtaken by Nox. He killed Aisulu before Jae could. Therefore creating the cycle of the moon and sun." She contemplated, "Sorina, your mother, would not be born for another hundred years. And so, like Nox predicted, your father turned his subjects out of loneliness. Out of sheer hatred for himself. And because they begged."

Taehyung was horrified, "The curse-"

"Solis and Lunaith wrote the curse down in blood. The original paragraph that everyone knew of. The first paragraph was designed by Nox, which he used his descendent to do."

"The Priest?" Taehyung darkened, "No. Anastasia. He knew she had powers of the mind, and used her to manipulate my father-"

Leila shook her head, "No. Nox taught the Queen himself. She always had feelings for your father, in her own deranged way. Nox exploited that covet, and made it her power. He made her forge the first part of the curse, and therefore Dusk and Dawn. He made two more corners to the balance of the world. An anti-curse." Leila paused, "Anastasia made your father forget her relation to the Priest. She forced them to marry. And in that time, she was made to wait by Nox. Made to wait, watch, and plan until Sorina was born. Too vain to believe that Jae would fall in love with the woman over her."

"My father did not want any of this."

"No. When Aisulu died, he believed himself to be a plague. He only cared of his castle, and he wished to mourn in peace. He did not care of the curse, he refused to let someone else die carelessly for him. He also did not trust the deities after that." Leila smiled wistfully, "He still pained over his first wife for years. Your mother brought him back to life. He felt so guilty, so blindsided when he found someone he could love again, he wished to evade her. Sorina was his light, and he realized that he could no longer wallow in self-pity. With her love and guidance, he created the stained glass. He had the book of the curse, written with the help of Clarisse. All because he believed in the next cycle, he believed in us." She took a deeper breath, "By the time they had discovered the first part of the curse, and the four corners, it was already too late. They were years behind Anastasia and Nox. They did not stand a chance."

"Leila-"

"Your father never believed he would be the one to fix the world. He knew it would be you." Leila lifted her hands, grasping the sides of his wet cheeks. He trembled underneath her touch, "Your father and your mother left everything behind for us. They knew we would do anything for each other." She brushed her thumb along his high bones, "I was the third daughter of the moon. Sorina saw it in a vision. I was the one thing the Queen could not plan against." Leila smiled, before it washed away into a sob, "She visited me as a child Taehyung. Your father and her. They watched over me. I thought I was alone."

But they loved me.

And they knew you would one day too.

Taehyung brought her in tightly to his chest. They cried together, his face burrowing into her neck. Leila held onto him desperately, letting the salt of her tears mix with the sweet of his skin.

"I do not hate him." Taehyung spoke fiercely, muffled into her skin, "I do not hate you."

Leila pulled back slightly, her eyes trailing up and down his beautiful face with both remorse and ardor. The prince smiled through his tears, "In fact, I understand him now more than ever. I told Solis to bring night back so that you would live once again."

"Solis?" Leila felt her jaw drop, as she drew back from him, "You did what you ass? After all I had done to restore balance? And you called me crazy for being-"

Taehyung thrust forward, shutting her up with the warmth of his mouth.

When he pulled back, he left both of them breathless and starry eyed.

"I said I did not hate you. I did not say I forgave you." He smirked softly, then frowned, "Solis deserved what I said to them. With all their power, they still let my father sell his soul. They created the cycle of the daughters of the moon, which led to your demise. And resurrection. Though they helped in our favor, it was for their own gain." Taehyung held her closer, "And for their own amusement."

"You are right." Leila could not deny that all of the gods had participated, in one way or another. It left her feeling sick, for her beloved moon was a glamour for its sweeping force.

Taehyung's face crumpled, "My father and mother never knew true peace." He let his arms fall into her lap, "I regret nothing more than hearing his story through another's lips. I should have talked to him Leila. After all he had been through, after all the wrong he attempted to unwind, he was given a spiteful son. Every person he ever loved was ripped away from him, he was drowned by his own tragedy."

Leila placed her hand under his chin, and lifted. He tried to avoid her eyes at first, but she would not let him pull away out of shame. She could see it even know that he held the ghost of his father's fear in him. She could no longer let him be burned by sins he did not commit.

"He changed his last name to Otrava, Taehyung. He named himself the poison to this land, the poison to this world. He always regretted his mistakes. He always wanted for the world to be better. He just could not without hurting those he loved most, which was his greatest downfall. And your best virtue." His eyes softened, and she pressed a kiss to his smooth cheek, "You are not a poison. You come from a legacy of people who loved more than their lives could handle. But we broke the curse. Your father will be at peace, knowing you did not have to lose me for the sun to return. That the daughter of the moon lived. We erased your father's deepest regrets. We figured out a way to forsake the gods and their riddles, and their cursed punishment. We changed the course of your legacy to do good."

Taehyung took her face into his palms, and allowed the warmth to seep into her silver-cooled skin. He ran his nose along her bridge, her cheeks, her neck. Finally pausing as his lips rested just above her own.

"Ignis Lunae," The name rattled her heart, the thread beginning to mend broken seams, "I did not feel the sun upon my skin until you opened your eyes."

Leila closed her hands over his, letting her forehead rest upon him, "And I was ready to keep them closed if you were not by my side."

Taehyung kissed her once more, his answer to her prayer.

"I do not wish to scare you." Leila pulled away, fretting onto his lips.

The man gritted through his teeth, "I cannot bear anything more my Ignis, but alas-"

The daughter of the moon stared at her sun, "The Priest disappeared that day. But where did he go?"

Taehyung bared his teeth, "To hell, hopefully."

Leila shook her head, her stomach twisting. If she could tell one person, it would be him.

"Jimin's mother claimed she 'wore' Sorina's face. It means that Nox's line may have the ability to cloak themselves. To appear as other people."

Taehyung's face dropped, "Who do you think he is?"

"There are only a couple people who ever called me moonchild. Jimin, when he was under the influence of the Queen. And, obviously, the Queen herself." Leila continued, feeling sick.

"And-" Taehyung sucked in a breath through his teeth. His intelligence shining through as he realized who she was accusing.

"Elder Fareena."

It all made sense.

How her lessons had gone from strict to aggressive. How the once neutral woman turned into someone who delighted at her pain. Like a switch, like a newly lit flame. The Queen only knew of her existence after she attempted to kill Lily for being a possible heir to the moon. Her training had consisted of letting herself die.

But by whose hands?

Nox had anticipated her death to come by Jimin's hand. They pushed her seduction on Taehyung so that he would fall in love, and refuse to kill her.

"When do we kill her?" The prince asked easily, all biting and onyx.

Leila had cried enough. And she knew whatever challenge lay ahead, they would perish and live together. For the moon only left the sky, because the sun would be there waiting for its return the next day.

She lifted his chin with one finger, forcing him to rise. He swallowed harshly as he looked down, catching her hungered stare as she gazed up. She ran her hands down the front of his body, delighting as he was already crazed for her.

"I have a plan." Leila palmed him through his trousers. He moaned, mumbling under his breath that she was not yet forgiven. He cursed and changed his mind when she kissed him through his clothes. She smiled fiendishly, but in the back of her mind she thought of Jimin's trial, "And I know exactly who is needed to fulfill it."

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(A/N: One more chapter to go 😭😭😭😭😭 an epilogue :) but you need to read it so pleaseeee don't archive this yet.

Also y'all idk if you all realized but the book Taehyung was reading to Leila while he thought she was dead was Dante's Inferno, which Leila had been reading since chapter 12. He wanted her to finish it 😭😭😭😭😭

I Hope y'all enjoyed the way I tied everything together! This is the first book I've written where I knew exactly what the end would be when I came up with the first chapter. I have been sitting on this for over a year and I am so excited / sad / anxious to finally share it with you guys 😭

GOD IM GOING TO MISS TAEHYUNG AND LEILA SO MUCH HELLPPPPPPPPPPPPP.

Like this authors note is short because like I really can't cope with it LOL