Since I'd been back in Velaris, it was hard for me to figure out how to behave. It was been hard for me to come back to who I used to be. The progress in how I felt was small but I noticed a difference in myself. And just like that, I had to place back the mask I wore Under the Mountain. After this trip to Hewn City, I didn't know if I could take that mask off. I knew Rhys would help me and that I wouldn't have to face it alone, but a part of me would die the moment I stepped inside Hewn City. Maybe this was how Mor felt? I didn't let myself linger on that for long. I needed to focus on this trip.

The morning of the trip to Hewn City, I stood in front of the mirror in my loft and observed the woman staring back at me. This woman felt familiar, like the pain that hurts deep but over time there's comfort in its familiarity. Yet, we were not quite the same person. The woman in mirror was someone who looked like me but that's where the similarities ended. This woman staring back at me looked ruthless, cunning, bloodthirsty, and vengeful.

Straightening my back, strapping my weapons to my thighs and waist, I gave my reflection a final nod. Silently, I made my way up the stairs to the roof of the building. When I went to the rooftop, the view of the city had me pause for a moment. This city, this safe haven in this rotten world: this was what I would debase myself to protect. Reminding myself of this, I made a disk out of the water sitting in the pail by the ledge, and strapped myself on to that ice board. Rhys sent a note to my loft last night saying we were meeting at the House of Wind at ten in the morning sharp. Bracing myself for the day, I shifted the wind around my body so that I was flying in the direction of the mountain.

When I reached the House of Wind, I wasn't particularly surprised to find that everyone had gotten there before me. I was a few minutes early, but it seemed every one had spent the night here and chosen to get ready here. Landing on the balcony, I melted the ice board and sent the droplets flying off the balcony in the wind. I didn't make eye contact with anyone as I strode in. My focus entirely on the bottle of wine on the table and Rhys sitting by it, holding out a glass for me. Without a word, I took the glass from him and gulped the drink down. Only after a few sips of my second glass, did I look up and acknowledge the others. Mor and Cassian were watching me with their mouths slightly agape. I could see half chewed bread roll and some eggs in Cassian's mouth and sent a look of mild disgust his way. Mor's eyes were wide and empty mouth agape, her own expressions mirroring Cassian's. Azriel and Amren were watching me with cool regard, though I noticed Azriel's shadows swirl and dance in preparation and anticipation.

"What is that?" Mor gasped.

I raised an eyebrow, guarded but with cool indifference. "What is what?" I knew my voice was cold based on Cassian's immediate reaction to my voice. He closed his mouth and tried to resist challenging himself against me. His fighting spirit won.

"You look like a demon raised out of hell." I slowly turned my head towards him. I looked him up and down, taking my time and making sure I observed everything, tilted my head as though debating whether he was worth it.

I knew the flame in my golden brown eyes were burning when I said, "I'm a demon ready to bring hell."

I turned back to Rhys, "When are we leaving?"

Rhys had been watching me the entire time. He knew what it meant for me to go to Hewn City, to wear this mask I had so eagerly taken off, once again. I knew it would be hard for him too, so I kept my attention on him.

"We leave now." Rhys stood and stared hard at me.

Looks like you went to Lehar. He remarked

Who's Lehar? The tailor lady? I didn't catch her name.

Don't worry, she doesn't care for names. She takes one look at you—

I cut him off. And knows exactly what you need. I stood and waited as Cassian and Mor hurried to finish their food. Amren watched them with disgust. She wouldn't be joining us, but she would be here when we were back for updates.

Rhys, I can't promise—

You don't need to. I hate asking this of you, but I need the second that I trained and fought with Under the Mountain.

And her, you shall have.

Our silent conversation was finished and we all stood in a circle, preparing to leave.

Rhys spoke up first, "Mor will meet us at the entrance of the mountain base." Mor nodded in confirmation. "Azriel, Cassian, Rose, and I will winnow to the to the mountains and from there we will fly in." He pointed at Cassian, Azriel, and me as he said this. When Rhys pointed at me, I noticed Cassian's attention on me. The same attention he had on me since the moment I stepped onto that balcony.

"Alright, let's go." Cassian stood by me, waiting to fly with me, but I brushed past him and walked to the balcony where Rhys and Azriel already were.

"You're not flying with Cassian?" Rhys asked, confused. I shook my head, ignoring Cassian's presence besides me.

"I can fly on my own." I said coldly.

Azriel shook his head before Rhys or Cassian could respond. "It's not a reflection of your flying ability, but the terrain is notoriously difficult. It takes Illyrians decades of training before they're skilled enough to fly in those winds and closed mountain ranges."

I clenched my jaw, this was not going how I wanted it to. Rhys saw me consider the risk of flying on my regardless of Azriel's warning. "It's not worth the risk, Rose. Our main priority is visiting Hewn City and making sure the message gets across."

"And what message would I be sending if I needed help flying in, Rhys?" I retorted back.

"Whatever the message, it won't be as bad as the one you'll be sending when you splat onto a mountain." Cassian scoffed beside me.

Not deigning to respond to him, I locked eyes with Azriel. "Can I fly with you?"

Rhys and Cassian looked at me as though I had sprouted two extra heads and had asked each of them to join a singing duet with each of the them. Hesitantly, Azriel held out a scarred hand. Nodding my thanks, I placed my arms around his neck and braced myself for the drop after Rhys winnowed us.

Unsurprisingly, Azriel was silent during our flight to the mountain base. As he had said, when Rhys winnowed us, it took us a moment to balance ourselves against the harsh winds. Harsh was an understatement, these winds were strong enough to blow me away to another Universe.

"I understand what you meant about flying in these winds." I said quietly.

Azriel nodded, "It took me longer than the others before I was able to fly here." The question must've been clear on my face because he continued, "Flying didn't come naturally to me. I learned it at a later age than most Illyrians."

I looked at his hand that was wrapped around my shoulders, and I knew the scars had to be related to why he didn't learn how to fly with the others. Azriel took notice of where I was looking.

"What you went through Under the Mountain, I know more than the others." Because of his spies. "And what you did for us, what you became for us. I won't ever judge you for that. I understand that you became what your family needed you to become." That word again. I stopped myself from cringing.

"You won't understand what I went through and I won't understand what you went through, Azriel." I looked at him unblinkingly. "We need to face it."

"Respectfully Rose, I disagree." I didn't discuss this topic with him any further. Even if I had wanted to, I wouldn't have the chance because we arrived.

Azriel set me down gently and I looked up at the giant doors in front of me. They were carved into the mountain and beside them, I was a tiny ant. But I could bring down these doors with half a thought if I wanted to, I reminded myself. I could bring down this entire gods damned mountain. I looked to Mor, and silently asked her if she could help fix my hair from the wind. After Mor fixed my hair, I turned back towards the door. Cassian was standing behind me and watching my every move. I knew his mind was on presenting himself at the Court of Nightmares and representing the might of the High Lord's Armies, but I knew his attention was on me. Watching me, observing me, waiting for me.

Putting all thoughts of Cassian out of my mind, I squared my shoulders and stood behind Mor. She would walk in first, followed by me, and once we took our places in the throne room, Rhys would make his grand entrance at the end with Cassian and Azriel. This was something they had planned and had orchestrated at each visit. When the gates opened, the two of us set off towards the throne room. I had never been in this city, but now was not the time to look around curiously. Now was the time to show these people who I was and what I can do.

With every step I took, smoke raised in my wake and embers lined my footsteps. I used my power to send a ripple from my footsteps into the mountain around us. They shook the ground and rumbled through the city around us. My entire black outfit was one piece. It wrapped me from my neck all the way down to my toes, the suit disappearing into the knee high combat boots. Strapped to my thigh was an obsidian blade so sharp and wicked, it glinted even in the darkness of the mountain. To my waist was a three feet blade and two small punches that were engraved into the belt. In one pouch was some dirt, should I ever get stuck somewhere without any, and in the other, some water. The arms of my suit were lined with hidden blades, one maneuver would have them loose and spiked outwards. There was no make up painting my face. I had intentionally left it bare, I wanted them to think that this was not a mask. This was who I was and I will face them as such. And my dark hair was let down in loose waves, its length brushing the small of my waist, swaying slightly with each step. Unrestrained and wild, as I was.

With every step I took, the mountain trembled.

When we reached the throne room, there was a dais in the front where there was an ornate throne with two monsters' heads where Rhys's shoulders would be, watching over him, fighting for him. In front of the dais was a large dining room of sorts. Rows and rows of tables were lined along the room, where most of the high members of the court and their courtesans sat. I took a split second to notice the post on either side of the dais. The post that I had taken beside Amarantha Under the Mountain. But here, I walked up the dais with Mor and stood on the right side of the throne, beside Mor.

"Your High Lord is on his way." If I thought my voice was cold and cruel, it was nothing compared to Mor's. I looked at her with pride and respect, making sure the members of the court saw me. She smiled a smile so wicked, I felt the shivers wrack through the court room. "He's in a great mood today."

The entire throne room went quiet. Quiet and dark. All the lanterns that were illuminating the room only moments ago, were now out cold. The tremble that I sent through the mountain were nothing compared to the thrumming beat the mountain spoke in response to Rhys's footsteps. With every step of his, the mountain shook in response. It was the omen of what was to come. It was the beat of their High Lord. When Rhys entered the room, the darkness exploded to every corner of the room and sucked back into him. The lanterns once again illuminating the room. Mor and I stood proud and fierce waiting for Rhys to take his throne. I noticed as Cassian and Azriel took their spots on either side of the dais. The exact spots I had taken a moment to observe.

Cassian and Azriel wore their full Illyrian fighting armor and had the exact same look on their face as I had on my own. The cold unfeeling brutality, the promise of death. When Azriel said earlier that he understood what I needed to become for my people— I put the thought out of my mind and shook my head clear. I looked back out onto the court room as Rhys strode to his throne, tendrils of night and deadly power radiating from him. His steps were casual but there was promised brutality and power in each step. At last, he stood in the center of the dais and looked out onto the court. Beside me, Mor dropped to one knee onto a bow and I followed suit. I felt Cassian and Azriel follow suit, and then the entire room dropped to their knee in a bow.

Rhys looked at his court, assessing, calculating.

"It seems you have not forgotten your manners." A wicked, feral grin. "I was hoping there'd be something for me to play with." Something. Everyone here was a play thing to him. Expendable and replaceable. He walked to his throne and sat lightly, still watching us bow. We kneeled like that for almost twenty minutes before, "Rise." A single command, spoken softly and without a care. Rhys dismissed everyone with a wave of his hand and everyone went back to their table where they sat before their food and pretended to have soft conversations. But their entire attention was on the man standing before the dais, waiting for permission to speak.

A blond man, tall and bearing a striking resemblance to Mor, stood before Rhys with his head bowed waiting for permission to speak. He resembled Mor with their similar blond hair and the same eyes, brown and wide shaped. But their resemblance ended there. Mor's eyes, usually warm and inviting, were entirely different from her father's cold and cruel. Her father looked like a spitting image of— I didn't let myself think of him. Not before I needed to.

"May I approach, milord?" his accent was familiar. When he spoke, I didn't miss the hard look Cassian gave him. And I definitely did not miss the fear flitting through his face when he looked at Azriel, his heart skipping a beat.

Rhys waved a hand impatiently. "Report, Keir."

"We are all adjusting to life back in our homes, milord. We are establishing our household back."

Rhys grinned with wicked delight, "Tell me, Keir."

Keir bowed his head, "Yes milord?"

"Are you so incompetent that you cannot manage your household here?"

Keir looked at him blandly. "No, milord."

"Then why are you wasting time establishing your household? If you cannot do your job properly," Rhys leaned forward with promise of brutality, "I can find someone else for the job."

Keir's face blanched slightly, and he bowed his head. "No milord, it is no problem. Everything will established back to how it was."

Rhys leaned back, raised his eyebrow in skeptic satisfactory, and waved his hand for Keir to continue on.

I stopped paying attention as Keir listed off their finances and expense reports to Rhys. He was listing how much they had spent since establishing their foothold back in Hewn City, and how much they would need from Rhys. My attention was on the people in front of us, sitting and pretending to eat, dance, or socialize. And their attention was on us. Watching, waiting for any scraps of information they can use for their own gain. For anything to go wrong at a moment's notice.

I stiffened when I looked to the far right corner of the throne room, at who stood there. I had not seen him since Under the Mountain. Samson. Just as I had noticed him, Samson smirked and strode over to us, leaving behind a woman in a dark grey gown who had been at his arm. He bowed to Rhys and stood next to his father. I knew Samson was Mor's brother but standing here watching him stand in front of me, as much as I had tried, I was not prepared for this. But whatever I was going through, I would not let Rhys down. I knew Cassian noticed me stiffening, his entire focus was on me and I couldn't bear it any longer.

Masking my face back to cold brutality, I shot a look of dismissive scorn to Cassian and I surveyed the room once more before turning my attention back to Keir and Samson.

"Milord, you remember Samson, my eldest son."

Rhys barely spared him a glance as he said, "The boy from Under the Mountain?"

Keir stiffened as Samson scowled at the word 'boy'.

"Is there a problem, boy?" Samson shook his head.

"No milord."

"I am training him to take over the responsibilities of the household."

Rhys cocked his head, "Are you planning on dying any time soon Keir?"

A muscle in Keir's jaw jumped, "No, milord. I am teaching him the ways of the court."

Rhys leaned forward and bared his teeth in what I supposed was to be a smile. "I can help teach him the ways of the court Keir. I've been itching for some fun."

Keir remained silent while Samson stood silently, looking at the ground, bowing his head.

Rhys waved a hand, "Go play. I am done with you for now."

Samson walked a few steps away from the dais and motioned for the woman in the grey dress to join him. With her head held down, she obeyed him and played her arms around his next to dance with him. There was music playing but it was not like the music at our home. The people here tried maintain a mask of civility but I knew what really crawled under their skin. Though he had been dancing with that woman, Samson had been staring at me the entire time. He was paying attention to the way I stood, he noticed the way Cassian watched me. Samson had been watching me, and looking at me in the exact places he knew he had left scars. As he looked at each and every one of those places, his hands groped that woman in those same spots. I didn't let my mask of cold, cruel, bloodthirsty slip. But I watched as he abused that woman, watched as she danced with him and let him touch her in the ways that he had done me. What she enjoyed was her own damn business. But when they turned and I saw her face grimace and saw the remnants of a bruise creeping through her neckline, I snapped.

In the split second that I gave in to the boiling rage in my blood, I hadn't bothered to ask, but I felt Rhys murmur his pleasure in my head. I strode down the steps of the dais, towards Samson. My blood was raging and I couldn't hear anyone or anything. All I could see was Samson abusing yet another woman who did not deserve it. I could feel the fire smoking at my finger tips, feel the ash I left in the wake of each step I took towards them. A cloud of sparkling fire started at my feet and with each step, traveled up my body and to my finger tips. My power thrummed in response to my rage. Fire had always come naturally to me and I felt it burning me inside out.

When I reached Samson, he turned to me with a smirk on his face. But when he saw the look on my face, that smirk wiped off instantly. Without waiting for him, without even stopping a beat, I placed my hand on his chest, sending the fire at my fingertips down his chest, burning his clothes away. And continued walking. Nothing else in that entire room could grab my attention as I watched my fire spread from the top of Samson's head, down his chest, burning his clothing away. Watched and continued walking. Every step I took forward, I pushed Samson back one. I looked into his eyes, unflinching, as the fire spread from his chest down his legs and to his feet, burning away every inch of clothing on his body. His eyes were wide with surprise and then fear as he looked into the never-ending fire burning in my own eyes. People moved out of the way quickly as I pushed Samson back with each step, never taking my hand off his chest, until finally we reached the edge of the room and Samson's back hit the wall. Hit the wall and continued into the wall, until his entire body was absorbed and covered inside the mountain except for his face.

I stood close against the wall, as close as lovers, as I said to him, "Remember when you told me you wanted to nail me against a wall and fuck me till I bled?" I smirked with feral delight, "Ready when you are Samson." Without another glance at him, I turned around and strode back to the dais to stand next to Rhys. Keir ran, screaming at me and tried to stop me, but to hell with him. I grabbed his shirt and used my power of air to send him flying twenty feet back. Unfazed and unamused, I walked back to the dais and took my place next to Rhys, taking note of the dips in the floor where I had stepped. With a wave of my right hand, I fixed them so the floor was no longer damaged.

I knew Cassian had heard what I said to Samson, I knew he had been aware of everything going on since the moment he laid eyes on me this morning. But I did not look at him, I did not look at Azriel or Mor. I looked at Rhys, waited for his nod of approval, and took my post back next to him, ever the subservient monster. Keir managed to pick himself back up and ran to the dais, fury rolling off him in waves.

"Release him, you bitch!" He screamed at me. From the far wall, Samson's own screams mirrored Keir's sentiments.

Before I could respond, Rhys murmured amusedly, "Manners, Keir." Keir looked at him incredulously. I could see Mor watching everything with rapt attention. She had no love for these people, but I didn't know how she felt about me maiming them.

"Milord, have her," he spit at me, "release my son!"

"Tell me Keir, are you under some delusion that you are the High Lord?" Rhys's voice was quiet, dangerous.

Keir snapped himself back together at the threat in Rhys's voice. "No milord. I request that you please release my son."

Rhys stood and prowled to Keir slowly, calmly. "Let this be a lesson Keir, when someone disrespects my court, it is a personal offense to me." At the proximity of Rhys, Keir trembled in fear. "Perhaps, if I am feeling up for it, I will allow his release. But later." He waved his hand dismissively, "Don't waste my time anymore Keir."

As Rhys strode back to his throne, I smiled cruelly at Keir and watched as Samson screamed in pain and frustration.

Several hours later, Samson had grown tired and stopped screaming. But I still watched him, stuck in that mountain with only his face visible. Cassian had been watching me the entire time and I knew he'd try to talk to me later. I paid him no attention. In fact, I didn't pay any attention to any of them. Finally, Rhys stood and indicated that we would be leaving now. As we moved to walk down the dais, Keir reappeared besides Rhys.

"Will you allow Samson's release now, milord?" His voice was timid. Listening to his son scream bloody murder had shook him somewhat. Maybe the bastard realized how fallible he and his household was.

Rhys stared at him hard, not responding for a few heartbeats. Then with a lazy smile, he motioned for me to release Samson.

I walked in the direction of where Samson was stuck in the wall, and picked up an unused butter knife on one of the dining tables. Walking back towards Keir, I gave him a dazzling smile, dripping with cruel amusement, and handed him the knife.

"You can carve him out at your own leisure."

"What?" Keir said through his teeth.

"I had the mountain wall infused into his skin. So the only way you can take him out of there is if I pull him out and separate his skin and the mountain, which I most definitely will not be doing." Again that smile. With each word, Keir's face became more and more red as though it would implode. I could only hope. Beside me, Mor was smirking with delight. "Or if you chip away at that mountain until he is entirely released from the mountain."

I turned to walk towards Rhys, and turned back around with a last minute thought, "Oh yes, I forgot to mention. The only way to ever truly get the mountain off his skin, is to peel it off."

Rhys dismissed his court and Mor, Cassian, Azriel and I headed out of Hewn City. Outside the mountain gates, everyone stood silently for a moment. We were supposed to fly back to Velaris as we had arrived, and Cassian took a step towards me. Before he could say anything, before anyone could say anything, I clenched Mor's hand, "Please take me back." Mor gave me a single nod and we disappeared.

We arrived in the House of Wind and without another word to Mor or Amren, who had been waiting for our arrival, I left.