I couldn't remember the last time I slept. A few days ago, it seems. Yet I wasn't tired at all, not with blood thrumming wildly through my veins. I had slept in a bed with Beckett what feels like a lifetime ago. Since then we had met with Celeste—defended the Sky Court from SkinWalkers—landed in the Mountain Court—lost Ember—went to Alatar's home, learned about Nova—visited the Stars—learned Ember may be alive...when did life become chaotic again?

It was like saying hello to an old friend, standing before an army of fae, warlocks, the kings soldiers, and Defenders. We weren't going in unprepared, but this was looking like it would be a bloodbath. Not that I wanted that, nobody wanted that. But if Ember was in the hands of the enemy?

Theodore had rallied the soldiers that had made it to the Sky Court, and Blair had indeed finished the court meeting as she'd been told—now she was instructing Beckett's soldiers. His men were unlike Theodore's, not fae men with swords—but all creatures alike. I saw some shifters who transformed into wolves, some even into large house sized dragons.

Juniper stood beside me, watching my face nervously. "Are you afraid?" She asked me, not condescendingly at all—but genuinely curious. I looked at her sideways, taking in her appearance. She had switched her gown for warlock fighting gear, the sapphire blue pants were brilliant against her black jacket and boots. Her usual braid had been twisted and pinned like a crown on top of her head.

"No," I lied. Juniper had never been to battle, not really. She'd defended our home with the SkinWalkers, then again in the Sky Court. But battle? That's a whole different feel. There's bodies everywhere, people who you know, people trying to kill you. You'll see people you know die beside you, but you need to push on. I lied because if she was afraid, nervous, I wanted her to know she could lean on me.

"Me neither," I could hear the lie in her tone. I wonder if she had heard mine. "Arden is going to bring you up, drop you in." It wasn't a question, but a statement. It seems her twin had filled her in.

"Yes," we had decided that if anyone it was me who had the best chance of taking her down...if I could have the element of surprise. Not a mountain, Blair told us earlier, a volcano. That explained the lava.

"Would you guys go to battle for me? If she had taken me instead of Ember?" I tore my eyes from the large gathering of hundreds, all of them rumbling with what we were about to do. When my eyes met her brown ones they were almost a little sad, I furrowed my brow.

"Jun, I would fight until my very last breath for anyone in my family." That's who these people were, my family. Not just my for all intents and purposes coworkers, but my newfound family. Junipers face glowed with that, bringing life to her once more.

She nodded, turning her back to the soldiers and faced the volcano in the distance. "I'd fight for you too, you know. Everyone says you don't need protection, but if it came to that—I know I'm not that much but I would. I'd fight for you, with you." Tears burned with her words, at the realization that if it came down to it I would have someone there—not someone who expected me to carry the weight of it all. I put my arm around her and pulled her to me, hugging her to tell her my thanks.

"Are we ready?" It was Theodore, Beckett and Arden beside him. I wiped away the stray tear that had managed to fall and nodded.

"Go get her," Beckett told me, and his eyes were filled with so much earnest that I realized what he was saying. If I didn't? He wouldn't make it. Neither would I, I think.

Arden gave me a boy-ish grin, his eyes sparkling with joy. "I never get to do this," he told me with a chuckle—then before my eyes he changed.

Not just his wings, or his claws, like I was used to. No, I watched in fascination and horror as his whole being changed. His bones cracked, skin melting into rough scales. We stepped away in awe as he grew, grew, and grew until he was the size of the whole apartment building I grew up in.

Arden's scales were radiant shades of the sunset. Marigold oranges, golden yellows, fiery reds, deep purples, they all came alive on his body. They faded and flowed along the large body, down his large magnificent limbs, and glimmered brightly on his long outstretched wings. There were horns, spikes, sharp jutting out edges along his legs, head, and wings.

Juniper was smiling broadly at her brother, a hint of jealousy gleaming under her joy. "He can shift but you cannot?" I assumed, and she nodded.

"Arden can shift because he felt the pain of loss first hand...he watched our parents die. It would be the same for me if I had watched, but he shielded my eyes from that." I didn't push, now wasn't the time.

"I'll see you when we all get back," I told them all. It was a promise, no more loss. Beckett pulled me to him, kissing me briefly, his eyes saying it all.

"See you when you get back, Star-girl." It was Jaxon, he held a bow this time. I looked one last time to all of them, before reaching and climbing up Arden's arm—hoisting myself onto his back.

His back was so broad it might as well have been the size of a kitchen, so steady myself I held onto one the jutting spikes. Arden's scales were cool to the touch, smoother than I would have thought, but his skin crawled almost as though it were snake skin.

"Archers— aim...fire!" Arrows soared across the empty space, taking aim and striking true to the side volcano side. Nothing...then all at once they erupted. With a loud roar the side of the volcano began to crumble, lava spilling out the now gaping side.

Heads appeared, their dead black eyes staring at us from across the distance. Then, after a dull silence—nobody from our side uttering a word, they let out earth shattering screams and began clawing through the lava towards us.

Arden reared back as the soldiers bellowed their battle cry, he roared loudly over the noise of everything else. If I wasn't clinging onto him I may have covered my ears as the noise rumbled in my head and chest. Then I didn't even have time to look at my family charging before Arden leapt up and took to the sky.

I'm glad nobody was there to witness my shriek, my gasp as I held on even tighter, and felt my heart thud between my ears as we went higher and higher. Wind whipped through my hair, made my cheeks burn, my eyes water. Higher and higher to the dark sky we went, until I was sure we would be a part of the stars.

Arden's body moved beneath mine, his scales shimmering even in the lack of light, and then we weren't going up anymore—but circling above the volcano.

From this high I couldn't see my family, couldn't distinguish them from the Walkers. My heart yearned to be down there, fighting beside Beckett, with Juniper, and with Theodore. With the warlocks, with the stranger who had no memories. But no, I needed to be here, needed to get Ember.

We circled above the volcano, getting lower and lower until I could make out the hole I was to jump through. With each circle I calculated how far I'd fall, how to prevent myself from falling into the pool of lava.

I didn't have much time, the SkinWalkers were indescribable—I had to get in and get out. Once I had her we were to retreat and figure out our next plan.

On this circle around Arden bent, his right wing lowered to tell me it was time. So I stood on my shaky legs, clinging for dear life to the spike, trying to keep my eyes open against the intense wind. One breath, two breaths, several heartbeats—then I jumped.

I tucked my arms and legs in tight as I fell feet first through the large hole, only releasing them once I was through. Down, down, towards the lava I fell—until I saw the levels of stone wherever I'd fought the woman. That's when I shot my power against the wall that hadn't exploded and sent myself soaring into its opposing stone.

I groaned as my back connected with it, falling to my hands and knees. It wasn't the most graceful landing, but it had gotten the job done. In front of me was the large pit of lava, slowly pouring into the outside; and Walkers nearly crawling over each other to attack the soldiers.

I clutched the sapphire necklace, leaning against the wall and reaching — stretching my mind to Ember. Like Beckett had done with the parchment paper on my first trip to the Umbra Realm, I hoped it would be a tracking device.

I stretched, giving myself a headache, searching until I could feel her. Her mind was terrified, shattered, I couldn't see anything but I could feel everything I needed. Ember, petrified, but alive.

I opened my eyes and took down a dark tunnel to my side, the sapphire necklace shining as I did so. It heated and glowed the further down the tunnel I went. The walls seemed to almost close in, spikes of stone hung from the ceiling and nearly touched my head.

Thanking the Stars I'm not claustrophobic I pushed on, the glowing stone lighting my way. When I came to a fork in the tunnel I paused, using an orb in my hand to peer down both tunnels. Which one?

I went down the one on my left and the necklace abruptly stopped glowing. Nope. I turned and ran down the right one, running faster and fast the more it glowed. Tired, suddenly so tired, my body began to give up.

No, the fear of Ember being hurt, of my family fighting, of all of the soldiers dying—it kept my boots slamming into the stone.

I froze, my ears picking up on the distant sound of footsteps. Nova? Barely breathing I pressed my back against the stone, looking to the noise. It came closer, closer. I unsheathed Embers sword, bending my knees as it neared.

So close, almost here...I whirled and shoved the stone against the throat of my attacker—no. The blade gleamed as it pressed against Ember's pale throat. A bit of blood trickled down to her collar bone as I registered the wide sapphire eyes that looked at me afraid. Her palms were facing me, fingers spread widely.

"Em?" I breathed, my mouth going slack with shock. Her lips trembled, a corner pulling into the briefest of smiles.

"In the flesh," Ember choked out. I dropped her sword to the ground as I pulled her to me, holding her tightly and vowing to never let go. She didn't smell like spring, no. Ember smelled like blood, like sweat, like fear. Oh, Ember.

I had to choke back a sob, my throat ached with the tears of relief that begged to flow. When her own arms wrapped tightly around me they almost came, but I bit my lip and held them in.

I could breathe again. My person, she was here.

Alive.

"I knew you'd come for me," Ember told me, her voice muffled against my chest. My heart ached with the few days I did leave her here, when I left her behind.

I pulled away even though every nerve of my being told me not to, her lips were pale but smiling. "It's really you?" I asked, not believing it. But when she cocked her eyebrow, indicating with her hands at her body, I laughed.

"Who else looks like this?" True, so true. Ember's clothes were little more than strips, but she still managed to look like a painting.

"Let's get you home, ok?" I handed Ember her sword, and the sheath for it. It looked better on her anyway. Then I took her small hand in mine and began the run back from where I came.

Luck appeared to be on our side, shockingly. I got back to the main area without running into Nova. We creeped around the lava, keeping our backs to the wall and our faces to the Walkers.

Ready to take that risk I put my two fingers in my mouth and let out the loudest whistle I could manage, hoping Arden would hear it and come before the Walkers came here.

I could hold them off but...Ember seemed as though standing was hard. Walkers turned and faced us, screaming with hunger. Ember leaned against my side, her hand on the hilt of her sword but not even strong enough to pull it free.

Internally I struggled for a brief moment, searching for my power, it seemed almost like it was locked away. Like my suppressor was back on, dulled power. But I pulled it anyway, sending it at the Walkers who got to us quickly

"Astra?" Ember said a bit weakly, her eyelids sliding shut.

"Stay with me," I encouraged, attacking more Walkers. They kept coming, and I was out of time. No, I couldn't lose her now—I wouldn't feel that pain again.

"Keep your eyes open!" They had closed fully, and at my demand they opened if only slightly. I was out of time, out of options. The Walkers pursued, coming to both sides—I only had the lava.

Here goes nothing. I prayed to the Stars Arden was there, even though I couldn't see him. With a breath I grabbed Ember tight, holding her as close to me as I could, and took on all her weight as her eyes drifted shut once more.

Sweat dripped down my back from the heat, and my heart thudded in my ears with the screeching of the Walkers. They closed in on us, I had nothing else I could do. So I jumped.

Our bodies fell, but I shot my power against a jutting out piece of stone—and sent our bodies pushing up. I kept pushing my energy, using it to soar us up, and up until cool air hit my face and we were in the air. Out of the hole my power gave out and I threw Ember, sending her to land on some dry stone—but my body fell towards the hole once more.

A scream caught in my throat as I fell, my back hitting the stone, my legs dangling into the hole as I slid—

I turned onto my stomach, my fingers digging into stone and clawing, trying to avoid falling. "Shit." I ground out, grabbing at nothing. Ember sat up, her eyes dazed and out of focus. Too tired, too weak.

Now she'd watch me die. My powers feel gone, like they're in another room. What happened? Where is that super weapon power when you need it? My body kept sliding, until I fully slipped and it was only my hands on the stone. I couldn't scream, couldn't even blink. My body felt frozen in time as I dangled.

I reached for my power, begged for it—I couldn't find it.

A pale hand reached and grabbed my wrist, a second hand—I looked up and found Ember's wide eyes.

"You're heavy-", she grunted, bracing her feet on the edge and leaning back; putting all her weight into pulling me onto the ledge.

I could have cried with relief as we both laid on the stone, staring at the dark sky. How we had gotten through that with little to no issues, I couldn't even being to fathom it.

Above Arden was circling, late but here nonetheless. I pushed myself to my feet, exhaustion taking over all of me. Had it been the weight of getting the two of us way up here that had done it? Either way, I felt depressed. Thankfully he came to us, the volcano shook when he landed, and together Ember and I climbed onto his russet back.

"You're free," I told Ember, who's eyes cried silent tears. She leaned against me, and I held the two of us on his back. Below us our people were jumping through portals, and Walkers were retreating to the volcano. Whatever had happened down there to make the SkinWalkers retreat I'm not sure, I'd have Beckett fill me in later. But for now I'd enjoy this moment.

Ember's body was cold against mine, I held her tightly to reassure myself she was really really here. Asleep, but here. I could breathe, and finally I felt as though my body could stop hurting. That piece of us that had been gone, had returned.