Lina lifted her head, following Bri’s line of sight and landing on a woman rocking side to side rhythmically, a baby wrapped to her chest. Lina sniffed as she spotted Nelle standing amongst a band of brown witches, all dressed in their ceremonial brown robes, their totem pouches hanging from their necks. Nelle noted their eyes on her and bowed, giving a soft, warm smile. She seemed confident, at ease, not as tightly coiled as when they had last seen her. With a mob of witches at her back, she looked like she could take on the world.

Lina adjusted the crown on her head—a new crown made for her of dented bronze and gold.

“I like this one better,” Bri softly teased. “I’d always be worried that you’d impale me with the other.”

Lina huffed, giving Bri a begrudging smirk. “I’m sure I could do it with this one too if I tried hard enough.”

Bri pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. It felt like laughter should be the opposite of tears, but the rawness of both bubbled to the surface in times like these. It was unexpected and absurd to smile, but they’d survived. Gods, they’d survived.

“So the eagle seized the crown from its sovereign,” Lina said from the corner of her mouth. “Would have been nice if the oracles had told us it was a poisoned crown.”

“Bloody blue witches,” Bri whispered.

They’d never found Cole, and Augustus Norwood’s fleet still lingering near the coast of Silver Sands. At some point, he’d be forced to come to shore to restock his supplies, but who knew how many months he could survive circling Okrith before then. The games for the Eastern crown would draw him out. Soon all eyes would be turning to the East.

Bri’s hand dropped from Lina’s shoulder and she threaded her fingers through Lina’s. “I wish I could curse the Fates, but since this twisting road led me here, I cannot hate them.” She kissed the back of Lina’s hand, her lips brushing against her soft skin. “The way I love you is a magic all its own, Fated or not, and its more than I dared to dream of.”

“I love you too,” Lina whispered. “More than I knew I ever could. You see me beyond my crown or name, beyond my wealth or power, just as I see you.” She squeezed Bri’s hand. “My mother was wrong about loving a person above her people. Everyone needs someone who loves them above all, who treats them like they painted the moon in the sky. That kind of love amplifies all others. If anything, I love my people more for it.”

“Everything feels bigger now.” Bri rubbed her thumb over the back of Lina’s hand, playing with the gold band around her finger. “You and me.”