Page 168 of Tale of the Heart Queen

“I’m not going anywhere,” Willow says, folding her arms and spreading her stance.

“Nor I,” Tristan adds, mimicking Willow’s position.

“We aren’t leaving either,” Cyan says, indicating him and Linden. She tosses him a scowl but remains quiet.

“Same here,” Mael says. “You think I’d ever let our boy go through this without us?”

I look at Bronte and Cedar. “What about you?”

“I think I’ll stick around,” Cedar says, and Bronte nods her assent, all of their expressions resolute.

I blow out a breath and hope to the gods that this works.

Nadir and I hold hands as Anemone starts reading the incantation, repeating the words over and over. The Crown grows warm on my head while the Torch in Nadir’s hand begins to flame and spark.

The world around us melts away until we’re both standing together in another place. Around us is a mixture of roses woven with bands of colorful aurora light. My mouth parts on a gasp as we witness this melding of ourselves, this coming together.

Nadir squeezes my hand and then asks the Torch to release him from his duty. We both wait in the swirling nothingness of this space. Then I hear the voice I recognize from when I also spoke to the Torch. The voice of King Elias.

Aurora Prince. I have been expecting you.

“Have you?” Nadir asks into the void.

Indeed. I understand what your mate must do and what your role must be.

“Then you’ll do it?”

I once told your mate that your love would lead only to heartbreak and ruin, Aurora Prince. I believed your connection would lead down the same path of destruction. I did not know if you would make this choice. But unlike your father, you are choosing love, not a crown.

Nadir gives me a puzzled look. “Unlike my father?”

He chose his power over love, and though it did not break the world, it did break him.

Our gazes meet as we both attempt to tease out that riddle without much luck.

“I’m not sure I understand.”

No . . . but you may yet.

The Torch falls silent.

“Will you do it?” Nadir asks. “Release me?”

There’s another long pause, but I know it will answer.

We will need another.

“My sister. It should have always been her.”

Another pause.

It is done. Farewell, Aurora Prince. May your sacrifice not be in vain.

After the Torch goes silent, we remain suspended in the void. Somewhere in the distance, I hear Anemone continuing her chant, the syllables dancing around the cavern. I can practically feel the spell it weaves.

The walls around us begin to dissolve, transforming into crimson forks of lightning and beams of aurora power. Our magic’s two halves twin together, the sharp edges of lightning meeting soft curves of light. We’ve always felt like two parts of a whole, one but separate, and now our magic will become that way too.

I feel the ground beneath us rumble as Anemone recites her lines while more magic moves around us. It fills me up. The magic of The Aurora grows in my veins, trickling in slowly, and then . . . the magic of Heart crashes in behind. It flows into me in rivers, filling my cells and my pores. I can feel it growing, swelling in my chest with such force that it feels like it might tear straight out of me.