The Dread Lord of Sacramento had only one thing he valued above his reputation, his powers, his magic and his position.

Looking back, while he did not owe those things to her, he would give them all up for her if he had to. Sera meant everything to him. Their home was a sanctum away from the world, a place built up from his fiancée's talents for decorating and love of all things beautiful.

To protect her, he had been delving into the occult, scouring the Dreaming, reaching out with every Arcadian talent he possessed. Ever since the Huntsman had appeared he had been pushing those skills. He had to.

Rhodes always knew there was a price. It was one of the fundamental principles of the Fae-touched. Everything had a cost, a deal.... the Autumn had just hoped that he could hold it back a little longer. He had been feeling the growth for weeks, stretching beneath his skin. Fresh buds were growing, splitting through his skin - he was having to clip them almost daily, they were growing so fast.

It was late, and he was awake. This in itself was not unusual, but he was clutched over the kitchen sink, desperately drinking a third glass of water. His hands were shaking so violently it spilled from the glass and it was poured more down his naked, rail-thin chest than in his gaping mouth.

Rhodes grasped the side, his knuckles black.

... black?

His breath came in ragged gasps, staring at his hands....

....right as black wood erupted from his snow-white hands, rising along the bones of his hands and splitting the skin violently and if his bodes were on the outside. Sprouting leaves grew in seconds, and his darkened nails burst into woody talons. The Flowering lost balance and staggered to the floor, sending glasses and crockery crashing to the floor.

He roared in pain and fear. Beneath the skin of his back, boughs ground and warped, forming solid arches between his shoulders and spine, stretching them. His limbs cracked and stretched eerily. He twisted his back as fresh branching growth lance out from his shoulders, back and elbows, bursting into dark green foliage and bright red flowers.

Rhodes crawled towards the corridor, his changes slowing, drawn by the panicked shouting and running of feet. Through the pain and the dryness in his eyes and throat, he could see glittering scales of her legs. Clutching at the door, his woody nails scratching the paint of the doorway, he forced himself to look up, finding his beloved sapphires even as tears leaked form his emerald ones. He could see the fear and concern on Sera's face as she clutched his and hand felt her fingers shake as she held them against his face.

It lit something, deep inside of him.

He had to come back.

Through the pain and the horror, he couldn't let it end. Not here.

Not now, after so much.

He had to see her.

He had to.

Slowly, his hands clutching at her arms, feeling the wood rattle against scales and jewels, he felt himself loosing sight... and everything faded to black.