Waking up after that was a disorienting experience.

My throat was dry, I had a foul taste in my mouth, and it hurt to breathe. I almost didn't want to open my eyes, but that first ghost of movement hurt so much that they jolted open anyways.

There was a white ceiling above me and soft sheets over me, and it felt strangely familiar to the last time I'd woken up after ripping Threads between myself and Calen. Only... this time it was infinitely more painful. I tried to adjust my arm, and the jolt was enough that I cried out.

"You're awake!"

I tried to turn on instinct, but I winced with the motion. Only a second later, Dante came into view above me, gently reaching out to touch my cheek. I took a deep breath, leaning into his touch on instinct.

I was alive.

I was clearly in a Sylvan something. The furniture designs looked Sylvan, so I assumed I was on that side of the Veil.

I just... didn't understand exactly what had happened between when I watched Calen turn to dust and now.

"Why am I alive?" I blurted.

"If you think I'd let you die, you seriously have a bad impression of me," Dante muttered, running a hand through his hair with a sigh.

I laughed, the sound a little manic and anxious, but mostly induced by the adrenaline of actually surviving.

"Where... where am I?" I managed.

"A Sylvan hospital," he explained. "Your father suggested we take you here rather than to a mundane care center in case something went wrong with your magic that might endanger you."

"Good plan," I muttered.

"Speaking of which, they're outside. I can get them if you'd like, or I can let you go back to sleep," Dante offered.

"I want to see them," I whispered. "And... could I have some water?"

"Of course." He reached for a glass and a pitcher on the table, sitting there like it had been waiting for me.

I could barely move, so Dante had to help me with the glass, but it was cool and soothing on my raw throat. I was really, really getting tired of passing out after magical incidents only to wake up in random places and in pain, and I hoped that it never happened again.

Mom and Ray came through the door only a moment after Dante stepped outside, practically tumbling into the room in a rush.

"Sunday!" Mom shouted, immediately coming over to hug me, which... honestly hurt a lot. I still felt the love, but I also felt like Wesley at the end of The Princess Bride.

"Where's Callie?" I managed.

"She's safe," Mom said. "Resting, like you, but she's been conscious the whole time."

I let out a sigh of relief, a little annoyed that it also hurt to sigh. Apparently I'd taken some harder hits than expected. It could also, of course, be a side effect of shredding all my Threads to pieces and slowly regrowing them, but I really didn't want to think about it.

"Can somebody tell me what happened? After, uh..." I trailed off. I didn't think it was necessary to say more.

There was a pause as Ray, Mom, and Dante looked at each other.

"He's gone," Mom finally said. "You did it."

"And everyone else?"

I was worried about the rest of Calen's cult. Yes, they'd lost their leader, and those who hadn't wanted the living ink tattoos were free, but some of the cult members chose to be there. Some of them believed the same thing that Calen did and only wanted to make a world for themselves, and many of them had the power to continue that work even after Calen's death.

I wasn't convinced that this was entirely over, but at the very least, it was done for now.

"My division will be taking on the responsibility of tracking down any remaining members of the Witches' Collective, which... might take a while," Ray admitted, wincing. "The records you brought us will help."

"They got away..." I muttered, my hands clenching into weak fists.

"Not all of them," Date said, gently putting a hand on my shoulder. "Not to mention, the folks that defected to our side have been very cooperative. We can put their information to good use."

"Any information on why I'm alive and Calen isn't?" I muttered blearily. I still wasn't sure exactly how that happened.

I didn't want to die, of course. I was glad to be alive. Surviving was preferable. However, I hadn't exactly expected to survive my absolutely insane plan. Cutting all your own Threads was not a solution I'd recommend to anyone in the history of the entire universe. It sucked, and I honestly didn't understand how I'd pulled through.

"My best guess is that you're alive because you're not hundreds- maybe thousands- of years old," Ray said. "You aren't alive solely because of massive amounts of time magic running through your veins."

It was a good guess, but I wondered if that was the entire reason.

The only Thread left after I'd pulled both Calen and myself to pieces was the one that connected me to Dante. It was a thread I made of my own will, not connecting me to the grand inner workings of the universe, but to someone I loved. Someone who wanted me to stay.

The rest of my Threads should re-form over time, knitting me back into the fabric of reality in the same way Dante's lifeline had grown back over time, but when I twisted that invisible sixth sense that allowed me to check the Threads... there was nothing.

It wasn't just pulling on a handle with no response. The handle itself was gone. The magic was gone.

"I can't see them," I said, waving my hands in front of my face. "I can't see them at all."

"And you're... smiling?" Dante asked carefully.

I blinked. I hadn't noticed it, but I felt the shift in my expression. After everything I'd been through from the Weaver's magic, I couldn't deny that I was glad to be rid of it.

Maybe there were some powers that no one should ever have.

"Calen's magic was muted when I wasn't around, but it wasn't gone entirely," I said, shaking my head. "His magic developed as a result of mine, so and if mine is completely gone... Do you think that means it's over?"

"I can't say for sure," Ray said, shrugging. "It's not like this is a common case with a precedent, but... it looks that way. It's probably part of why you're so sore, if I had to guess. You're healing from magical damage as well as physical damage."

"I'm free," I whispered, a tiny, soft laugh passing my lips.

The pain was awful, but if Ray was right and it really meant that the Weaver was gone, then every part of it was worth it.

I would never have to worry about the Threads again, never have to worry about Calen again, and out of the bargain I'd gotten the dad I always wanted and a partner that I loved dearly. It was a shitty ride, in a lot of ways, but looking back, I didn't think I'd change a thing as long as it got me where I was.

"You're free," Dante echoed, a smile on his face. "What do you want to do now?"

I thought for a long, long moment.

I could do anything I wanted now. The Sylvan Council would probably finance anything I wanted to do and anywhere I wanted to go after helping rid the world of the Hourglass. Granted, they already promised to work on opening back up Sylvan borders to witches, but I didn't think a personal favor was out of the question.

I could go anywhere, do anything, and be anything I wanted. The possibilities were endless, overwhelming, and beautiful.

"I... I really want to go back to sleep," I admitted.

Mom and Ray laughed, but nodded.

"We'll let you rest. I love you." Mom bent to kiss my forehead, then took Ray's hand and led him towards the door.

Dante moved to leave as well, but I reached out for his hand before he could get too far.

"It would be nice to snuggle my boyfriend, too?"

Maybe it was a bit selfish, but that was all I wanted at the moment.

"Larrinae," Dante said softly, perching on the bed beside me.

"Larrinae," I agreed, gently tugging him closer.

It might have been a huge letdown after going through the last several weeks, but honestly, I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was hold onto Dante so that I knew he was safe and sleep for approximately the next three days. We could figure out what came next after that.

Dante carefully snuggled in under the blankets, slowly adjusting to cradle me so that I had to move the least possible amount. It felt like my joints were coated in rust, my muscles aching with every twitch, but being near him calmed it all. He gently traced patterns on my arm as we settled into place, pulling the blanket up over me.

I was free.

It hadn't really hit me yet, but I thought it might sink in after a long sleep.

"My parents want to meet you formally to offer a reward," Dante said slowly. "And discuss a few other things."

"Is this where I ask for the princess's hand in marriage?" I snorted, but when I looked up, I was surprised to find him tense and blushing.

"I- that is, we can talk about that, if you want, but-"

"Dante," I said gently.

"Well, it's not that I'm opposed-"

"Dante, I was kidding." I reached for his hand, squeezing ever so slightly. "Give me a few years on that."

He let out a long sigh, going back to gently tracing patterns on my skin.

"A few years sounds nice," he agreed.

A few peaceful years (and counting) to be together with Dante, knowing my family was safe, and with my best friend back in my life? That sounded perfect.