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I nod, acknowledging the truth of his words. “It’ll be dangerous for us to return. And really, without our magic, what help can we be? It’s that thought that’s been keeping me here. Or at least that’s what I’ve been telling myself.” A deep shame fills me, but this is my family. I have to be honest. “I’m afraid of failing again.”

It all comes back to me at once: Caspian’s briars dying, Castletree breaking apart, losing my connection to it. That seemingly endless void that took and took and took my magic. I’ve dreamt of it hundreds, no, thousands of times. How much stronger did I need to be to save it? If I could have held on for a moment more, would it have been enough?

“I know things would be different if I had been able to save Castletree,” I say, voice trembling. “Sira wouldn’t have won.”

Caspian places his hands over mine.

I blink, my tears falling as I continue. “I know what you’re thinking. If we lost to Sira with your unbridled magic, what chance do we have now? It’s why we chose to run and hide. Because what can I do? What can any of us do? No weapons, no magic. We’re no better than humans.”

Keldarion catches my gaze, a rueful smirk on my husband’s face.

“You know what I’m going to say,” I tell him.

“It was a human who saved us all,” Keldarion finishes. “You, Rosalina O’Connell, marched into the Enchanted Vale with your rounded ears⁠—”

“Your wicked tongue,” Ezryn cuts in. “I do believe the first thing you ever called me was a tin can?”

“Your tantalizing beauty,” Dayton says wistfully.

“A questionable judge of characters locked in cells.” Farron flushes.

“The ability to make terrible bargains.” Caspian gives a half smile.

“Bad on your end, maybe.” Under the table, I nudge his leg with mine.

“And,” Keldarion says, “you saved us all.”

I meet each of their gazes and then my mother’s and Wrenley’s across the room.

“I don’t know what we’ll find when we return to the Enchanted Vale,” I say, standing. “Or if we’ll be able to help. But I know with all my heart that I need to try.”

“Our princess is back.” Keldarion tilts his head and smiles. “I will return with you, my wife, my Rose.”

I raise a brow. “Princess of this cottage, maybe.”

“Well, if you need a good fire starter, I can—” Caspian flicks his fingers several times before a puff of green flame appears. “Well, I can do that sometimes.”

“Our path together was woven in the stars,” Farron says, eyes gleaming.

“It’s important to have a chef on the road.” Dayton grins. “And my wisdom and cunning, of course.”

Ezryn stares up at me. “Through any trial, I will follow you.”

My heart swells. I knew they would come with me. It barely took any convincing. Perhaps we all understood this day would come.

I turn to my mother and sister. “Mom?”

My mother’s eyes go wide, like a cornered deer. “I can’t go back,” she says quickly. “I…just can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t go back?” Wrenley snarls. “It’s your world.”

Mom pushes her hair behind her rounded ear. “I have no magic. I’m a human now. How could I⁠—”

“Weren’t you listening?” Wrenley spits. “None of us do. It doesn’t matter whether you’re human or not. We must try to stop Sira.”

I’m not sure what’s holding my mother here. Grief over losing Papa? Fear of returning to the world only an echo of the person she once was? Whatever the reason, I will not force her there.

“Wrenley,” I say. “It’s alright. Let it go.”