Trivia found herself smiling, and she nodded to her mother.
“Can I nominate myself?” Eris asked with a light laugh. Beside her, Diana rolled her eyes.
“Ah yes, the Goddess of Chaos as our ruler,” Deimos said in a flat voice. “No cause for concern there.”
“Conflict,” Eris said with a sniff. “Chaos is a nasty word. Far more disorderly.”
“Are there any otherlegitimatenominations?” Midas asked, his voice rising over Eris’s.
Silence met his words. A few of the deities exchanged looks in the circle, but none spoke up.
“Are there anyopposedto Sol and Trivia as our king and queen?” Midas asked.
Trivia’s heart stopped for a full beat as she gazed around the circle with wide eyes. She wasn’t sure what she was most afraid of—objections, or acquiescence.
Would she become queen?
Or would she be rejected, as she had her entire life?
A tense silence filled the space. Her chest cinched tighter, tighter,tighter…
“Very well then.” Midas was beaming. “All hail Sol and Trivia, the new King and Queen of Elysium.”
Oh my gods,Trivia thought, shock rippling over her.Is this really happening?
Sol turned to look at her, eyebrows raised. A taunting smirk pulled at his lips, but his eyes were earnest as they bored into hers.
He was waiting for her to react. And shecouldsay no. Itwasn’t too late. She could claim she’d changed her mind. She could say she wasn’t ready.
But… shewasready. She had brushed with death far too many times. She had been ripped away from Sol, fearing she would never get to live her life with him.
This was her chance to make things right. To start anew.
She took a deep, steadying breath, then smiled at the man who held her heart, whose soul was forever entwined with hers.
One by one, the deities slid from their seats to take a knee before their new king and queen. Midas and Cyrus wore amused expressions, as if this whole ordeal were hilarious to them. Gaia’s eyes were shining with tears as she knelt, her head bowed in reverence.
Sol helped Trivia to her feet as they stood, hands clasped in unity to acknowledge the role they would play in rebuilding the realms.
King and Queen of Elysium.
Trivia found herself grinning broadly, all knots loosening in her chest. This was right. This was perfection.
She looked at Sol, whose eyes burned with intensity.
This—right here, with Sol—washome.
EPILOGUE
GAIA
The chilledautumn air nipped at Gaia’s arms, and she rubbed them, gazing expectantly toward the garden pathway that led to the cobbled road. Behind her, Sybil’s arms came around her, and a soft kiss pressed to her cheek.
“You worry too much, Polly,” Sybil murmured.
Gaia let her eyes close, relishing the feel of her lover’s warm embrace. Goddess, she had missed this. The briny sea air, the whispering wind, the chill of autumn nightfall at Samhain…
It was so familiar, and yet, she had never expected to experience it again. She fully intended to die, whether by Trivia’s hand or by the Titans’.
