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The door opens before us, and it’s King Slate himself greeting us. He wears black pants with a matching silk button-up shirt.

His lips tug upward into a grin. “Come on in. I’ve been waiting for your arrival.”

He leads us to two leather lounges facing each other beneath a grand window. Four of us squeeze onto one side, Lian and Corvin on either side of me.

The king sits across from us, legs wide, leaning forward, elbows on his thighs. “I won’t keep you in suspense, as I’m certain you’re desperate to know my findings.”

“It has crossed our minds, Your Majesty,” Kazak says sarcastically.

That’s an understatement. It’s been on my mind since we woke up, and now it’s the afternoon, and I’m feeling slightly frazzled about how much thought I’ve put into his outcome.

“In short,” the king begins, “you were right. I visited the mountain site myself to confirm that the Gamemaster is dead, along with the men he hired. I even tracked down the person whom the Gamemaster hired to bring him the beasts. And as you stated, your aide corroborated your account of how she saw the Gamemaster release the beasts in the maze when you four entered. I have also returned your aide to the Royal Ministry of Restoration should you need her again, but her memories have been reset. I figured you aren’t in need of her services any longer.” He pauses, staring at all of us, his nostrils flaring from his heavy breaths. “Anyway, the Gamemaster betrayed me. He used my generosity and trust to continue his revenge on the last of the royal bloodline from the Ice Fire Court.”

Part of me wants to thank Eve for helping us, but would it make a difference, considering she’s a reanimated assistant and her memories are now wiped?

“Then it’s clear,” Corvin states. “Dawn’s dragonfly wasn’t on a rampage to hurt you or your guests, but was protecting us. We also believe it was hunting the Gamemaster, who hid amid the crowds.”

“Absolutely,” he says firmly, his expression perfectly composed. “Let’s be clear, I will always protect my city and its residents, and that attack terrified many of them during the party, so I don’t regret my actions. Though, I now understand I was missing the facts.”

That’s the strangest apology I’ve ever heard.

“So, I will make amends. Therefore, you four are invited to live in my city. I arranged for one of the newly built mansions by the river to be yours. My sincerity, as I have no intention to sever relationships between Grimvale and the Elite Mountain.”

Wait, did he just give us a house? I glance at the men, who don’t seem to be reacting, but my knees are already bouncing with excitement.

“Your Majesty,” I say. “That’s so kind of you. Thank you.”

He gets up and crosses the room. “Give me a moment. I have something else to show you.” He walks out of the room.

“Is it crazy that he’s giving us a mansion? I mean, I want to live here because I’m not ready to leave Earth behind, but I hate making you all choose.” My chest tightens, and I reach out to touch each of their hands. “I love you all so much.”

“We’re not going anywhere,” Corvin says with a half laugh. “If you need more time, then I’m staying here too. To be fair, it might be healthy to work on all our relationships before we return, and not have the pressure of the courts breathing down our necks. And we’ll have to explain to our fathers why we’re not returning you to Grimvale.”

I nod, loving that so much.

“You already know I’m always at your side,” Kazak says. “I’d love to live in the city for a while. I’ve had more than I can handle of village life.”

We both laugh, as I won’t miss the lack of privacy, the gossip, being punished, minimal food, and so much mud after rain.

Lian leans over and kisses my cheeks. “I’m here, petal. We’re a pack.”

I pinch my lips to the side, my throat thickening as emotions bubble up in my chest. They stare at me as if anything but loving me will destroy them. It’s a given, yet I still can’t believe this is happening to me. My lips tremble, and I bat away the tears when Lian embraces me, his lips near my ear. “I’ll lick those tears up if you cry.”

I laugh before I can stop myself, and it feels incredible. Lian has this ability to make me smile whenever things get stressful, and I absolutely adore that about him.

The king reenters the room, and he’s not alone. Two men join him, and instantly Lian and Corvin shoot to their feet.

I stare at the newcomers, each older and carrying an arrogance. But they have that same regal vibe as the king. They wear long coats in dark shades, various gold and silver cuffs, fitted pants, and polished shoes. Both Corvin and Lian approach them, and they separate in different ends of the room, each with one man.

“Those are their fathers. The two kings of Grimvale,” Kazak whispers in my ear.

“Oh, shit,” I murmur.

I can’t stop staring at Corvin and his father, hugging, chatting, and smiling. They look similar, with strong jawlines, blue eyes, and short blond hair. Lian stands in front of his father, his hands in his pockets. No embrace, just his father talking, mostly, and looking stern. Lian has his back to me, so I can’t see his expression to understand how he’s doing.

“I contacted the kings of Grimvale,” King Slate explains. “I needed confirmation on the Gamemaster’s background and if what you told me was true, which it was. Then I invited them to my palace, as they asked me about their sons’ well-being.”

Kazak replies, but I don’t listen, and I keep looking over to Corvin and Lian, wondering if they’ll be swayed to return home. Then they might be forced to take me too seeing their fathers did order for my return. The thought devastates me.