Page 211 of Tale of the Heart Queen

“What is it?” Elswyth asks as I pull out the smooth bar of soap. She looks around the circle. “Soap? I don’t understand.”

“I’ll tell you the story someday,” I promise, and then I bring it to my nose, inhaling its soft floral scent.

“It’s perfect,” I say to my brother and sister. “Thank you.”

“Make sure you keep it somewhere safe,” Tristan says with a wink. “Wouldn’t want anyone to steal it.”

I laugh again and then look at my brother and sister.

“Should we do this?” I ask. Tristan takes my gift and exchanges it for the Crown.

“Willow, Tris,” I say, placing it on my head and then holding out my hands. They each take one as Nadir stands before me, wrapping his hand around the nape of my neck, his forehead tipping against mine.

“Ready?” I ask him, and he nods.

I close my eyes, and something tugs in my chest as I spiral into nothingness before I feel solid ground at my feet. When I open my eyes, I’m standing in the same rose garden, the white stone path bordered by benches and hundreds of rose bushes. The air is warm and still, the sun a softly glowing orb.

This time Willow, Tristan, and Nadir are all here too. We all share confused looks as we scan our surroundings.

“Where are we?” Tris asks.

“This is where the Crown took me last time,” I answer as I turn around and notice a figure standing at the end of the path.

“Mother,” I breathe, sensing Willow and Tristan go still.

A moment later, another person steps out of the shadows, and our father, wearing a simple brown tunic and pants, loops his arm through our mother’s. He looks exactly as I remember, with that rich chestnut hair curling over his shoulders. His emerald eyes sparkle above a thick beard that always tickled my cheeks whenever he’d give me a kiss. My heart ricochets in my chest as he smiles, and I hear Tristan and Willow’s soft gasps.

Our mother holds out her free arm.

“Children,” she says, tears filling her eyes.

“Mother.” Tristan stumbles towards her, tears already streaming down his face. He throws himself against her before Willow does the same to our father. I watch as they all hug while I hold Nadir’s hand. He squeezes it, and I look at him, my bottom lip quivering.

When Tristan and Willow move away, my parents turn to me. I release Nadir’s hand and run to them, throwing an arm around their necks. They cling to me as we all shake.

“You did it,” Mother says. “I knew you could.”

“Why are you here?” I ask. “I thought you said only you and I could see each other.”

“The Artefacts pulled some strings on our behalf,” Father says.

“I’ve missed you so much,” I say to him, and he smiles, his green eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that makes my chest hurt.

“I miss you too,” he says. “Every day.”

“I wish—”

“I know,” he says. “I know.”

We hug again and then I say, “I want you to meet someone.”

I gesture to Nadir, and he approaches. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look this unsure of himself, and it almost makes me laugh.

“This is Nadir,” I say. “My mate. My bonded partner and now the king of Heart.” I take his hand and look up into his eyes. “The man who helped . . . make me.”

Nadir smiles and holds out his free hand, but my parents will have none of that. They ignore it and wrap him in a long, tight hug from each side. His arms hang at his sides, and it’s clear he doesn’t quite know what to do with himself. My siblings and I burst out laughing. Finally, he figures it out and hugs them back.

After they finish, Nadir steps back and glances at me.