When I’ve caught my breath, I look up. Nadir stands before me with a small smile on his face. Sunlight gilds his dark hair, and his eyes spark with emerald and violet. He’s so beautiful it makes my throat ache. I remember the first time I saw him in Aphelion and how my world changed in that moment. I could never have imagined the journey we would travel.

And now he’s mine forever.

“We did it,” I say softly.

“You did it. And I’m so fucking proud of you.”

I choke out a sob as he takes my hand and pulls me up.

“I couldn’t have done any of it without you.”

He clasps my chin in his hand. “We make a pretty good team.”

“We really do,” I say as I break down again. We embrace, clinging to one another as I cry against the curve of his throat. I let the tears begin to heal me. I let them find a place in my heart and allow the first wounds of my spirit to finally start closing over. I have so much trauma to overcome, but now I can finally face it, and I won’t do it alone. I will never be alone again.

Finally, we pull apart to find everyone watching us.

“Thank you for your help,” I say. “All of you. I don’t know how I can ever thank you enough.”

Cedar and Elswyth, hand in hand, are the first to approach and bow their heads. “Welcome home, Heart Queen,” Cedar says. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

That stirs everyone from their shock and the tension around the circle breaks. We all burst into laughter and smiles and hugs. It’s a moment for celebration.

We didn’t just save the magic.

We didn’t just save Heart.

We saved Ouranos from Herric. It was a battle we didn’t even know we were fighting until it was almost too late.

Gabriel strides over and wraps an arm around me, tugging me close.

“I’m happy for you, Final Tribute,” he says.

I laugh and squeeze him tight.

“You could stop calling me that—I am literally a queen now.”

“I still don’t see a crown on your head,” he says with a wry smile.

“Maybe it’s time to fix that,” Tristan says, opening the pack slung over his shoulder and pulling out a bundle of fabric. He unwraps the Heart Crown and holds it up to me. “I thought you might need this.”

“Tris,” I say as my throat knots again. After all the years of running towards this, it’s nearly impossible to believe we finally found ourselves here.

“You ready for your ascension?” Nadir asks. “That’s what all of this was for, right?”

“Should we do something?” Willow asks. “Like have a big ceremony or something?”