Epilogue Lyra
Shhh, it’s starting!” Marcie barked, and we all settled back in our chairs, ready for the Christmas special of Bewitching Bake Off.
Marcie was hosting a viewing party at Mystic Munchies, complete with several featured desserts from the show, and afterward we all planned to wander over to the Pinecones & Peppermint Fest. The festival was kicking off tonight with a bonfire and fireworks provided by Briarhaven’s dragons, and everyone wanted to be there on time.
Everyone from the show was here, including Mandy, though she stayed in the corner and away from us. My family was here, and Knox was tucked next to Sloane, with only Liam missing because he was covering both the festival and the pub.
Drone footage opened the show, sweeping over Briarhaven, the town lit up and looking like the perfect postcard Christmas village.
Knox beamed.
“That should bring in some new visitors.”
Though Briarhaven was built for attracting non-magickal tourists to visit, we still got a surprising number of magickals who enjoyed holidaying in the village as well.
Turned out, they enjoyed meeting other magickals as well as the freedom of being able to live out in the open without hiding their magick.
“Welcome to our very own Christmas special of Bewitching Bake Off.” Nevin and Kelly beamed into the cameras. “With our juiciest season ever, we’ve got love, betrayal, and second chances. Sink your teeth into this sugary-sweet competition as we take you to Briarhaven, Scotland.”
I glanced up at Rab to see if he was nervous, but he was relaxed in his seat, his arm casually draped across the back of my chair.
I was still getting used to this, to us, and it caught me off guard, every once in a while, that after all these years we could fit so seamlessly into each other’s lives again.
I still had some nerves around us, and where we were going, but as Nova and Sloane reminded me daily, we had time now to give our relationship an honest chance.
I gasped as my face flashed on the screen, egg exploding in slow motion across my makeup, as the intro rolled into highlights to build everyone’s anticipation of the upcoming episodes.
“Oh no,” I groaned, as everyone laughed. “This is gonna be a bloodbath.”
The room cheered when the screen flashed to Henry proudly presenting his truffles, and he chuckled and wiped his eyes with a handkerchief in the front row.
“I love her.” Rab’s voice filled the room, and I froze, my eyes caught on the screen, where Rab lifted his chin, looking confidently at the camera.
I turned to look at Rab as his words played in the background.
“Do you know when it’s absolutely pissing out, and the clouds have all clustered in and are moody and gray?”
“Aye, that’s typical enough Scottish weather,” Vaughn said.
“And then, out of nowhere, the clouds will shift, and the loveliest ray of sunshine will pierce through all that gray. It just lights the whole world up in a way that has made poets reach for their pens and painters grab for their brushes in a desperate attempt to capture that moment of stunning, perfect light.”
My heart warmed.
“That’s Lyra.”
My mouth dropped open, and Rab leaned down, brushing a soft kiss across my lips.
“Get a room,” Knox called, and we broke apart, laughing. My heart hammered in my chest.
“Rab, I can’t believe you said that on camera,” I said, blinking back the tears that welled.
“Aye, I surprised myself as well. But then I realized I didn’t care who knew it. Not anymore. I’d shout it to the world if I could.” Rab threaded his fingers through mine and lifted my hand to kiss my palm.
“But—”
“Shhh,” Rab whispered, nodding to the screen, where the show was opening with our personal interviews.
Rab squeezed my hand tighter when it flashed to me speaking about my favorite Christmas with my childhood boyfriend, and Sloane’s sigh of happiness brought a smile to my face.
The first show ended just as we were going to be judged for our dishes, leaving the entire room complaining.
“They can’t leave it like that! We have to know who wins this round.” Henry turned around, appalled.
“Henry, we know who wins,” I said, amused.
“Still. That’s just… nobody likes a cliffhanger.” Henry crossed his arms, his chin sinking into his chest as he glowered.
“Agreed.” Marcie stood, anger on her face.
“I’ll just be texting Vaughn what I think about this.
” Despite Marcie’s annoyance with the show, she’d struck up an odd friendship with Vaughn, and I was privy to hearing about his catastrophic dating attempts, which Marcie grimly reported to me when it was just us baking in the mornings.
True to her word, Marcie had made me a much stronger baker, and I’d found that I loved the routine of going to work each morning.
The quiet early hours in the kitchen soothed me, and it was there that I’d come up with some of my best new recipes for my YouTube channel.
My follower count had exploded, and Rab was making noises about building me my own set to film on.
It was a step too far for me, at the moment, as I liked my life exactly as it was.
The idea of any other big changes was just too much to stomach.
I wanted routine and normalcy. Well, as normal as life in Briarhaven could be, that is.
“Either way”—Knox stood—“I think we need to get over to the festival. The fireworks will be starting soon.”
Leaving the bakery, Rab took my hand and pulled me aside as the rest of the group walked ahead of us toward the main square in town, where the festival was being held.
It was a crisp, cold night, but the winds were low, and the sky was clear—a smattering of stars sparkling against the velvet backdrop of night.
Music and laughter drifted in the evening air as we followed the stream of people heading toward the brightly lit square.
“Are you okay, lass?” Rab leaned in, his eyes searching my face.
“Me? Of course.” I laughed. Sure, it had been embarrassing to see myself flounder on television, but at the same time, I was just too happy to worry much about anything else.
Nobody was perfect, so if people needed to see me fail to give them courage to try something new, I was fine to lead as an example.
“I’m happy I went on the show—if I hadn’t, I’m not sure we’d be where we are now. ”
“No, I’m not sure we would be either,” Rab admitted with a frown. “I do have a streak of stubbornness, I’m afraid to admit.”
“As do I. It’s part of our Scottish heritage, isn’t it?”
“Can I buy you a cup of fancy cocoa or whatever posh cocktail Liam has dreamt up for his booth to make up for it?” Rab asked, and I pursed my lips, pretending to think it over.
“I guessssss so.” I fluttered my eyelashes at him.
“And then I’ll make up for it… later… when I have you to myself again.” Rab leaned in and kissed my neck, blowing a hot breath against my skin, and I shivered as desire unfurled inside me.
At least I didn’t have to worry about turning random objects into hedgies anymore. Once I’d managed to break my part of the curse, that particular annoyance had disappeared, much to Sorcha’s relief.
The group split off as we arrived at the festival, where booths lined the square, and the ancient yew tree in the middle was wrapped in sparkling lights.
Strands of twinkle lights arched out from the tree and to poles at the corner of the square.
A band on a small bandstand in the corner rocked about Grandma getting run over by a reindeer, and the smell of toasted chestnuts wafted in the air.
Sloane and Knox broke off, their arms wrapped around each other, and Knox bent to whisper something in Sloane’s ear. By the look on her face, I could guess it was similar to what Rab had just whispered to me, and her cheeks flushed.
Nova stood to the side, alone, scanning the crowd, and my heart twisted. I hadn’t much thought about what it would be like for her if both Sloane and I had boyfriends, and I made a mental note to be sure to spend more time with her so she didn’t feel like we were leaving her behind.
Not that she much seemed to care. Nova had always been more of a loner, happy to relax away an afternoon sketching in her book.
“Come on, there’s Liam.” Rab nodded toward the Rune & Rose’s decorated booth wrapped in tinsel and twinkle lights, where Liam and another bartender were filling drinks.
Raven appeared, having missed the viewing due to setting up her own apothecary booth, a very handsome man at her side. Tall, with dark-framed glasses, a knit cap pulled over his dark hair, and a short beard shadowing his sharp jawline, he looked to be late twenties and just Raven’s type.
Liam dropped a shaker to the counter, the loud clatter drawing our attention, and apologized when I jumped at the noise.
“Sorry. Slippery suckers.” Liam nodded to where Raven chatted with the newcomer. “Who’s the new guy?”
“Not sure,” Rab said, his eyes lighting in his face, and I raised an eyebrow at him as he leaned against the counter. “But he looks just her type, doesn’t he? I wonder if she’s got a new boyfriend.”
I jumped as Liam slammed the shaker onto the counter again and squinted at Rab. What the hell was he doing?
“Uh-oh,” Nova singsonged, sidling in next to me. “Looks like Liam might be getting jealous.”
“Ohhhh.” I finally clued into what was going on, my eyes flying between where Raven laughed at something the man said and Liam’s lips drew tight into a flat line.
“Three gingerbread hot cocoas,” I said quickly, trying to stave off any issues.
“Everyone, this is Jack. He’s just moved to town and is going to buy Gilda’s Gifts.”
“Is that right? Sell lots of gifts, mate?” Liam said, his tone not remotely as welcoming as it usually was.
Jack flashed a smile that wasn’t even close to friendly, and Nova stiffened beside me. I couldn’t blame her. The smile took Jack from a nice-looking man to almost predatory—but in the best way possible. The man was hot with a capital H.
“Naw, mate. I’ll be opening a tattoo shop there.”
Nova sucked in a breath. I couldn’t tell if she was excited or upset, as opening a shop had always been her dream.
A roar went up from the skies, signaling the start of the fireworks, and Nova took off her gloves to dig in her handbag for cash.
“I’ve got the drinks. Jack—do you want anything?” Nova looked over her shoulder at Jack as she pulled her money from her pocketbook.
Jack grabbed her wrist, and I gasped.
“What is—”
Rab was already moving forward, but Jack only lifted Nova’s arm until her wrist was close to his face.
There the faint lines of one of her tattoos peeked out from beneath her coat sleeve.
And they glowed.
Nova gasped, her eyes moving slowly from her wrist up to where Jack’s expression was set in hard lines.
“I’ve never seen that happen before,” Jack said, accusation lacing his tone.
“It never has happened before,” Nova said, her voice faint.
“It does to mine.”
They stared at each other, the moment drawing out, and fireworks exploded above us.