Cyrus narrowed his eyes. “We do not know who you are or where you came from. Nor do we know the how and why. But you have to go now. You’ve been here too long.”

I nodded. “I know. I am ready to go home now. Thank you for your help.”

“You are welcome. Best of luck to you.” Cyrus finally smiled, then turned and headed for the last dragon still standing there, the one I suspected was the King.

Lavinia leapt over and pulled me in for a hug. “The tide has finally come in. Do not fear your wings,” she whispered in my ear.

“Umm—”

She pulled back and took my wrist in her hands, then she traced her fingertip in a swirly pattern. Those golden eyes met mine again. “My father is waiting for you⁠—”

“Lavinia,” Elizabeth warned.

Lavinia winked at me, then spun and sprinted to catch up with Cyrus.

“Good luck, future Tower.” Elizabeth took a step backward, then paused and gave me a cheeky grin. “Tell Tegan that Elizabeth says hello.”

I gasped. Elizabeth chuckled. I opened my mouth to ask how she knew Tegan and how she knew I knew Tegan when green light flashed all around me. I blinked and the Seelie tunnel surrounded me.

“Everest.” My eyes widened. “Everest⁠—”

“I am here.” He stepped out of the tunnel wall, still wearing his red velvet waistcoat. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he took my hands in his. “I am proud of you.”

“Even though I got a man killed?”

“And he will be eternally grateful.”

I flinched. “What?”

“He said to her, obrigado, that means thank you in Portuguese.” He brought my knuckles to his lips to kiss. “Sweyn turned him because he was pretty, but he refused to bed her. He’s been trying to get himself killed since. Sweyn forced him to live as punishment, which is why she gave him up instead of you because she assumed they would torture him or inflict pain on him. She wasn’t expecting them to kill him. I told them, telepathically of course, to give Thomas the mercy kill he deserved.”

I sighed with relief, collapsing into his chest. “Thank you. That was going to bother me.”

“I know.” He kissed my forehead and ran his fingers through my hair. “It is time for you to return home.”

I looked up and rested my chin on his chest. “I hope my visits these last five centuries⁠—”

“Kept my heart and soul from a dark, dangerous place.” He took my face in his hands. “I will be forever grateful for my stolen moments with you.”

“I love you.” I pushed up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. “You better be there when I get back.”