Epilogue
I STAND UNDER THE ARCHING branches of the Heart of Haven—a centuries-old oak at the Town Square’s center—watching the festival lanterns drift skyward. A swirl of pastel illusions sparkles under the moon’s glow. It’s been a full year since the night Declan stumbled into Evershift Haven. The memory makes me smile.
He’s beside me, wearing a neatly rolled-sleeve shirt that shows the floral ink on his forearm—a new tattoo he got to celebrate opening his Evershift Haven shop, having decided to leave the human one to be managed by a competent manager in the human realm. He visits a few times per year, but Evershift Haven is home. His scowl from last year is gone, replaced by a calm contentment. He’s still not a grin-at-everyone type of guy, but his eyes gleam with quiet satisfaction.
Bethany never left. She stands near my mother, and they’re talking about something with animated body language. They keep glancing at us, sharing conspiratorial smiles. I catch Bethany’s wink. She’s immersed herself in Evershift Haven again, rekindling friendships she thought she’d lost. Now, the townsfolk treat her like a beloved old friend returned home.
I shift my gaze to the small strip of stores across from my bookstore. Where once stood an empty lot, now a massive, enchanted tulip blossoms in vivid pink, grown large enough to house a full-fledged florist’s shop. Grizelda used her magic to transplant it and coax it into a building. Leaves curve around a wooden door, and petals overhead forming a natural awning. Lights twinkle among the stamen, giving the interior a perpetual golden glow. “Stewart’s Enchanted Blooms” is a place where flowers sing, hum, or shift color in tune with the recipient’s emotions. The sign out front is shaped like a leaf, etched with swirling script.
He follows my line of sight, lips quirking. “The shop’s busier than I expected. Locals love music-lilies and love-fern corsages.” He pretends to grumble, but pride warms his voice.
I slip an arm around his waist. “Told you they’d go crazy over living bouquets.”
He shakes his head. “You did. I still get jumpy whenever the daisies start reciting poetry though.”
Laughter escapes me, remembering a mishap last week when a new batch of daisies wouldn’t stop quoting love sonnets at every passerby. He handled it with minimal swearing—a big step from the man who tried tying a lantern to a fence. My heart swells with gratitude at how far he’s come.
We meander toward the small path bridging our shops, a short stone walkway etched with runic script. The closeness of our businesses feels right, almost symbolic. We’re still separate people with our own passions yet connected in a way that fosters synergy.
He murmurs, “Never thought I’d be living in a giant flower.”
I smirk, leaning my head on his shoulder. “Strangest part is you love it.”
He snorts. “I do.”
A hush sweeps across the square as the final ceremony of the festival begins. Mayor Spellbinder lifts his staff, and the crowd quiets. Lanterns flicker overhead, swirling in lazy patterns that trace star-shapes across the sky. The mayor’s voice raises. “Friends, welcome to another year’s end of the Festival of Luminaries. Let us release these final lanterns, that they may guide new hearts to their destined paths.”
Applause bursts, and the lanterns detach from ropes, floating freely. Families cheer, couples hold hands, and visitors stare in awe at the luminous display. Bethany stands near us, wiping an emotional tear as she murmurs about the first year she’s spent truly happy since Horace passed. Mother loops an arm around her, beaming.
We slip out of the immediate crowd, wandering to the base of the oak. We rest against its trunk, watching the orbs sail higher and higher, their glow painting the night sky with shifting colors. I lean into him, letting the hush of the moment sink in.
He presses a kiss to my temple. “I still can’t believe how this all worked out.”
I tilt my head to look up at him, a soft smile forming. “Don’t pretend you haven’t embraced it.”
He gives a half grin. “I appreciate it more than I ever expected.”
Warmth radiates through my chest. He came here a guarded stranger, refusing to believe in magic. Now he’s integral to the community.
I poke his side. “That meddling vampire must’ve helped too, right?”
He chuckles, hooking an arm around my waist. “She might’ve.”
Footsteps shuffle behind us, and Bethany emerges, discreetly giving us space but also wanting to share a moment. She pats Declan’s shoulder. “Proud of you, dear boy, and you too, Vandria. This year has been something special.”
We exchange smiles. She drifts off to rejoin Grizelda, leaving us in the comforting hush. A final swirl of illusions drifts by, shaped like shimmering hearts. He scowls at them in mock annoyance. I hide a laugh against his chest.
A single lantern remains, hovering lower than the rest—a deep gold that reminds me of the one that once chose him. Declan watches it drift overhead, expression pensive until it floats by.
I lift onto my toes, pressing a kiss to his mouth. The hush of the festival enfolds us, the last lantern shining above like a silent blessing. We hold each other until the lanterns vanish into the sky, leaving only the glow of lampposts and the quiet rustle of the ancient oak’s leaves.
He takes my hand, lacing our fingers, and we stand there in companionable silence, hearts thrumming with the certainty of shared future. The festival winds down around us, but inside, everything feels just as bright.
He presses a kiss to my temple, voice low. “We heading home?”
I grin at the word home. “Yes. Home.” I glance toward the giant tulip store and the small apartment built within, all courtesy of Grizelda’s magic. We drift away from the oak, weaving through the thinning crowd, arms around each other.
Laughter and final festival songs echo softly in the square. My mother and father wave from the steps of the “Moonlit Inn.” Bethany waves too before going into her mushroom house at the end of the street. She’s wearing a big grin on her face. Declan rolls his eyes, murmuring that his grandmother is way too pleased with herself. I smother a laugh in his jacket.
He glances down at me. “Ready for a quiet night?”
I nod, contentment surging. “Lead the way, soldier boy.”
We vanish into the gentle glow of Evershift Haven’s lantern-lit streets. Hand in hand, we move forward into a future built on risk, magic, and undeniable love.