In the aftermath, as dawn broke over Aethermoor in brilliant shades of gold and rose, Lyra stood with her Guardians in the palace courtyard. Her people—subjects she was still getting used to having—cheered from balconies and rooftops.
"So what happens now?" she asked, still somewhat overwhelmed by everything.
"Now you rule," Thorin said simply. "With wisdom, compassion, and strength."
"And with us by your side," Caspian added, taking her hand.
"Always," Kieran confirmed.
"Through everything," Blaze promised with a grin that made her heart skip.
Lyra looked around at the realm spread before her, then back at the four men who had become her anchors, her power, her heart. "I used to dream of adventure," she mused. "I never imagined it would look like this."
"What does it look like?" Kieran asked softly.
She smiled, feeling magic and love intertwine within her chest. "Like coming home."
As if responding to her words, the four elemental symbols on her crown began to glow—air, fire, water, earth—all in perfect balance, just like her heart.
"My Queen," her Guardians said together, and she knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.
Because she was no longer just Lyra Nightshade, bookstore clerk from Portland. She was Queen of Aethermoor, wielder of the four elements, and keeper of four elemental hearts that beat in perfect synchronization with her own.
And her story was just beginning.