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“We will ensure it.” She embraced me, her arm reaching around me to pull me against her side. When she pulled away, she held my gaze in hers. “You cannot save everyone. That is not your responsibility.”

I hadn’t been able to save Tyr either.

Despite her words, guilt settled forcefully in my gut.

Puck came up beside us, saying his own quiet goodbyes to Isaac. When he was finished, he stood, coming to my side and grasping my hand in his.

“I’m sorry, Diana. I didn’t have a choice. He was killing Tess… strangling her. I could only save one of them. I didn’t have the antidote.”

I shook my head. “You don’t need to explain—”

“But I do.” He nodded, swallowing hard. His throat bobbed. “Isaac led the resistance in your stead. He was our best asset… andI killed him. Nothing I ever say or do can forgive it. I just need you to know that I’m sorry.”

“Puck—” I wanted to console him. To assure him there was nothing else he could have done. But he left, joining the others to clean up.

Annelise took the longest to say goodbye. Her forehead pressed against his, her tears spilling against his cheeks. I had a hunch they were involved before, and it was clear now that there was more between them than friendship. Their relationship had been… complicated.

Amiyah, Zion, and Annelise used their magic to dig burial sites for the fallen Shades as Saanvi, Kenna, Puck and I gathered the bodies and prepared them for burial. It was the way of Shades for their bones and flesh to return to the earth where their magic was born. Not only their magic would return to the soil, but their very essence. We buried Isaac first, each of us saying a prayer to the Mother as we shoveled the dirt into the grave with our magic and our bare hands.

We buried the Noctani, too. Their magic returned to the earth when they died too, which meant they died as Shades.They deserved properly burials, too. We were heaving the fifth body into the graves Zion, Amiyah, and Annelise had dug when Nik returned quietly, leaning against a tree in the distance and silently watching.

One of the Nightshades that had been killed in the battle was Antonia Finch. I hadn’t even realized she had been here, hadn’t recognized her when the Nightshades had come to reinforce Nik. We buried her last, her body returning to the earth beneath a tall evergreen tree, its long green branches reaching down towards her.

I wished I could have saved her.

I wish I could have saved them all.

When we had finished burying them and giving them their last rites, we adorned their graves with wildflowers we had found growing in the adjacent field. Isaac’s final resting place was marked with a large granite boulder that we used magic to roll into place.

It was odd using my magic easily after so much time had passed. It was second nature, as if it had always been this way. This effortless. No thunder clapped overhead. No storm raged, threatening to steal my magic and turn me into a bloodthirsty monster. The magic sensation warmed in my core, filling me with a pleasant heat.

I had been able to sense the moment Nikolai had returned, and he bore his human form this time. His gaze focused on me as we worked, but he said nothing. He needed time… and I would give it to him. It had been weeks since he was turned—and Annelise was right—we had no idea what had transpired during that time.

What Donika might have made him do. Despite everything, even when he was Noctani, there was a piece of him that wasNik.

I gathered my pack, a silent question in my eyes as I turned towards Zion and Annelise.

“We should return to Amiyah’s,” Zion said as she joined us.

She nodded. “I think that’s the best idea. We should return to the grimoire and regroup. Decide our next steps. We can return to Siraleth and reinforce the wards with their binding now intact. It should be safe there again.”

Her head nodded towards Zion. “I guess you are the leader of the resistance now.”

A sad smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “I guess I am. I never imagined leading a movement against my own daughter, but there’s nothing else to be done about it. Istmere needs to be returned to its rightful queen, and the violence needs to end. It’s time for a change.”

I couldn’t imagine how difficult this might be for him. How he had to put our family aside and work towards the greater good for the people of Istmere. It was as if he could read the thoughts on my face, his gaze burning into mine.

“It’s what rulers do. Sacrifice. Make difficult decisions that benefit the greater good.”

A humorless laugh escaped me. Donika had certainly not gotten that memo. She had let her thirst for revenge, her hatred for those stronger than her, to grow and fester. To destroy her… turning her into the worst thing for the realm.

As a group, we headed towards the Prins border and Nikolai moved into step beside us soundlessly.

“How long until we get there?” he asked, his voice strained.

I could see in his expression he was still being swallowed by his own thoughts. He was distracted, his shoulders as heavy as his conscience.

“Two days’ time,” I answered.