I walk into the shower as the sun rises the next morning. I strip down, tossing my clothes in the bin and step into the cool water.

No hot showers in this region, not this time of year.

As I wash my hair, I think back on this life. Particularly the last few weeks.

I understand now why Cyrus was so anxious for me to die when he first met me. I understand why he was so impatient.

When I told him that I needed some time to close out my life and we bargained for time, it was like a game to him. Cyrus loves his games.

It wasn’t something that really came into play until my life as Antoinette, when Cyrus had already lived life as a vampire for over a thousand years.

I think back on all the little details of our time together in that house in Greendale. The looks he gave me over particular things. Over little things I said. When he took notes of little facts about my life, like how I believed in reincarnation, or the fact that I couldn’t cook anything.

Those were all little signs and clues of Sevan.

But there were other details, too.

The way he held my hand at times. The way he played along with the part of Logan’s boyfriend. The way he charmed my parents and Amelia. The way he saved me from Shylock.

Those details. Those were just about Logan.

And those final moments before I died the first death with this face, the guilt Cyrus admitted to.

My chest aches.

Cyrus has never loved another woman. His devotion and commitment to Sevan is astounding.

But there was that confession just before I died. The guilt of feeling as if I am betraying my wife. Because when I look at you, Logan… And I swear I can remember him pressing his lips to mine just as I died.

I’m ready.

I shut the water off in the shower and I step out.

I’m ready.

I’m going home.

I’m returning to Roter Himmel.

I can announce to the world that the Queen has been found again.

And I’m ready. For Cyrus.

For us.

With excitement, I get myself ready for the day. I dress, I do my hair, put on some makeup. I start packing my things.

I’m so ready.

I consider calling, or at least texting Cyrus, but I smile at the idea of walking up to the castle, as I’ve done so many times before, and surprising him.

I love the look on his face at our reunions.

He might know where I am, that the time is here, but he’s been so understanding in giving me my time to sort through all of these emotions I’ve had to deal with.

I can’t wait to see the look on his face again.

With my bag packed, I step out and follow the sound of voices.

Alivia, Rath, and Nial are all in the dining room talking. Each of them look up as I enter, waiting for whatever new levels of crazy I’m about to unleash on them.

“I’m going back to Roter Himmel,” I announce. “Today. I’m going to fly with Eshan back home, smooth things over with our parents. And then I’m going back to Austria.”

Alivia raises her eyebrows, her expression surprised. “So…so soon?”

I nod. “I needed time to straighten my head out and well, it was some power nap I took.” I laugh at myself. I’m giddy, filled to the brim with anticipation. “And it’s time. I’ve put Cyrus through enough in the past two weeks. I need to go home.”

Rath stands, facing me. His expression is uncertain. Wary. “Logan, are you sure you’re ready?”

I take a step forward, wrapping my arms around him. “I am,” I say quietly. “Thank you. Thank you for coming here with me. And for keeping me safe for the past sixteen years. I’m going home. I think it’s time you get comfortable in yours again, too.”

I let go of him, looking him in the eyes.

And like a weight lifted off of him, I swear I see the burden of protecting me lift out of his eyes.

“I have a favor to ask of you, Alivia,” I say, looking over at her. “There’s still one last piece of my identity I need to fit together.”

She gives me a look of nervous anticipation, and I know she knows what I’m about to ask.

“I want you to come and identify my biological father,” I say. “For my own curiosity, to know my other half. And for safety reasons. I’ve been in these politics for…for a really long time. And there are a million reasons why I need to know who he is.”

Ian walks into the dining room then. His lips are set thin, his body tense.

I know what I’m asking.

For her to return to a place where she was held captive for a month, where she was tortured. And I’m asking her to go find a man she slept with once and then never saw again.

But, I’m asking.

“Of course,” Alivia says, but her tone is tight. “Anything.”

I smile, hoping she can see my appreciation.

So we prepare to leave.

I think I expected this visit to the House of Conrath to be longer. I kind of expected that eventually I’d get to know all of her House members and that at some point Ian and I would hash it out and eventually learn to deal with each other.

But I have such big things on my horizon.

This is just one House. And while it may be my mother’s House, soon I will be involved with the affairs of all twenty-seven Houses. Soon I’ll be dealing with Court again and the significance that my return will mean for our entire world.

Shit.

This is so big.

How the hell am I supposed to handle all of this?

You’re not doing it all on your own, a voice from long ago whispers to me. A voice that is my own.

With our bags packed, everyone gathers in the entryway.

And to my surprise, Ian carries a bag for himself along with Alivia’s.

“Not a chance in hell I’m letting her face Cyrus again alone,” he says to me with a hard look in his eyes that dares me to tell him no.

“Fine by me,” I say, holding my hands up.

“Good luck,” Elle says as she crosses to me, pulling me into a hug. “I hope you find your happiness. Tell Cyrus hello for me.”

“I will,” I promise, hugging her tight. She backs away and I turn to Aster. “It was really nice to meet you, Aster. Maybe you and your mom could come visit me sometime and we’ll get more time to get to know each other.”

She smiles broadly, nodding.

All of Alivia’s house members watch us, studying me. I offer them a little awkward smile, wondering what they’re thinking.

But not really caring.

“Can we hope that with you back, that husband of yours will be content to stay in Roter Himmel for a while?” Christian asks. And there, I see the darkness in his eyes, the darkness put there when Cyrus somehow killed, or was the cause of his father’s death.

“Don’t give us a reason to come back for a good long while, ‘k?” I say with a wink.

He winks back.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Alivia fusses, speaking to Nial Jarvis. “This is so sudden. I feel like I’m just dumping everything on you and running.”

“Things will be fine, Alivia,” he reassures her. “It isn’t as if we haven’t dealt with the unexpected before.”

She smiles, but it’s forced.

In her eyes I can see the terror.

I wonder again: what did Cyrus really do to her?

But I have to force that thought down. The past is in the past and we can only learn and grow from it.

I turn to Rath. “And what about you?” I ask. “Where do you go from here?”

He steps forward, placing his hands on my shoulders.

“I’ve spent the last sixteen years watching over you, Logan,” he says. “You’ve given me purpose, something to focus on. But this is your time,” he says, his eyes gathering weight. “You have others around you. You have those in your service. But what I know is this: that you don’t need anyone but you, my Queen.”

He takes half a step back, and dips into a deep bow. And when he rises, there’s determination. “It is time I return to my own home. It is time that I returned to the House of Conrath, where I belong.”

I look over to Alivia. Her eyes are filled with tears and her lower lip trembles. Without a word, she crosses the space and wraps her arms around Rath. Neither says a word, but I feel it, the unspoken forgiveness that flows between the two of them.

“Thank you,” I say, offering Rath a little smile as he looks over Alivia’s shoulder at me. I turn my gaze to the rest of the House. “Thank you all for your hospitality. It was nice to meet you. Until we meet again, I suppose.”

Looking over at Eshan who waits beside me, I turn, and we walk down the big, wide steps down to the cars that wait for us just outside the doors.

“You even talk different now,” Eshan says.

“What do you mean?” I ask him, my brows furrowed.

He pins me with a look. “You talk all formal now. Older words. And you swear a lot less.”

Holy shit, he’s right…

I laugh, shaking my head and ruffle his hair.

Smith steps out of the house, immediately slipping into the driver’s seat. He’ll be bringing Cyrus’ car back to this house once we all get on the plane.

The four of us load our bags into the trunk, and squishing in tight, we climb in.

The weight of what is coming distracts everyone into silence as we navigate to the nearest airport. It’s a private field, one that accommodates the private jet Alivia arranged to take us back to Greendale and then across the globe to Austria.

We pull onto the tarmac, easily finding our waiting jet. Smith parks beside it and we all pile out, gathering our bags, which an attendant loads into the plane. With a quick goodbye to Alivia and Ian, Smith climbs back in the car, and takes it back to the House of Conrath.

“How am I just supposed to go back to normal tomorrow?” Eshan says as our bags are loaded. “Never mind how pissed mom and dad are going to be. I just spent four days as a vampire, learned my sister is a couple-thousand-year-old Queen, and that a seriously badass King is my brother-in-law. How the hell am I supposed to just go back to a normal life?”

Ian clamps a hand down on his shoulder. “You count yourself as damn lucky. You enjoy a drama-free life.”

Alivia huffs a laugh, takes her husband’s hand, and leads him into the belly of the plane.

“You’ll be fine,” I say, offering Eshan a reassuring smile. “And for what it’s worth, I somehow doubt you’re just done with all this craziness.”

He smiles excitedly, and I wonder how much of this reality ever hit him. If he remembers that he killed someone. If he remembers what it felt like to drink a human’s blood.

I hope he doesn’t.

He scrambles into the jet, going off about how cool it is that Alivia has a private jet at her beckoned call.

I’m about to head in when my cell phone rings.

I pull it out to see Larkin’s name.

“Any updates?” I ask without a greeting.

He lets out a breath. That slight moment of hesitation sets my blood cold. “I’ve caught the perpetrators,” he says, his voice grim. “They’re in custody.”

“That’s great,” I say with relief. “I’m actually on my way back right now.”

“There’s something more, my Queen,” he says solemnly. “I caught them leaving your parents’ home.”

And now all the blood has disappeared from my veins. My internal organs have turned to ash.

“There was a reason the attack on Cyrus was feeble,” Larkin says. “I do not think it was him they were truly after.” There’s a long pause. And I feel the air grow heavier. “I think they were actually looking for you, Sevan. And now they’re trying to draw you back.”

“What do you mean?” I breathe.

One more pause, and I can’t breathe anymore.

“They killed your parents.”

And the world goes silent as a high-pitched ringing sets off in my ears.