The Glass Queen

by Gena Showalter

  We could kill her, after all? By giving her my body? I would just hand it over on a silver platter? But...that went against every self-preservation instinct I possessed. “I want—” Just before I burst into flames, I unleashed my magic, bonding Saxon with the fire.

  As we both caught fire, he remained unharmed.

  His brow furrowed. “I don’t understand. My clothes aren’t burning. I feel...powerful.”

  For a moment, so did I.

  —How...?—Even the phantom was baffled, not understanding what I’d done.

  “The bonding magic,” Ophelia explained with a grin.

  “Ashleigh,” my father shouted from the throne. He hadn’t been herded to one side of the room like everyone else because he couldn’t lift his heavy golden shoes. “Ashleigh,” he repeated. “Help me. Please.”

  I spared him the barest glance and called from the flames, “I’d love to help you, Father, but I’m just too...me.”

  Saxon shuddered with relief as the fire began to die. As those flames were finally extinguished, however, the strength I’d gathered abandoned me completely.

  I had a choice to make. Temporarily give Leonora my body, risking her taking over for good?

  If I was going to die either way...

  I would rather die trying to take the phantom with me.

  “Kill...her,” I managed to rasp.

  Saxon flinched, but nodded. “Pagan,” he shouted. “I need my friends.”

  As my beautiful baby allowed our allies to slip free of the corner and approach us, I got busy, magically stitching Leonora’s essence to my body.

  —What are you doing? Stop.—

  “Noel?” Saxon snapped.

  “Put her down,” the oracle commanded. “Everyone else, form a circle around her and clasp hands. As you heard, Ashleigh has the magical ability to bond two things that do not belong together. That’s how she and Saxon lived twice before. The first Ashleigh did not die when the phantom overtook her; she was always in there, working behind the scenes, just as the phantom Leonora did during this life. She figured out her magical ability and fused a piece of her heart to Saxon’s. Fate recognized her sacrifice and took care of the reincarnations, giving you other chances to recover what Leonora had stolen, since your hearts are so entwined, but the connection grows thin, unable to thrive in another life. Now, we’re going to wait as she gives Leonora her body. Just for a few minutes. Ashleigh, whenever you’re ready.”

  “Let go, love,” Saxon cooed. “I’ve got you.”

  “Almost...done,” I told him. Any second now, I would lock Leonora’s connection and cut mine, the pieces now in place. “Need space.” I didn’t want him anywhere near Leonora.

  He kissed my temple. As gently as possible, he laid me on the floor and remained crouched at my side. Roth, Everly, Dior, Noel, and Ophelia formed a circle around me. The entire group clasped hands, as ordered.

  —This isn’t going to work. I cannot be killed. I’ve been inside dying bodies before.—Despite her words, she sounded nervous.

  Flames flickered at the tips of my fingers. Saxon pressed his hands against mine to snuff out the flames, and the bond held. He remained unharmed.

  Let the fire rage. Let the flame purify.

  “Now,” I screamed.

  With a final stream of magic, I gave Leonora my body and severed my connection to it. I lost all physical sensation. Suddenly, I was just...floating inside Leonora’s mind, watching the world through her eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Asha, but there’s no other way.” Tears ran down Saxon’s cheek as he lifted my dagger with a shaky hand.

  “Wh-what are you doing?” I heard my voice, but I was not speaking. Leonora was. “Saxon, please don’t hurt me. I’m Ashleigh. Your Asha.”

  He held her down with one hand and pressed the blade to her heart with the other.

  “Please,” she begged.

  His tears fell faster. He stared at her—at me, his heart in his eyes. Our heart. The others offered encouragement, but he grunted and shook his head. “No. I can’t. I can’t hurt you, even now. I love you, Asha.”

  No! If Leonora could control my body without a bond, I could hers. And I should have more success, since I was the original owner.

  “Don’t forget to bond with your body when she’s dead,” Ophelia called. “We’ll do the rest.”

  “Now, Ashleigh,” Noel shouted.

  The clock struck midnight—Ding.

  I managed to smile at him.

  Leonora’s voice filled my essence, and I knew she was screaming her thoughts at me, the way I’d done to her. “This will not work. This will not work. Don’t—”

  Ding.

  Empowered by my success, I arched my back—sinking the blade into my chest.

  31

  And now we’ve reached the end of our tale.

  Did they succeed...or did they fail?

  SAXON

  Ding.

  Ashleigh—Leonora—screamed, the sound of her pain and anguish almost more than I could bear.

  The dragons squawked with fear and fury.

  “Heal her,” I shouted.

  Ding.

  “Not yet,” Noel snapped.

  Leonora peered up at me through her own blue eyes, but she had Ashleigh’s face, and I couldn’t hate her in this moment.

  She parted her lips. Blood gurgled out.

  I took her hand and squeezed tight. Could Ashleigh feel me in there?

  We waited as Leonora fought the pull of death, her breaths coming faster, shorter. Then...

  Her head lolled to the side and her body went lax.

  “Now.” I sprang out of the way, allowing the others to do their part.

  “Roth,” Noel snapped. “You’re up.”

  The true and rightful king of Sevón commanded, “Your body will mend itself, Ashleigh Skylair, future queen of the Avian, Queen of Glass.”

  Ding.

  “Come on, love,” I said. “Come on. You can do this.”

  “Ophelia, Everly,” the oracle snapped. “Flood her with your best healing magic. Apples, unite!”

  The two females knelt on opposite sides of Ashleigh, each one taking her hand. They closed their eyes, focusing on their task.

  I remained on my knees, unable to stand. If this failed...

  This couldn’t fail.

  Ding.

  The sorceress and the witch fell back, both pale and trembly.

  Ding.

  “Ashleigh. Love.” I scrambled to her side and pressed my lips against hers. Her skin was cold to the touch. “Come back to me. Without you, I have nothing. Without you, I am nothing. Come back.”

  Ashleigh sucked in a mouthful of air, and I stopped breathing, willing to give her mine. Her eyelids popped open, her irises—I roared with denial. Her irises were bright blue. Leonora’s eyes.

  We...we had failed. We’d killed my precious Ashleigh. I pulled at hanks of my hair. I would burn this world to the ground.

  Ding.

  “Saxon,” Roth called, pausing my tirade. “Look.”

  The excitement in his voice shut me up. I shot my gaze down, experiencing a strange tugging in my chest. The blue was fading from her eyes, a beloved shade of emerald taking its place. Finally, there was no blue at all.

  Leonora was gone. The phantom was gone!

  Ashleigh blinked rapidly. Her brows drew together, and she frowned. “I’m alive?”

  “Asha.” I gathered her close, easing her into a seated position. “Yes, you’re alive. You’re alive and you’re you. We did it. We killed Leonora.”

  “She’s dead?” With a sob, she threw her arms around me and held on as if she were clinging to a rope in rushing waters. “She is. She’s dead. I can’t feel her anymore.”

  Ding.

  The final strik
e, announcing the arrival of midnight. “We finally survived our fairy tale.” I held her tighter, so thankful for all we’d won.

  When Ashleigh’s sobs stopped, she sniffled and offered me a watery grin. “You’re happy.” She held up a hand covered with my amour.

  “Very.” I drew back to wipe away the teardrops clinging to her cheeks. “I produce it for you and you alone. My fated queen.”

  “So it’s more than happy dust? And it’s all mine, and no one else’s?” Her grin widened into the sweetest smile. “I love you so much, and I promise only to sell the dust if our coffers get low. We have dragons to feed.”

  I snorted. “You are too possessive of your avian to share his dust.”

  She groaned. “I am, aren’t I?”

  “I love you so much, too,” I said, grinning.

  Without Leonora’s influence, Ashleigh’s eyes sparkled more brightly. Her skin glowed with new health and vitality. Even her hair seemed to possess a greater luster.

  “Now that I’m Leonora-free, I’m happy to say I will make you the happiest man in the world and marry you.”

  About that... I needed to tell her we were married already. And I would. After I’d eased her into it.

  “I’m so proud of you. I’m thankful you took a chance on me. I’m humbled that you gave your life for mine so many times, in so many ways.”

  She pressed her forehead to mine, and I cupped her cheeks. “I’m proud of you, too. You overcame centuries of distrust and hate, allowing your heart to love again. You fought for me, and you showed me I have worth.”

  “All hail the Glass Queen and avian crown prince!”

  The pronouncement came from Ophelia and Noel, who knelt and bowed their heads in our direction. I swept my gaze over the entire room. The vines receded from the doors and windows. As the dragons rushed to Ashleigh to lick her face, guests and guards hurried to escape. Some of the guards, anyway. Others faced Roth and dropped to bended knee, as if awaiting his orders.

  “All hail King Roth!”

  Ophelia lifted her head and called, “And just like that, all is right in the kingdom. All thanks to a plucky oracle and an exquisite witch.”

  “Exquisite oracle and plucky witch,” Noel corrected. “And all is right in the kingdom...for now. We all know the next fairy tale has already kicked off—no? Just me? I’m the only one who knows?”

  The witch winked, then dusted off her hands in a job well done. “Until next time.” She blew a kiss and vanished.

  Roth stalked to the royal dais and swiped the crown from Philipp’s head.

  The former king shrank back like the coward he was. “Wh-what are you going to do to me?”

  My friend looked to Ashleigh, telling her, “His fate rests in your hands, Queen Skylair.”

  “Why is everyone calling me Queen Skylair? We’re only just now engaged,” she remarked, a little dazed.

  “I guess I’m not going to ease you into this,” I said, and cringed. “We’re already married. As soon as you voiced your acceptance of me, we were married in the eyes of the avian. But we can have a long postwedding engagement, if you’d like.”

  She grinned again. “You can’t get enough of me. You had to get your bracelet on me so you could keep me forever. You want me with you always.”

  “I do. I really do.”

  She gave me a kiss before telling Roth, “Lock my father in the dungeon.” Turning her focus to her stepsister, she said, “Your mother has no right to the crown. As Philipp’s heir, I’m the new ruler of Fleur. That’s law. But I would like to offer the crown to you and give you the right to choose your own destiny. Your mother can serve as your advisor, if you wish.” I remembered what she’d said, how the woman expected her to be perfect. “Or you can kick her out. Up to you. The avian require a full-time queen, so I’m going to live there. It’s my destiny.” Ashleigh turned toward me, expectant. “I’ll be a good queen this time, I swear it.”

  “You’ll be a great one,” I said, more in love with her in that moment than ever before. Strong of heart? Oh, yes. Fast as wind? When she rode on the back of her dragons, there was no one faster. Unwilling to bend? She’d wanted me, and she’d done everything in her power to help us find each other again. “Though you are now considered my wife, I am not fully, technically your husband until you give me a bracelet in return. Which you can do anytime you wish. Whenever you’re sure of—”

  She ripped off her blacksmithing bracelet and shoved it on my wrist so quickly, I laughed. “I love you,” she told me. “I meant what I said. I’d like to live with you and our dragons in the Avian Mountains and rule together. Our soldiers could use some manners. I can make my weapons and armor and help you make more of your amour dust.”

  “Nothing would make me happier, love.” I would start by banishing the soldiers who’d aided my mother. Hurt my precious queen and suffer. Raven and Tempest would be imprisoned.

  Ashleigh kissed the tip of my nose, the corner of my mouth, my jawline. “I miss our dome.”

  I groaned. “So much.”

  Dior cleared her throat, gaining our attention before we got too intimate. “I accept your offer,” she told Ashleigh, “but I’ll need other advisors. An entire team. And an army. The gold, I’ll be able to handle. I’m the slipper maker, after all.” She laughed, a tinkling sound. “Everyone assumed I was Cinder, but I wasn’t and wasn’t meant to be. All along I was the maker of the slippers.”

  “I know just the advisor,” I said. “As a fae prince, Vikander had to learn how to manage a kingdom at a young age. He can answer any questions you might have.” Thus fulfilling the bargain we’d made during our mountaintop breakfast.

  Her cheeks reddened, but she nodded eagerly. “Thank you. Yes. I want him—I mean, I need him.”

  I peered down at my wife, the love of my lives. “My beloved Cinder,” I said.

  “My honorable-dishonorable prince.” She grinned. “The third time, we got it right.”

  I grinned right back, and suspected I’d be grinning about something for the rest of this life.

  I kissed her deeply, then. True love’s kiss, one of respect and admiration, desire and promise. We hadn’t had the greatest start in life—in any of our lives—but I knew beyond any doubt that we would have the most amazing end.

  Her strength infused us both. Weak heart? No. Oh, no. My Asha had the heart of a dragon. She loved fiercely, with a fire of her own burning in her veins. She was a queen who didn’t need a king in order to rule her people—but thankfully she wanted one. It was a role I would happily fill for ever, ever after.

  EPILOGUE

  Soft music played in the background as Saxon—my beloved husband and the new king of the avian—twirled me around the dance floor. Just like our fairy tale, he had eyes only for me. I’d lived in the Avian Mountains for two months now, and I’d honestly never been happier. I knew Saxon felt the same. He smiled and laughed all the time. Plus, he never went to bed without telling me so. I always preened afterward.

  Our dragons had moved in with us, of course. This particular palace was perfect for them, offering wide-open spaces for wings, with landing pads on every floor, inside and out. Right now, my babies perched next to our thrones, keeping a sharp eye on everyone who watched us dance.

  For the bargain price of getting to live another day, Ophelia and Noel had vowed to never work against us, for any reason. Roth and Everly had moved back into their palace in Sevón, with Everly using her mirrors to go back and forth between the palace and the Enchantian Forest. As a wedding present and housewarming gift, Dior had turned parts of our palace into gold before returning to Fleur. In thanks, my family of four had flown her there. I had ridden Pagan, Dior had ridden Pyre, and Saxon had kept pace between us.

  Life without Leonora was incredible. My mind was my own. I didn’t have to worry about a takeover attempt in the middle of the night, or losing precio
us moments with Saxon.

  I’d met my real stepmother, a woman just as uptight as advertised, but she had a good heart. I’d really liked her. She’d been relieved to learn her husband resided in the palace dungeon in Sevón, with Raven and Tempest in cells of their own here in the mountains, and she’d begun to relax.

  I’d met my second stepsister Marabella, as well. A firecracker with enough spirit to rival Ophelia, Noel, and Everly put together. She liked to talk as much as Dior, but she did it at a much faster pace and just...never...stopped. I loved her. And I was glad the three women would take over Fleur. The kingdom had never been my home. The people didn’t know or respect me, but they knew and respected my stepsister. They would thrive with her.

  Could I have won their respect? Yes. Never again would I doubt my abilities to do anything. Look at everything I’d accomplished so far. And really, I felt as if fate had always wanted me in the Avian Mountains. I belonged here. I adored the height and width of everything. Such grandeur. So much larger than life. I was coming to learn the avian were social creatures who loved color, tradition, and light. Things I hadn’t even known I needed.

  Some of the avian—most—were still leery of me. Word had spread about who I used to be. But that was all right. In time, I would win everyone over.

  “Have I told you today how much I love you?” Saxon nuzzled his cheek against mine.

  “Many times, but I’ll never tire of hearing it.” Each morning he’d presented me with a new gift. A sheet of precious metal. My own personal forge. An entire collection of jewelry. A wardrobe filled with beautiful clothes, both for battle and balls. A unicorn of my own. Books on the subjects he knew I enjoyed. Feathers, all blue. I swear, I thought he’d plucked himself bald for a week, just so I could make another dress.

  In turn, I’d given him an arsenal of weapons and a full suit of armor, all designed and crafted by the one and only Queen Ashleigh Skylair. As I’d savored our time together, I’d realized every life had the potential to be a fairy tale. As for me? I didn’t need a happily-ever-after anymore. When I found the joy in every step of my journey, I always had a happily-right-now.