Chapter Ninety-Seven

Summary

• Hunt spent the night at the Comitium barracks while Bryce is flown home under guard by Naomi, after a long day of work to reorganize the city’s leadership and prepare for the Archangel's appointment by the Asteri to rule over Valbara.
• The next morning, ignoring any potential threats, Bryce takes a walk with her pet chimera Syrinx, who is not happy about missing breakfast. They head towards the Istros river, passing through the city that is slowly recovering from the recent crisis.
• The River Queen has promised Bryce her full support, a pledge that leaves Bryce wondering if this backing is due to her heritage or the power she wielded during the major city conflict.
• As Bryce sits on a bench along the river with Syrinx, she contemplates the recent events. Many city residents have pulled together to support one another, except for the Fae, who had kept their walls closed throughout the crises.
• Bryce messages Juniper to inform her she will attend Madame Kyrah’s next dance class, while reflecting on the earlier attacks on the city. She spent some quiet moments alone with Syrinx.
• She then read the last messages she received from Danika and Connor one last time, before deleting them.
• A beautiful sight across the river catches Bryce’s attention – a vision of her deceased friends smiling back at her from a peaceful green landscape. This vision brings her to tears, and she takes it as a gift from the Under-King for her role in saving the city.
• On her way back home, Bryce receives a message from Hunt saying he's at home making breakfast. Excited and filled with joy, she heads back with Syrinx sprinting alongside her, looking forward to her future in the company of her friends.