The cleanup was still under way, as it would be for some time, but we were making progress. The people of Doldastam always managed to pull together when they needed to.

After Ridley had told King Mikko that Mina was dead, the King had attempted to end things immediately. The fighting still went on for longer than it needed to, but eventually Mikko was able to talk to the head of the Högdragen, and a ceasefire was declared.

The next few days were spent hammering out a proper truce, but once a new King was decided for the Kanin, everything went smoother. The Omte still seemed reluctant to put aside their resentments, but Queen Bodil called them back to Fulaträsk, so they had no choice.

While Linus Berling had been officially crowned three days ago in a private ceremony in the palace, today was meant to be his public coronation and an official celebration for the end of the war.

Since it was a celebration, the town square had been decorated accordingly. Ribbons of silver and white streamed from one building to the next, helping to disguise the damage, and large bouquets of fragrant white flowers were placed everywhere imaginable.

Folding chairs covered in white satin and accented with ribbons filled the square. Just beneath the clock tower, a large stage had been erected. Linus wanted to distance himself from Mina, who lorded over the town from the balcony, so he wanted to speak at our level.

From where I sat in the back row, I could see everyone, and the entire town had turned out. Juni Sköld sat a few rows in front of me, holding the hand of her new boyfriend, and looking as radiant as ever. Bekk Vallin had decided not to return to Fulaträsk, even after the Omte agreed to the truce, and she sat a few seats down from me, her arms folded over her chest.

Nearer to the front, Delilah Nylen sat with her parents, crying softly. We’d hardly spoken since Ember had died, but whenever I saw her, she looked so lost. I hoped that soon she could find the peace and strength to carry on.

King Mikko and Queen Linnea Biâelse sat in the front row, along with King Loki and Queen Wendy Staad of the Trylle and Queen Sara Elsing of the Vittra, all of them honored guests of the Kanin because of their help in the war. Queen Bodil Elak of the Omte had been invited, as a gesture of peace, but she had declined, saying that it was still too soon.

With the fighting over, Tilda had returned a few days ago, and she seemed to be doing better. Knowing that Kasper had been properly avenged seemed to ease some of her anxiety, but none of this could be easy for her. She sat beside her parents, and her mother kept gently rubbing her back.

Finn sat with Mia and their children, but his parents were noticeably absent. After what had happened here, and how they’d lost Ember, they had finally had enough. They’d left the entire troll world to start a life anew among the humans.

My parents felt much the same way, and they had taken up residence in Storvatten. Marksinna Lisbet Ahlstrom once told me that she’d do anything to thank me for saving her granddaughter, and I’d asked her to repay the debt by welcoming my mom back with open arms.

So she had, and after years of hating Storvatten, my mom seemed to be actually enjoying her return. She said it was all so much different than when she was a girl, more relaxed, and she was happy to reconnect with old friends and family.

Meanwhile, my dad was working with their Chancellor to help get the Skojare where they needed to be. Mikko and Linnea had been working very hard to improve things in Storvatten, and it looked like they might finally be on the right path.

With Linus taking the stage now, the tall platinum crown upon his head, I hoped I could say the same thing about Doldastam. Linus was less experienced than most of the townspeople would’ve liked, but his bloodline was the closest to Evert Strinne, so he was next in line.

As he walked across the stage, the crowd erupted in applause. No matter what differences had existed before, everyone here was ready for a change, for someone new to lead us to a better place, and their excitement came from the belief that Linus would be that leader.

I was optimistic because of his kindness and genuine empathy for the people. I wondered if growing up outside of the cold walls of Doldastam, unlike Evert and so many of our past Kings, had made him more compassionate, and I believed that with the right advisers and tutelage, he could stay that way.

Behind Linus in lavish chairs on the stage, his parents were seated along with the head of the Högdragen, and nearby was a large rectangle beneath a satin sheet. I had been asked to join him—and to wear onstage, I’d even been given a new crisp white suit with silver embellishments, including the platinum rabbit, our highest military honor. I’d elected to wear the suit, but declined the stage.

As one of his first acts as King, Linus had appointed me as his personal guard, and I’d accepted because I thought I could help steer the kingdom in the right direction and I could protect the King from corruption.

But I no longer craved the honor that went along with it. I didn’t need or deserve the accolades. I just wanted to serve my kingdom.

He wanted to pull me onstage today to exalt me as a hero, but that wasn’t something I could accept. I wasn’t a hero, and in so many ways I still felt like I’d failed. Like I should’ve done more to protect the people. Nobody should’ve had to die.

“Thank you all for coming here today,” King Linus said, speaking loudly so his voice would carry over the crowd. “We’ve all been through a great deal, and I know how hard it was for some of you to come out. So many of you have lost so much, and are in no mood to celebrate.”

Delilah began to sniffle at that, and her father put his arm around her, pulling her close to him, and throughout the crowd I could hear others sobbing faintly.

“That’s why today isn’t about honoring me as your King.” Linus stepped over to the side toward the sheet-covered rectangle. “It’s about honoring those you’ve lost, everyone who laid down their life defending this kingdom so that we can all be here celebrating our freedom today.”

He pulled back the sheet, revealing a white marble stone ten feet high and five feet wide, in large black letters listing all the names of the people who had been killed. At the top was Evert Strinne, since he had been one of Mina’s first victims, but there were many names below his.

Kasper Abbott, Ember Holmes, Simon Bohlin, and the names of so many others I had seen nearly every day in this town. So many lives that could never be replaced, voids that would never be filled.

Near the bottom, in letters just as bold and dark as everyone else’s, was Konstantin Black.

A lump formed painfully in my throat. I’d been so afraid that nobody would know that Konstantin had died to protect the kingdom, or be aware of all the things he’d done to aid in this battle. I had been terrified that I would be the only one who mourned him.

But now everybody would know. For generations, people would see his name, and know that he’d died a true Kanin hero.

Linus continued his speech, telling Doldastam how he planned to honor the dead by giving the kingdom new life, but I’d heard all I needed to. I got up quietly and snuck away from the crowd, walking out of the town square.

I hadn’t made it very far when I heard Ridley’s footsteps behind me. The cobblestone streets were empty, since everyone was at the celebration, and I turned to face him.

His chestnut hair was slightly disheveled, and he brushed it back from his forehead. He’d left the top buttons of his shirt undone, the way I liked it, but his rabbit amulet was still missing. As soon as the fighting ended, he’d stepped down from his position as Överste and Rektor.

“What’s going on?” His dark eyes were filled with concern as he looked down at me.

“I’ve spent enough time thinking about the dead lately,” I said honestly. “I need a break from it. I think I just need some time to think about the future and try to feel optimistic again.”

“I get that,” Ridley agreed. “The last few weeks have been so dark, you need to start looking for something bright.”

I nodded. “Exactly.”

“Where you heading now, in search of your something bright?”

I shrugged. “Just back to my loft.”

“Let me walk you home.”

“You know you can always walk me home.” I smiled up at him.

“I know. But I like it when you tell me I can anyway.” He put his arm around me as we started walking across town toward my place.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do yet?” I asked, looking up at him. “Now that you’re not in charge of the trackers?”

“Not yet,” he admitted. “But I’ve got time to figure it out.”

“That’s true,” I agreed. “We’ve got the rest of our lives to figure it all out.”

He kissed my temple. “And I think we’ve proven that together, we can take on anything.”