I look down at the gold and silver thread around my wrist. Another bargain, but one so different from what I’d made with Caspian. Dayton has given me freedom over his magic reserve, and all I had to do was promise to never forget that moment with him. As if I ever could: it will be seared in my memory forever.
Kel and Ez sit together at the end of the table with Eirik Vargsaxa, captain of the Kryodian Riders. With Perth Quellos in jail in the Winter Realm, a new steward is required; Kel will have to appoint one soon. He says he’s not concerned, but I think things are worse in Winter than Kel’s letting on.
The green crystal flashes in my mind. I gathered the shards of it and kept it in a box to take back to Castletree… for research purposes only, of course. Could I have used a similar magic to save my mother from death?
I turn my attention back to the table. Ezryn sits with his usual poise, but I can tell he’s looking around. After the battle, we sent word to all the realms about my mother’s funeral. No reply came from Spring, neither from his father, the current steward, or his younger brother. Though his father’s health has been in decline for decades, it’s unlike him not to respond to a royal summons. The absence of Ezryn’s brother, however, is not unexpected.
I’m sure both Ez and Kel will have to return to their realms soon. A small part of me wonders if Kel might be inspired by what happened here, by seeing the Riders rally with him. Maybe he’ll finally want to break his curse.
Maybe he’ll finally accept Rosalina as his mate.
I shake my head, still unable to comprehend that I share a mate with the High Prince of Winter. And that he won’t accept her.
I turn to look at Rosalina, and a soft smile crosses my face. She’s completely engaged with my little sister, listening with enthusiastic nods as Nori explains the delicate art of taxidermy. I thought she was beautiful the first time I saw her all those months ago in my prison cell. Now, she is radiant. The points of her ears and new glimmer in her brown eyes seem like they’ve always belonged to her.
My mate has been half-fae all along. A part of me itches to run to the library to research such power lying dormant. Could our mate bond have awoken it? A mate bond has been known to increase a fae’s magic, but not create new magic. Yet the fire she’d used to crack the ice seemed so similar to my own. And what of those golden roses…
Mysteries upon mysteries… with one in particular that her father is determined to solve. I smile as I look at George, who’s brought his maps even to the dinner table. Billy and Dom hover on either side of him, arguing over the best route to take.
George has decided not to return to Castletree with us; he’s setting off in search of his wife. The realization that Anya was fae has only fortified his determination to locate her. And Dom and Billy couldn’t pass up the chance of being his guides through the wilds.
I take a deep breath and stare down at the table. So many questions lay before us, and I know there won’t be any rest for the Princes and Lady of Castletree.
But we’ll find the answers together.
89
Rosalina
Carefully,Iplaceafolded blouse into the bag on my bed. After months in Coppershire, we are finally returning to Castletree. It feels bittersweet, but I know the Autumn Realm will always be home to me.
Strolling through the room, I stop, noticing my reflection in the gold-plated mirror. The pointed ears are still a shock, and I delicately reach up and touch the tips. Physically, that’s the biggest change. But inside…
Inside, everything is different. Parts of me have opened up, vast wells of… I’m not sure. Magic? Power? The princes have promised to help me explore this transformation, and I trust them.
The world has changed. Colors are more luminous, and I can perceive the glint of enchantment in the air. My bond with Farron burns so brightly sometimes I think it’ll ignite my whole self in flames. And my bond with Kel… Well, that’s stronger, too. An insistent tug, an itch that can’t be scratched.
“Hey-o!”
“Hello! Rosalina!”
“Rose, dear!”
Three voices call from outside, and I rush to my balcony. Down below—atop horses laden with full saddlebags—are Billigan, Dominic, and my father.
The trees around the burnt library are still unfurled from the battle, but my view is no longer of the ruins. The broken wood is covered in lush moss, the ground now grassy, and there’s even a small pond with crystal-clear water. A combined gift from the High Princes. One day, I know Farron and I will rebuild the library.
Currently, my horse, Amalthea, and Farron’s elk, Thrand, graze in the clearing. Thankfully, Thrand’s no worse for wear after being frozen in the battle. Farron found him amid many of the other frozen soldiers and steeds and was able to melt the cursed ice. I’ll miss them. Perhaps one day Castletree and the lands beyond will be safe enough for them, too.
I turn my attention back to the trio. “Shouldn’t you be on your way already?” I yell.
They’re about to set off on their own adventure. For the first time, seeing Papa leave doesn’t fill me with loneliness. Instead, I’m filled with hope. Perhaps my fae mother truly is out there.
“One more thing!” Papa calls up. “What would you like me to bring you?”
“Just a rose!”
He laughs. “That got me in a bit of trouble last time.”
