Epilogue One Year Later
Malik
It was unseasonably warm for the summer solstice, but it seemed like I was the only one bothered by the heat. Adrian was thrilled to have the excuse to stop wearing a shirt, and Caspian was too wrapped up in his mate to notice.
Their one year anniversary was around the corner, and they spent more time kissing than not. Or at least that was what it seemed like when I looked up from my computer.
“Could you please wear a shirt?” Juniper asked Adrian, scowling at him with her hands propped on her hips. Boxes were stacked along the wall, ready to go to Caspian and Juniper’s new house.
“But it’s hot,” he whined, “and my tan is just getting good.”
Caspian jogged down the stairs, his steps slowing as he took in the standoff. His mouth twitched. “Ari, do what she says. ”
“So bossy, baby brother!” Adrian said, dragging his hand through his platinum hair and huffing dramatically as he headed toward the stairs and his room.
“Something nice, like a white button-down!” Juniper called after him. She smoothed her hands over her white, lacy sundress as her attention swung to me. Apparently I passed inspection, because she smiled tightly.
Sighing, I closed my laptop and stood up. “You don’t need to be worried about the Summer Solstice party. It’s not a big deal.”
“Sure,” she muttered.
Caspian chuckled. With one smooth move, he tugged Juniper to him and kissed her soundly.
There they go again.
I tried to not roll my eyes, but it definitely still happened. Juniper giggled. “Try to not look so aggravated for once, Mal.”
“I didn’t—” I argued, adjusting the cuffs of my black button-down shirt. “Nevermind.”
I wasn’t very good at controlling my expressions.
The lovebirds weren’t paying attention. Caspian typed out messages on his phone as Juniper checked through the big beach bag she was bringing.
“Better?” Adrian said, taking the stairs two at a time.
“Yup,” Caspian said. He draped his silvery coat over his shoulder.
I reached for my own selkie coat, a much darker shade of gray, and settled it into its familiar place.
The familiar low hum of selkie magic thrummed through my chest, letting me know I could turn into a seal right here in the middle of our living room if I wanted to—though the ocean would be a much better location for that.
It had been a few days since I shifted into my seal form, and the familiar ache was returning. Any time a new work project consumed my attention, I forgot to take time for myself, often skipping sleep and meals until the job was done. Juniper called them hyperfixations.
“Let’s go!” Juniper said, her voice higher than normal. Caspian stooped to kiss her shoulder reassuringly.
Adrian entertained us with an animated story as he led our little group down to the cove that gave Crescent Cove its name. The sun sank lower, gilding the sand and painting the waves orange and pink.
Familiar faces joined us, neighbors of all species—from nereids to merfolk. Adrian slung his arms over the shoulders of a pair of petite nixies who smiled up at him.
The cove was full of our magical brothers and sisters. We mingled into the crowd, accepting drinks and catching up with friends who didn’t come ashore often.
Juniper’s cheeks were flushed as she clung to Caspian’s arm. They spoke with two people who looked oddly similar to—
It’s our parents!
Frowning, I strode toward them .
Our mother turned, smiling at me. “Oh, there you are Malik.”
Her silver hair hung to her waist, threaded through with baubles and blue thread, her pale selkie coat draped over one shoulder.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, hugging her tight.
She smiled slyly. “I’ll let Juniper tell you.”
“What?” I looked between Juniper and Caspian.
“We’d better get Adrian,” my father said, pausing to hug me too before walking away to grab our other brother.
I was still confused when he returned with a babbling Adrian.
Juniper grinned, leaning back against Caspian’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, like he was her selkie coat.
“Well, we figured tonight, since everyone was gathered together, for the most part—thank you, Kara and Ross, for flying out. Anyway, it seemed like a good time—” She paused, glancing up at Caspian.
He chuckled and kissed her nose. “You’ve got this.”
“We’re getting married!”
Adrian’s mouth fell open, and for once in his life, he was silent.
“Congratulations on your engagement,” I said carefully, searching their faces for cues. “When is the wedding?”
Caspian’s grin widened, showing his blunt fangs. “Tonight. ”
"Poseidon's tits,” I muttered.
“As soon as my Gran arrives. She knows about the plan, and she even got ordained so we can make it government official and everything,” Juniper said.
“What can I do to help?” I asked.
An hour later, a small circle of Caspian and Juniper’s closest friends, along with our parents, surrounded my youngest brother and his fated mate.
Adrian twitched in his spot beside me, acting as best men together. Ocean water soaked into our cuffed pants and rose to just below Juniper’s knees. The seafoam shimmered and swirled with her magic as she stared into Caspian’s eyes.
They exchanged vows, repeating after her grandmother who stood at the edge of the water with her mermaid cane held tightly in her hand.
Caspian confessed his undying devotion to Juniper, and she did the same to him. I wasn’t one for big emotions, but my throat ached at their meaningful words. It was obvious to everyone how much they loved each other.
My brother produced a sparkling sapphire engagement ring with a matching band and slid them onto her finger. She gave him a polished silver ring with sapphire chips embedded so it sparkled like water droplets.
Finally, he dipped her dramatically and kissed her as everyone cheered. Champagne was passed around. Moonlight poured over the scene as a bonfire was lit and speakers were started up .
Some guests danced while others took to the water. The glittering tails of merfolk reflected the stars, and I found myself standing ankle deep in water, watching our people celebrate both the wedding and the solstice.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” a soft voice asked.
Turning, I drank in the petite figure who had joined me. Glossy black hair framed her face, and long lashes fluttered as she glanced over the water. In the silvery moonlight, it was impossible to see what color her eyes were.
“Were you here for the wedding, or just for the solstice?” I asked, my voice a little hoarse.
“Oh, the wedding. I’m not anything special, like a mermaid or selkie, you know.” She waved her hand dismissively. “I saw you up with Juniper’s new husband. How do you know him?”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I turned back to the water. “He’s my brother.”
“Oh,” she said simply. “Well, congrats on the new sister-in-law.”
A beat of silence passed, and she crossed her arms. Her black dress was sleeveless, and the air had cooled. “Here,” I said. “You can’t keep it, but it’ll warm you for now.”
Without thinking, I slid my coat off my shoulders and draped it over her. She gaped at me, and I realized too late that placing my coat over her shoulders was probably too intimate a gesture.
I cleared my throat, trying to act normal. “So how do you know Juniper?”
She wet her lips. “Um, we were close in high school and then roommates in college for a bit. She’s really special.”
“And are you a witch too?” I asked, suddenly needing to know.
The woman shifted on her feet. “Something like that.”
Frowning, I studied her features, looking for clues. Her midnight hair covered her ears, and she wasn’t smiling wide enough to show fangs. She could be any number of magical beings.
“So are you Adrian or Malik?” she asked cautiously. “Because I was specifically told to watch out for Adrian because he’s such a big flirt, and it would be so awkward if you were him.”
The tension ebbed from my muscles, and I smiled at her, raking my fingers through my hair to keep it off my face. “I’m Malik.”
“Oh thank the goddess,” she said. “I’m Willow.”
“Nice to meet you,” I muttered automatically, trying to be polite.
“You too,” she said, her brows furrowing.
“I’d better give you this back,” she said, tugging my coat from her shoulders. “See you around, Malik.”
With a half-shrug, she turned and headed back into the crowd. Unsettled, I watched her weave through the guests until she reached the coolers of drinks.
The light of the bonfire lit up her features, and I realized her hair wasn’t black like mine; it was a stunning deep blue. The fire highlighted her button nose and the curve of her full lips, and something inside of me nudged me forward.
Frowning, I replayed our interaction.
Did we touch?
No, there hadn’t been any contact, skin-to-skin, but she’d touched my coat. I felt strange, and I couldn’t pinpoint how or why.
With a scoff, I shrugged the feeling away and stepped deeper into the water, letting the quiet magic of my selkie coat overtake and transform me.
Cool water enveloped my sleek, furry body as I swam out to join our friends and neighbors celebrating the longest day of the year.