Chapter 100

The morning after the ritual was quiet.

Too quiet.

The kind of quiet that seeped into your bones and made you question if the world was waiting to exhale.

Aelin woke slowly, her body aching as though she’d been in battle. In many ways, she had. As her eyes adjusted to the soft light streaming through the window, the events of the night before rushed back—pain, fear, Arsen’s voice, her refusal to let go, and then that brilliant burst of light. The moment everything had changed.

Her fingers shifted, searching the sheets until they found warmth. Arsen. His arm was draped over her waist, his face turned toward hers, peaceful in sleep. She watched him for a long moment, not daring to move, afraid that this might all be a dream.

But it wasn’t.

She felt the bond again. Whole. Strong. A golden warmth deep inside her chest.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in," she called softly, her voice hoarse.

Forrest stepped in, his expression tired but calm. "You’re awake. Good. How are you feeling?"

Aelin sat up slowly, wincing as her muscles protested. "Like I’ve been hit by a truck. But… it’s done, isn’t it? The spell is really broken?"

Forrest nodded. "It’s over. I checked the magical residues myself—whatever Ascian put in place is gone. You and Arsen are safe."

Relief flooded her. She glanced at Arsen, who stirred slightly but didn’t wake. She smiled faintly and looked back to Forrest. "Thank you. For everything."

He shook his head. "Don’t thank me. It was the two of you who made the impossible happen."

She nodded, her throat tightening.

Forrest hesitated, then stepped farther into the room. "There’s something else."

Aelin’s heart skipped. "What is it?"

"Ascian. He’s escaped."

The words fell like a stone.

Aelin’s fingers curled around the blanket. "What?"

Forrest’s jaw was tense. "The guards found the cell door open this morning. No sign of struggle, no magical residue. It’s like he vanished."

She stared at him, the warmth of victory already beginning to sour. "Do you think someone helped him?"

"I don’t know. But we have to assume he’s planning something."

Arsen stirred then, groaning softly as he blinked awake. When he saw Aelin, his eyes softened, and he reached for her hand. "Hey."

She leaned into his touch, brushing a kiss to his forehead. "Hey yourself."

Forrest cleared his throat. "I’ll give you two a moment. But we’ll need to talk soon."

He left, the door clicking softly behind him.

Aelin turned back to Arsen. "Ascian escaped."

His jaw clenched. "Of course he did."

She looked down at their joined hands. "I don’t know what he’s planning next, but we need to be ready."

He sat up, brushing a kiss to her shoulder. "We will be."

They stayed like that for a long moment, drawing strength from each other. The spell was broken, but the war wasn’t over. Their bond had survived one of the cruelest trials fate could conjure—but something told Aelin that what lay ahead might test them even more.

And yet, for the first time in weeks, she felt grounded. Whole. Not because the danger was past, but because they’d faced it and refused to let go.

Later that day, they stood outside the packhouse, the sunlight warming their skin. Aelin turned to Arsen. "Do you think we’ll ever be free of him?"

He shrugged. "Maybe not. But we’re stronger now. Whatever he throws at us, we’ll face it together."

She nodded, letting the wind carry her worries for a moment. Their future was uncertain, their enemy loose in the world.

But their bond—newly reforged, glowing with resilience—was unbreakable.

And for now, that was enough.