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She snorted. “You mean, am I going to tell him that a bleeding heart song is growing between his beloved daughter and a boy from an enemy kingdom? No. I think I will let that path open however it is meant to open. I’m quite done meddling in fate.”

I chuckled, embracing the heat of a song burning between the two of us the longer the two littles were close to each other.

Calista had the right idea. Twisting fate had done enough damage to our lives. I, for one, planned to live as far from tales and tricks of the Norns as I could.

I planned to live, for the first time in lifetimes, in peace with my rose by my side.

Epilogue

WESTERN KINGDOM: THE STORYTELLER

Apparently,Silas and I needed to be coronated.

Gorm, that logical fool, was the one who insisted until we all caved. The blood fae was soft spoken, but damn unrelenting. It was a true gift, a power no one could manage without bending beneath his insistence on what must be done because that is simply what is done.

I tugged at the collar of the satin gown Saga had brought from the new Borough in the Southern realms. My hair was out of its rough braids for the first time in what seemed forever, and I finally relented and agreed to wear the silver circlet Gorm had fashioned for me turns ago.

Silas was across the bed chamber, and I might have liked to stare at him the whole of the day rather than be seated on a bleeding throne.

A clean, deep blue tunic with dark trousers. Silver runes stitched the hems of his sleeves, and his hair had been braided down the center of his head, like a bleeding warrior. No mistake, he was my favorite sight of all.

Hus Rose was promptly decided on as a neutral fortress. It would be a gathering of realms. Here we fought for our folk, our lands, so here we’d gather as one land, every turn, perhaps every two. If Silas had his way, it would be every five.

In the center knolls, Silas and I would take our place. Already, plans for a longhouse all our own had been mapped out and designed. Ari had a great deal to say about it, insisting there be rooms aplenty for when our royals decided to drop in from time to time.

Silas spun a silver band around his center finger, once, twice.

I chuckled and took hold of his palm. “Unsettled?”

“Always.”

“About truly taking a place as king, or something else?”

“I don’t much care what folk call me. I’ll leave you to do all the talking anyway.” He grinned, but a pink flush tinged his cheeks. “I’ve never left Raven Row. At least, not for centuries. It’s strange to think, soon we won’t be here.”

I took his hands in mine. “We can stay here if you’d rather.”

“No.” He kissed me quickly. “No, I want to leave. I am a prisoner in many ways when I’m here, Little Rose. Still, it’s unsettling, and I feel ridiculous about it.”

I stroked the sharp line of his jaw. “It’s not ridiculous.”

“A bit.” Silas finished securing the blade on his belt. “We literally survived a war of worlds, and what frightens me is a new dwelling.”

“Well, when you put it that way.”

He tugged on the end of my hair like he always did when we were littles and ushered me to walk ahead of him toward the great hall.

The hall was truly a sight. A raised dais had been positioned at the far end. Blossoms and vines of berries donned the edges. Atop the platform were eight bleeding thrones. Simple for now, but Gorm assured every royal house the fortress would be fitted with proper thrones soon enough.

I didn’t think any of us cared where we plopped our asses.

Already, my royals were seated in their places. Elise and Valen both wore circlets made of silver and moonvane. They had their fingers laced, and kept their heads close, whispering through grins.

I never knew what my Cursed King and Kind Heart snickered about, but it brightened my soul to know they were once more at ease and laughing together.

Kase seemed ready to bolt if one more fae or warrior dipped their chin in respect. He, in fact, had managed to find a way not to wear his black crown. Malin smiled when we appeared in the doorway, her gown was like liquid silver. I smiled back. This was the moment—I could recall it now—but I knew this was the moment I’d shown the dying memory queen all those turns ago.

A true queen of fate seated beside her king amidst the united thrones.