Immortal Reign(115)

How strange, she thought.

But the thought quickly left her mind. She was focused on something else entirely that Valia had said.

Their son.

Her gown had been so much tighter this morning. And she hadn’t been able to keep any breakfast down, but she’d decided that was due to her nerves about starting her and Magnus’s coronation tour.

“A son?” Magnus asked, breathless. “Did she just say something about our son?”

Cleo tried to find her voice. “Yes, she did.”

He searched her face, his eyes wide. “Is there something that you haven’t told me yet?”

She laughed nervously. “Perhaps we can discuss this in further depth after our speech?”

A slow smile appeared on Magnus’s face. “Yes,” he said. “Immediately after.”

Cleo nodded, trying very hard to keep her happy tears at bay.

Her hand in his, they approached the doors leading to the balcony.

“Seeing Valia again,” Cleo mused, “her face seems so recognizable to me, like I’ve seen it somewhere before.”

“Seen it where?” Magnus asked.

Then it came to her. “That book—the one about your goddess I’d recently started to read. It had some of the most incredible illustrations I’ve ever seen. So detailed.”

“So who does the witch remind you of?” he asked.

“Valoria herself,” Cleo said, unable to contain her grin. “Do you think it’s possible that we were just given both a gift and a prophecy by your goddess of earth and water?”

“Can you imagine if that were really true? That Valia was actually Valoria herself?” He laughed at this. How Cleo loved the rare sound of Magnus Damora’s laugh.

“You’re right,” she agreed. “It’s ridiculous, but they are both very beautiful.”

“Not nearly as beautiful as you are, my lovely queen.” Magnus leaned down and brushed his lips softly against hers. “Now . . . are you ready?”

Cleo looked up into his face—the face of someone she’d come to love more than anyone or anything else in this world, in this life.

Her friend. Her husband. Her king.

“I’m ready,” she said.





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


The Falling Kingdoms series has been an incredible, challenging, wonderful experience, and I have been so, so happy to share these books with the world. But I certainly did not travel this road alone over the last six years.

Thank you to my editor, the endlessly patient and truly delightful Jessica Harriton. Thank you to the fabulous Liz Tingue and Laura Arnold, who began this winding and exciting journey through Mytica with me. Thank you to my publisher Ben Schrank for giving me the best experience of my writing career. Thank you to my awesome publicist, Casey McIntyre, and to everyone at Razorbill Books and Penguin Teen who helped make Falling Kingdoms happen. Thank you to Vikki VanSickle and everyone at Razorbill Canada. You are all The Best!!

A million thank-yous to my agent of thirteen years, Jim McCarthy. I don’t know how I would have navigated the writing world without his savvy, guidance, and wicked sense of humor.

Thank you to my friends and family, whom I adore and value and cherish. I love you all more than you even realize.

And thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the readers of Falling Kingdoms. You are all made of magic, every single one of you!