Page 212 of Tale of the Heart Queen

“I assure you that your daughter was the one who made herself. I just stood behind her.”

“Thank you,” my mother says, clutching her hands together. “Please take care of her.”

He bends at the waist and presses his hand to his heart. “With my life.”

We all hug and chatter a bit longer, describing everything that happened in the Underworld and in the Evanescence. Tristan and Willow tell them everything they can about their lives. Willow gushes about Amya, and Tristan shares his fears and hopes about being the Primary of The Woodlands.

Soon, the mood turns somber again.

“This is it, isn’t it?” I ask. “This is all the time we have?”

“I’m afraid so,” Mother says with her arm wrapped around Willow’s shoulders. “But we’ll keep an eye on you whenever we can.”

“At least we had this,” Willow says, brushing the tears from her cheeks. “I never ever thought we’d see you again.”

We all stare at one another as I feel my heart breaking all over again. But I remind myself of all the things I’ve gained.

“What happens now? Is this the ascension?” I ask.

“It is,” Mother says. “At least in your case. When you leave here, you will officially be the Heart Queen.”

My parents both drop to their knees and bow their heads. My endless flow of tears won’t stop as they look back up.

“This is all we ever wanted for the three of you. Take care of each other,” Father says. “You will be a wonderful queen, Lor. I always knew you would be.”

“Be happy, my children,” Mother adds. “Never forget how much you were loved.”

Then she presses her fingers to her mouth and blows us a kiss. Nadir, Willow, and Tristan, along with my parents, all melt away.

I spin around, wondering what I’m still doing here, to find Tyr standing at the end of the path. It feels like we just left him, but he looks entirely different. His golden hair shines in the sun, and color glows in his bronzed cheeks. He fills out a white tunic and pants, and his shoulders are relaxed. I imagine this is what he must have looked like before Atlas ruined his life.

“Tyr,” I whisper as he smiles and then holds two fingers to his lips before dropping his chin.

“My first duty as the god of Ouranos is to see you crowned, Lor.”

I nod and smile. “Thank you again. For everything.”

He bends at the waist in a deep bow before he straightens. “Farewell, Heart Queen.”

His words echo as the scene melts away, and I once again find myself standing amongst the ruins of Heart, surrounded by everyone I love.

“Did it work—” I start to ask, then my eyes widen.

The roses are blooming again, only they’re everywhere now. Spreading over the entire city. The walls. The ground. Climbing over the rubble and what’s left of the castle.

“I think it worked,” Nadir says.

They continue climbing over everything, surrounding me, Nadir, and my siblings in a wreath of flowers, welcoming us home.

My gaze turns to the settlements in the distance. A thin plume of smoke curls in the air like a signal, reminding me of what all of this was really for.

“We should go tell them,” I say. Not waiting for anyone to reply, I start running as vines of roses chase my heels. I hear everyone following as we pass the city walls.

My feet have wings as I fly over the ruined landscape until I come to a halt.

Nadir stops behind me, his hand finding my lower back. Everyone else falls into a line as we watch a mass of people approach.

The roses follow us. They spread out, climbing across the landscape, coating everything in a carpet of red and green. It’s the most beautiful sight.