“No, no, no.” Anya covers her ears and collapses in on herself. “Get it away from me!”
I take in a shaky breath. She’s been here for twenty-five years. Who knows what sort of things Sira’s done to her in that time?
“Show her who you are, George,” I call to him.
George’s eyes widen. Despite the wrinkles on his face and his graying hair, there’s a boyish fear about him now. “How?”
I tap my heart. “You know how.”
George looks down, hands scratching at the wall. At first, I think he’s going to stay there forever, the two of them so close, and yet so far away.
Then his voice rings out, low and quivering: “I will love you across the ages.”
Anya looks up.
“I will love you in the desert, under a blazing sun, or in the deepest depths of the jungle. I will love you when the rain poursdown and we’re covered in mud, or when the night is so dark, the only light beams from your heart. No time nor distance nor magic can break my love for you.”
A beat of silence echoes in the chamber before a guttural sob tears from her lips. “George!” She crawls forward, pressing her hand to his through the wall.
They stare at each other, their hands seeming to connect despite the barrier. Shock and love play across their features. My own heart swells, and I can’t help but walk closer. If only Rosalina could witness this.
I imprint the image in my mind, taking note of every detail: the tremble of George’s hands pressed to Anya’s, the burst of color returning to her ashen face. The weight of their love rushes against me, and I understand now why it is so easy for Rosalina to love.
“What are you doing here?” Anya breathes.
A smile breaks across George’s face. “We’re here to rescue you.”
Anya’s body stills. She scrambles away from George. “No. No, no, you can’t rescue me.”
I take one last look at the entrance of the chamber then walk up behind George. For the first time, Anya seems to register me. “You?” she whispers.
I kneel down and bow my head. “My Queen.”
She points at George. “Get him out of here. Now.”
“We have a plan. My name is Keldarion, son of Erivor and—”
“And Runa, yes, yes. I know who you are, High Prince.” A look of horror crosses her face. “Your curse is not broken.”
“Well, you can fix that when we get you out,” I grunt.
“Oh, no, no, no.” Anya tugs at her hair. Her wild gaze falls to me. “Why are you trying to save me after what I did to you?”
“Because I am madly in love with your daughter, and she needs her mother.”
A look of utter anguish cuts across her face.
“We have a plan,” George assures. “Don’t worry. You’ll see her soon.”
I try to keep my voice as steady as possible. “Farron, the High Prince of Autumn, and Caspian, the Prince of the Below, are working together to break your bonds—”
She lurches forward, hands reaching for me. They smack against the barrier. “Cas has decided to turn against Sira?”
Cas?“For today.”
She blinks her eyes and smiles, giving a small laugh that reminds me of Rosalina. “I can’t believe it.”
“Your daughter can make the impossible happen,” I say. “And that’s what we’re going to do. We’re getting you out of here, my Queen.”
