Epilogue
Isla looped her hand through her husband’s arm as they sat in the old auditorium.
The Minister of Interior Affairs addressed the room with quiet gravitas, his voice carrying across the high, arched ceilings.
Professor Kingsley had been awarded posthumously for his selfless contributions, and a hush fell over the audience.
Andrew gently passed her a tissue, and she dabbed at her eyes.
“I would like to take a moment to thank everyone in the academic community, as well as our colleagues in the United States, who have played an essential role in the development, production, and distribution of penicillin,” the minister continued.
“Through their dedication and diligent work, we now have the means to fight infection and save countless lives, keeping families whole.”
Isla thought of Professor William Smith, who had worked tirelessly to make international collaboration possible, ensuring that critical research could cross borders and continue to move medicine forward.
The room seemed to hum with quiet appreciation for the pioneers whose efforts often went unseen, yet whose work had changed the course of so many lives.
When the speech drew to a close, Andrew guided her gently out of the auditorium. Married life was rich—full of debates, compromises, laughter, and occasional disagreements—but she wouldn’t change a single moment. She would choose him, again and again.
As they stepped from the row, he drew her close, lifting her wrist to his lips and pressing a kiss to her watch strap, resting just above her Sigil mark.
His lips didn’t touch her skin, yet the simple gesture made her stomach swoop and butterflies stir, a quiet reminder that love, even in the ordinary rhythms of life, was still very much alive.
Juliette hurried over, having just been deep in conversation with Edmund and George.
Edmund had been invited to attend as the minister acknowledged his contributions, as well as George.
As Edmund, Juliette, Jimmy, and George had gone on stage to receive their thanks, Isla had noticed that the minister had been much less enthusiastic in his praise of George’s efforts.
She didn’t understand his coolness; George was one of the kindest people she knew.
“Come,” Juliette said, looping her arms through Andrew’s and Isla’s, splitting them up as a way of guiding them along.
Greetings were exchanged, though Juliette seemed slightly off-kilter.
Her gaze kept flicking to a new young lady standing beside Edmund, impeccably dressed in the latest fashions, her makeup flawless, who, in turn, appeared to be studying George with interest. George, ever courteous, turned to acknowledge Isla with a warm smile, his kind eyes welcoming and steady.
“Might I introduce you to Lady Ethel, a friend of mine from London and a skilled Aqua Summoner,” Edmund said in his deep voice.
“A pleasure to meet you,” Isla replied, feeling Juliette’s hand tighten lightly on her arm.
“Are you just here for the presentation today?” Andrew asked.
“I am,” Lady Ethel answered. “My father is the Minister of Interior Affairs. I’ll be returning in September—I start classes here in the autumn.”
“Oh, how lovely! I hope to see you in one of my classes,” Isla said.
Lady Ethel nodded. “That would be delightful.”
“And you, Edmund, what are your plans?” Isla asked, sensing her friend’s curiosity—and what was more curious, she wasn’t voicing her thoughts. “Will you be visiting us again? We missed you while you were in London these last few months.” He had attended their wedding but had been distant.
“Well, it seems that even though the criminals went to ground for a time, more have been surfacing recently,” Edmund said.
Andrew leaned in, eyebrows raised, looking worried. “Ah ... like the Aetheric Arts types. Is Isla safe?”
“She is,” Edmund said. “Ossa Arcana are not targeting Isla. With penicillin now a well-known and widely distributed medicine, they have lost their initial need for her to be eliminated. They have a different commission now, it seems. I’m not sure if you’ve read it in the papers, but in France, the Mona Lisa has been moved from place to place, hidden so war raids can’t seize it.
We Brits haven’t been as careful with some of our priceless artifacts, and a few in London have disappeared.
We thought it was looters, but it seems to be more calculated—and the trail is coming north.
Reports have been trickling in from the local area.
I’m to be stationed in York for the foreseeable future. ”
“You’re ... moving here?” Juliette asked, her voice small, almost lost.
Edmund looked at her for a long moment before answering. “I am.”
Isla felt Juliette’s hand tremble slightly on her arm. It was about time she had a proper natter with her friend with some toast and jam.
The End