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I set one foot into the void, landing against a sturdy surface—the top of a staircase, I remembered.

I would descend these steps to the Underworld. And with Ofelia by my side, I would forever call this place my home.

I shut the door behind me.

The golden light of the library shrank, folding smaller and smaller like a piece of paper—until it was gone.

The gravity of it struck me. I clung tight to my leather satchel, filled with every remnant I could bring with me from my travels. Flowers pressed between pages of sonnets. My book of sketches—small, meager things, my rudimentary attempts to capture the majesty of a mountain or the peacefulness of a cabin by the lake. And my own journals were filled to bursting, musing about the beauty I beheld, trying to fit every ounce of it onto a page, so that Ofelia might experience it with me.

With trembling breaths, I felt my way down the steps, a thin onyx railing serving as my guide. We had spoken so often with the use of the mirror. Our bond had changed, breaking and reforging and learning and growing.

Yet I’d not held her hand in a year. I’d not felt her breath upon my neck. I longed for the days when I’d wake up beside her and the faint scent of roses and orange blossoms from the perfume in her hair would fill the air between us.

I knew her; I trusted her, but even so, doubt whispered poison in my ear,What if she doesn’t want you?

The dazzling light drew me away from my brooding. Somewhere in my descent, I’d passed some invisible barrier,I’d slipped into some different world, where the sky was golden, like twilight in summer. I stopped in shock, gazing out at the land before me.

To my left were dozens and dozens of cherry blossom trees, just like the ones I’d seen on my journey. They were surrounded by fields of flowers of all colors, and a path wound through them all, leading to—to a bed, right there in the middle of the orchard, covered in blooms, vines twining around the wood frame.

Ahead of me was a range of lilac mountains, capped with snow. But they did not look to be made of stone—their texture was soft and loose. Like brushstrokes, as if someone had painted the mountains into being.

And on my right, a still, calm lake was like a pool of gold, reflecting the sky. The lake was ringed with pink sand, and far, far away, I could see three small figures in bright clothing.

Ofelia. One of them had to be Ofelia.

I could not contain all the hope and the happiness within me. Gripping tight to the railing, I called to the trio below, “Ofelia!”

One figure scrambled to their feet and shielded their eyes against the sunlight. Then her bright, joyful cry rang out through the whole world, and she was tearing across the flowery plains.

As fast as I could, I bounded down the stairs. At the verybottom, the earth beneath my feet was not black stone as before, but soft soil. Before me were vast fields of lavender, just like the ones I’d seen in the southeast, except these grew so wildly, so freely, all the way up to my waist. I breathed in the soft, sweet perfume and touched my fingertips to a lavender sprig—it was real. A little damp, delicate, full of life. Such beauty, all in this place that had been so dark, so cold.

“Lope!”

In the distance, there she was, wading among the lavender blossoms. With the light behind her, I could not see her face, just her silhouette, outlined in gold like she had become a goddess in my absence. She wore a wreath of flowers in her hair, all of them gleaming in the light—golden blooms that crowned her and fell, draping throughout her curls.

We raced toward each other, and then, at long last, I held her fast in my arms. Amid her crying and her delighted laughter, she pulled back from me, kissing my hair, my brow, my cheeks, my lips.

“You came back,” she whispered, tears glowing in her eyes.

If the gods had faces, they’d look like hers. A brilliant smile that made my heart stop. Her soft, pink lips that I wanted toworship. The constellation of freckles across her cheeks and shoulders, and those eyes, those warm, brown eyes that made me feel like I was the most important being in the universe. The place of the goddess of love must have been usurped byOfelia, who radiated warmth and affection like sunlight.

I pressed my forehead to hers. “I could not live with my heart so far away.”

Her thumbs delicately brushed my cheeks. “I hope you found happiness up there. That’s all I wanted; I wanted you to be happy—”

I interrupted her with a kiss. The way her breath faltered in a soft gasp against my lips made starlight sweep through me. “I am the happiest creature, above or below.”

She stood on her toes, clutching the lapels of my coat before gracing me with another kiss. “We’ll call it a tie.”

For a moment, we lost ourselves in quiet, in our closeness, in whispers and smiles.

Somewhere, the stillness was interrupted by a barking dog.

Ofelia laughed as I raised an eyebrow.

“Is there adogin the Underworld?” I asked her.

She grinned, taking my hand. “Come, there’s so much to show you.”