I snap my gaze towards the rest of the Seelie Court behind us before I realize what caused their reaction. Whirling back around, I gape in open-mouthed shock as the thorn forest begins to shrink.
Twisted trees and vines and sharp thorns sink into the ground like a flower blooming in reverse.
My heart pounds against my ribs as I watch the thorn forest that has imprisoned me all my life disappear until all that is left are lush green plains and an open horizon, stretching all the way to the Peaks of Prosperity.
A small noise comes from the back of my throat, and I grip the fabric of my leathers right above my heart as a pang hits my chest.
We did it.
The Seelie Court is free.
A wave of joy explodes across the grass as all the fae behind us whoop and cheer and scream with relief and hope for the future.
Lavendera watches it all, a soft smile on her face.
And I can see it then. Lavendera Dawnwalker. Daughter of the Seelie Queen.
Then her gaze darts to us, as if suddenly remembering that we are all here, watching her.
Letting her hand drop down from her head, she sweeps her eyes over us all. The other fae behind us quiet down, watching her with anticipation.
“Can you show them just one first?” Lavendera asks, flicking a glance at the Mother Dryad. “And the rest later?”
“Of course,” she replies.
I suck in a sharp breath as vines suddenly grow up from the ground and wrap around my feet. Based on the yelps coming from both my friends and the fae behind me, the same thing has happened to them.
But before I can even ask what is going on, an image pulses through my mind.
A beautiful fae woman with flowing light brown hair and eyes that are purple and gold. Her golden dress shimmers in the light as she sits on a throne inside the Golden Palace, and abreathtaking crown gleams on her head. To her right stands another fae woman, tall and proud, with eyes that are gold and red. And to her left is Lavendera. No scar mars her cheek and jaw in this image, and her pink and purple eyes are clear and bright. All three women, with so very similar facial features, gaze out at a crowd of richly dressed Seelie fae.
I gasp, stumbling back a step as the image suddenly ends.
“I am Lavendera Dawnwalker, second daughter of the Seelie Queen,” Lavendera calls across the crowd of stunned fae. “And because my mother and sister are dead, the title of Seelie Queen now falls on my shoulders.”
Shocked silence rings across the grass as everyone stares at her. But we all saw the vision from the Mother Dryad, so no one questions her.
“I have no children, and I will bear none,” Lavendera continues. “But the royal line must survive. Therefore, I hereby name Isera Shaw, now Isera Dawnwalker, as my heir.”
Everyone’s jaw drops. Including Isera’s.
Clothes rustle as we all turn to stare at her.
Shock pulses across her entire face as she gapes at Lavendera and just blurts out, “What?”
Lavendera smiles. “I have watched you. When you were young, and in the Atonement Trials, and during this war. You have all the right traits for this position.” Sincerity shines in her eyes as she holds Isera’s gaze. “You will make an excellent Seelie Queen.”
“What do you…” Isera stutters. “You can’t just… I don’t know how to… What are you?—”
Her words are cut off by a gasp as Lavendera suddenly staggers backwards. We all lurch forward, but the Mother Dryad has already caught her. With gentle movements, she lowers Lavendera down so that she is lying on her back in the soft grass.
Dropping down on our knees around her, we all watch herwith worried eyes. The Mother Dryad settles herself next to her and gently holds her hand.
“Lavendera,” I begin, scanning her body for injuries. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong.” She smiles up at us all, her eyes glittering in the light from the rising sun. “Everything is as it should be.”
A tremor passes through her body, and she drags in a shuddering breath. Closing her eyes for a second, she lets it out and then looks up at us once more. There is an almost sad smile on her lips as she looks from face to face.
