EPILOGUE TWO
AURORA: EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER
Tomorrow is the big day.
I stand in the center of the quad, looking up at the towering stone archway of the newly christened ‘Ashgrave Academy of Learning’.
Almost two years ago, these walls were coated in the grime of oppression and the damp of misery.
Now the building gleams a rich brick-red in the October sunlight. The security perimeter is gone, and there are no longer bars on the windows.
The campus is buzzing with last minute fixes.
A piercing whistle sounds across the yard, and I look over to see Clay, hands on hips, directing Tally’s boom-lift. The welcome banner is finally going into place.
Yes!
"If he prints one more itinerary, I’m going to set his laptop on fire,” a familiar voice grumbles. Cosmo walks towards me, sharply dressed as ever. Holding his hand, and beaming, is Theo. “It’s his coping mechanism,” she grins up at him. “You two are peas in a pod.”
“I’m nothing like de Vaux!” Cos grunts in disgust.
I exchange glances with my sister-in-law. ‘Yeah, right,’ the look says.
“He’ll chill once he’s a student again, not an administrator,” I tell my brother.
He harrumphs. “I pity the faculty, I really do.”
“Like you were any easier!” Theo teases.
Theo and I have an interesting family connection, but it’s really too complex to explain, at least without diagrams.
“How’s your Jammie Dodger?” I ask her.
She looks down at the strawberry confection in her hand. “Bloody delicious. Finally, I get to have some proper British biscuits!”
That’s because of London’s project.
At first he wanted to be a gymnastics instructor.
Then teach a pan-pipes class.
But his final decision is the right one.
On a small building, over by the stone archway, is a sign depicting a goat wearing a chef’s hat. The front doors are thrown wide open, and several of our contractors are lined up, waiting for their morning fix.
Through the wide window, I can see London gamboling around in his flour-dusted apron as he slides massive trays of fresh pastries onto the counter. Basil is right beside him, grumpily ringing up orders. The kid needed a weekend job to save up for his debate club trip to Rome. He’s the captain now.
It turns out he enjoys destroying his rivals verbally, not physically these days. In the last debate-meet we all went to watch, he didn’t use the word ‘moron’ once. Who’d have thought.
London is going to have a busy night if all his wares get eaten today. Starting tomorrow, any students in need will be provided with free breakfasts and lunches, courtesy of ‘The Baaaaake House’.
A piercing whistle sounds across the yard, and we look over to see Clay, hands on hips, directing Tally’s boom-lift. Yes!
The welcome banner is finally going into place.
Beyond the banner are a row of sparkling greenhouses. Layla will be in there. She and Opal have planned a whole unit on herbology.
I’ve not put much input into the curriculum. There have been so many other things to do. But organizing will soon be behind me, because, like Francois, I’m going to be a student!
I’d tried to get London and the Ashgrave crew to enroll as well, but had no takers.
So the students in our gang will be just me, Francois and Sky, plus Basil when he’s old enough.
Theo’s phone buzzes and she lets out a squeal. “At last, Willow and Naomi are here. I can’t believe you haven’t met them yet.”
Willow is Theo’s best friend, and also Taliesin's cousin. I look around and see two girls headed through the arch.
My heart clenches a little.
When the Grieves’ island base had been taken apart, a stash of files was found in an office.
Old sales records.
Of people.
One of those invoice numbers had a name and description that matched the details of Naomi’s missing older sister—Alice.
She’s been gone for six years now.
The information was scant, all we know is the buyer was from the USA.
Naomi and Willow have been there all summer, along with Cosmo’s PI, Striker, trying to track down clues to her whereabouts.
“I feel so bad for Naomi,” I murmur to Theo. “I take it there are no updates?”
She shakes her head. “No, but Striker is flying out again next month. She’s a dog with a bone, especially with the amount Cosmo is paying her. If anyone can find Alice, it will be Striker.”
My brother is paying for the investigation? “When did Cos get to be so philanthropic?”
She grins. “People do change, Rory. You of all people must have witnessed that.”
Yeah, I guess she’s not wrong.
All my family have changed.
But.
But some people never change, never learn.
Some people are just rotten, through and through.
A shiver runs down my spine.
Wherever Naomi’s sister is, I pray to the Gods someone is looking out for her.
“Rory.” Sky runs over and grabs my hand, looking a little weirded out. “London says he’s got a spotted dick,” she mutters under her breath. “Are you going to need to see a doctor?”
Theo overhears and bursts out laughing. Looping her arm through Sky’s she walks her over to the bakery, explaining about curiously named British steamed puddings.
Turning in a circle, I take in everything we’ve built.
It’s glorious.
Out of the ashes, something beautiful.
An older workman walks past, a hand up to his eyes. “Well, will you look at that? Don’t normally see an owl out and about at this time of day.”
I blow a kiss to Immy, then follow Sky and Theo to the Baaaaake House.
Spotted Dick?
I can’t stifle my smirk. The students are going to have a field day with that.
Motherfucking London!
THE END