The air rushed from my lungs. My pulse thundered so wildly I thought it might shake the stones beneath us. For a breathless moment, all I could do was stare at him—the man I’d betrayed, the man I loved, the man who still wanted me at his side after I’d lied to him for months.
And then, with tears burning my eyes and hope burning in my chest, I fell into him. His heart reached for mine, as delicate and deliberate as a hand nearing a skittish horse, wanting and waiting until I gave him permission.
But there was more at stake in this choice than just the longing for my other half, my counterpoint, mysoulmate.
This decision was made heavier by the weight of the crown attached to it. Every choice I made from this point forward would have repercussions for people I might never meet, who lived on the other side of the kingdom.
But as queen, I could defy the Assembly with my voice, not just my covert dealings. As queen, I could help Darreth thrive.
I didn’t yet know whether I could be a good one. But Emrys had always made me feel brave. And safe. Wanted and accepted.
I couldn’t go another day without him. That truth was all it took for me to know my answer.
I filled my lungs with him—his firestorm of love, leather and smoke, the wildness of his curse—and answered with a single word that would remake the world. “Yes.”
My yes was for the man who shattered my foundations only to rebuild me with resilience and bravery. For the crown that terrified me, but that I would wear for our people. For the girl in the market square, who’d never dreamed her heart could be this full. My yes was for all of it. For us.
Epilogue
Isca
Claiming fatigue, I snuck away from the sounds of merriment fading behind me. It was hard to believe I was leaving a feast being held in my honor. Catrin and Adyn had made the night even better by announcing their upcoming wedding to take place during the midwinter festival.
How different my life was. Months ago, I’d come to Tir Darreth a prisoner of sorts, who was supposed to heal this kingdom. But back then, I’d been willing to take from them if it meant my family’s safety. Now…these people were my family, mypeople. Even as I sat alone in my room, the warmth of my family and friends wrapped around me like a blanket against the chill autumn air.
That I’d come from a humble background meant little to the people of Darreth. They’d welcomed me with open arms, and tonight they’d celebrated the legacy Emrys and I had only just begun.
I shook my head, thinking about the truth the traveling woman had spoken when she cast her chicken bones so many years before. I’d dismissed her as a fraud. But now I’d never been happier to be wrong.
Love had taken the Assembly’s dark demand and sliced away every layer of my fear. It had made me brave enough to make the choice that now brought me so much joy—that was helping me build a future I could never have imagined.
I hadn’t made a quiet escape from the feast because I was too exhausted or because I was nervous. I was leaving to finish a task I’d been putting off for far too long.
With a quill in hand, I began to write.
Chancellor Maeron of the Mage Assembly in Caervorn,
The fulfillment of your aspirations for your diplomat is at hand. Our healers say it might even be twins, but only time will tell.
I was at my desk when Emrys came, his footsteps muffled by a spell, trying to sneak up on me. Little did he know that my magic seemed to be growing along with my belly every day. Two days ago, on a whim, I’d tried to light a candle with magic, and with a soft whoosh, it had burst into flame. I’d surprise him with that revelation when he was having a difficult time with the curse.
I knew he was sneaking, but I still let out a tiny squeak of surprise when the ornate chair I sat upon was lifted straight into the air and moved aside.
“Escaping your own feast. Naughty queen…” He crouched in front of me, his low voice rumbling in my ear. “You are too diplomatic with them, even now, cariad.”
“No need to antagonize them further,” I protested weakly. Really, I would’ve been happy to watch them burn, but now I had a pregnancy to worry over, I felt more cautious.
Emrys suffered none of the same restraint. “The Assembly has grown bored of Gelida’s stalemate, Larethia’s continued rebuffs, and our silence. They’ve made their first move.”
My throat constricted, and my stomach plunged, churning with nausea—worse than the mother’s sickness I’d experienced the past few weeks. “Tell me.”
“Owain has been missing for more than a fortnight,” he said stiffly. “Though there’s still hope. No body or ransom demand has shown up at Tir Larethia.”
“No…” A lump formed in my throat as my emotions swelled. Owain didn’t deserve to suffer for the political choices we’d made.
Emrys continued. “If he doesn’t show his face at the castle within the week, I’ll be making personal inquiries.”
“Emrys…” I cautioned, although he’d already proven that he was the best person for the job.
