Epilogue
Sylvan
One year later
My mouth is dry as I watch the sunset gem twitch in boiling water. When it glimmers, Peregrin, my apprentice and assistant, takes a step back, worried the flask might explode, but I stand firm, knowing the steron mask will protect my face if the worst happens. Moments later, the small bead, procured at no small expense, stabilizes, and I continue watching the condenser. It’s full of moisture, but the receiving bottle is starting to fill.
My new laboratory has many windows, as tall as they are wide, and while the use of artificial light is still necessary when I’m performing more precise tasks, the glow of the moon is more than sufficient for now. Lord Kyran spared no expense once he understood the importance of my research.
The sputtering of the apparatus evens out, and I glance toward Peregrin, my smile not visible behind the protective gear. He’s wearing a mask of his own, as well as a leather robe with fireproof padding.
“I—I’m sorry,” he chokes out and joins me close to the large wooden table housing the equipment I use most frequently. Vials, devices, and materials take up all of the available space on wide shelves and inside heavy coffers, and for the first time in my life, I’m helped rather than hindered in my research.
“Even the simplest and most routine of alchemical operations might prove dangerous. And it’s even more so with experimental procedures. You’d do well getting rid of that fear,” I tell him, licking my lips as the distilled liquid fills the flask.
“I’m sorry,” he says again. He has a habit of apologizing for everything all the time, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the worst quality in an assistant, so I just ignore it.
I light the small lantern filled with Sunlight, an object I needed a special permit for and which I’m required to keep in a safe box whenever it’s not in use. Once it illuminates the flask, Peregrin’s already large eyes go wide behind the thick glass of the protective mask, and his heart must be skipping a beat the same way mine does.
The tiniest particles glimmer in the liquid. Some are golden, others an intense orange.
“What are they?” Peregrin whispers as if he feared his voice could shatter the glass.
“I… don’t know actually. Which means we’ll get to do much more research. Next week, we will get right back to testing their qualities,” I say with my heart beating faster.
Peregrin dares to step closer. “Why not tomorrow?”
My curiosity is like an itch, but I put down the flask. “I’m afraid I have plans with my husband.”
His shoulders sag, but he nods. “I’m sorry for pushing.”
I stop myself from rolling my eyes. “It’s fine. I appreciate the enthusiasm. In the meanwhile, letting the flask just sit there for a week can be our first experiment. When I come back, we will see whether they’re still floating, or if they sink to the bottom of the container.”
Peregrin’s eyes widen, and he removes the mask as I kill the fire underneath the vial holding the sunset gem. “Is there anything in particular you’d like me to work on while you’re gone? My knowledge of herbs still leaves a lot to be desired, so if you don’t require me to do any preparation for your experiments, I shall dedicate myself to my studies.”
I give him a once over as I take off my robe. While he could indeed spend more time studying, my year with Hawk has taught me personal connections are just as important as knowledge, and Peregrin lacks them. “You rarely have time to socialize with other alchemists. Maybe it’s a good opportunity to do so while I’m away. Exchange notes,” I add so he feels there’s an important scientific purpose to this advice.
His chest rises as he inhales. “Of course. I shall… do just that then,” he says.
But my attention slips when I recognize the familiar rhythm of thick and heavy paws. “You’re dismissed.”
Peregrin clears his throat and looks past me just as I hear my husband enter. We had a huge wooden flap installed in the laboratory, so he can get in and out without the need to transform into a human when he doesn’t feel like it, and it falls shut behind his towering form as I turn.
“I’m sorry, I know I said I won’t be long.” The irony of apologizing to him after mentally chastising Peregrin for the same thing is not lost on me. “But we’ve had quite the breakthrough,” I add, approaching my golden Sunwolf when the door closes behind Peregrin. Hawk, ever forgiving, gives a happy yelp before pushing his skull face at my chest. His hot breath tickles me through my thin shirt, and I laugh, scratching him behind the ears.
[ That’s all right. I lost my sense of time chasing after a bird. Never seen one like that before. It had feathers as blue as your eyes! ] he tells me, wagging his tail so rapidly I’m worried about my equipment, so I urge him to sit.
He’s found so much joy in being able to transform into the Sunwolf, and I love to listen about his exploits in the forest. I’ve also heard gossip about him giving rides to children in the local village, but I dare not confront him about it, as I’d have to urge him to stop. As long as I pretend not to know, I don’t have to take a stand.
“You’re just adorable. Did you make sure to avoid crossing Dame Tallin’s patch? She wasn’t pleased that you stepped on her vegetables last time.” I give the golden bone he has for a face a kiss to soften the tone of my question.
Dame Tallin is a good friend of my mother, or as close to a friend as she can have, and while I don’t speak to my family anymore, the last thing I need is the two of them having a new reason to badmouth my beloved.
Hawk grunts. [ It’s a shortcut. ] But moments later, I’m blinded by light. By the time I’m able to open my eyes again, a naked hunk is kneeling in front of me, with both arms locked around my midsection.
My face flushes. “Hawk! I told you not to transform naked! What if there’s an emergency that requires you to shift in front of others?” I stifle the need to cover his shoulders with a blanket and kiss the top of his head. He’s so impulsive, but I can’t help but find that quality attractive. On the upside, our rooms are next door, so it’s not like he’ll be strutting through the palace without any underwear.
He shrugs and offers me a cocky grin. “Kyran said he doesn’t mind. And who’s to argue with him?”
Typical Hawk. Talking about the Lord of the Nocturne Court, the protector of the realm, as if he were a friend from the tavern. Who could not love this man?
“Well, I imagine Kyran would not be happy if you walked around naked in front of his husband. He’s known to threaten men for lesser transgressions. But come, my love, let’s not waste time,” I say yet still give him another kiss before pulling on his hand.
Hawk grunts. Moments later, I’m in his arms and holding on as he carries me past the door, and then upstairs, to the chambers that have been so graciously provided for us. In the past, I would have considered quarters so far away from the Lord’s an affront, but the location is convenient for both me and Hawk, who enjoys the relative freedom provided by the small lodge in the Nocturne Gardens.
“You worry too much. He knows I only have eyes for you.”
I wrap my arms around his shoulders as I look into his eyes. I’ve learned to love their darkness, as it’s a part of Hawk now, like the golden tattoos on his face and the sharp teeth. All those features are a testament to the sacrifice he was ready to make for me.
“Are you saying you’ve been talking to the Lord about such things?”
Hawk shrugs. “Nah, it just came up when we talked about the wedding anniversary.”
He is impossible. And I love it.
“Speaking of which, get dressed. We need to be at the port by moondown. Have you fed Bloodgore?” I point out the red frog in its grand terrarium. We may have lost the redpole from Tassarion’s disposal, but I gifted Hawk a new one not long after we settled in here. It’s been growing since, and is now the size of his fist. I dread to think how big it will still get, but my man loves it, so I’ll just deal with what comes accordingly.
Hawk nods, but his pitch-black eyes widen as he puts me down in our front room, which is filled with books and the games Hawk had me import from the human realm. One of those caused a week of strife between Lord Kyran and myself. A board game called A Game of Thrones. The night when we both played it with our respective husbands got unreasonably heated as we argued over the rules, the betrayals, and then over who won. Hawk hated it, since he lost his army within the first hour of the match. He ended up dozing off but my violent argument with Lord Kyran woke him up. I’m not proud of my moment of madness. In the end, we had to agree to a peace brokered by Luke, which involved a Nocturne Court-wide ban on the game.
I turn on the lamp Hawk helped me construct out of numerous glass vials. It’s a more elaborate version of the lava lamp I owned in the human realm, as that one couldn’t be recovered and is no doubt being passed on the black market. I don’t even mind, as while a nice memento of our troubled journey, it doesn’t work without electricity anyway.
“Where are we going?” Hawk asks.
“It’s a surprise, but one I’m pretty sure you will appreciate.”
I grab my cane as he dresses. I wish my leg could have healed better, but despite the efforts of the best medics, I’ve been left with a bit of a limp. But it’s a price I was willing to pay for Hawk’s safety and happiness.
He's not yet had to take anyone's shadow. One day, the Lord of the Nocturne Court will call upon him, and he will need to be the executioner to someone's shadowcraft. All I can hope for is that the punishment will be just when it's required, so Hawk’s conscience can remain clear.
I’ve had his luggage packed for him, which he seems delighted by as he grabs our coffers and leads the way outside. By the time we’re boarding the ship, the moon’s gone from the sky, and the swamp lights are burning all around us as the crew adjusts the sails. The darkness beyond is absolute, but my husband doesn’t seem bothered and unpacks the snacks I purchased for him in the town closest to the castle. A woven screen is stretched across the deck to afford us privacy while we settle on a low sofa at the prow and glance at the sails bulging above. A member of the crew calls upon the wind.
“This whole magic thing is so useful. People used to get stuck in the middle of the ocean when there was no breeze,” Hawk tells me, pushing a stuffed bird into his mouth. The delicate bones fracture the moment he bites down.
“At least they aren’t at risk of being swallowed whole by a leviathan,” I jest, but Hawk’s eyes open wider, so I pat his arm. “We will be fine. This is a royal vessel, the captain knows these waters like the back of his hand, and will not endanger us, even if it means turning back.”
Hawk shrugs and eats another bird, crunching with every bite.
“The vendor knew your name. You should have told me to order more snacks for you.” I smirk when he opens the cherin. The smell alone reminds me of our wedding day, and I choose to only remember how happy I felt before the Nightcloaks crashed our party.
He frowns and takes a swig straight from the bottle. “I have a fast metabolism.”
“You’ll need all that energy where we’re going, as there’s no laboratory there. I will require a lot of your attention.” I smile and sit closer, patting his belly.
Hawk’s mouth stretches into the goofiest of smiles, and he leans in to kiss me as the wind tousles our hair. “Come on, surely you can tell me where we’re going now that we’ve boarded the ship!”
I pinch his cheek. “No! It’s a surprise. All I can tell you is that the trip there will take several hours, and required me to obtain a special permit.”
He grunts and pushes his hands to my flanks. I stiffen, worried he might try to tickle the truth out of me, but he pulls closer, and our lips meet in the sweetest of kisses. “I also have something for you,” he whispers and reaches into his pocket.
My breath catches in my throat, and I get choked up at the sight of the ring in his fingers. A sapphire, a diamond, and a ruby set in titanium. “Hawk… It’s like the one you gave me on our wedding day! How did you get one just like it?” I sigh as he slips it on my finger. Unlike the one I had to leave behind, this one fits just right.
He clears his throat and kisses first the ring, then each of my knuckles, and this display of tenderness makes my chest tighten. “Remember that time I disappeared and you yelled at me for two hours once I returned?”
My ears heat up in shame. “Was I that bad? I just got really worried…”
He stops me with a gesture and smiles. “I’m not mad. Of course you were worried. But if I told you I was headed to Lepearl’s hideout to buy the ring back, this would not be a surprise.”
My breath catches as I stare at the ring. “It’s the same one? And you even had the size adjusted?” I have to bite the inside of my cheek to fight the tears stinging my eyes. “You are a marvel, my love. More than I could have ever dreamed of.”
Hawk swallows, hesitating, but then he’s pulling me close, and I curl up against his broad chest. Oh, how I love the scent of him. There is nothing more soothing in this world. “You must be joking. You’re literally a prince from another world, and I’m the ‘marvel’?” He chuckles before pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “You made me into an immortal wolf, I live in a castle, and rub elbows with royals. I still sometimes wake up and wonder if it’s all just a dream, but you’re more beautiful than anything I could imagine, so you must really be mine.”
Moths flutter their wings in my stomach when he kisses me. I have never felt more wanted and at peace. “I love you. And I…” I said that I wouldn’t tell him, but now I’m itching to see his reaction. “I thought that if there’s something you miss from the human realm, it’s sunshine. I have arranged a sunny retreat for us. Though I warn you that I will most likely spend a lot of time in the shade.”
He blinks, leaning back, and stares at me as if he were waiting for me to tell him I’m joking. Alas, I am not. “Like… to the human realm?” he chokes out, attempting to control his breathing.
“Yes! And I made sure to confirm that it’ll be safe for you there, as we are going to a remote beach in the Land of Tay.”
When he frowns a little, I wonder if I said the word correctly. “Luke has assured me you would know of this place. Teyland?” I try again, and his eyes grow wide.
“Thailand? We’re going to Thailand?”
The excitement is so clear in his smile I sigh in relief. “That is the name.”
Hawk presses his hand to his chest. “Oh shit! I never even had a passport! Wow!”
I have no concept of what a pass-port is, but after a moment’s thought I figure it must be a permit to cross the border between different lands. Who knew humans can rival us in terms of bureaucracy?
Hawk gets to his feet and pulls me up with a single tug, and before I know what’s going on, we’re dancing. “Fuck, I love you so, so much, Sylvan. You always think about my needs. But I promise I’ll bring you the best mai tais to your shadowy corner!” When he sees the question in my eyes he clarifies, “Cocktails. Sweet alcoholic drinks.”
I smile at my giant. “Will we make that the exception to my no drinking vow? An allowance in the human realm?”
He winks and slides back to the sofa, before bringing me into his lap, which happens to be my favorite place. “Don’t you worry. I’ll make sure you don’t drown.”
The End