I feel a guard’s hand close on my arm. Then Cardan’s voice comes. “Do not touch her. She is my wife,” Cardan says, his voice carrying over the crowd. “The rightful High Queen of Elfhame. And most definitely not in exile.”

“Mortals are fragile,” I say. “Not you,” he says in a way that sounds a little like a lament. “You never break.”

“Think of it: 𝐼 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝐽𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝐷𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑. 𝑈𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑛. Meaning by the King of Faerie. Or its queen. You could have returned anytime you wanted.”

“You looked like a knight in a story tonight,” he says softly against my neck. “Possibly a 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑡ℎ𝑦 story.” I kick him in the leg, and he kisses me harder.

“I imagined you telling me to do with you whatever I liked.” “Really?” I ask, the surprised laugh in my voice makes him meet my gaze. “Along with some begging on your part. A little groveling.” He gives me an embarrassed smile. “My fantasies were rife with overweening ambition.”

“Mock me all you like. Whatever I imagined then, now it is I who would beg and grovel for a kind word from your lips.” His eyes are black with desire. “By you, I am forever undone.”

“It’s you I love,” he says. “I spent much of my life guarding my heart. I guarded it so well that I could behave as though I didn’t have one at all. Even now, it is a shabby, worm-eaten, and scabrous thing. But it is yours.”

SHUT UPPPP

i passed out

“You do love me.” “I love you,” I confirm. “Because I am clever and funny,” he says, smiling. “You didn’t mention my handsomeness.” “Or your deliciousness,” I say. “Although those are both good qualities.”

“What was it like?” I ask. “Being a serpent.” He hesitates. “There were only feelings—hatred and terror and the desire to destroy.” I start to speak but he stops me with a gesture.” And you. I knew little else, but I always knew you.”

And when he kisses me, I feel as though I can finally breathe again.

I raise a plastic glass. “To family.” “And Faerieland,” says Taryn, raising hers. “And pizza,” says Oak. “And stories,” says Heather. “And new beginnings,” says Vivi. Cardan smiles, his gaze on me. “And scheming great schemes.”

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