Hello readers!

I know I haven't updated in weeks, but it was for a good cause. This is the end guys and it is very, very long. This chapter is double the length of all my other ones and I worked really hard on it to make this perfect. I can truly say that this is the best chapter so far. Because of it's length and all the things that happen in it I originally debated whether I should split this into two, but eventually I decided that the two shortened chapters wouldn't have the same feel as if they had been together. So here you go. Chapter 29.

She watched the embers glow, flames flickering in the dim light of the forge. Cinder was fascinated with the way the blaze sparked and danced, comforting her with its soft warmth. She wondered what would happen if she touched it. Her hand drew near the flames before she came to her senses, and snatched her hand back. Cinder knew what would happen. She had experienced it more than once.

Cinder reached into her pocket. Her fingers touched a band of cool metal. She brushed the tips of her fingers over a ridge, she knew to be the diamond. This never belonged to her. It was Reece's. But Reece Blackcrest was dead, his name struck down from the ranks. The ultimate punishment for a traitor. Treated as if he had never existed.

Cinder dangled the ring over the fire with the tips of her fingers. It hung haphazardly, swinging. The past weeks have been a concoction of dread and despair, but no longer. Was it really worth it though? The cost had still been too high. Sage. She felt the familiar surge of rage and sorrow rise up once more. But she clamped it down. She will not drown in this tide of heartache. It sometimes comes and goes without warning, the grief threatening to bowl her over in its intensity, but as the tide, it shifts and changes. Perhaps one day the pain fade, but her vivid memories of his friendship and loyalty... that will never disappear.

The nightmares have faded a bit though. Possibly her subconscious had been attempting to get that point across: Reece was dangerous. Well, too late now. She couldn't forget him, he had made a lasting impression, for sure. Cinder chuckled darkly. Not the greatest one, but at least he could rest in peace now. He did not have to worry about her forgetting him again. But his control of her, all the careful manipulation and his sham of a relationship with her had to go. And the ring... the ring and the journal held everything together.

Aiden shifted beside her, and Cinder nearly jumped. He had been so silent, she had almost forgotten about him. She turned and squeezed his arm as a gesture of thanks for his support and companionship through the darkest of days. The others have been great of course, but she and Aiden had mourned the same way. They had cared for him in a way the others had not. He handed her the folio. And with a sharp inhale, Cinder dropped both into the inferno. Reece will not influence her anymore.

The new Kin of House Blackcrest turned to go and Cinder followed. A flash of an idea occurred to her and she paused, glancing back at the forge. Cinder plunged her hand into her pockets and withdrew the Rio. Won't be needing this anymore, will she. Cinder threw the chip into the fire and stepped out into the starry sky of Luna without looking back.

One month later...

It has been exactly thirty-seven days, four hours and fifty-six minutes since he last saw Cinder. Not that he was counting. Kai could still distinctly recall her fatigued, grief-stricken sobs before her body took over and finally forced her to shut down. They had all gotten through that ordeal with fairly little injury... well, most of them. Scion-Elect Sage had died in the struggle. Cress sported a sprained ankle and Wolf and Lieutenant Aiden a few scrapes and bruises. And Reece killed in combat with Aiden. Kai couldn't help his slightly smug expression. The bastard had it coming.

After they had gotten back to the Commonwealth, Cress and the others had immediately left for Luna. They sent a Rampion to pick Scarlet and Thorne up after they were deemed okay to travel. Kai was surprised Wolf and Cress didn't stay until they recovered, but the situation in Luna must have been urgent enough that they would leave. Kai still marvelled at the calm collectedness and efficiency of the Lunar delegates. They were able to keep the whole situation under wraps, only owing explanations to the Earthen Union and the Lunar Council.

Of course, there were many rumors circulating among the public. Reece Blackcrest had been one of the Lunar elite and there was quite an outrage when his name was struck from the hierarchy. But there was another Blackcrest scandal, overshadowing even the one from the Queen's birthday jubilee. Apparently, Reece had a disciplinary record that his father had blacked out. Once the evidence was secured, Darius Blackcrest had one hell of a time, denying the charges placed against him. Needless to say, the Blackcrest name is forever tainted.

The elder Blackcrest was forcibly retired from the Council and Cinder had ordered him to name his former son, and shell, Seth Blackcrest his heir. It was a huge breakthrough for the shell community of Ember in Luna. One decision that had made Cinder's popularity with her citizens skyrocket. A shell in the Council. Who would have believed such a thing would happen- could happen a few years back? So far, there has been no selected Scion-Elect for the Sablewood House. Sage had been an only child. If the rumors deem true though, his cousin, Mercedes, might take on the position. She is, apparently, a very hard partier. Not surprising for Lunar nobility.

It was Sage's funeral last week. He was buried in the traditional Lunar manner of cremation. They scattered his ashes into space, but his tombstone marked a place in the Blackburn private cemetery. When she remembered to, Cress sent Kai updates regarding Cinder's recovery and their slow transition into normal life again.

Kai had visited Tandoori in the infirmary yesterday. Though her vitals are steady, the doctors say that she might never wake up. He should have never bought her into his problem. She was paying for it with her life and that is not worth any petty jealousy in the world.

He was roughly pulled out of his thoughts by an annoyed voice. "Your Majesty!" Torin exclaimed. Disapproval radiated from the various netscreens in the conference room. Kai tried unsuccessfully to orient himself in reality. He looked to Torin for guidance.

"Could you repeated that?" he asked meekly. Kai could tell, his advisor was trying really hard not to roll his eyes. Cress and Scarlet were at their screen in the right hand corner, stifling smiles. Kai scowled. Scarlet seemed quite herself. Her eyes were bright and her uniform crisp and pristine. Quite a contrast from her deadly still state just three weeks prior, lying prone on a hospital bed hooked up to machines. Kai was glad both the Commander and she had fully recovered.

Also extremely pleased Reece hadn't done permanent damage to Cinder. But perhaps her experiences were damage enough. Cress didn't even dare ask about the screams, Reece had videotaped. He doubted she wanted to know. At least her nightmares had lessened.

"Perhaps," Queen Camilla said fastidiously, "we should not be bequeathing the Emperor with such a honour. He certainly does not appear to appreciate the gift." Her face glowered.

Kai sat up straighter. "He is young," President Vargas said, bored. "Do expect some rebellion, Camille. The emperor is not at your beck and call. Perhaps if you show him the same deference, he extends to you, the emperor shall be more interested in your proposal."

Queen Camille sat back in disgust.

"That is all fine and dandy," Kai interrupted, irritated, "but I still have not the slightest idea of what you are saying."

"Queen Camille," Thaumaturge Cress said in her soft, but unyielding voice, "bestowed upon you the honour of hosting this year's annual Treaty Gala." Kai's face froze. The Treaty Gala. The Gala. The Treaty of the Phoenix. His hands shook and Kai slipped them under the table. Torin met his gaze.

"Do you accept, Your Majesty?" he asked in his stalwart manner. Kai's bit his lip, thoughts awhirl. If he hosted the Gala, he might be able to convince Cinder to attend. He had to see her again, to explain... and apologize. She had been whisked away to Luna as soon as they came back so they hadn't had a chance to talk. Not to mention the fact that she'd been unconscious.

"The Eastern Commonwealth is the only country in the Union who has not had the chance to host the annual gala," One of the Canadian representatives said. "It is only fair that you would be given the opportunity." The rep glanced at the raised eyebrows of the Lunar delegates and quickly rectified her statement. "Except, of course, Luna."

"Of course," Ambassador Scarlet said drily. Everyone turned to Kai and his palms began to sweat. He scrubbed his hand over his hair. Why not?

"I accept," Kai said. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for recommending me to the task."

Queen Camille sniffed haughtily. "No thanks needed, Emperor. It is only fair," she said, echoing the Canadian rep.

Prime Minister Bromstad folded his arms. "If this is all we have to discuss, I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself. My presence is needed elsewhere." Kai dipped his head, as did the other Union representatives, the standard farewell. The Prime Minister's netscreen blanked as soon as the others agreed. But as the rest of the meeting went on, Kai barely heard anything besides the pounding beats of his heart and the thundering of blood through his veins. Because with every beat, every moment, it brought him closer to Cinder, and... and to have that eventual reunion, whether it ended with tears or smiles, he would face that day head-on.

But when the conference drew to a close, what he saw in the eyes of the Lunar delegates was not delight nor impish grins. It was pity.

"The queen has not agreed to attend thus far," Scarlet said quietly when all the screens had been vacated and hung, dark and silent. "The period of mourning is far from over and the death Scion-Elect Sage had hit our queen quite hard." That was an understatement. From what little Cress had told him, after waking up Cinder had locked herself in her room for days, refusing food or water only coming out when Aiden begged her for vengeance against the Blackcrests. His own family. Which resulted in Darius Blackcrest's prison sentence and Aiden's, or Seth as he was usually called these days, rise to power in the council. "So I would not get my hopes up, Your Majesty."

Kai swallowed hard, and nodded, but it did not stop his traitorous heart from wanting.

19 days, 5 hours and 47 minutes later:

"Cinder." It was a gentle, tentative sound. They were all afraid of her these days. Afraid that the slightest noise would send her falling deeper into the dark abyss of sorrow and guilt. Only Aiden treated her as if she was sane. Because she was. Sane that is. But it was always her fault. Always. And that shot, that body that fell, would haunt her forever.

She could feel it. That wetness, that blood, that sticky iron tang permeated onto the stupid pink wedding dress, staining her hands, drying in her hair. She had burned that dress, reduced it to cinders. Again, and again, and again. She was selfishly, viciously glad Reece was dead. Because if he wasn't... she would kill him with her own hands.

Sometimes when the court case got a bit too tense, she would find herself imagining his death. She made it a game. Amused herself by inventing various torture methods to use on him. Reece, her little guinea pig. She would visualize it. The blood, and shooting him over and over and over. And Cinder was afraid. Afraid of that rising venom, of that bitter rage choking her, suffocating her until she smothered the rest of her companions with her. So Cinder stayed away. She stayed away and locked herself up because she was a monster and she didn't deserve that kind of loyalty. The kind Sage had died for.

"Cinder," Cress said again, a little more forcefully this time. "We are going to be late to the Gala if you keep on dawdling."

Cinder traced the edges of the windowpane with the tip of a finger. "I'm not going," she said dully. "There is nothing to celebrate."

She could hear Cress trying to hold back tears. "You cannot spend the rest of your life holed up like this, Cinder. You are scaring all of us. You are already known as the ghost queen. Do you want to be the dead queen as well?"

Her lips curved up. How appropriate. "Perhaps." It was fitting. She should have died years ago anyway.

"You can't mean that," Cress whispered. "We all need you. Your people need you. The world needs you. You have worked so hard, Cinder. Are you just going to give up now? How about Kai?" she said desperately. "The emperor would be devastated. He loves you so, so much and-"

Dimly, she could recall that mischievous smile, those copper brown eyes and the silky black hair that she loved to touch. She could see him too... dead, shot like Sage had been. Brought down like an animal. His eyes faded and unseeing. "Don't you see?" Cinder said brokenly. "They all die. Garan, Peony, all those people in the battle between Levana and I, letumosis victims, the massacre at Frarafrah, all those dead." Her voice dropped low. "And now even Sage. He was always so happy, so full of life." Cinder turned to Cress. "Whom next? You? Scarlet? Kai?" she laughed bitterly. "I won't take chances anymore."

Cress looked furious. "So you do this?" She gestured between them. "Is this what you are doing to keep us safe? Staying away? Staring at walls all day long? Is a way to keep us distanced? So others wouldn't hurt us?"

Cinder looked away from her hard blue eyes. "If that is what it takes."

Cress shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. So you walk away from all your friendships, your allies, your relationships. I should have known. Kai was right. You are too selfless. And it is going to get you killed."

The queen said nothing. "At least," she said hoarsely, "you guys would be safe."

Her thaumaturge rocked back, as if Cinder had hit her. "Do you," she said in a dangerously soft voice, "value your life so little?" Cinder said nothing. Cress pinched the bridge of her nose. "Stars," she muttered. "Your sense of self-preservation is depressingly low." She took a deep breath. "Look here, Cinder," Cress growled. The sound was so unlike Cress that Cinder whipped her head to stare at the small blonde. "I don't care whether you are the queen, or that you are my liege. You are coming to the Treaty Gala and that's final. Scarlet will be here with your dress soon. You cannot save us all. Even if you stayed away..." Cress went silent for a moment. "Wouldn't you still love us? You are afraid of others exploiting your relationships, but if Ginger or Thorne or Scarlet were abducted. There would be no change in the outcome. You would still come for us, would you not?" Cress held her breath and Cinder sighed.

"Of course, but-"

"So what will the difference be if you stayed away versus you didn't?" Cinder chewed her lip, but had no answer. Cress grinned, for the first time in days. "Thank the stars. And I thought you wouldn't see reason. Come, Your Majesty." Cinder's eyes brightened with horror as she backed away.

"Oh, no you don't-"

Cress interrupted with a wicked smile. "We'll make you pretty for your little emperor, don't you worry, darling." Oh, but Cinder did worry.

But as it turned out, she shouldn't have doubted. Cress and Winter flanked her, Cress' dress a dark navy blue with a white lace collar, her blonde hair weaved into elaborate braids. Winter donned a charcoal grey halter neck and Jacin strode beside her, eyes ever alert. Cinder's- hers was a sleeveless, gentle, flowing black. A silver rope, or what seemed like a rope, was tied around her waist. The simplicity and colours a symbol of her mourning and remembrance. Bits of glitter clung to the dress and scattered the light like stars in the night sky. Leave it to Cress to even make a piece of clothing simultaneously represent everything it needed to. Wealth, beauty, mourning and her country. Luna.

She saw Kai almost immediately as they neared the stairs. She couldn't face him. Not yet. Winter noticed her discomfort and smiled reassuringly. Cinder inhaled as déjà vu washed over her. She could remember, that day, six years ago. A desperate cyborg girl, going against such odds. That girl who was now a queen. Who would have thought?

The blare of recorded trumpets announced their arrival and Cinder almost laughed. Things haven't changed. No, they haven't changed at all. "Please welcome to the 6th Annual Treaty Gala of the Eastern Commonwealth, personal guests of His Imperial Majesty: Her Illustrious Majesty, Queen Selene of Luna and Her Royal Highness, Princess Winter of Luna."

Cinder took the first quivering step, as soon as the gasps of surprise died away. It was expected. Cinder had not even replied to her invitation, not even to decline. And she was in mourning... If Kai couldn't see her before, he certainly could now. The room...it was dead silent.

Then cheers, thundering applause that shook the ballroom, threading the air with joyous energy. Cinder felt it settle in her bones and then allowed herself a small smile. She had not smiled in so long. Then down the last stair, Kai's stormy expression coming up to meet her.

Her heart skittered behind her spine. He was obstructed by Prince Damien. Grandson of Queen Camille. He bowed and smiled, kissing her hand. "Your Majesty," he purred.

Cinder didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved. She dipped her head. "Prince Damian," she greeted with a trained, automatic smile.

He grinned back at her, confident in his charms. "Would you do me the honour of-"

"I am afraid," came a deadly, low voice from behind him, "Her Majesty has already promised me her first dance." Cinder's heart froze, then restarted, then froze. They might be something very wrong with her wiring. She turned to Kai, her expression, well, she didn't know what she felt at the moment. But Kai's eyes were on the prince. After a tense moment of glaring each other down, Prince Damien conceded.

"I shall see you later, Your Majesty. Save me a dance, will you?" and off he went, whistling, his hands in his pockets. Cinder watched the prince go with a wistful look. Kai cleared his throat, eyes narrowed.

"Jealousy does not flatter you, emperor," she said, refusing to look at him. She felt rather than saw him shrug.

"I am hardly hell-bent on maintaining my aura of attractiveness," Kai replied drily. His breath stirred the air by her face, warming her cheek. He was close, too close for Cinder to control her own traitorous thoughts, scattered as they might be. Cinder took a shuddering breath and stepped away, turning to face him. She clasped her hands together tightly. It was the only way, or else she was afraid she would touch him. String her arms around his neck and-

Cinder stopped that train of thought before it could finish registering. She swallowed, hard. Still too close then. She would have to fix that.

He cocked her head at her, curious. "Do I make you nervous?"

Cinder coughed to hide her uneasiness. "Of course not," she said. Lies. Lies, all of them. If her lie detector worked on herself, it would have been flashing like the strobe lights of Las Vegas.

Kai smirked and held out a hand. Cinder stared at it. She must have looked real panicked because Kai's smirk faded, replaced by a concerned expression. "A dance?" he asked uncertainly. Cinder's gaze travelled up, up his red sash shirt and mandarin collar to those hopeful copper eyes. She could hear him say those words. Because I know you. The true you. The pretty, easygoing mechanic. The charismatic, determined leader of a revolution. The powerful, selfless Lunar queen. And I see you. And those words. Those words spoken like a prayer. I love you to forever and beyond.

Her gloved hand floated to meet his. An answer to his unspoken question. "I'm sorry, I'm such a mess," she murmured. Cinder was barely aware as the music started, as they started across the floor, gowns and suits swirling.

"There is nothing wrong with you," Kai said firmly. She must have looked doubtful because Kai didn't say anything. He knew what her coming meant and there was nothing left to say. The others gave her pity and condolence, but he did neither. Kai pressed his brow to hers and gripped her hand tighter, murmuring her name over and over. As if he knew that was all she wanted. Something- someone to ground her to the present. And with each syllable, Cinder could feel herself falling harder and harder, as if they were once again that boy and girl from so long ago.

They stepped out onto the balcony, the sky alight with stars, illuminated by the moon that watched over them from above. She leaned against the stone rails, eyes closed and head tilted back. Cinder took a breath, then another. "We are never going to be that couple, are we?" she said softly. "Never going to be normal, free of obligations." Kai stepped toward her.

"No," he breathed. "We aren't... but we'll make the best of it. I promise you, Cinder. I will give you anything... the world if you asked for it. Please, Cinder-"

But that was what she was afraid of. "I don't want for anything and I want for everything," she said simply, then took a quivering breath. "I want to be normal." That weight fell in the silence between them like a brick wall. Kai opened his mouth, but Cinder cut him off. "I know what you are offering, Kai. Stars know you've asked me more than once and I know I'm never going to be like that ignorant girl mechanic again. But for all the years that we've know each other, how much time have we actually spent time together, just the two of us? Two months? Three?"

Kai's eyes were wide, with surprise, or hurt, she couldn't tell. "What are you saying?" he asked flatly.

Cinder looked out at the world, the lights so brightly shining. Unafraid of the darkness. "I'm saying," she smiled. "I want what Scarlet and Wolf have. What Cress, Thorne, Winter and Jacin all have. I want those knowing touches, the inside jokes, the laughter and memories. I want that time, to figure out this. " She gestured between them. "Believe me, Kai. I can feel this too. But what do we know of each other except for this attraction? I know everything and nothing about you, don't you understand? I don't know your favourite colour, or your hobbies or your first love or-" Kai was suddenly in front of her, his hands cupping her jaw.

"Or?" he murmured.

Cinder swallowed, her thoughts scattered again. "I- um, well..."

He chuckled breathlessly. "I've missed this," Kai said, eyes shining. "Your adorable, flustered stuttering." She gave him a playful glare and batted his hands away. But soon, too soon, her smile faded.

"I want this," she said, "but I need time. To figure things out. Things are a bit too intense, you see?" She reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Cinder shook it to emphasize her point. Kai gave her a sheepish grin.

"You can't blame me," he said, waving his hands at her. "Look at yourself. You can't blame me for wanting to keep you to myself." Reluctantly, Cinder found her lips tugging into a stupid, grin.

"I'm already yours," she said easily. "There's no maybe, or possibly or never. There's just someday. This is my promise to you."

Kai's smiled, and it was breathtakingly genuine. "I'll wait. We have all the time in the world."

Cinder grinned. "Good." Then proceeded to stuff the box into her clutch.

His eyes widened. "Hey!"

She only shrugged. "It's not as if you will give it to anyone, anytime soon." Cinder stepped on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear, "But it will be mine, someday, and I might as well make sure to keep it safe."

His startled, delighted laugh rumbled around her world, settling, humming in her bones. And when Kai took her face in his hands again and lowered his lips to hers, she felt as if she could take on the world, anyone and anything for that someday.

Someday.

I can't believe I'm at the end, guys. I've imagined this end over and over. And wow, I just can't believe it. You have all been great and patient with me and I thank you. I could really see my writing grow in the duration of this story and I am just so grateful for every favourite, every follow, every review and story alert. This story couldn't have been so successful without you all. So hugs and kisses and cookies to every one of you. I love you all. And I hate favoritism, but special thanks to Athena'sOwl36 who had been here since the beginning and faithfully reviewed EVERY single chapter. You deserve an extra big cookie.

I'm afraid my list of reviewers and follows/favourites are a bit too long to list, but know that I am thinking of you. I feel so blessed to have such devoted readers out there, and when I check my stats and I find people reading my stories from countries so far away, some that I don't even know about, I start squealing so hard.

So thanks again. But this might not actually be the end. I have been thinking of an epilogue for a long time, but I'm not sure how its going to go or affect the end I have now. So your opinions are very much valued. Please include a vote in your review. Yes epilogue or no epilogue.

Yeah, okay, I'll stop blabbing now.

Bye!

-Silverleaf