KOTLC - The Traitor's Wrath - by VioletHamster

THE MISSION // MOONLARK

Hey guys!! So I just realized that my word count has been increasing by 1000 or so with every chapter (yay me! but a lot of reading for you guys). I just wanted to apologize for the long reads. 

Also, I'm sure that you've noticed that my writing is a little hasty, and a bit too quick, and I wanted to let you guys know that I'm trying to fit a ton into one chapter since I get so many ideas (my darn brain and its ideas) so yes, a lot will happen per chapter. Just prepare for my writing to be a bit hasty again sorryyyyyy.

Additionally, Sophie will be going by 'Moonlark' since it's the only identity she knows, and Fitz also had to make that mental switch in the last chapter. So sorry if that got confusing! I will have an additional note regarding this 'identity crisis' in a couple of chapters or so.

Anyway, back to the story! Enjoy!

- VioletHamster

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And that's how Moonlark nearly killed her best friend. 

She knew the pain wasn't physical, no visible bruises. But she'd inflicted on him. That had to be worse.

As she'd done it, she'd noticed it was...familiar. 

Something she'd already done. 

Maybe that's why the Black Swan had kidnapped her. She was just too dangerous.

When the rest of the members stormed the bridge, bonds and circlet in hand, it was like they were prepared for this situation. 

Or like they'd done this before.

Moonlark couldn't help but think that both orders, the Neverseen and the Black Swan, weren't what they seemed at all. 

But her thoughts were halted when the circlet was forced on her head, bringing a harsh pain to her head, like a headache times a billion, and she was sedated, bound, and dragged to the room where she'd woken up. 

And there was Cognate, hands on her temples, a flicker of fear in his eyes, and Moonlark was back under. 

Where the nightmares were waiting. 

Moonlark didn't fear the nightmares, only welcomed them. 

Because the nightmares and dreams brought more than anyone else could: answers. Little bits of Moonlark's past would show up in her dreams, and Moonlark was eternally grateful for the dreams. 

Except for the fact that all she learned was that her past life had been truly horrifying. Traumatic, even. 

A giant beast, teeth bared, chasing her farther and farther into a deep wood. She screamed for help, and someone struck down the beast, and she ran even farther, finding solace in someone's arms. 

The dream would always end before she found out who it was. Someone strong, brave, but equally afraid. 

 Holding her together when she was about to fall apart. 

Other nightmares flashed by. She was bound in a chair, someone burning her arms while asking her questions she didn't have the answers to. 

A sharp pain was rocking up her arm as a needle stabbed her hand. Moonlark checked; she had the scar.

She was in a burning tower, she needed to get out, but the flames were choking her, cutting off her breath. The dream would switch, flashing to a scene where there was a fire, and a circlet fell into the flames. 

The same circlet that was clamped onto her head. 

Other terrible situations: large arms dragging her through an icy ceiling; a city flooding as Moonlark floated down, surviving only on a chunk of a bridge; a figure, holding up a little swan pendant, commanding another figure to burn it into her hand. Brand her.