Patricia peers around slowly, her shoulders still hunched forward in a protective way.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she whispers.
I’d smile if my lips could find the effort to turn up.
A cough rattles from a few feet away, and it blooms hope all through me when I see Ellise clutching her chest, blood sliding through her quaking fingers.
I can feel her energy all around us. She focuses on her wound intently, and I know she’s trying to heal herself.
Part of me wishes the split-face demon would have ripped the black heart right out of this woman’s chest.
But as I said, she doesn’t deserve a quick death.
I lift my hand, but there’s no magic left within me.
It’s spent. I wasted it all on the games she played.
The woman at my side, she has some to spare.
“You said I’d die before I could ever be of use to you.” Patricia smile’s softly down on her queen. “I’d rather die than ever be of use to a mage who hates her own kind.”
Patricia’s hands shake as her gentle magic slips out in faint whisking colors of silver. She works against Ellise.
Ellise looks to her son with tears streaming down her face. Linden’s attention is held on his mother, even as, little by little, he steps away from her.
The queen was once the most powerful mage in the entire world.
It takes the elder mage less than two minutes to end her.
Just before the queen’s lids close, her gaze slowly drifts around at the last surviving mages who are gathered here today to lay to rest one of our own.
The woman who started it all.
The one I admired and the one I despised.
The Solstice Queen.
Epilogue
Several Months Later
It’s a new day. I smell it in the warmth of the air even. I see it in the happiness of the thousands of villagers’ faces that surround me. I feel it deep inside myself.
“I never thought I’d be clapping for the Prince of Minden,” Rime whispers into my ear, his body coming closer until his arm sneaks around my waist.
“Well, he’s your king so…” I shrug coyly, just enough to make Rime roll his eyes at that title.
Chaos bumps the ice shifter’s shoulder, leaning into us until his quiet words are barely heard over the growing applause. “Prince Rime is not amused, my lady.”
Now I’m rolling my eyes. Goddess help these arrogant men.
“As if our snowflake could stand royal life or even politics for that matter.” Sinister glances over at his friend, and Rime slowly nods.
“Only Arlow gets to call me Prince.” Rime pauses. “In the bedroom.” The smallest smile pulls across his lips, and he pretends not to notice the way I glare at the side of his ridiculously handsome face.
“The way she’s scowling at you makes me think you won’t be hearing that pretentious nickname anytime soon,” Kain steps in front of me, lowering his head until our temples just lightly touch.
His broad shoulders block out the warm sun until all I see are deep-emerald eyes. It’s like looking directly into springtime, calmness, happiness.
