Page 167 of Tale of the Heart Queen

A wave of tears threatens to drown me, but I push them back. Willow is right. No crying yet.

He reaches out a hand, and that’s all I need to stir me into movement. I trip towards him, and he tugs me against him before I collapse into his arms.

“When I first tried this on, I swore you could never claim me,” I say with my hands pressed to his chest and looking up. “That I would always be mine. That I was my own fucking castle.”

He smiles and touches a curl lying against my cheek.

“You will always be your own castle, Lor. I never wanted to take that from you.”

“I know. I see that now.”

“But I am claiming you,” he adds. “Never forget that you are mine.”

“And I am yours for as long as you’ll have me.”

“You’re stuck with me until the end, Lor . . .”

I blow out a shaky breath and notice everyone else watching us with soft smiles. Tristan and I exchange a look. Something changed in Heart when Nadir talked him down from his fears.

I remember my brother’s shouted words in the Heart Castle.

All I ever wanted was for you both to be happy.

Tristan tips his head as though he can read my thoughts.

I am happy, big brother. Despite every challenge we have yet to face, I am happy.

“Shall we begin?” Anemone says softly. On a table behind her sit the Heart Crown and the Aurora Torch. She picks up the Torch and hands it to Nadir.

“First you must ask it to release you,” she says.

“Will it speak with me? I’m not ascended.”

Anemone nods. “As you’ve seen from your mate’s experience, the Artefacts will speak to others when it’s necessary. It’s just simpler to let everyone believe they communicate only with their rulers, lest anyone gets it into their head to ask for favors.”

“And then what?”

“While that is happening, I will begin reciting the necessary lines.”

“What if it refuses?”

She tips her head. “It may. But I believe that if you explain the situation, it will see reason.”

Nadir nods and accepts the Torch, clasping it in his hands. He turns to face me, and I watch as the flames reflect in his eyes.

Anemone then picks up the Crown and holds it out to me. “You will need this.”

I place it on my head, feeling its weight settle.

“And this won’t make me ascend?” I ask.

“No,” Anemone asks. “You must be in Heart to ascend. You are as safe as you can be here.”

Anemone opens the Book of Night, flipping through until she lands on the page she’s looking for.

“Are you ready?” she asks.

“This could still go wrong,” I say, looking around the cavern. “I’d still feel better if everyone moved away.”