I deserve to see these stars as a man. I deserve to claim the title of High Prince of Summer.
I clasp my hands on the stone railing, feeling the tug of the wind through my hair.
“I will reclaim Hadria,” I vow. “Sabine, Cenarius, Ovidius, Damocles, Decimus, and Delphia, I will make you proud. I promise to be a High Prince worthy of the Summer Realm.”
CHAPTER 93
Rosalina
My dreams are sweet. There is no true image, no sounds, just an ethereal sense of contentment. A pastel haze encompasses my vision. My body is warm, safe. There’s a sense ofrightnessin my chest. I want to stay here forever.
Time passes slowly as I float through my consciousness. Distantly, I notice I seem to be drifting somewhere. Down. Down. Down. The light turns to darkness, then to a spark of emerald green. But I’m not afraid. No, this also feels right. Like I’m getting close to—
“Keldarion,” I whisper. The haze begins to form a silhouette. I would know the broadness of his shoulders, the shift in his stance, even in my dreams. “Kel!”
He turns to me, and a soft smile appears on his face as his features come more into focus. I float forward, my body not truly corporal yet.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he murmurs. “I didn’t think I’d be able to reach you in the labyrinth. But … it seems there’s some strong magic here helping my own.”
This isn’t a dream anymore. This is the strength of our mate bond, connecting us from between the realms, the same way it did when he was in Winter, and I was in Spring. He’s found me even when he’s so far below the surface. My heart screams for him. My mate, my first mate.
I fly over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He grabs my waist and spins me. I laugh, giddy from the feel of him.
“Kiss me, Rose,” he murmurs, and I do. Our lips touch, soft at first, savoring each other. I’ve missed the press of his mouthon mine, the steadiness in which he grips me, like he’ll never let me go. Then, he changes, kissing me with the untamed wildness within him. A wildness I would traverse forever if I could.
I press my body tight to his, and he matches my intensity, fingers near bruising.
“Say we won’t be apart much longer,” I gasp between kisses.
“Not much longer. Soon, you’ll be back in my arms for real, and I won’t ever let you go.”
My skin tingles. Right now, I’m able to touch him, but my hold on this place feels tenuous. “I’m so grateful to see you just for a moment. There’s so much to tell you.” I look around. Everything besides Kel is dark and hazy with that green glow. “Where is Papa? Is he all right?”
“Yes. We’ll be making our way back home soon,” he says.
“My mother?”
The gentlest of smiles appears on Kel’s face. “That’s why I was hoping I could bring you here. I wanted you to see her.”
Kel takes my hand and leads me through the haze. Structures begin to form: giant crystals that gleam with a malevolence I can feel even across the realms. Between the crystals lies a cage with translucent green walls.
“They won’t be able to see you,” Kel whispers. “But I wanted you to see them.”
My heart beats strong and steady in my chest as I step forward. The mist shifts, revealing two more figures: one out of the cage and one within.
Papa’s sitting on the outside, leaning his head and palm against the transparent wall. Tears streak down his face as he stares at the figure inside.
A woman leans against him, her hand up to his. The barrier separates them from truly touching.
I know her. I know her from the photograph of us in front of the willow tree. I know her from stories Papa told and legends from the realms.
But more than that, I know her within. Her blood sings in my veins, sharing a thousand tales from a thousand years. I know her in a way that is so ingrained and visceral, it feels like I know her better than anyone else.
Her love was with us all this time. It was what brought meto the Vale. It’s what gave me the strength to pick up the Bow of Radiance. She is everything around us. She is everything within me.
My mother.
If I was more than a flit of mist, my legs would have given out. Instead, I drift over to my parents.
