Months after the encounter with the strange hawk, Holly came across a Fae male in Terrasen. Vaughan, who still worked for Maeve. She curled her lips back in a snarl. No matter what the cadre had helped her with, they were still bound to Maeve. They could easily turn Holly in. "Relax, I'm not here for you. I'm only looking for Lorcan," he said. She didn't relax completely but she stopped glaring. "And I'd recommend you go to Orynth. I can't tell you why, but go."

"Hey, Vaughan!" she called as he started to turn. "I'll come back. And when I do, Maeve will be dead. I swear." He didn't respond, and Holly went away, this time, heading for Orynth.

Holly was out of breath by the time she'd reached the city, half in ruins. But then she heard a voice… Give in, Holly Whitethorn. She was pushed back through her first whipping and the time she'd tried to escape. You can't win this battle. A battle of minds. Holly stopped resisting. Then she shoved that thing in her head through memories that were neither happy nor depressing.

Holly's older brother, the one who'd always stuck by her side. The cadre. Fenrys. Connall. Vaughan. Lorcan. Gavriel. Over and over in her head. She kept the names going. Fenrys. Connall. Vaughan. Lorcan. Gavriel. It forced her through a scene of Connall, stabbing himself in the heart. Not real. This was a fake world. Connall. Fenrys. Lorcan. Gavriel. Vaughan. She would not let go. She grasped the memories firmly. She would not forget the ones who had saved her. The thing tried one last time to break her- a scene of Lorcan, bloody and bruised. This was not real. The thing stopped, then disappeared.

Maeve and Erawan must have used magic to forward their troops as they stood in front of Aelin Galathynius, a tattooed Fae, Dorian Havilliard and… Fenrys. Holly stepped forward, but no one looked at her. Aelin's eyes glanced at her once, but no more. Erawan was soon taken away by a ruk from the south, and his screams were still heard.

"I'll have your souls for this, Heir of Mala," Maeve hissed. Aelin and her group linked arms.

"You wouldn't have won anyway, Maeve. And Fenrys here is gonna show you how we deal with Valg like you," Aelin countered. Fenrys teleported behind Maeve and shoved his blade into Maeve's heart. She only laughed however, and everyone went pale but Holly walked forward, just behind Maeve.

"I am Holly Ember Whitethorn," she whispered. "You kept me chained up in Doranelle for my whole life. You sent me to Mistward for years to learn how to control my magic. I suppose I owe you for one thing. I met the cadre. But your life ends right here." Holly raised the dagger, magical energy bursting out around her, surrounding Maeve, and she directed it all into Maeve's heart. Maeve screamed as it began taking her apart, ripping the limbs from her body and finally her head. Holly spat on Maeve's dead body, then set out to find the army that was still powerful.

Holly found the battlefield quickly, and the Valg were only just winning. Holly manipulated her starfire, magical energy and everything she had towards the oncoming Valg. She shifted into a wolf, the elements still blazing around her as she tore through the enemy lines. When she had taken down the last of the Valg in her sight, she shifted back, covered in blood and exhausted. She stumbled back, but then something hit her in the stomach. A sleek black sword pierced her gut, and she summoned one last bit of magic before she passed out.

Aelin paced the room for hours, with Fenrys waiting by the girl's bed. He had obviously come across her before, as he knew exactly how to heal her. Damn, she was stabbed with a Valg sword after handling so much magic and still survived. Fenrys perked up when she stirred, and began to sit up. "Don't even try," he growled softly. She tried anyway but Fenrys pushed her back down, as gently as he could. Aelin came next to Fenrys, now shushing the girl whenever she argued with him. "Holly Ember Whitethorn, don't you dare!" he said, fiercely this time. Whitethorn.

"Holly, are you related to Rowan?" Aelin asked. Holly had the exact same green eyes, silver hair, golden brown skin and harsh face as Rowan. She didn't smell like him, but she looked so much like him.

"I don't know. The Whitethorns are so widespread," Holly answered. Fenrys poked her in the ribs.

"Liar," he said. Holly grunted in response.

"If I'm talking about this with anyone, I'll talk about it with Rowan."

"I can go get him," Aelin offered. "Come on, Fenrys." Fenrys stood and followed Aelin outside, and shut the door behind him. She led him to her and Rowan's bedroom where Rowan waited, twirling a dagger in his hands. "Holly wants to talk to you," Aelin said. Rowan arched an eyebrow.

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"I don't know. If you're worried about her attacking you-"

"I can handle her. She's one Fae. And she's used up all her magic." I hope. Rowan walked to Holly's room, led by Aelin who kissed him on the cheek before he went in. Holly leaned against the headboard, her arms crossed. "Why did you want to meet me?" She scoffed.

"I'm surprised, Rowan. This ain't an interrogation, alright?"

"Alright."

"Anyways, my name is Holly Ember Whitethorn, and I believe-" He stopped listening after hearing her name. Holly Ember Whitethorn. "Hey, prince. Are you even listening?"

"I need to go. I'll come back when… when I'm feeling better." Rowan left without saying goodbye, clutching his head. He went back to his room then paused. Aelin would ask him what happened, and he needed to be alone. Rowan went into one of the secret tunnels he'd discovered while he'd been in the palace and stayed there until his thoughts cleared. Gods above, Holly Whitethorn. Whitethorn. Ember.