Epilogue Lochlan
TWO WEEKS LATER
Lochlan set the baking dish on the counter, the rich scent of melted cheese and herbs filling the kitchen. He wiped his hands on a towel and reached for two wine glasses just as Malrik’s voice rang out through his phone, propped against a bowl full of Halloween candy.
“So then I said, ‘That’s not a regulation formation, it’s a—’”
“Malrik,” Thane groaned from the other side of the screen, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Lochlan smirked, half-listening as he poured the wine, the familiar cadence of Thane and Malrik’s banter washing over him. Before he could sit, Jade’s ears perked up. A second later, she leapt off the couch, nails clacking against the hardwood as she bolted toward the front door.
Nia.
Lochlan grabbed the glasses, turning just in time to see her sweep in, cheeks flushed from the cold, energy radiating off her in waves. She leaned into him, her lips pressing a quick, warm kiss to his before she plucked the glass from his hand and turned to the phone. “Hey, Thaney.”
Thane groaned again, and Lochlan stifled a laugh as his brother dragged a hand over his face. “Not you, too.”
Malrik, for once, had fallen silent, which told Lochlan just how tense the situation in the palace had become.
Thane had been pivotal in saving Nia, but he’d missed a major meeting with Dover’s leadership to do so.
He’d spent the last two weeks trying to make up for it, with Lochlan even putting in an appearance at the palace himself—this time with Nia at his side.
The brunch had been tense, a polite battleground where Thane debated members of the opposition while other leaders floated their own ideas, careful not to commit too fully to either side.
Later, Lochlan and Nia had toured Dover’s autumn festival with Thane, shaking hands and fielding cautious questions.
Quietly, Nia had also reached out to Dover’s hidden supernatural networks, trying to get a clearer picture of what they were up against. Magic lived deep in the shadows there, and they’d hoped to discover who was hiding and what could be done.
It hadn’t mattered.
The Dover Coalition, who’d already controlled much of the government’s power, had seized the opportunity to claim the rest, and had finally succeeded in passing resolutions that stripped the monarchy of its remaining power over the military, and both foreign and domestic affairs.
Lochlan exhaled, leaning against the counter. “What’s the latest offer from the leadership of the esteemed DC?”
Thane snorted, grabbing a glass of amber liquid.
“Oh, you’ll love this. The monarchy is symbolically dissolved, but we still get to keep our titles—for tradition’s sake.
” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “We’re still princes, just without the pesky ruling part.
Instead, we’re expected to smile, wave, and be paraded around like show ponies at important events. ”
Lochlan’s grip on his glass tightened. What did this mean for Wulfric and his plans? He’d bring him up to speed tonight.
“And Lavinia?” Lochlan asked.
Thane took a slow sip. “Mom and Drusilla have taken leave—which is a delicate way of saying they packed their things and fled to one of the country estates before anyone could ask them to do any actual work to manage the transition of power.”
“And you?”
Thane exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I still need to negotiate my position in the military. There’s talk of making me a general in some kind of consulting role, which is just a fancy way of saying, ‘We don’t trust you to command armed soldiers, but we’d like to keep you around to look cooperative, and in case we can use your expertise. ’”
Nia leaned into Lochlan, swirling her wine. “Come to Stella Rune. I’m sure Lochlan can find you something worthwhile in the Videt. And we all know my father loves a prince.”
Thane groaned.
Lochlan smiled wryly, lifting his glass. “So, in summary: we’re still important, theoretically, but no one actually wants us to do anything?”
“Pretty much.” Thane raised his own glass. “To being very expensive decorations.”
Nia grinned, clinking hers against Lochlan’s. “Two very pretty decorations.”
Lochlan grimaced, but they all drank.
“I’ll send you the details on the latest transition offer,” Thane said, setting his glass down. “We have a week to decide whether to accept or try to negotiate further.”
Lochlan hated how defeated his brother looked. But a part of him thought maybe this was exactly what needed to happen.
They said their goodbyes, and Lochlan turned to Nia.
He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. “Hi,” he murmured. “How was your day?”
“Amazing.” Her smile was tired but genuine. “Long. And…” A hint of mischief lit her eyes. “I have a surprise.”
Lochlan’s brows lifted. “What kind of surprise?”
Instead of answering, she knelt to greet Jade, wrapping her arms around the dog and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Jade wagged her tail, nudging Nia’s chin with her nose before trotting toward the back door and slipping outside.
Lochlan crossed his arms, watching Nia with growing curiosity. “You’re not going to make me guess, are you?”
She just smiled and pulled one of her mother’s diaries from her bag.
Moving to the bookshelf, she carefully placed it alongside the others, then selected a new one.
He’d seen her do this often over the past two weeks, each time with the same quiet reverence.
She carried the diary with her for days, reading it over and over again, and then, when she was ready, she would replace it with another.
Both the routine and the deepening connection to her mother seemed to bring Nia peace.
But this time, after tucking the new diary into her purse, she reached into her bag again and pulled out two small vials of glowing orange liquid.
“What are those?” Lochlan asked.
Nia held up the vials, the luminescent liquid shimmering faintly.
“I had my final interview with Aurelia today,” she said. “She’s finished her investigation. All the regulars have had their minds wiped, and we are officially done.”
Lochlan leaned against the doorframe. “And what about the charming trio?”
She smirked. “Gregor will do time for kidnapping. Jackson has a hefty fine to pay and has stepped down as CEO. And Raymond…” Nia shook her head. “His mind has been blissfully wiped, and he’s in the early stages of being sued and divorced by his wife.”
The relief Lochlan felt was impossible to put into words.
“And these?” He nodded toward the vials, his brow arching.
Nia’s smile widened as she twirled one between her fingers.
“These are a gift from Aurelia.” Her tone was light, but Lochlan could sense a hint of gravity.
“Usually, she erases memories. But she can also give them back. I told her about our situation with the fairy wine and my father. How that night is a fragmented, horny haunting, and how I wished I could remember our hand-fasting ceremony.”
Lochlan groaned softly, tipping his head back for a moment. “Of course you do.”
“Don’t roll your eyes at me,” Nia teased, her smile playful but her gaze serious. “She says if we take these little guys, we’ll remember everything that happened that night.”
Lochlan’s gaze flicked to the violently colored vials in her hand, unease curling in his chest. He’d never heard of such a memory recovery spell, let alone one that could reverse the effects of fairy wine.
His mind churned with questions. How did it work?
What would it feel like? And, most pressing of all—did he want to know?
The night of Mabon was a mystery he had grown to accept. And yet, the idea of uncovering the truth, of knowing what had happened, both tempted and unsettled him.
Nia closed the distance between them, her touch warm and grounding as her hands ran down his chest. “We don’t have to do this.
” Her gaze softened, her voice gentle. “I just thought… it was the last thing missing from our lives. I see glimpses every once in a while, but that’s all they are: glimpses. ”
Lochlan’s throat tightened as his doubts bubbled to the surface. “What if we remember and…”
“And?”
“And whatever you learn makes you change your mind,” he said quietly.
It was Nia’s turn to roll her eyes. Her lips quirked in a knowing smile as she let out an exasperated sigh. “Nothing,” she said firmly, “can make me change my mind about you.”
Lochlan hesitated, glancing at the vials before meeting her gaze. “But… who’s going to hand out the candy tonight?”
Nia laughed, the sound easing some of the tension in his chest. “We’re not taking them now.” She shook her head. “Aurelia said to drink them before bed. When we go to sleep, we’ll dream of our missing memories.”
“All missing memories?” Lochlan asked, a thread of worry creeping into his voice. There were things he’d forgotten—memories he’d let go—that he didn’t want to revisit.
“No,” Nia said quickly, reassuring. “She did something with the fairy wine to narrow them down. Just that night.”
Their eyes met, a quiet understanding passing between them.
“Do we have to do it tonight?” Lochlan asked.
Nia smiled, her expression gentle as she leaned in and kissed him. “We can do it whenever you want,” she said softly.
Before Lochlan could respond, she turned and placed the vials carefully in the cabinet. The chime of the doorbell echoed through the house, and Nia darted toward the door, grabbing a headband with red horns glimmering with sequins and the candy bucket as she passed.
“Get Jade’s costume on and grab the lawn chairs!” she called over her shoulder, her excitement infectious.
Lochlan grinned, shaking his head as he moved to find Jade.
Trick-or-treating lasted a little over an hour, the sounds of laughter and footsteps filling the crisp autumn evening.
Lochlan sat in the lawn chair beside Nia, sipping his wine while they handed out candy.
Jade, in her witch costume, had stolen the show.
Kids squealed with delight, some even bringing fruit for the ducks, who waddled curiously near the edge of the yard.
Lochlan couldn’t stop watching Nia—her laughter, her easy conversation with the neighbors, the way she leaned into him between groups of kids, her hand resting lightly on his leg.
It was incredible and even unreal, like he was dreaming, caught in some perfect illusion that might dissolve if he let himself believe in it too much.
But it wasn’t a dream.
This was his life, the one he hadn’t known he’d been missing. The one he never could have imagined for himself. A life built on love, on belonging—on her.
The stream of trick-or-treaters slowed, the earlier hum of excitement fading as porch lights glowed against the dark, their soft warmth casting long shadows on the cobblestone streets.
Then came the familiar sound of boots crunching on gravel.
Lochlan turned just as Becket strolled up, hands shoved into his jacket pockets, a crooked grin in place. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite witches—the queen and king of hand-fasting and other hazards.” He waggled his brows. “Ready to see what sort of chaos you can unleash at the Samhain celebration?”
Nia’s smile turned wicked. “Always.”
Lochlan glanced down both sides of the now-empty street. It felt… settled. A perfect kind of quiet. “Looks like our job here is done.”
He turned to Nia, catching the shimmer of her dress as she moved. The deep emerald fabric flowed around her like water, catching the soft glow of the porch lights.
She ran a hand down the fabric, her lips curving in a knowing smile. “I’ll put Jade inside and grab a coat for the walk.”
“Hopefully people will be naked by now,” Becket quipped.
Lochlan groaned. The only person he wanted to see naked tonight was Nia.
As she disappeared inside, he let out a slow breath, looking once more at the quiet, waiting street. The night wasn’t empty, far from it—it was full, of warmth, of possibility, of her.
And for the first time in his life, Lochlan felt like he was exactly who—and where—he was supposed to be.