“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.

“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.