“Don’t you want vengeance?”
“Not if it comes at the cost of your happiness.”
Briefly closing his eyes, Kirian leans over to bump his forehead against mine. “Just a few hours on the job, and you’re already the best queen this kingdom has ever seen.”
I give him a doubtful smirk. “Let’s see what the nobles have to say about that.”
“They’ll learn to love you. It’s impossible not to.”
The sun fades away, draining the pink wisps and the yellow light in the sky, and Kirian stands before helping me up.
“Was that dawn or dusk?” I ask, completely unaware of the time here.
“Dawn.”
Gazing up at the constellations and the moons, I remember Astrid’s demonstration; the way they clicked into place as if someone had stamped the sky right onto my face. “If you’d been able to see me, would you have recognized the patterns?”
I don’t have to explain what I mean, because Kirian answers, “Absolutely. In fact, I don’t understand how no one else here noticed it.”
His observation makes me pause. “Maybe someone did.”
Kirian and I lock eyes as we both come to the same conclusion. “Gia.”
Kirian
To save time, Quinn and I decide to fly to Cassia. Seeing the world from above is thrilling, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. As Quinn clings to me, she doesn’t hide her face by my neck. She glances over her shoulder, looking down on the lands that are now her home.
I haven’t told her yet, but Damon and I plan to merge the Dream Realm and the Night Realm once again. He’ll still be king, but our people will be free to pass from one place to the next as citizens of both. Our resources will be pooled instead of traded. Together, we’ll be stronger.
As we soar over a gnome district, Quinn smiles at me. I can’t help smiling back.
“Yes, we’ll go there someday,” I say before she can request it. “I think a celebratory tour will be needed once we’ve set everything straight.”
She beams, her eyes becoming wider and her grin stretching as wide as possible. “I’d love that.”
Happiness bursts from her heart to mine, and for a second, our problems dim. Right now, I’m with my mate. She’s alive and well, and we’re going to have a future together.
“I love you,” I breathe out, our eyes locked.
“And I love you.” Pulling herself up, she closes the distance between us to press her lips to mine.
Did I think seeing the landscape was important? It isn’t anymore.
Nothing is better than the feel of my mate wrapped around me.
Shutting my eyes, I go on autopilot, kissing her while paying attention to the direction we’re going.
I know we’re close when I hear the Dream Realm flag flapping in the breeze. Reluctantly, I separate my mouth from Quinn’s.
“Damon’s palace is quite a bit smaller than yours,” she observes as we swoop down to the bridge.
“Don’t let the size fool you,” I tell her, unable to look away from her expression of awe. I like watching her face as she sees my world. Our world. “This place is more valuable than the castle in Delaveria. Damon and his parents have expensive taste. The entire thing is built with stone from the meteors.”
Quinn’s mouth pops open. “Is that why it’s glowing?”
I glance at it, realizing the light I followed here wasn’t from lamps, lanterns, or chandeliers.
It’s the castle itself.
Every rectangular stone is illuminated from within, and I’m taken aback by the beauty of it. I’ve been on this bridge countless times, stayed hundreds of nights here. I’ve felt the rough texture of the walls on my hands and the cool floors under my feet.
But I never pictured it like this in my mind. Like a faded star.
The inside is probably the same, and I can’t wait to see it.
Guards outside the front door blow their horns in a familiar tune, alerting Damon of my arrival. They add a couple notes at the end to signal I’m not alone.
“Kirian.” Damon rushes over as soon as we step through the main entrance.
I recognize his voice, but seeing him is surreal. His dark blond hair reaches just under his shoulders. He has a build like mine, but he’s just a couple inches shorter than me. No tattoos visible on his shirtless torso.
I’ve never asked him what he looks like. Both of us have always considered ourselves too manly to play a game of feel-my-face.
The women call him pretty boy, and they aren’t wrong. His features are softer than his father’s.
“We need to talk.” Sniffing the air, Damon tilts his ear toward us. “Hi, Quinn. Glad you’re back.”
“Likewise. I’m sure all of Valora missed me terribly,” Quinn says sarcastically.
Damon’s face is serious when he replies, “You have no idea. Kirian was unbearable at times. Terrible company.”
“Hey, I wasn’t that bad,” I defend, even though I know he’s right.
“You trashed my throne room. Broke a table, six chairs, and two mirrors.”
Quinn gapes at me. “Seriously, Kirian?”
I can’t answer her because my mind is stuck on the word mirrors. Up until now, I hadn’t even thought about what I look like. But I’ve never seen myself in adult form. Quinn tells me I’m attractive, but I need to see it.
“A mirror,” I blurt out, suddenly desperate to see my reflection. “I need one.”
“Before you go breaking shit, you need to know we have a big problem.” Damon chases after me as I sprint through the dining hall.
Scanning the walls, I search for a reflective surface. There are paintings and tapestries, but no mirrors. I stop at a silver tea pot, but when I bend down, my face is distorted in the round shape.
I continue on through the kitchen to the servants’ stairs.
I’ve got Quinn’s hand in mine, and I’m practically dragging her behind me. She doesn’t protest. She knows this is important.
“Aha!” I spy a full-length mirror at the end of the hallway on the second floor.
“Kirian!” Damon shouts. “This is serious. I’ve got news.
