It had been a year.

A year since Cassian had seen you on the battlefield, covered in blood and ash, the sky torn apart as Hybern fell. Even through the chaos, the moment your eyes met his, the bond snapped into place like a blade unsheathed. The world tilted. The Mother’s gift, or maybe her curse.

But while Cassian had found clarity, you had found a prison.

You didn’t want the bond. Said your life had been filled with commands, expectations, choices made for you. And this... him...was just one more. So you ran.

And he chased.

With the war over, Rhysand had released him from his duties, allowing him to hunt the one thing he couldn’t bear to lose. Every time he got close, you slipped through his fingers. Always just out of reach. Always one step ahead.

But tonight… tonight was different.

The Day Court pulsed with celebration. A year of peace marked with music, gold banners, and laughter that echoed through the marble streets. You moved through the crowd like you belonged there, swaying to the rhythm, lost in the sun-drenched joy of it all.

And Cassian watched from the edge.

You didn’t know he was there. Not yet. Eyes closed, head tilted back, the fading sunlight kissed your skin and for a heartbeat, just one, you weren’t running.

He moved, step by step, the crowd yielding before him like it always did. And when he reached you, he leaned in close, letting his breath trail across your ear before he spoke.

“You can keep running, sweetheart…” he murmured, voice a low promise, “but you’ll never be rid of me.”