Mother let out a small, incoherent, broken noise. Then she swallowed hard. “But … how—?”

“Oh, we’ll tell you everything,” Giles said cheerfully. “Don’t worry! I’m working on a song all about it.”

“Make sure you remember to include all the juicy details from my battles—both of them!” Rosalind patted the long sword that hung by her side, and Mother’s eyes widened even more at the sight of it.

“But—the danger—!”

“We don’t have to hide anymore,” Connall said. “Cordelia’s changed everything for us.”

“We will tell you all about it,” Cordelia promised, “and we’ll get that horrible collar off you, too. But, Mother …”

She took a deep breath as she met her mother’s fierce, dark gaze—so familiar, so infuriating, and so beloved that her whole body trembled with its impact. The weight of her mother’s shock and disapproval was almost enough to topple her completely.

But Mother wasn’t all-powerful and all-knowing, as Cordelia had once believed her to be. Mother was fallible. She made mistakes. She had her own weaknesses, like everybody else.

And her love, fierce and unyielding across the years, had made all of them a family.

“I am the Raven Queen,” Cordelia said, “whether you like it or not. I won’t always do as you wish from now on, and you can’t give me orders anymore.”

“Cordelia …” Mother started forward, frowning—but Cordelia’s raised hand halted her in midstep.

“I promise I will always listen to your advice—but you cannot keep any more secrets from us, no matter who you’re trying to protect! I know it can feel too dangerous to share them. I’ve made that mistake now, too. But the truth is, it nearly ruined everything … and we need to be able to trust you.”

At Cordelia’s final words, Mother flinched. She looked down at Giles and Rosalind for support.

Even Giles didn’t stand up for her this time, though. Cordelia’s triplets both stepped back and looked up at Mother steadily, waiting for her reply. Connall stood by Cordelia’s side.

When their mother finally spoke, her voice was hoarse with emotion. “I have only ever tried to protect you all.”

“We know,” Giles said.

Rosalind nodded.

“We’ll protect you, too,” said Cordelia. “But you have to understand that things have changed. If you can’t—if you hate the throne too much—then you can go back to our forest and stay there. I promise I won’t stop you. No one else will, either. You’ll be perfectly safe there forever.”

Mother shook her head, moistening her lips. “You know I would never abandon any of my children,” she whispered. “You must all know that by now. I love all of you.”

“We love you, too.” Cordelia’s throat tightened.

“Then …” Mother blinked rapidly. “You’ll let me stay? And I’ll find a way to accept your throne, somehow?”