Page 78 of She Who Holds My Wrath

My heart stutters. “V went through The Gate… alone?”

He ignores my question, continuing on as if I hadn’t even spoken. “The line wasn’t just unstable—it was fractured. Daisy, we need to go!”

My stomach knots almost painfully, dread creeping in on top of the building anxiety. “So, what did she do?”

“She anchored a new leyline in the lower depths of Hell,” Aran replies with an impatient growl. “She rebuilt the Hell-side foundation herself before she even touched The Gate. But the moment she stabilised it, she realised the other end—Aurora’s end—was completely severed.”

I suck in a breath, unable to make myself move despite the urgency. “So she risked herself?”

He nods. “The realm-side anchor failed entirely. We would’ve been cut off from you. Permanently.” He shakes his head, unshed tears lining his emerald eyes. “She chose the risk.”

“But that still doesn’t explain how you’re here.”

“Sariya went through The Gate to reach her,” he continues. “She stabilised the anchor from the inside while V held the line steady. Once they forced it open, Elyistria kept the Hell-side endpoint from collapsing until it locked back into place, then Sariya returned to Elyistria whilst we came through.”

My breath leaves me. “Gods…”

“But it’s still fragile,” Aran warns. “Even with three goddesses holding it, the line is under enormous strain, especially since Velentha now holds this side alone. We need to go now, before it snaps again.”

I pause at the edge of the dais, suddenly hyper-aware of the crowd watching me. Hundreds of faces belonging to people whose king I killed, and whose future I’ve thrown into uncertainty. The weight of it hits harder than any blade ever could. My breath stutters, panic clawing at my ribs, and Aran notices instantly.

He slips his hand into mine, squeezing once for reassurance before stepping forwards. He rises to stand at the very top of the dais, looking out over the realm that has fallen silent in anticipation.

His voice carries, strong and clear. “Danika?”

A murmur ripples through the hall before a tall woman steps forward. Raven hair cascades down her back like spilled ink, and her eyes—silver constellations swirling like distant galaxies—mirror Kaelith’s, but without the cruelty. Her dark, starlit skin glimmers softly in the ambient glow of the aurora.

“Yes,” she answers, her voice both calm and commanding.

Aran nods in greeting, his words firm as he speaks. “As Kaelith’s closest living relation, and a trusted ally of Korithax, you are to be appointed the new Queen of Aurora’s Veil.”

Shock flashes in Danika’s eyes, but only for a heartbeat. Then she straightens, smoothing her expression into something regal and ready. She walks with purpose towards the dais, each step carefully controlled even as the room still trembles with what just happened. She ascends the steps and comes to stand before us with her shoulders squared and chin lifted—already stepping into the space Kaelith once occupied.

When her constellation eyes meet mine, something soft flickers there. Gratitude, maybe. Or something deeper. Understanding. Not of loss—because whatever Kaelith was to her, it wasn’t what Korithax was to me—but of what it means to have blood on your hands for the sake of your people. Of the weight that settles in your chest when there’s no other choice left but to become something harder than you ever wanted to be.

Danika bows her head. “I accept my position with honour,” she says, voice carrying effortlessly across the hall. “And I vow to rule Aurora’s Veil with kindness, respect, and warmth.”

She turns to face her people. “Though I share blood with Kaelith, I am nothing like him. Where he ruled with fear and cruelty, I will rule with compassion. You are my people, not my possessions. I will treat every one of you as my equal, and if I ever break that vow…” she glances at me, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I give Queen Daisy full permission to place my head beside my brother’s.”

A startled laugh bursts out of me so loud I feel my cheeks instantly heat, and she chuckles under her breath in return. The hall erupts—cheers, applause, relief, and hope all blending into a roar that vibrates through the stone.

For the first time since stepping into this realm, I feel a knot in my chest loosen. Danika will be good for them. I may not know her, but I can see already the kind of leader she will be. Gentle, but strong. Unwavering in her loyalty to not just the realm, but its people. A leader Aurora’s Veil actually deserves.

With the realm secure and its new queen crowned, and our goodbyes given, we finally turn towards the exit to get back to the leyline. It’s time to find Velentha.

Maelkar’s shadows cut around us before the cheers in the throne room even fade. They sweep up from the polished stone of the hallway, wrapping around our legs, our waists, and our shoulders. I feel the cold sting of them against my skin—sharp yet oddly comforting.

“Hold on tight, princess,” Maelkar murmurs, wrapping an arm around me, as Aran and Lucifer huddle close.

Before I can breathe, the world drops away. The shadows yank us through the palace like a streak of darkness ripping through the fabric of time. Wind roars in my ears, colours smear together as the air grows colder and thinner, until suddenly we snap back into existence, landing at the edge of the Aurora’s Veil leyline.

“Mother fucker,” I gasp, stumbling forwards slightly. “I hate when you do that. Stop. Doing. That.”

Maelkar grins, throwing that irritating wink at me. But I don’t have a chance to respond to it before my eyes fall on Velentha. And gods… she looks awful. She’s crouched at the shimmering fracture in the air, hands pressed forwards as if physically holding the tear open. Sweat drips down her temples, sticking her inky hair to her face despite the bitter cold. Her whole body is trembling like the power is ripping through her, rather than flowing from her.

“Velentha?” I breathe, rushing towards her.

She jolts, blinking at us with exhausted, unfocused eyes. “Good, you’re here. Finally.” Her voice shakes. “We don’t have long.”