As Kala and I entered the white gates of the city, my distracted thoughts melted into the back of my mind. A litter awaited us after Kala flew up to the palace and alerted Queen Sorcha of our arrival.

I sat inside the litter, nearly leaning over the side as I marveled at the sights. I’d been deprived of such beauty for far too long.

Opulent didn’t begin to describe what Allandria truly was. The trees outstretched high into the heavens, and from their branches were hundreds of houses. Glass and gold combined with the wood of the trees and glittered as traces of sunlight peeked through the forest canopy.

The roads were paved in cream stone, and the river flowed around the city, like a moat, but full of life and beauty.

“Good gracious,” I said, as iridescent fish jumped and played in the river, their scales shimmering in the light.

Set in the center of the bustling city, the Allandrian Palace stood at the center of the empire. The cream and gold of the palace’s siding shone beneath the bright, blue sky.

It was the most delightful thing I’d seen in ages. Memories of Mordigan returned to me as I recalled swimming in the koi pond and splashing my mother as she sat on the edge, reading. Always reading. My smile faded. I’d seen her perish, and it had not been merciful.

Once we reached the palace, Prince Ewan and Queen Sorcha were there with two other young men, eagerly awaiting our arrival.

By the look on his face, I could see relief in Prince Ewan’s eyes and a visible release of tension in his face as he approached. He took my gloved hand and helped me to the stone walkway.

“My dear,” he said. “I have been sick with worry. If I could have jumped over the side of the ship and gone after you, I would have.”

I nodded, forcing a smile. “I know. There was nothing you could have done against him,” I said, and he tensed.

“Against who?”

I pursed my lips, my eyes locking with those of who I knew to be Stellan’s.

“Nothing,” I said, and left him to approach the boy from my dream, my childhood friend.

He was a remarkable specimen. Dark red hair and blue eyes, but there was a thick red beard that hadn’t been there before. I smiled as I approached him and gave it a tug.

He lifted his brows, gazing down at me with a surprised look on his face.

“Hello, fathead,” I said, searching his eyes.

The smile that greeted me warmed my heart. It was all worth it.

“And, hello to you stinky-face,” he said, and we chuckled together, embracing tightly. He spun me around and I held on as if I held on for life, joy filling my entire body.

It was just as we’d left it as children.

I was home.

My eyes left his to meet those of the young man beside him.

“And, who are you?” I asked, reaching my hand out to him.

He took my hand and kissed the knuckles. “I am Prince Maxim of Kyushu. Pleased to meet you.”

“The Earth Prince,” I said. I’d felt his energy, perhaps stronger than the others. I just didn’t know why. “Pleased to meet you as well.”

“This way, princess. We need to prepare you for the coronation,” Queen Sorcha said, and ushered us into the palace. “Come, meet your ladies-in-waiting and get acquainted with the traditions of the coronation.”

“See you at dinner, my queen,” Maxim said, leaving a lingering kiss on my knuckles once more.

Something stirred within me, and I was locked in his gaze. “I’ll look forward to it,” I said in a soft voice as I was led away by Queen Sorcha.

Two guards waited outside, with their swords sheathed and their armor polished. As I stared at them, they barely blinked or moved an inch.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Prince Ewan asked, approaching from behind.

“Yes,” I said. “Quite.”

He looked down at me, a twinkle in his eyes.

I nodded, though its beauty only brought back painful memories of a life I had been stolen from.

“Ostrum Palace isn’t nearly as grand as this,” he added. “Drab and older than dirt.”

“Will I see it someday?”

He lifted a brow. “If you’d like. I must apologize for my brothers and their manners in advance.”

Nodding, together we walked up the gray, stone staircase to the open archway that led inside the palace.

“Welcome to your new home,” Queen Sorcha said. She smiled at me and smoothed my hair. “Until your coronation, you’ll be guarded at all times and will remain in the palace. Its for your protection. We can’t have anyone ruining our plans. Not after everything we’ve done to get you two here.”

“When will my coronation be exactly?” I asked.

For a moment, I didn’t think I sounded like myself. Jasper had done what he’d threatened; he’d awakened something within me. A fire and a forwardness I didn’t know existed. I would survive, and as queen, I would have the power to destroy him.

She glanced over her shoulder, just at the base of the stairs, her eyes narrowing. “Eager, aren’t we?”

I looked at her, unblinking.

“Tomorrow,” she said, leading the way up the winding staircase, and my face flushed.

“So soon?” I asked and Prince Ewan gave my hand a squeeze.

“Yes,” she said. “Once the sun sets on the end of the Solstice, our chance to bind you won’t come again for another ten years.”

“My goodness,” I said, releasing a heavy sigh. “I had no idea.”

“Well,” she said. “You’ve been gone for weeks. We are short on time.”

I clasped my hand over my mouth. “Weeks?”

She looked to me, brows furrowed. “A journey through The Veil does not happen at the same pace as our time, my dear. We have all been worried sick. And yes, for weeks.”

My stomach sank. Why didn’t Kala tell me? She’d been waiting there, praying, pleading with the Guardians to save me.

I realized what a task it had been, and as I glanced back down at her as she waited outside, I couldn’t help but love her even more.

My legs burned from hiking up nine flights of stairs, but I was surprised that I wasn’t more afraid. One day I would be an empress, and all of my years of sorrow and suffering would be behind me.

Allandria was mine, and I wanted to know her and study every part of her. So, I observed every floor as we went steadily upward.

I was surrounded by dimly lit corridors with ceilings that reached to the sky. Statues seemed to watch me, as did paintings of people with the same grim look on their face.

My heart raced a bit, thumping in my chest like a drum. I hadn’t had so much free space to wander since childhood.

Once we reached my private apartment, Queen Sorcha opened the double doors and we walked into a room full of light.

“Princess, please meet Morgan, Talia, Simi, and Lena,” she said, and four beautiful faeries all curtsied before me.

“Hello,” I said, and the queen and Ewan turned to leave the room.

Ewan stopped to kiss my cheek, and stroked the back of my hand. “See you at dinner.”

I nodded, forcing a smile despite the heavy worry that weighed me down. “See you then, my prince.”

“Take good care of her,”Queen Sorcha said to my ladies-in-waiting.

“We will,” they said in unison, and once the doors closed.

“I’m Morgan,” said the faerie with the black hair and purple skin.

Her eyes were a bit too big for her face, but the most beautiful shade of gray I had ever seen. She lifted my shirt over my head while another unbuckled my belt.

“Pleasure to finally meet you, your royal highness,” she said.

“Likewise,” I said as someone began tugging at my hair. “Ouch!”

“Oops,” said the one with the pink hair and dark, brown skin. She smiled at me, pink eyes cast down in apology. “My apologies, your royal highness. I am Talia.”

I learned that the two brunettes were identical twin sisters, Simi and Lena, as they took began tugging my clothes and shoes off until I was naked and covering my private areas in the middle of the room.

“Oh, don’t be shy, your royal highness,” Morgan said, her eyes meeting mine. “We’ll make you shine for your handsome princes. Just leave it to us.”