DUST PUFFED out from beneath me as I dropped to the floor. The dust rose from the floor and up into the air, allowing me to inhale the debris. A sharp pain plagued both of my knees, forcing me to shift my body weight onto my hip. Pain flared within my lungs and every muscle in my arms were strained as pain became their primary sensation.

As the blood rushed back into my arms, my veins burned as they came back to life. My wrists had been clamped within the metal cuffs for so long that they were raw and bloody. My arms felt weak as they trembled back to life again after being left unused for so long.

I swallowed my pain as I looked around the dungeon for a way out. Divya had left mere minutes ago, and I knew she'd be coming with everyone else. I needed to be ready for them and our escape.

The sound of the door on the top of the stairs caught my attention, but the sounds of Elowen's sarcastic laughter sent a wave of panic creeping over my body. I quickly drug myself into a dark corner of the room as Elowen and Juniper emerged in the light at the bottom of the stairs. I sucked in a deep breath in hopes to calm myself down and slow my breathing so as to not be heard.

I watched as Elowen's grey eyes swept the dungeon and grew with displeasure at my absence. She turned to Juniper abruptly and in a low, almost deadly tone she asked, "Where is she?"

Juniper shrugged carelessly and leaned against the stone wall behind him, "How am I supposed to know? She's your pet project."

"She is a prisoner that WE needed for leverage! How could you have lost her?"

Juniper's eyebrows furrowed as he lifted himself off the wall, "How is this my fault? I'm only ever by your side. I don't even dare sneeze without permission these days."

A thick silence filled the room. Elowen's face was stone cold, not one emotion to be seen. She took a step forward slowly, and then another, and another until she was nose to nose with Juniper. He quickly began to size her up seemingly surprised to be perceiving her as a threat and stared down at her. She swiftly placed her hand on his neck and gripped it. Her nails dug into his skin, causing him to hiss in pain and blood to rise from beneath her nails. "You should know better than to talk back to me, Boy."

He wrapped his hand around her wrist and leaned forward against her, pushing her back some and leaning over her. "Once our plan is complete, I am to be King of Aberystwyth. I demand the respect that comes with my name."

Elowen pushed Juniper back into the wall, releasing him from her grip. "I will give you respect when you have earned my respect." She hissed. She turned around and stared at my once-occupied shackles in annoyance.

Juniper placed a hand on his now punctured throat and tried to soothe it. He cleared his throat before continuing, "Well, if your pet project is so important to the plan, what do we do now? The entire Syndicate is on their way for her as we speak."

Elowen sighed as she thought allowed, "They have already started their rescue mission. They don't know that we don't have her. They will come. Give it time."

As if she had been timing it all along, the door opened and Divya and the Syndicate entered the dungeon. Elowen stood tall, with Juniper standing at her side. She had locked eyes with Leland.

Leland. I hadn't allowed myself to hope that he would come for me. I knew my team would not rest, but the weight that lifted off my shoulders on seeing him made me feel like I could walk on air.

She ran her fingers through Juniper's hair and gripped his hair and forced him to his knees.

"I knew you'd come for her," she chuckled darkly, "So predictable. Her friends and her lover scour everywhere to find the lost girl. Oh, whatever would she do without you?" she feigned a gasp, "I guess the real question would be whatever would you all do without her?"

"Who are you? Where is Aislin?" Méabh questioned as she pulled out her weapon. Everyone drew their weapons, pushing Divya and Arley behind them but Leland remained still.

"It was you," He mumbled. "You took her away from me." All Elowen did was smile and tilt her head.

"Leland...who is she?" August asked quietly, resting his hand on Leland's shoulder.

"Elowen Cannon. Silvester Cannon's daughter and supposedly Aislin's best friend. The one who convinced her to take this job in the first place."

Blakely-Rose let out a loud burst of dark laughter. "Oh, I get it," she smirked lightly, "You're peeved, hence this little," she paused, "..display." There was the warrior I raised. She rose to the occasion just like I always knew she would.

"You're a monster," Kingsley hissed.

Elowen just laughed and threw Juniper to the floor, "Better a monster than some arrogant hero like you all." Juniper slowly started to stand back up next to her.

Willow looked at him with a look of betrayal. The years of pain Juniper had inflicted were nothing compared to this. I knew this was a pain that could never be forgiven. "How could you?" he uttered.

Juniper just laughed to himself, holding his head in one hand and his ribs in the other. "A hot lady approached me and said, if I helped her, I would receive my revenge, and now I have an attractive new girl." He took his hand away from his head and wrapped it around Elowen's waist, drawing her in closer.

He leaned down to kiss her when he was stopped by a voice. "Get your filthy hands off of my fiancé!" Prince Koa stood at the top of the stairwell.

A certain pair of eyes searched the room desperately as Koa stormed down the stairs and soon reached mine. Divya let out a soft gasp upon seeing me, but no one seemed to notice as Koa shoved through them, completely unaware of their presence and made his way towards Elowen.

I mouthed, 'Exits.' She nodded and slowly pointed towards a hallway hidden in shadows close to where I had been resting. Koa's anger grew louder and I used the distraction to my advantage as I weakly pulled myself up from the floor and used the last of the strength I had to leave the cavern. When I reached the doorway, I leaned against the wall and turned back to see the unfortunate scene unfold. My once bestfriend was now facing the punishment for her sins by her own love. The last I saw of her was her slender form crumpling lifeless on the dusty floor, kicking the dust up around her, just as I had done mere minutes before.

I knew I couldn't waste any time, so I continued on my way out, knowing Divya would lead the rest this way. Adrenaline pumped through my body, assisting me in my escape. My strides became longer and my pace became faster. I began to jog as fast as I could down the hallway, hoping to reach the bright light at the end of the tunel. It became closer and closer and relief flooded my body as my skin embraced the sunlight once more.

It seems that the cycle has repeated itself.

I stood here, at the edge of a cliff with the roaring sea beneath me. I watched the water, each time it touches the rock, attempting to ascend higher and higher, causing its playful mist to rise to me. Around me, the clouds settled, blurring the world from my sights. I could hear the waves roaring, battling for the title of the biggest, the stringest, the best. I could hear the birds zipping through the clouds, diving to the surface of the ocean.

I felt at peace and the sea's rage hummed it's anthem through my body. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the salty air. When I opened my eyes, I looked down to see my siblings standing in the mist next to me. They had proud smiles on their faces. Ayah reached up and grabbed my hand. Tears welled in my eyes as I watch my imagined image of them float away in the mist from which they came.

A commotion grasps my attention away from the water and to the exit that I had just came from. I watched Divya, the Syndicate, and Kavan guards exit the hidden catacombs and joined me on the cliffside.

August and Arius were gossiping as always.

"Did he really just kill his woman and his child?"

"Why was Juniper there? Did he really think a woman like that would really care about him?"

"Obviously he just didn't think."

Their snickering was interrupted by the sharp "thwack" of Kingsley smacking August upside the head.

Leland's silhouette flooded my vision as he moved in front of me. "Please tell me this isn't a dream." He pleaded in a whisper.

"Do you want me to pinch you?" Arley piped up as he pushed through the group. "What have I told you about getting yourself into sticky situations like this?" he scolded me, "Next time I may not come find you."

"That'll be the day hell freezes." Zion chuckled.

Warm tears stung my cheeks as they fell to the ground. Everyone I loved and who loved me was here, right now. And it made what had to happen next feel like I was Atlas holding the sky. I moved forward, searching for Divya in the group. None of this would have been possible without her. I found her tucked protected between August and Arius.

"How can I ever thank you?" I asked as I took her hands in mine.

"It was the right thing to do. Thank you for giving me the courage to make my family proud." She beamed up at me. Arius smiled down at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze and I didn't miss the blush that came across her face.

Our small commotion was overshadowed by the sound of Koa leading his army onto the hillside from the catacombs. Rage radiated in every step. As he drew closer, you could see just how much blood had stained his hands in this futile chase for revenge he had been living.

I felt myself step backward as the soldiers flooded out from the entryway. Leland stepped forward, offering silent support the way he had on the ship on our first journey together. How long ago that seemed.

"I love you all very much, and I am sorry for all the danger I've put you through. My actions had more consequences than I could ever have imagined." I sighed, "This all started because I was careless and got cocky. He wants to hurt me by hurting the people I care about. I started this. And only I can finish it. I have to make sure he will never have any reason to hurt any of you ever again."

I tried to head for the cliff, but Leland stood in my way; a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.

"Please don't do what I think you're about to do." he begged.

"It's the only way." I breathed, looking down at the ground. "My mission was to save the King of Kavan. I've done that. It's time for me to go." I said with what I hope was more conviction than I felt. If he didn't move, I was going to melt into a puddle at his feet right there.

"Stay. Stay with me. Please stay, for me." He breathed against the top of my head.

"I can't." I took a step towards him, lifting my hand to his face. I brushed the backs of my fingers against his cheeks, wiping away the newly hot tears rolling down his face.

"Please," he whimpered, "I can't lose you again. I..." I knew the words that were begging to roll off his lips, but I couldn't let him say them. I couldn't hear them. I threw my arms around his neck, lifted myself up on my toes, and pressed my mouth against his. All the pain, longing, and my purest form of love was poured from my lips onto his. I felt Leland's hand cradle the small of my back as I felt him pour his soul into that one moment.

I wanted this moment to last for all of eternity, but Koa's troops were getting closer, and I had to protect my family. I had to protect him. I pulled away and out of his reach before he had the chance to react.

"I love you too." I turned and bolted for the edge of the cliff before my brain could take over and stop me from doing what my heart knew I needed to do. Before I could even register what was going on, I was floating through the air. No. not floating. Falling, the mist of the sea getting thicker and spreading goosebumps across my skin.

Voices screaming in rage and dismay were all that followed me down that rocky landscape. I could imagine Koa's rage and fury overplowing, but they would dissipate once I was gone and everyone would be safe. They would have peace.

And one thing I knew for sure, they would never find my body.

×××××××××××××

Hello, My loves❤️

And that is the end of Aislin! Thank you for reading and being with me throughout this 2-year journey. I appreciate all of you and your support. My Co-writer, friends, and love have all been extremely helpful in this process and I couldn't be more grateful.

I love you all,

from Mikaylah (Mick)❤️✨