Epilogue
Emmett
Autumn had arrived in my little corner of the planet. The valley was filled with the scent of pine, woodsmoke, and spiced cider as the townsfolk assembled together for a very important day.
Elana, Melly, and I stood in the center of the square, along with most of the attendants from my castle.
Meera and Graham were here too. The square had been decorated with harvest garlands, cornstalks, and hollowed-out pumpkins and gourds glowing with candles.
It seemed everyone in town had turned up today, wrapped in thick wool coats and colorful scarves.
Mayor Halvorsen stepped up to the wooden podium wearing an oversized flannel shirt over a pair of jeans. He cleared his throat, the sound loud through the speakers, and the bustling crowd fell silent.
“People of Solstice,” Bjorn boomed, his deep voice carrying through the crisp autumn air. “Today marks the first day of the Solstice Harvest Festival. This is a time of gratitude and celebration. And what better way to begin than by honoring the dragon who made it all possible?”
Bjorn turned to me, holding up a massive, gleaming golden key set on a heavy wooden base.
My dragon wanted to hide. In the past, when an entire town of humans turned their gaze on a dragon, it usually didn’t mean good things.
The last time it had happened to me, they’d come at me with pitchforks.
But a single touch from Elana was enough to keep my beast from freaking out.
“Emmett, the dragon of the mountains,” Bjorn said, stepping down from the stage to stand in front of me. “It is my honor to officially present you with the key to our town and name you the Dragon of Solstice. Thank you for everything you’ve done to keep this town safe.”
“Thank you, Bjorn,” I said awkwardly, taking the key from him. “But it is I who need to thank you. All of you. For being there to help save my family.”
“We take care of our own.” Bjorn clapped me on the back so hard that it would’ve knocked me over if I hadn’t been a dragon. “You adopted us, dragon,” Bjorn said with a booming laugh, clapping. “Now accept the consequences and let us buy you a drink!”
The crowd erupted into deafening cheers.
Elana beamed, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
In the stroller in front of her was Melly, who was bundled up in a tiny, hand-knitted plum-colored sweater and a matching winter hat that made her look like a little round berry.
She was in her human form today, her chubby cheeks flushed pink from the cold.
I doubted she’d stay human the whole day, and that was why I’d gotten the outfit enchanted so she wouldn’t rip right out of it when she shifted later.
The autumn festival was in full swing when Bjorn found me again in the crowd. He pressed a frothy mug into my hands—dark amber ale brewed right here in Solstice. “To the Dragon of Solstice,” he said, clinking his mug against mine.
The beer was rich and malty, with just a hint of local honey. I took a long pull, feeling the warmth spread through me. Elana watched with amusement as I wiped foam from my mouth.
Meera and Graham appeared, taking the stroller from Elana. “They set up a bunch of activities for the little ones by the covered pavilion,” Meera said. “You get Melly all the time. Let us hog her for a bit.”
“We’re test-driving a child to see if we can actually handle one,” Graham said. “Eadie’s got us doubting everything.”
I grinned. Eadie had come over to play several times, and I had to admit that she was a menace. Melly might have taught her how to set things on fire, but I wasn’t going to admit to that.
Graham gave me a pat on the shoulder. “Go and enjoy the festival.”
I turned back to Elana. The festival could wait. Right now, my dragon was a little overwhelmed by all the people. I wanted a bit of time to ourselves.
I wrapped my hand around her waist, pulling her flush against my body, shielding her from the autumn chill.
I guided her away from the main path, leading her down a quiet trail that wound behind the town hall.
It was shaded in the canopy of a row of trees, and a cool breeze rustled through the orange and red leaves.
Once we were completely out of sight of the crowd, I backed her gently against the trunk of a massive, ancient oak tree, dry leaves crunching softly beneath our boots.
Elana looked up at me, a soft, breathless smile playing on her beautiful face. “The Dragon of Solstice. It has a nice ring to it.”
“It does. But all I care about is being yours, and making sure you and Melly have the best the world can offer. How about Elana’s Mighty Dragon?”
She laughed. “The mightiest.” She went on her tiptoes and kissed me then.
And my dragon inside practically purred. I hadn’t set out to find a mate and a family. But somehow, here I was. And I’d never been happier.
Elana and Melly were my home. My everything. And I would tear the world apart to keep them safe.
THE END