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Nebula leaps from the altar and moves to Sapphire’s side, pressing against her leg. A low, rumbling purr vibrates from the cheetah’s chest, as if she senses Sapphire’s nerves and wants to soothe them.

“You’re beautiful,” Sapphire whispers to her, cautiously placing her hand on Nebula’s head.

The cheetah leans into her touch, eyes half-closing in contentment as the familiar bond solidifies, just like it did between me and Ghost all those decades ago in the woods.

“She’s yours,” Anteros says to Sapphire, his voice soft with approval. “As Ghost is Riven’s. Two parts of the same divine gift.”

Sapphire turns back to me. “Come here,” she says, her eyes shining with an intensity that makes my chest tighten. “Feel this.”

I approach, Ghost at my side.

“Does she feel like… home to you?” she asks, resting her free palm on Nebula’s spotted fur. There’s a thread of awe in her tone, like she’s discovering something too big to name.

I give a slight nod, placing my hand over Ghost’s back. “Yes,” I say, watching both familiars. “Ghost is an echo of me, and it seems like Nebula is an echo of you.”

The snow leopard and the cheetah turn toward each other, their gazes locking. Something passes between them—a current of recognition and understanding. Even the surrounding vines and frost seem to hush, surrendering to the connection in that one shared look.

For a moment, they simply regard each other—ice and sun, winter and summer. And then, in perfect synchronicity, they touch foreheads.

The magic that erupts from that contact is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. It’s not just power—it’s completion. Balance. Harmony. The sensation floods through me, intertwining with the bond I share with Sapphire, amplifying it until I can feel all three of their heartbeats as distinctly as my own.

“They were always meant to be together,” Sapphire says, gazing at me with pure love and adoration in those beautiful blue eyes. “Just like us.”

“Two halves of the same soul,” I agree.

Anteros steps forward, his golden wings folding against his back, demanding our attention.

“The bond you share is rare,” he says, his gaze moving between the four of us. “Summer and winter, cheetah and snow leopard—opposites that complete rather than destroy. I’ve only witnessed such unions a handful of times.”

“What does it mean?” Sapphire asks, her hand resting on Nebula’s back.

The god’s smile is bright. “It means you’ve been blessed by forces older than the gods. It means you were always meant to find each other, across all realms and times, no matter what the universe tried to throw at you.”

“I have so many questions,” she murmurs, her magic stirring in the air—like she’s ready to summon water into a thousand shapes if it helps her understand.

Ghost nudges my hand with his nose, his presence filling my mind—strong and defined. And there’s something new there, too. A golden thread woven through our connection, linking us to Nebula and, through her, to Sapphire.

If anything ever happens to bond me to Sapphire more than I already am, I think I might die from the sheer feeling ofcompletenessof it all. And that’s saying a lot, given that I’ve died for her once already.

Yet, standing here, any sacrifice seems like a small price to pay for a love like ours.

But I’m snapped out of the daze when Anteros clears his throat, commanding our attention once again.

“Allow the bond to grow, and it will become a source of power unlike any other,” he says. “However, since you passed your trial and your familiars have awoken, our time here—as educational as it’s been—is over. The temple will return to its slumber, and you’ll return to where you need to be.”

He gives us an approving smile, his form sparkling with golden light.

“Wait.” Sapphire steps forward, her hand curling at her side. “What about the Winter King? And the Night Court?”

“Many answers await you,” the god says gently. “But not here. Not now. You must return to your realm, to face the battles that cannot be fought in this sacred space.”

Frustration pangs through me, but I know he’s right. We can’t hide from our problems here. So, I exchange a glance with Sapphire, whose water magic coils protectively at her feet.

From the way her breathing slows, I know she understands.

“Ghost and Nebula will guide you,” Anteros says as the walls start to shimmer, the vines retreating, the ice melting into mist. “But as you continue your journey, you must understand—soulmates are not always forged in light. Some are born in shadow, molded by suffering, and tethered by the unspoken vow that even through darkness and destruction, they will stand together.”

Sapphire stiffens beside me. There’s fear in her expression, but she sets her jaw, defiant.