Chapter 8—Vandria
NIGHT DRAPES OVER EVERSHIFT Haven like a velvet cloak, and the festival glow casts dancing pink lights against every building. I stand under a lamppost near the edge of the Town Square, fiddling with the collar of my jacket. I keep glancing in the direction of Grizelda’s cottage, where Declan went earlier. My stomach knots with uncertainty.
A swirl of conversation drifts past me from couples enjoying the holiday illusions. Bram and Fiona pass by, tipping their heads to me in greeting. I manage a small smile, trying not to worry too much. He said he was staying, which is what I want, but he seemed uncertain...
I consider walking away to give him more space, but then I see him exit Grizelda’s gate with Bethany at his side. Though her face is lined with age, her eyes sparkle with the same magic that infuses the rest of this town. Declan stands a step behind her, arms loose at his sides. Our gazes lock from across the street, and a swirl of nerves tenses in my gut. Are we about to talk, or is he leaving again?
Bethany spots me, offers a nod, and murmurs something to him. She continues on toward the Town Square, presumably giving us privacy. He hesitates for a second before he starts my way.
When we’re within a few feet of each other, he stops. I try to sound neutral and stand casually, but I’m a mess of nerves. “So?” My voice sounds smaller than I’d like.
He runs a hand across the back of his neck, exhaling. “Gran explained everything. Why she sent me here. She left to see the world for a bit, always planning to return, but then she met my grandfather, a human, and gave up the idea of returning to Evershift Haven when she fell in love with him. You were sort of dragged into all this. I owe you an apology, and a conversation.”
My heart twists. “You already apologized. Sort of.”
A faint grimace tugs his mouth. “Not enough. I blamed magic for everything, when maybe it was just me scared of losing control.” He meets my eyes. “I’m not proud of running out on you.”
A swirl of conflicting feelings floods me—hurt, relief, longing, and fear. I remember the look of panic in his face after the lantern flared but then remember how it felt having him in my arms, his body aligned with mine. I tremble with longing and a bit of confusion. I want him to stay because he wants to. Is he still doing what he thinks magic is forcing him to do?
His brow crinkles. “Are you cold?”
I shake my head. “No.” I glance at passersby, but no one’s paying close attention. They’re too busy with festival festivities. I risk a step closer. “I’m just uncertain where we go from here.”
His sigh shivers. “Grizelda and your mother might say the magic is done. The lantern is gone. We’re left with whatever real feelings remain. I guess the question is, do we want to explore them?”
My eyes flit over his expression. “Do you?”
He lifts one shoulder, a half-shrug betraying vulnerability. “I’d be lying if I said I wanted to leave you. The idea of heading back to my old life with no closure is impossible now.”
A swirl of relief spikes so sharply it nearly makes me dizzy. “And the fear? The panic from last night?”
He nods slowly, gaze fixed on the cobblestones. “Still there, but you’re worth facing it.” He lifts his eyes. “If you’ll have me.”
My chest tightens, tears burning at the corners of my eyes. I swallow them. “I want that,” I whisper. “Despite everything.”
He lifts a hand, palm open in an invitation. I slide my fingers through his. The contact sends a ripple of warmth. We exchange tentative smiles, like two people tiptoeing over thin ice.
Footsteps approach, and I glimpse Bethany’s petite form returning. She halts a short distance away, clearing her throat. “No desire to interrupt, but we have important matters to discuss as well.” Her gaze lands on me with a mixture of warmth and apology. “I owe you an explanation, Vandria. I never meant to meddle so deeply in your life. I had no idea if his match was here, or who you’d be, but I hoped.”
Her lips purse. “I suspected he needed a place like Evershift Haven, and that the festival might nudge him, but I didn’t know you specifically. Your mother and I were friends many years ago, but I had no idea her daughter would be my grandson’s perfect match.”
Declan squeezes my hand as we listen. My pulse thumps. Bethany sets her carpetbag on the ground with a soft thud, rummaging inside until she produces a small crocheted shawl. She drapes it around her shoulders.
“Horace—my husband—passed away a few years back,” she says quietly. “I realized Declan was adrift after he left service when his knee was injured. Not enough to disable him, but too much for him to stay in as a Ranger.”
I glance at him while trying to remember if I saw any scars on his leg. Nothing comes to mind, so it must have been an internal injury.
His grandmother continues before I can ask for details. “I worried he’d go on existing without finding true connection., so I wrote Grizelda and arranged for a subtle push. The day he took that road trip, I wove a tiny enchantment on his GPS. The rest was the barrier doing what it does best—leading him into Evershift Haven.” She glances at me, eyes shining with sincerity. “I never imagined he’d collide head-on with your path like this, but I’m grateful.”
I tilt my head, letting the confession settle. She left our town for love once, so she knows the stakes. She risked everything to push Declan here. My voice comes out gently. “I’m not angry with you. A little shell-shocked, maybe.”
Bethany smiles softly. “Your mother might have a different opinion once she hears I’m back, especially if it leads to grandbabies.” The older woman glances between Declan and me. “I meddled with the best intentions. If you two want no part in it, no one’s chaining you here, but let me ask you something, Declan.” She fixes him with a piercing stare. “Do you really want to live without Vandria in your life?”
He closes his eyes briefly, swallowing. “No,” he says finally. “I don’t. I’ve already told her that, Gran.”
Bethany’s face lights up, lines creasing in a smile that’s equal parts mischief and joy. She dips her chin as though passing a silent blessing.
Declan turns to me, eyes nervous but resolute. “Walk with me?” he asks, voice husky.
I nod. We drift away from Bethany, who picks up her bag and waves us off, probably heading to see Grizelda or my parents. The festival’s final night hums around us with swirling illusions and dreamy music. We pass booths selling heart-shaped pastries and stands where folks pluck floating candy from the air.
He reaches for my hand again. “Hope you’re not sick of me,” he says, trying for a light tone.
A bubble of laughter escapes me, tension easing. “You still scowl a lot, but I’ll manage.”
He groans good-naturedly, guiding me past a stall decked in pink ribbons. “I scowl because this town confounds me, but I’m starting to see its charm.”
We meander to the fountain at the center of the square, a place that’s witnessed countless festival dances and romantic confessions. Tonight, a gentle glow emanates from the water, shifting from pink to purple in slow waves. A row of lanterns floats overhead, each orb flickering as couples pass beneath.
Declan halts, turning to face me fully. The rhythmic hush of water splashing sets a calming backdrop. “So,” he murmurs, “I’m staying. I can’t just walk away.”
My chest aches. “This place can be home if you let it. The florist in you might adore what we can do with magical blooms.” I arch a brow. “Just think of the possibilities.”
He huffs a laugh, something warm lighting in his eyes. “I’ve already messed around with that pink spray from Grizelda. A few times, actually. Might be fun to stock that in the human-world shop, once I figure out the logistics.”
I lean in. “You’ll put half the normal florists out of business.”
He lowers his voice to a near-whisper. “About earlier... I’m sorry I left you alone after what we shared. I meant every part of it. It wasn’t just festival illusions, and fear guided my freakout, but I never wanted to reject you.”
“I know. It was real for me too.”
He puts his arm around my waist. “If you’ll have me, I’d like to see where this goes. Maybe I’ll grumble and scowl, but I promise I’ll be all in.”
My heart thrums. “I can handle your scowls, soldier boy, as long as you’re scowling by my side.”
A grin cracks his lips. “Deal.”
Instinct tugs me to lean up, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips and gliding my fang over one. He flinches but doesn’t pull away. When we stop kissing, I say, “I’ll never bite without permission. You don’t have to be afraid of what I am.”
He nods. “I know, and I’m not.” He exhales, leaning into it. He draws me closer until the crowd, the music, and everything blurs into background static. His touch makes my head spin. This moment tastes of promise. Eventually, we break apart, both breathing raggedly. I rest my forehead against his.
A swirl of confetti drifts overhead, produced by some passing fairy. We watch the bits of shimmering paper twirl past us, dancing in the fountain’s breeze. A pair of townsfolk glides by, tossing us a knowing grin.
Someone calls out, “Told you he’d come around.”
Another voice says, “Pay up. I had two days in the pool.”
My cheeks flush. Declan grumbles, rolling his eyes, but the corners of his mouth lift faintly upward. He tugs me along, weaving through the crowd. We pass an arch of roses that shift color as we walk under them. I catch him glancing around in mild fascination and sense his guarded posture relaxing more by the second.
Eventually, we stop at a quieter corner near the “Moonlit Inn,” stepping onto a wooden walkway lined with hanging flower baskets. He takes in the blossoms, some glowing faintly. His expression softens. “When I see these, I think about how we can create new arrangements. Something that merges my style with the magic here.”
My heart warms. “I’d love to see that. You might even outshine the local bloom makers.”
He snorts. “Or I’ll blow up the shop with a mis-aimed enchantment.”
I laugh under my breath, imagining half-singing daisies raining from the rafters. The mental image is so ridiculous, I press a hand to my mouth. He chuckles with me, that tension in his eyes momentarily replaced by pure ease. Something inside me clicks. We’re on the cusp of real partnership. Perhaps fated or perhaps chosen, but either way, ours.
We wander farther, hand in hand, until we find ourselves at a vantage point overlooking the edge of town. A swirl of fog drifts beyond the barrier, faintly shimmering with pink. He pulls me close, and I lean my head on his shoulder, watching the illusions swirl. The day’s chaos, heartbreak, and revelations fold into a sense of calm possibility.
A hush builds. I sense him searching for words. Finally, he clears his throat. “So, are there rules about living arrangements? Because I can’t keep paying for the inn forever. Especially if I’m staying.”
I raise my head, scanning his face. “I can help you find a place. Grizelda can also alter any fruit or vegetable into a very fine home or floral shop. Or you can move your floral business in at the edge of my shop’s property. I have a big storeroom that’s mostly unused. Maybe it can be your workshop?”
He nods thoughtfully. “I might take you up on that.”
My lips tilt up. “I’d love that. We can see if we drive each other crazy.” A flicker of humor glimmers between us. “Besides, I’m sure the townsfolk want you to set up a permanent floral shop for the festival seasons.”
He slants me a sidelong look. “How many festivals are there, exactly?”
I grin. “You’ll find out.”
His quiet chuckle is warm. We stand like that for a while. This is what I wanted—to trust someone enough to share life’s weirdness, to risk heartbreak because the alternative is emptiness. My heart brims with genuine hope.
Eventually, the swirl of nighttime breezes grows chilly. He rubs my arms to keep me warm. “We should get back. It’s late, and your mother might appear out of nowhere to demand an interrogation.”
I groan. “She definitely will, but maybe in the morning. Let’s slip away now.”
Hand in hand, we return to the heart of town, passing more couples who wave or congratulate us. My cheeks flare, but I can’t stop smiling. It’s surreal, but he’s chosen to stay, to see this through. I relish the steady warmth of his hand around mine, the easy rhythm of our footsteps.
We reach the boarded walkway leading toward the bookstore and florist side of Evershift Haven. Lanterns drift overhead, glowing soft pink and gold, reminiscent of the orb that once haunted him. I look at him, half-expecting him to scowl. Instead, he shrugs a little, a rueful smile tugging his lips. He’s come so far in accepting the magic around him.
I brush my thumb across his knuckles. “Look at you, not even glaring at the lanterns.”
He snorts quietly. “Don’t push it. I might still try to tie one to a fence if it follows me home.”
A laugh bubbles out as he pulls me into a gentle kiss. We part, and I savor the warmth in his gaze. I whisper, “Welcome home, Declan.”
He nods. “Yeah, I think it might be.”