Light of the Dawn

10. You left me!

The night had fallen heavy over the palace, and Isarella lay sprawled on her bed, staring up at the exquisite ceiling. Carved into intricate patterns of stars and suns, it was a piece of art that had been designed by her father himself—Perseus, the King of Dawn. She had spent countless hours lying there as a child, tracing the swirling constellations with her eyes, lost in thoughts of adventure and dreams of the future. But tonight, there was no comfort in the artwork above her. No solace in the beauty.

The moment she had left the throne room, everything had collapsed inside her. The door slammed shut behind her, the sound echoing through the chamber like a scream she couldn't voice. She had dropped to the floor in a heap, tears streaming down her face, her breath ragged with the weight of it all. The memories flooded her with a force she couldn't control—Rhysand—the name alone was enough to send her spiraling back into the darkness. The shared pain of the past, the horrors they had both endured under Amarantha's rule, the years of torment. She had thought she was past it. Thought she was healed.

But seeing him again, after all these years, had cracked open old wounds, each one sharper than the last. She hadn't expected the jolt of recognition, the way her heart had lurched when their eyes met. But worse was the discovery about Feyre—the realization that the savior of Prythian, the one everyone revered, had been the cause of Clare's death. It had been her actions that had taken three lives, shattered Isarella's world in an instant.

Pathetic, Isarella thought bitterly, blinking back fresh tears. She didn't want to hate Feyre. She couldn't. But the resentment gnawed at her, darker with every passing thought. Feyre must have had a good reason for her actions—she must have. Feyre wanted to survive, to protect her people. Isarella understood that, but it didn't change how her heart felt right now.

Her fingers dug into the blankets, and she shifted, trying to rid herself of the bitter thoughts, but they clung to her, refusing to let go.

Instead, she found herself thinking of him. Azriel. The Shadowsinger. His dark eyes, his stoic expression that masked so much. She could still feel the weight of his gaze from across the throne room, burning through her. His presence had unsettled her, like he could see past the walls she had built up—could see through the fractured pieces of her soul.

She couldn't shake the feeling that he knew her. That he understood something about her that no one else could. It terrified her.

With a soft groan, Isarella rolled out of bed, pushing the thoughts away. She couldn't remain here, trapped in her own head. She had to move, to do something.

The balcony doors creaked open as she stepped outside, the cool night air hitting her skin. Her eyes swept over the dimly lit Court of Dawn, a sea of soft golden lights flickering in the distance. The night was peaceful here, a contrast to the storm brewing inside her.

But something else lingered, too. Rhysand. His magic hummed in the palace, a reminder that he was near. A cold shiver ran down her spine at the thought of being under the same roof with him again. The pain that tied them together.

The sun would rise soon, and so would her duties. As much as she wanted to avoid the world and the chaos she knew was coming, she had no choice but to face it. The weight of it pressed down on her chest as she prepared for the day ahead. When her attendants arrived to help her dress, she barely acknowledged them, lost in her thoughts.

"I'm going to spar today," Isarella said, her voice firm as she dressed quickly. She adjusted the fit of her tunic, the familiar weight of the fabric comforting her. "Whatever battle is coming our way, I want to prepare for it. Hybern cannot have the upper hand."

Elise, one of her most trusted attendants, nodded. "Of course, Your Highness. Do you require assistance?"

Isarella shook her head, tightening her boots. "Not right now. But when I return, make sure a hot bath is waiting for me. I'll need it."