I shoved his arm playfully. “It looks like you escaped Scorpion Hill without being stung,” I pointed out. “Some would say that makes you chosen by the desert and worthy of following in Tamlin’s footsteps.”

Cion laughed. “The only reason I didn’t get stung was because I rubbed my legs in the juice from a spiral cactus last week,” he said. “Scorpions hate it.”

“What?” I said.

He shook his head. “You think us Desert Boys would let our biggest secret reach you palace folk so you could come searching for us anytime? I’m the only one who knew what it was, so not even Rodric could’ve told you. That’s probably why he didn’t get stung when I chased him out there after Remy died.

“I give it to the boys every two weeks,” he continued. “If I’d known you were going anywhere near there, I would’ve doused you in it four times over, even if it does leave you with a rash for several days every time.” He took my hand. “I didn’t want to put you through the pain. It’s always the worst the first time. You wouldn’t have recovered in time to get in any useful training.”

“You really do have everything about the desert figured out, don’t you?” I couldn’t help but marvel.

“Achrans always have been survivors. Although, I’ve always thought that Tamlin must’ve figured it out. It’s the only way he would’ve made it through untouched. But you . . . nobody survives a scorpion sting. You must really be chosen by the desert. Not to mention even the tigers—the desert spirits themselves—recognize you as their queen.” He kissed my hand. “And so I pledge my loyalty and my heart to you, my Tiger Queen.” He bowed low.

And to my astonishment, the crowd did the same. They started chanting, “Queen Kateri.”

I spun around, taking in the crowd. The Desert Boys had the guards cornered in one area of the stands. Later, I’d have to sort out who was loyal to me.

That would be the first of many changes, because it was time to open up the country. We had water. We could be a crossroads, an oasis in the desert once again. No more restricting the caravans. I knew there’d be many who’d want to leave now that they had water, but others would stay, and they would be looking to me to lead them.

As I looked around the crumbling arena with Cion at my side, I knew it was time to start rebuilding. It was time to claim my mother’s crown as my own. And it was definitely time to finally get Dimic that bath.

EPILOGUE

I released the tiger into the desert after fattening it up for whatever journey the desert had prepared for it. The beast looked back only once, its eyes meeting mine, before it raced forward—its orange-and-black stripes fading completely into the desert landscape, as if it was a true spirit of the desert that had finally been reclaimed.