He whispered, “Open your eyes.”
She did, and she saw hundreds of lights rise up out of the land, and more come from the palace and flow to her. She didn’t flinch or run away but felt the Fae magic flow through her and Teague, magnified like a prism. She and Teague began to glow together, and the Fae magic drew closer to them, uniting their souls.
Then, it shot out of them, across the sky, and into the Fae world.
She was a magnet—the conduit—for all the Fae power in the land. It flowed to them and through them. Mina understood now what the Fae lights were. There never had been anyone else in the palace. It was the magic that kept her company. She could see it, and it responded to her, just like when she was younger. It had always been attracted to her. It always seemed to come willingly to her.
It knew, just like Teague knew, they were meant to be together.
Mina felt no pain, only joy, as the Fae world slowly changed, grew and blossomed before her. The two suns brightened, the grass turned green, and the land healed itself. Water filled the lake again, but the magic wasn’t done. The palace rebuilt itself, and the magnificent structure returned to its former glory.
But it didn’t look the same. There were fewer towers, more rounded glass domes like observatories, and the river-paths flowed through the grounds.
Teague shifted into a black griffin as he turned toward Mina. This one had specks of white on the tips of his feathers, and his eyes stayed the same white as Teague’s. Mina climbed onto his back as he jumped from the tower and flew across the palace and over the lake. For hours they flew, watching as the Fae world reknit itself and became even more beautiful. It was everything she ever dreamed of.
When everything seemed to be in order, they flew back to the palace and alit on the steps. Mina slipped off, and Teague shifted back. He stood by her side as hundreds of Fae pressed close, crying out in tears of joy and thankfulness.
Teague’s face turned down, and she recognized his frustration. “What’s the matter?” she whispered.
“I’ve only just got you, and I’m not in the mood to share,” he grumbled as a Fae child ran up and hugged Mina around the waist. His frown turned to one of bewilderment as the same child, in turn, hugged him. He looked at a loss, and then his hand came down and gently patted the girl’s head. “She can see me, and she’s not scared of me.”
“I think people can see you if they don’t fear Death.”
The little girl whispered, “Thank you.”
At that moment, Teague must’ve appeared to others. They began to understand that it took two to save the world.
“All hail the Fates,” Adrith called out from the crowd. “King of Darkness, Queen of Light.”
“Alright!” Ever whooped.
Nix clapped eagerly. The Fae cheered on relentlessly, and the sound became deafening.
“Fate?” Mina asked as she looked to Teague.
He seemed a little confused. “What did you think I meant when I asked you to stay with me? It was a marriage proposal.” He shrugged. “So maybe it wasn’t the best one. Don’t worry, the title of Queen won’t come into effect until after the ceremony, but your fate’s already tied to mine. We became the Fates when we saved the Fae plane.”
“I guess I didn’t expect to marry a Fate worse than Death.”
Teague’s eyes lit up as he picked Mina up and twirled her around to the encore of the crowd’s cheers.
“I promise to love you forever,” Teague said when he put her back down on the ground. He reached down and kissed her knuckles.
Mina smiled and spoke softly, “Forever isn’t long enough.”
Epilogue
The next few weeks were a whirlwind as the Fae planned her wedding to Teague and the coronation soon after. Teague kept his promise and returned to the In Between to help Ferah cross over. He also found her mother’s soul, but he didn’t just help her to the other side. He was able to do one better.
It seemed no one knew what to expect when a rogue prince who hardly played by the rules became the official Death Reaper. He was a Fate, and a Royal, and more powerful than any before him, so the rules became guidelines, and he bent them all.
Mina cried a river of tears when her father’s spirit appeared to her in the Royal gardens. James was smiling, his short mustache wiggling over his teeth. A second later, her mother appeared by his side in her full siren glory, and her father didn’t seem to mind. They both waved, and she watched as her father wrapped his arms around her mother before they slowly faded out. It was the best gift anyone could have given to her.