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I walk forward to join him and understand what he means.

“But this is impossible,” I say, turning a slow circle. “Where did it all come from? It’s as though the ground has just closed itself in.”

“I think that’s exactly what’s happened.”

I shake my head in wonder. “It’s magic.”

In a perfect world, perhaps the magic could have raised the tower again, could have put my mother and the king safely back in their bed. But this is not a perfect world, and we still have to deal with their loss. I don’t dare hope for what this might mean.

Ruarok captures my hand then uses his other hand to point out across the city.

“Look.”

In the quadrant where the rot had hit the worst, andhad felled so many buildings, the hole it had left has also sealed over.

“I don’t understand what’s happened,” Ruarok says. “It’s as though the rot has healed itself.”

“I think that’s exactly what has happened.” I remember the Mage’s words. “A love sacrifice. That’s what the Mage said would stop the rot. Something good against evil. Light against dark.” I turn to face him and take his other hand. “That’s what you did, Ruarok, when you said you’d give me up. You sacrificed your love for me for the greater good, and it worked. For the first time in your life, you made a decision that went against what you wanted. You were selfless.”

This whole time, I’d believed I was the one who needed to make the sacrifice, but the Mage never actually said that. I’d simply made the assumption that it was supposed to be me. Instead, Ruarok made the sacrifice, unwittingly, without expectation of anything in return, only because he felt it was the right thing to do.

But he shakes his head. “No, I would never sacrifice my love for you. Even though I’d agreed to let you go, it didn’t mean I wouldn’t still love you. I’ll always love you, Taelyn, no matter where we are or what we’re doing. That will never die.”

“But don’t you see?” I urge him. “If the rot is gone, I don’t need to marry King Robertus to allow the movement of our people. They can stay here, and so can I.”

He stares at me as though he doesn’t believe what I’m saying. “You’re not marrying him?”

I laugh, but it comes out as a happy sob. “No, of course I’m not.”

He scoops me up and kisses me hard. “Then you’re marrying me instead.”

“We’re stepbrother and sister,” I say, though I’m grinning.

“So? Who makes the laws in this land? We do. We’ll have the biggest wedding Highdrift has ever seen.”

40

TAELYN

We startplans for both the wedding and the coronation almost immediately.

I imagine King Robertus won’t be too happy when he learns that not only have I rejected his offer, but that I’m also marrying my stepbrother, but I’m beyond caring. We will have the coronation before the wedding, so I can be crowned queen, and Ruarok will be my king consort.

We will rule Askos together.

There was one thing we needed to deal with before we could marry. Cirrus Planetree manipulated us—or at least tried to—and we could not keep him as part of our guard. We confronted him together, and he cried like a baby and begged for his life. Perhaps he deserved to die, but I didn’t want to start our new reign by hanging someone in the city square. I wanted to rule with love and compassion, not fear. Instead, he was banished, to live out the rest of his life in the Wildlands. Perhaps some might say it’s a fate worse than death, but at least we gave him a chance.

We’re in the king’s—our—offices, looking at seating plans and selecting menus. I should be on top of the world, and I am, in many ways, but there is one thing still eating at me.

“You’re quiet,” Ruarok remarks.

“Am I?”

“You have something on your mind.”

I press my lips together and nod. I have to tell him. I can’t keep it in any longer.

“I’m not who I make out to be,” Iadmit, tears welling in my eyes.