Page 45 of Black Hearted (Cursed Fae #4)

I started to tell her I wasn’t sure when a familiar voice called out from the other side of the mirror.

“Dawn!”

I snapped my head up to see Master Duncan standing in the Spring Palace’s throne room. A small crowd was lining up behind him. I recognized Aribella’s mother, Queen Beatrice, among them.

“Where’s my daughter?” Queen Beatrice shouted as she pushed her way forward.

“Can we come over?” Master Duncan asked, inspecting the mirror. He peered at the edging, seemingly deeming it safe.

I glanced at Zander to confirm it was okay, and he nodded before I told Master Duncan it was safe to cross.

This was a historic moment—leaders of Faerie entering the mirror world.

Master Duncan and Queen Beatrice came through first. As I went to greet Master Duncan, Aribella ran into her mother’s arms, the pair sobbing as they embraced.

Then Adrien passed through the mirror to Faerie to check on Isolde.

Just as Serafina, Isolde’s sister, arrived, looking flushed as though she had run the length of Zane’s castle to get here, her sisters—all five of them, minus Isolde—came through the mirror portal. Before we knew it, we were all moving back and forth at will without issue.

From what we could gather, Queen Gloriana had just returned the mirror to the Spring Palace’s throne room.

She explained that my mother had stolen it, but she’d sent her soldiers to retrieve it.

It turned out that the portal opened the moment the mirror was returned to its place in the throne room, connecting it directly to Zane’s throne room here in the Western Kingdom.

I had to wonder if the same was happening with the other mirror portals, connecting the different Faerie courts with the Ethereum kingdoms. But since we’d all been forced to abandon the other palaces and castles because of the curse, we wouldn’t yet know until we returned.

We told Master Duncan and the others that my mother had been killed. We didn’t share the details of how, and they didn’t ask.

Master Duncan mentioned that I would need to be sworn in as queen and sent a messenger to the Summer Court to check on its status. Since we didn’t have train stations or any fast mode of travel, it would take days, even with a raven delivering the reply.

I was overwhelmed yet filled with joy. Isolde and Seraphina had been reunited with their entire family, as well as Aribella with her parents.

The only fae missing were Zane and Lorelei. If Zane was truly alive, where were they? Stryker’s comment about something feeling different about Zane ran through my mind, but I had to hope that wherever the Western lord and Spring princess were, they were safe with each other.

Though it was late, Zander had the kitchen prepare a full five-course meal and had tables brought into the throne room. We were having a celebration.

One of Lorelei’s younger sisters, her name escaped me, approached with a young red-haired girl. Judging by her clothes, she wasn’t royalty.

“Is this Zane’s house?” the girl asked, seeming unsure.

I nodded. “Yes, it is. Who are you?”

“I’m Nellie. Have you seen Zane?” she asked, hope shining in her eyes. I’d overheard her asking Isolde the same thing a few minutes ago.

I shook my head gently. “I’m sorry, I haven’t. How do you know him?”

She chewed on her lip, looking like she was about to cry. My heart ached for her.

“He’s my friend, and he said he was coming back,” she whispered.

As she turned to leave, I caught her arm gently. She turned back to me, her eyes brimming with tears so full I was sure she could barely see.

“If Zane said he was coming back for you, then he’s coming back for you,” I promised her.

If any of my husband’s brothers were a man of his word, it was Zane. I didn’t know how they were connected, but it was clear Zane had touched this young girl’s heart, and I wanted her to know he wouldn’t abandon her.

“Would you like to stay and have a meal with us while we wait for him?” I offered.

Lifting her chin, she nodded, doing her best to put on a brave face. My heart ached for her.

I called for Nysa to bring the babies since it wasn’t good for me to be away from them for long. When they arrived, fae from both worlds stopped to offer Zander and me their congratulations.

As I glanced around the room, with Zander at my side and our children close, seelie and unseelie alike mingled, gazing around in wonder and passing in and out of the portal with ease.

It was the best feeling in the world. There was a rightness to this. To have the two worlds open, to being one people.

I watched as Stryker extended his hand to Aribella’s father, King Leonard, and created a small horse out of shadows. When it dissolved, they shook hands, smiling.

Zander slipped his hand into mine and glanced at me. “Queen, huh?” he teased.

I gave a nervous laugh. “Yeah, we might need to figure that out.”

He nodded. “I’ve always wanted to live in a place that’s hot and sunny.”

I laughed. “You liar. You love the snow.”

Grinning, he pulled me into his arms. “I do. But I’ll go wherever you go. We can spend equal time in both places if your people need you. We’ll figure it out.”

Stars, I married the most understanding man in the realm.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, little bird.”

He leaned in to kiss me, but Nellie’s squeal ripped through the air.

“Zane!” she screamed.

I pulled myself from Zander’s arms and looked toward the open doorway to the throne room.

Zane stood there with Lorelei, holding hands, both wearing smiles.

And I knew just from looking at them that the Spring princess had found her mate.