Our relationship was far from ideal, but I refuse to blame her for any of it. I’m now an ascended king and one day, I will see her again. Anemone suspects that because my father was lost to the Underworld, there’s a good chance he did not make it to the Evanescence, and I like the idea of her being free of him forever.

That moment when he helped us might have been his lowest point. Something drove him to dig into the recesses of his compassion, and I’ll have to live with never knowing what. But despite that, he never deserved the Evanescence. He never deserved any of us.

I stop in the middle of the large foyer where prisoners were admitted into Nostraza’s walls. I see the hall where I was taken to search the records for prisoner 3342. My gaze meets my sister’s, and we hold it before we look away.

Also on our return, Amya ascended, and I couldn’t have been prouder as I watched her hold the Torch while it welcomed her as the new queen. Wearing a long black dress, the skirt slashed with bright colors to mimic the streaks in her hair, she looked exactly the part.

After it was official, Amya’s first order of business was to close down Nostraza. The cells were cleared out of every inmate, and they were moved to housing in the districts where they’re being set up with programs to help them rehabilitate and start new lives. Never again will we abandon our people when they need us.

Each of the guards that worked here has been sequestered and will be tried for their actions. Those found guilty of inhumane conduct will be executed without mercy. I’ll never forgive myself for what they did to Lor, her siblings, or anyone else they hurt. I think of the warden who showed me the prison records and the way I took his life. I refuse to feel bad about that either.

We continue walking, surrounded by dark stone, the drip of water echoing in the distance. I remember the screams and the torment that used to fill these halls.

Lor had planned to be here too before we tore it down but claimed her duties in Heart were keeping her there for an extra few days. Thanks to a generous infusion of gold from The Aurora, as well as the other realms, we’ve been hard at work putting the pieces of our queendom back together.

Even though she didn’t come out and say it, I think she didn’t really want to see it again.

She’s told me enough times that she never wants to see this place again.

“You okay?” Amya gently asks Willow, who looks around the empty space.

“I . . . think so,” she answers, and Amya draws her closer as Willow’s head rests on her shoulder.