Page 67 of Finding Closure

“Edelman asked me to tell you when he called to say I am now.”

I ran my tongue over my teeth. “That man needs to learn some fucking tact.” I sighed when she snorted. “Sorry you found out like that.”

She gave me a curious look. “It should have been you.”

“No, it shouldn’t have been, and people would have been valid to bitch if it was,” I argued. “Artemis isn’t set up for a fairy student full-time especially all the years and certainly not one who’s half demigod or whatever.”

She bobbed her head as I spoke. “Fair, but you did work harder than I did, Tams. That’s the part that upsets me.”

“I don’t want it, Izzy,” I admitted quietly. “I just… Don’t want it. I also don’t want it for my people.” I hurried on when she seemed shocked. “Not that their queen went to Artemis or school with regular supes—”

“But that she had to,” she whispered, understanding. It would forever be another reminder of what was done to me instead of what I’d achieved.

Maybe not, but it made sense in my head and I understood it.

More than that, I saw Izzy wanted it.

“You deserve it too, boo,” I promised her as I patted her shoulder. “Take the victory and let me step out of your way. I will always be front and center for so much. Take this one. I can admit I maybe deserved it, but so do you, Izzy. You worked just as hard as I did. It wasn’t your fault that I wasbehindand had to work harder. You put in the years of work before that.”

“You sure?” she hedged.

I grabbed her arms and shook her. “Please do this for both of us. I cannot handle a speech in front of those vipers with everything else on my plate. Take this crown you deserve. I have a crown to accept already, and the stress of it is killing me.”

I admitted a bit too much there, and I saw she caught it. She leaned in and kissed my cheek. I was glad she believed me at least.

And I was glad it was her. She really did deserve it.

Which was why I walked into the restaurant and spilled the news like a proud bestie. “Guess who is the valedictorian? Let’s hear it for Ms. Isabella Thorne!”

Our people immediately started cheering, most standing and clapping for her and not caring if we bothered others there. Screw them. This was awesome, and we weren’t going to be loud for long.

Julian pulled me off to the side later and pressed his lips to my ear. “As a former professor and valedictorian of his class at Artemis, I’m proud of you, my sweet mate. For being at the top and also knowing what’s more important and giving the honor to Izzy.”

I kissed him. “It was always hers. Artemis wasn’t ready for a fairy who’s part demigod. I play fair.”

“It’s one of your best qualities, Tams,” he whispered. “It always has been.”

I was glad he thought that way. It was something I wanted people to think about me. I truly did.

17

I was exhausted.

I was beyond exhausted.

Everything was ready for graduation in a few days.

Everything was ready for my coronation a few days after that.

Except me. I wasexhausted.

I thought I’d had so much in place, but there were so many last-minute details it wasn’t even funny. Changing the coronation had changed the whole fucking plan from start to finish it seemed.

And apparently, all of Faerie wanted to change the solemnness of what came after. Normally, the new queen immediately went into seclusion to commune with the gods, but really have the ancients fuck her over.

Yeah, Faerie didn’t want that anymore. Theydidagree that I needed time to decompress basically, but they wanted a celebration after the coronation.

All of Faerie—all over Faerie.

---