Page 131 of The Crown of a Fallen Queen
“No, but we need the excuse of a wedding—or at least the threat of one—to lure Ethan in,” I stammer, holding on by a thread, ready to abandon the whole plan.
“No one has to know. When the time comes, we can stage a wedding. But for now, I want it to be just us.”
I rest my forehead on his. If it were up to me, I could drown in those purple depths of his, and be perfectly content. “I love the sound of that.”
“Then the only question is: do you love me? Because this fountain will know the difference between a fake engagement and true love.”
I tiptoe over to touch the bark of the tree, sliding my palm across the rough edges, down and around to the place where the sacred spring water rises from the ground.
I run my fingers through the sparkling water, marvelling at its freshness. “According to my grandfather Oberon, Eros’ own daughter, Hedone, drank from the water with someone she mistakenly thought was her mate. Drinking the water with the wrong person not only caused the union to fail but alsoprevented her from finding her one true mate. And so, the young goddess spent her life chasing pleasures instead.”
“Are you worried I might not be the one?” Seth croaks.
“Not at all. In fact, I always suspected that part of the legend was tacked on so that young lovers wouldn’t defy their parents and elope here…” I meet his gaze head-on. “I love you, Seth. With all that’s left of my heart—but it’s not much. It might not be enough for the Fountain to work its magic.”
He bridges the gap between us. “Gods know it’s enough for me.”
He claims my mouth again, but this time, the kiss is anything but chaste. It devours, wrenching my soul out to meet his.
We kiss hard under the canopy of the Hawthorn. Suddenly, the wind stirs, rustling the leaves and making the branches sway. A flurry of birds bursts from the branches above, tweeting in warning. The earth vibrates faintly beneath our feet, and we reluctantly pull apart.
Seth’s eyes flash with worry. “Mark my words,” he growls, “I’ll kill anyone who dares?—”
“Shush. Look.”
A ball of light rises from Percy’s grave. A soul. But not like the souls of the Fae. There’s no reaper waiting for him, no one tasked with reaping the Faeling’s light and gathering them to be later released to the sky, because their souls are merely borrowed pieces.
The little sphere of golden light rises from the earth and hovers at eye level.
Percy’s voice echoes in my mind.
“We’ve made it home, diamantay.”
I choke on a sob at the sweet caress of his voice, one I never thought I’d hear again. “I miss you, Perce.”
Two delicate wings appear from the ball, the golden glow dwindling to reveal Percy’s entire shape, right up to the curve of his melon hat. He’s smiling.
“Be happy. Marry your guy. Save the world. I’ll be with you. Always.”
He flies forward, zooming directly into my chest. My ribcage rises on a deep breath, as though Percy is breathing for me. The light spreads, igniting my whole body, flesh and bones. I press a hand over my heart, to the scarred, mangled flesh. It’s now as smooth as it was… before.
“Your scars are gone…” Seth trails off, caressing my arms up and down.
We rise to our feet, the golden glow beating in sync with my heart.
A thousand other spheres of light rise from the earth around us, gleaming like fireflies in the night. I stand, ready to flee if needed, but feel nothing but comfort radiating from the orbs. No threat. Just peace.
They wiggle up and down in the air before crashing into me, all at once.
What the?—
I feel different as I bring a shaky hand to my head.
An intricate gold crown sits there, my thick mane braided around it. The golden glow coats my skin, sparking in and out of view a few more times before it’s gone. The branches of the Hawthorn blow in the wind, revealing the rest of the island, where the cupid bodies are gone.
Seth kneels in front of me, one arm braced across his chest. “At your service, Your Majesty.”
“Did Freya die?” My nose wrinkles. “No, that’s too coincidental. Do you think Percy did this?”
