House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, #3)

by Sarah J. Maas

Bryce arched a brow. “So does it … tell the truth?” A hint of a smile, more chilling than the frigid air around them. “It gets people to do so.”

“There’s literally a prophecy in my world about my sword and a dagger reuniting our people. When knife and sword are reunited, so shall our people be.”

And Hunt knew he’d treasure this moment forever: the moment when Lidia Cervos pulled out her gun and fired it right between the Hawk’s eyes.

With a parting middle finger to the floor at her feet and the Autumn King sulking beneath it, she teleported out of the villa to the place she wanted to be the most. Home. Wherever that was in Midgard.

Aidas was smiling faintly—joy and hope brightening his remarkable eyes. “It seems you got a little lost on your way to find me, Bryce Quinlan. But welcome to Hel.”

Her brother only pressed a kiss to her brow and said, “Long live the queen.”

The Helhound gestured grandly to the stables. “Welcome to Hotel Horseshit.”

So he said to her, mind-to-mind, I love you. I fell in love with you in the depths of my soul, and it’s my soul that will find yours again in the next life.

Three tiny white lights burned bright. Fire sprites. Simmering with power. Through the fire and smoke and drifting embers, Lidia recognized them. Sasa. Rithi. Malana.

All that had happened had been for this. Not for her, but for Midgard. For the safety and future of all worlds.

The friends they’d made were what mattered in the end. Not the enemies. Through love, all is possible.

“It took their power. But what is eternal, what is made of love … that can never be destroyed.”

Ember clasped Bryce’s face in her hands. “I am so proud to be your mother.”

“As promised, Day,” he said, twisting off the cap on his bottle. “One beer.”

… and though she knew there was work to do to heal Midgard, the world was out there. Life was out there. So Bryce and Hunt ran out to live it. Together.