Page 75 of A Crown of Fates

Our bond pulses wildly within my chest, his excitement becoming my own, as I reach to hold him tighter.

Smiling brightly up at him, I give him a brief yet lingering kiss, keeping my tone light. “And that would be…”

“I spoke with your sister,” he says, his energy going wild with joy and relief. “She’ll be here in two days with Asher, but she also delivered a message from your mother.”

My mom? I haven’t spoken with her in much too long. Gods, I hope she’s not furious with me.

“Isla didn’t want to tell you before with all we had going on, but apparently Florence can receive messages while she’s dreaming from those who’ve gone to rest,” Theo says, his eyes glazing over and making mine do the same. “My mother. She’s…” His voice cracks as he grins. “She’s safe and happy and at peace.”

“Oh, Theo.” I throw my arms around him, but the tighter I hold on, the more erratic my emotions become. I go from happy to overwhelmed within an instant and guilt begins to choke me.

I try to pull away from him, not wanting this moment to be about me when I know how much this news means to my mate, but he holds onto me, his touch filled with only love.

“I’ve got you, Starlight,” he promises with a certainty that I find myself clinging to.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” I mutter against his chest. “You’ve just shared good news, but…”

He kisses the top of my head. “Even something positive can push the strongest of us over the edge. You’ve spent centuries carrying your emotions on your own and you’ve done so with strength and grace. But you don’t have to do so alone anymore.”

His words crack something inside me, a fissure that’s been forming since the moment I arrived in Selaris. I’ve held on to every burden, every scar, every moment of pain, convinced I had to bear it all on my own. But all this good news combined with Theo’s love and his unyielding belief in me…it dismantles my defenses in ways I never thought possible.

His godly alpha energy pulses through me, shattering the last of my walls. The dam breaks, and I collapse against his chest, sobbing with a force that shakes me to my core. I cry for the lives lost, for the battles fought, for the little girl who spent her life searching for a place to belong. I cry for the woman I’ve become and the one I’m yet to be.

Through it all, Theo holds me, his arms a fortress, his presence unwavering. He doesn’t try to silence my grief or rush my tears. He simply lets me be, his love a steady current that anchors me even as I feel like I’m falling apart.

When the rush of emotion finally subsides, a quiet peace settles over me—a soul-changing calm that I’ve never known before. I take a shaky breath, lifting my gaze. Theo’s grey eyes are luminous, filled with pride and something even deeper.

“You’re going to be a glorious queen,” Theo whispers in my ear as I begin to settle. “You have so much love within you. I’m not even sure you realize how it beats around you, a tangible energy that draws people to you. The fact that I get to call you mine makes me the luckiest man in all the worlds.”

I look back up at him, and as his stare sparks with new light, I know exactly what I want to do next.

“We need to plan my coronation,” I say. “A proper celebration for the kingdom that has nothing to do with baiting a god. With Asher and Isla here, I can be released from Polaris and officially become part of our kingdom.”

He flushes and grins cheekily. “I might’ve already told Asher that was something he needed to do while he was here. They mentioned finding the source of the threats and?—”

“Who was it?” I try not to lose myself to the rage, but it’s hard when I’m reminded of my sister being endangered.

“A young woman who thought she was in love with Asher for the last few weeks,” Theo explains. “She worked in the castle, giving her easy access to Isla, but after talking with Asher, we both believe that she was influenced by Orix to be a distraction. The timing of her confession, along with her confusion over her actions, came too close after killing him to be coincidence.” His gaze darkens briefly. “Elyn told me he was cunning, but I didn’t realize his reach extended that far.”

If that bastard of a god wasn’t already dead, I’d be on the hunt once more, but I have to trust that Aurora’s already disposed of his body and soul with harsh and deserved justice.

“Hopefully, this means there’ll be peace in our lives for the foreseeable future,” I say with a sigh.

The tension doesn’t leave Theo. “Maybe. Aurora said we owe her a favor. I don’t like not knowing what that means.”

“She said the same thing to Asher,” I remind him. “Whatever she wants, it doesn’t matter. We’ll get through it together so there’s no need to stress about what hasn’t even happened yet.”

He places a light kiss on the top of my head, and I can feel his smile before I see it. “You’re absolutely right, Queen Estee.”

A few weeks ago, hearing that might’ve made me spiral, but now, there’s only peace within me.

“So.” I smirk. “We have another celebration to plan?”

He cups my cheeks, his thumbs brushing my skin with a reverence that makes my heart ache. His lips press to mine in a thorough kiss, one that pulls me completely into the moment with only him on my mind.

“It’s already being done,” he murmurs against my lips before taking my hand and lacing our fingers together. “But in the meantime, I have another surprise for you.”

A spark of curiosity ignites inside me, and I follow eagerly as he leads me out of the room. “Where are we going?”

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