Page 69 of Crowned By the Shadow
The Elven woman who had served as a guide for us stepped out from the shadows and nodded at us.
Echo stood and went to her in a sweep of royal robes that looked much fancier than anything I remembered him wearing before, though to be fair I had a lot more on my mind the last time Echo and I spoke. Echo bowed his head in front of the shorter woman and took her hands in his. “My love, will you do me the honor of becoming my High Lady?”
She gasped, as did most of the court, before wrenching her hands from his so she could throw them around his neck and kiss him senseless. When they broke apart they were both smiling and laughing.
“I take it that’s a yes?” he asked quietly.
She nodded. “Yes, I would do anything to stay by your side.”
He chuckled then but there was a tiredness to it. “You’re the bravest woman I know outside of Senara, so if anyone can handle me, it’s you. Plus, you’ve had my heart since we were but children.”
They kissed again and I called my congratulations out to them as did the others. We got a nod in return from them and a teary, happy smile from Kaelyn before we turned and stepped into the space between once more.
The next time we emerged, we were on the outskirts of the Moon Court, where we had begun our journey so long ago. The land that had once been ravaged by corruption now showed signs of healing. Where twisted, blackened trees had stood, fresh growth pushed through the soil. The sickly dark veins that had pulsed through the earth were fading, replaced by the natural magic of the fae lands.
“The corruption is receding,” Volker observed, kneeling to examine a patch of wildflowers blooming in what had been blighted ground only days before.
“Not receding,” I corrected gently. “Balanced. The void isn’t gone. It can never truly be destroyed, but now it exists in harmony with light, as it was always meant to.”
Volker nodded, understanding in his sharp gaze.
As we walked toward the heart of the Moon Court, fae emerged from their homes to stare at us in wonder and confusion. Some pointed at Thorn and me, whispering behind their hands. Others gazed at Wyn with expressions ranging from fear to fascination. Word of our approach spread quickly, and by the time we reached the central plaza, a crowd had gathered.
King Sulien and Queen Esylit stood at the front, their silver robes gleaming in the setting sunlight, as though they were the oncoming evening itself. Their faces betrayed no emotion as we approached, but I could sense their wariness, and their curiosity.
More whispers spread through the crowd. I could sense their uncertainty, their fear of the unknown. But I could also sense something else, hope. After so long living under the shadow of corruption, they were desperate for a new beginning.
“Have you come to ask for the court's forgiveness?” Queen Eyslit demanded.
“Hush now, my love,” King Sulien murmured. “Today is a time of celebration, not wrath.”
She ignored him and went on, “And what of the corruption that has plagued our lands?”
“Look around you,” Thorn answered, gesturing to the healing landscape. “The balance is being restored. The corruption recedes because it is no longer being actively fed by the Void Dragon Empress’s hunger.”
“And what does this mean for the courts?” King Xavier asked as he emerged from the crowd, ever the politician. “For the ancient divisions between Moon and Sun?”
I exchanged a glance with Thorn, feeling his thoughts flow through our strengthened bond. “Those divisions were always artificial,” I said. “Created out of fear and misunderstanding. I am living proof that Moon and Sun are not opposites but complements. My father was of the Sun Court, my mother of the Moon. Their union wasn’t an abomination, it was balance.”
Xavier’s eyes widened slightly at this revelation. “Sebastian was your father? My brother?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “We rescued him from the torture that Fenvalur was putting him through, and he sacrificed himself to save us, to give us a chance to restore what was broken. His final wish was for unity, not division.”
A new voice spoke from behind me. “She speaks the truth.” Volker stepped forward. “And in doing so, she and Thorn saved us all.”
Xavier turned to me. “Eclipse Child. I owe you an apology. We feared what we did not understand. We clung to ancient prejudices while corruption ate away at our realms.”
Sulien looked less convinced. “This is all very moving, but what practical changes do you propose? Centuries of tradition cannot simply be discarded.”
“Not discarded,” I corrected. “Evolved. The courts can maintain their identities while acknowledging their interconnectedness. The Sun Court’s strength and the Moon Court’s wisdom are complementary forces, not opposing ones.”
“There is precedent,” Volker added, taking another half-step forward. His scholarly demeanor had returned now that his wounds were healed. “Before the Great Divide, the courts existed in harmony. Our histories speak of a golden age when Sun and Moon fae collaborated freely.”
“And look what we’ve accomplished together,” Wyn said, gesturing to our diverse group. “Moon and Sun, fae and human, darkness and light… we succeededbecauseof our differences, not in spite of them.”
Xavier and Sulien exchanged a long look. Centuries of rivalry and distrust passed between them. Finally, Sulien sighed.
“Perhaps it is time for change,” he admitted, while Eyslit made a noise of outrage next to him. “The old ways nearly led us to destruction. And I cannot deny the evidence before me. The land heals, the corruption recedes, excuse me, balances.”
