Ilina and I would open a new sanctuary, both of us getting our greatest wish for a life filled with helping dragons. And the moment a new island rose from the depths, Chenda had probably started considering all the possibilities for a new and fair government—something that would represent and honor all the survivors of the Great Abandonment. Including dragons.

And as for Aaru and me . . .

We had a chance after all. More than a chance.

Shadows fell longer, and bugs buzzed with the third evening today, and finally my friends reached the shallows. I ran out to meet them, splashing water in all directions, and within minutes they surrounded me and we were all hugging one another, laughing and crying. Ilina, Hristo, Chenda, Gerel, Zara, Safa, and Aaru: they were all here.

“Where’s Mother?” I asked.

“She thought she should wait on the ship for now,” Zara said. “I think she understands that this is our moment.”

I hugged my sister again, so wildly happy to see her, and to hear her include herself in our group. She did belong. She’d always belonged.

After we dragged the boats to the beach and everyone finished running around the soft new sand, we sprawled out on the shore and I told my friends about the first dragon, the eclipse, and the sacrifice of my dragon soul.

“Wow.” Chenda sat next to Gerel, both of them holding hands. “Are you—”

I nodded quickly, because I wasn’t all right yet, but I would be, and for now I didn’t want to dampen this glorious feeling of being reunited with my friends—my family. “How did you find me here?”

“Crystal.” Ilina stroked her raptus, who’d fallen asleep on her knee. “She was looking for LaLa.”

A pang of sadness passed through me, but then fingers slipped across the sand and twisted with mine. Aaru. ::Do you see them?::

Darkness had fallen, and now stars appeared in the sky. There was Suna, the Judge, and Lesya, the Weaver, and Zabel, the Hero. They all shone brightly in the moonless night, familiar and comforting.

Then I saw the new patterns: a figure that might have been a man hunched over; a woman, heavy with child; two people gazing into each other’s eyes. When I looked harder, they were all there, all seven Fallen Gods, reunited with the Upper Gods.

Maybe they were Risen Gods now.

::I see them.::

I turned my head to find Aaru looking at me, warmth in his gaze. ::Earlier, I wanted to ask something.::

“Yes,” I whispered.

The hum of quiet conversation silenced, and everyone turned toward us.

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask.” Aaru sat up.

“It doesn’t matter.” I took his hand. ::As long as we’re together, my answer is yes.::

He smiled and quickly—a little self-consciously—leaned forward to kiss me. It must have been difficult to show affection without the ability to call up silence and feel alone, but we would all need to learn to live our lives under our own powers now. Clearly, he was already practicing.