“But nothing. I want to do this. I’m choosing to do this—for Lor and me and for everyone in this room and on this continent. It has to be one of us, and it can’t be her.”

“But that means . . .” Mael says.

“That means it might be you, Amya,” Nadir says, and the princess of The Aurora sighs out a long breath.

“I’m sorry if this isn’t what you want and that it might alter the path of your destiny, too.”

Amya squeezes her hands and nods as silver tears build in her eyes.

“I’ve never thought much about it,” she says.

“You would make an amazing queen.”

“The best,” Mael adds warmly, making Amya smile.

She swallows, and I see it all so clearly.

Amya, with a crown and in a long black dress with those colorful strands of her hair spilling over her shoulders, stands before her people, maybe with my sister at her side.

“What if it doesn’t choose me?” she asks, her voice a paper-thin whisper.

Nadir stands up and draws his sister into a hug. “I can’t be sure, but something tells me you’d be perfect. It should have been you from the very beginning.”

They hug tightly, and I wipe a tear from my eye. Even Linden looks somewhat moved, her stony expression softening just a little.

The prince and princess pull apart.

“This is going to feel so strange,” she says, looking up at him.

“I think it’s going to feel just right.”

“You’re sure, Nadir?”

“Amya, I’ve never been more sure about anything.”

She nods as he turns to address the room.

“So I’ll sneak into the Keep, find out what I can in my father’s room, and get the Torch.”

“I’m coming with you,” I say. He gives me a dark look. “Don’t even bother arguing. I’m coming.”

He opens his mouth and then closes it before he says, “Fine.”

“We’ll come too,” Amya says, gesturing between Mael and herself.

“Once we have both Artefacts, we can proceed,” Anemone adds. “I’ll study the book and ensure I have the process right.”

“I will find somewhere to perform the bonding,” Bronte says.

I give her an expectant look, and she shakes her head as though she can’t believe she’s agreeing to any of this. She convinced D’Arcy to destroy the ark, and despite what she claimed about just coming along when we headed north, she’s offering more of her help.

“I know I said I was undecided . . . but I like you, little queen. You remind me of me.”

“That’s . . . I was in awe of you from the moment I saw you,” I say a little breathlessly, and that earns me a warm smile.

“Etienne, you’ll need to retrieve the Crown,” Nadir says and Etienne nods. “Bring it directly to Bronte once she secures a location.”