When The Last Petal Falls

29. Waterfall

The search group had returned from the desolate temple of Aramantha with a sense of grim determination. They entered the meeting room at the House of Wind, where the rest of the Inner Circle was waiting, their expressions a mixture of concern and anticipation.

Azriel and Cassian exchanged a solemn look as they began to recount the details of their expedition to Rhysand. They had explored every corner of the desolate temple of Aramantha, a place of darkness and lingering secrets, but what they had discovered was chilling.

"The temple, High Lord," Azriel began, "was completely devoid of life except for the skeletal remains of Illyrians who had once worshiped Aramantha. Their bones were scattered throughout the temple, a grim reminder of the darkness that had consumed this place."

Cassian continued, his expression grave. "We found no sign of Rhydian inside the temple, but we did find evidence that he had been there. We believe he was seeking something, possibly related to Aramantha's power."

Rhysand's concern deepened as he listened to their account. He knew that Rhydian had a history with the Illyrian faction that had once been loyal to Aramantha, and the fact that he had been inside the temple raised troubling questions.

Azriel and Cassian shared a meaningful look before Cassian spoke up, "We believe Rhydian may be in possession of something that could be incredibly dangerous—a piece of Aramantha's hair. This relic, if used in a dark ritual, could potentially bring her back to life. Just like what happened with Jurian."

Rhysand's eyes widened in shock. The idea of the malevolent queen, Aramantha, returning to the world was a nightmare come to life. It was his nightmare come to life. "We cannot allow that to happen," he said firmly. "We need to find Rhydian and retrieve that piece before it falls into the wrong hands."

Azriel nodded in agreement. "We have a plan to search for Rhydian deep within the territory that was once under Aramantha's control. Connall will accompany us, given his knowledge of the Illyrian factions. If we find Rhydian, we will bring him back to the cells at the Hewn City. He is to be dealt with harshly if necessary, but we must ensure the safety of our Court."

Rhysand knew that this was a dangerous mission, but it was necessary to prevent the return of Aramantha and to protect the Night Court. "Be cautious, both of you," he cautioned. "Rhydian's loyalty to Aramantha in the past makes him unpredictable. Your safety is paramount. Retrieve that piece of hair, and if necessary, detain Rhydian."

With a shared nod, Azriel and Cassian prepared to depart on their mission. They left the meeting room, leaving behind only Bellona, Feyre, Rhysand, Mor, and Amren.

The room was now filled with a palpable tension as the remaining members of the Inner Circle contemplated the gravity of the situation. Their world teetered on the brink of darkness, and it was up to them to protect it and the bonds that held them together.

"There is something else", Bellona carefully said, reaching into her pocket for what she had found. Bellona gently unfurled the set of faded papers that had been hidden away in the dusty old chest. The papers were fragile and aged, bearing the marks of centuries of neglect. The writing, although faded, was still decipherable.

As she presented the papers to the High Lord, Bellona's voice was steady but was accompanied by the fast beating of her heart. "High Lord," she began, "I believe I have found something else of great significance. "These papers were hidden in the temple", her voice picked up speed as she wished to dismiss the first part of what he found as quickly as possible. "They hold details of old alliances between Hybern and the Spring Court. I only know a small amount of the Old language but I managed to get the gist of what this agreement is saying. Apparently there were talks of an alliance through marriage between a noble of Hybern and the Spring Court, but it is too faded to determine their names". Mor shifted in her seat, her golden locks falling over her shoulder as she leaned across to take a better look at the words.