Page 73 of Three Scorched Kingdoms

Relief washes over me as I see familiar faces—Leo, Blossom, and Mag—standing together near the edge of the field. They’re alive, whole.

“Paige,” Blossom calls—and then to the others, “Hey guys, they’re back!”

Leo strides forward, pulling Aries into a tight hug. “Good to see you in one piece,” he says before turning to me. “I think this means I owe you two life debts. Gods, I thought Aries was an over-achiever.”

He winks, and I shake my head.

Bingo appears beside me, nudging my hip and earning a scratch behind the ears. I do my best to ignore the blood coating his mouth and staining his massive paws. None of it seems to be his own, at least.

Mag pulls me into a tight hug. When he releases me, he claps Aries on the shoulder and offers a rare, genuine smile. “Glad to see you two back here. You missed all the fun.”

The relief on their faces is a balm to my soul, but it’s short-lived as the reality of what we’ve lost crashes over me.

Blossom, ever perceptive, steps closer, her expression growing serious. “Is Constantine…?”

“He’s gone,” I manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper. “But the Athenaeum… it’s… it’s gone too. The library, the books… it’s all gone. We stopped him in the end, but I couldn’t save it.”

The smiles fade from their faces, replaced by a mix of shock and sorrow.

Mag’s hand falls from Aries’ shoulder.

Leo steps closer to me, his expression softening. “Mag explained your world to me—the library’s purpose and what it means to you. I’m so sorry, Paige.”

Through the mate bond, Aries’ guilt is a weight on his shoulders. He feels terrible, like it’s his fault, but it’s not.

He was protecting me.

Blossom’s eyes widen with concern, and even Mag’s usual stoic demeanor cracks as she murmurs, “All those worlds…”

I nod, the grief threatening to overwhelm me again. “It’s all gone. All of it. And I couldn’t… I couldn’t do anything.”

Aries wraps an arm around me, pulling me close, his presence a comfort as the reality of what we’ve lost sinks in. “That’s not true,” he says softly. “You destroyed Constantine. You saved Astronia.”

Before I can respond, a young soldier rushes toward us. He’s breathless and without a single speck of blood on him, but his urgency cuts through the somber mood.

“Your Highness,” he pants, addressing both Aries and me with a bow. “A messenger arrived from the castle with news—Queen Dorthea has been removed from the throne.”

“What?” Aries stiffens, his eyes narrowing as he steps forward. “Who would dare?—”

“The council, Your Highness,” the soldier interrupts, his voice shaking. “They’ve declared that they can no longer trust the royal family to protect the kingdom. They’ve removed Queen Dorthea from the throne and have assumed full control of the land as the governing body.”

Aries snarls, and Leo’s expression flashes with matching outrage. “Where is my mother now?” Aries demands.

“She’s being held in the castle under armed guard. They’re claiming it’s for her protection, but… she’s a prisoner in her own home.”

I feel a surge of anger and disbelief. After everything we’ve fought for, after all the sacrifices, the council dares to overthrow the queen? To imprison her?

Aries turns to me, his expression hard, determined. “We need to go. Now.”

Blossom, Leo, and Mag are already moving, their own anger fueling their steps as they prepare to accompany us. The relief of victory is gone, replaced by a renewed sense of urgency. This isn’t over—not yet.

But as we make our way toward camp, I can’t help but think of the library again. Blossom is right, all those worlds gone, reduced to nothing but memories and ash. The ache in my chest remains, and I pause, glancing back at the charred earth where Constantine’s dark portal opened to carry us away.

We defeated him, but in the end, that didn’t matter.

In some ways, he still won.

“Paige,” Aries says, his voice pulling me back to the present. “Let’s go home.”

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