Epilogue
Maeve
This is my life now. And it's amazing.
Morning sunlight filters through the windshield as Lorian's black sedan glides smoothly down Saltford Bay's main street. It's still early, well before most of the stores open their doors, except for the Wandering Gnome, which is already filling its dining room with hungry patrons.
This ordinary morning feels extraordinary. Two days since the storm. Two days since Lorian came back to me in the rain. Two days since he proposed, offering me the Eternal Lily that now sits in a crystal vase in our bedroom, glowing softly even when no light touches it. Our bedroom. Our house.
It all happened so fast. I'm shocked to realize I'm embracing it all.
"You're very quiet," Lorian observes, his long fingers relaxed on the steering wheel. The morning light catches on his silver-blond hair, turning it almost luminous.
"Just thinking." I reach over and place my hand on his thigh. The material of his perfectly pressed trousers is smooth beneath my palm. "About how much has changed in such a short time."
He glances at me, those ice-blue eyes warming just for me. "Are you okay with this? If I'm moving too fast, I can always go back to my cabin and give you some space."
"Don't even think about it." I squeeze his leg gently. "Though I'm a little nervous about facing everyone at school today. After what happened with Braggstone in the parking lot."
"None of this is your fault." Lorian's jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. "His behavior was inappropriate and unprofessional."
"I know." I sigh, watching the fog lift off the distant bay. "Still, small towns run on gossip. By now, everyone knows you kissed me in the parking lot and called me your True Mate."
"Good." Lorian's voice is firm. "Then they also know you're protected."
His protective instinct fills me with warmth, even though I've always been fiercely independent. From him, it feels different. Less about controlling me and more about standing beside me, ready to catch me if I fall but never holding me back.
As we approach the school, I notice the parking lot is already half-full with teachers' cars.
No buses or parent vehicles yet, it's still early, almost thirty minutes before the first bell.
But something seems off. There's a cluster of people gathered near the front steps, including some in formal attire who definitely aren't part of the regular staff.
"That's odd," I murmur, sitting up straighter. "I hope nothing's wrong with one of the teachers."
Lorian pulls into a parking space, his movements precise as always. "Isn't that Rylan's car?"
He points to a sleek black SUV in a visitor spot. My heart rate kicks up a notch.
"Yes," I confirm. "He never comes this early. I hope nothing is wrong with Millie."
Lorian turns off the engine and reaches for my hand. "I'll come over with you, see what it is."
His thumb brushes over my knuckles in a gesture that's become familiar in such a short time. I draw strength from his touch as we exit the car and cross the parking lot together.
The murmur of voices grows louder as we approach, and I make out what sounds like shouting. The small crowd of teachers and administrative staff have gathered at the bottom of the front steps, their expressions a mix of shock, satisfaction, and discomfort.
As we get closer, the crowd parts slightly, and I freeze in my tracks.
Orlin Braggstone stands on the steps, his massive troll frame quivering with rage.
His face is flushed an ugly purple, and he clutches a cardboard box filled with what appear to be personal items from his office.
Two people stand behind him, a stern-faced werewolf woman in a charcoal suit whom I recognize from our Board of Education and a tall Orc man with a security badge, flanking him on either side.
"This is a mistake! You can't do this to me!" Orlin shouts, spittle flying from his lips as he gestures wildly with one ham-sized fist. "I've done nothing wrong!"
"Mr. Braggstone, your termination is effective immediately." The woman in the charcoal suit speaks firmly, her voice carrying across the suddenly quiet crowd. "Please don't make this more difficult than it needs to be."
Termination? My brain stutters, trying to process what I'm seeing. They're firing Orlin?
Lorian's hand tightens protectively around mine. I feel him shift slightly, positioning himself just a fraction in front of me, a subtle but clear message.
"These accusations are lies!" Orlin continues, thrusting a handful of papers toward the security guard, who refuses to take them. "I demand to speak with the full Board of Education! This is a witch hunt!"
My gaze drifts to the side, where Rylan Primrose stands watching the proceedings. Unlike the teachers, who appear stunned or uncomfortable, Rylan's expression is cool and professional, but also unsurprised. I get a glimpse of the man he must be in a courtroom.
Suddenly, Orlin's gaze locks with mine across the crowd. His expression transforms from indignation to hatred in an instant.
"You!" he snarls, taking a step toward me before the security guard blocks his path. "This is your doing, isn't it? You and your elf boyfriend!"
I feel myself shrink back instinctively, but Lorian stands firm beside me, his posture rigid but controlled. His eyes meet Orlin's with a coldness I've rarely seen in them.
"Mr. Braggstone," the female official interrupts sharply, "I suggest you leave the premises voluntarily before we're forced to call the police."
Something in her tone makes Orlin deflate slightly. He looks around at the unsympathetic faces of the staff. The fight visibly drains out of him, his massive shoulders slumping.
He adjusts his grip on the box and straightens his tie in a futile attempt to maintain dignity.
"You'll regret this," he mutters, but the threat sounds hollow now, the words of a man who knows he's lost. "I will sue you. I will sue all of you."
As Orlin is escorted to his car, the crowd begins to disperse. Teachers whisper among themselves, casting curious glances my way. I stand rooted to the spot, still processing what just happened.
Rylan approaches us, his expression softening from professional to friendly.
"Good morning," he says quietly. "I hoped I might catch you before the chaos of the school day began."
I stare at him in confusion, my brain still catching up to events. "What just happened?"
Rylan glances over his shoulder to make sure we're not overheard. "After Lorian told me about Orlin's behavior toward you, I started looking into his background."
"You did what?" I look up at Lorian, who meets my gaze steadily.
"I was concerned," Lorian says simply. "Rylan has resources I don't."
Lorian is right about that. The pixie lawyer may not be a physical force of nature, but his brain is as sharp as anyone I've ever seen and his reputation precedes him.
Rylan nods, continuing. "It turns out Orlin has a history of inappropriate behavior toward female colleagues. Three previous schools, three hushed departures. Each time, he moved farther away, counting on small towns not to check references too carefully."
A wave of emotions crashes over me. Validation that I wasn't overreacting, relief that he's gone, anger that he's been allowed to continue this behavior for so long.
"The school board called an emergency meeting yesterday," Rylan continues. "When presented with the evidence, they voted unanimously for immediate termination."
Lorian nods in approval, his hand still firmly holding mine. "You work quickly," he says to Rylan.
"Sexual harassment is utterly unacceptable in a workplace, and certainly not in our children's school," Rylan replies simply. "I just made sure the right people saw the right information."
I look toward the parking lot where Orlin's car is pulling away, tires squealing slightly as he accelerates too quickly.
"I never thought…" I begin, then stop, overwhelmed by the sudden removal of a threat I'd been living with for months.
"You weren't the only one, Maeve," Rylan says gently. "But hopefully, you will be the last, thanks to Lorian. I will make sure that Orlin Braggstone will never fool another school board into hiring him."
The first school bus appears at the end of the street, and the remaining teachers hurry inside to prepare for the arrival of students. Harriet catches my eye as she passes, giving me a thumbs-up and a grin that says we'll talk later.
Lorian and I walk toward the school entrance, and I realize my steps feel lighter than they have in months.
"Are you alright?" Lorian asks, studying my face with concern.
I take a deep breath, realizing I've been holding tension in my shoulders that's finally releasing.
"I feel…" I search for the right word. "Free."
Lorian's expression softens, and he brings my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles gently.
"You never have to face anything like that alone again," he promises.
My heart swells with emotion for this man who has changed my life so completely.
"I know," I say simply, squeezing his hand.
As we reach the top of the steps, I pause, looking back at the parking lot where moments ago my tormentor stood defeated.
"What happens now?" I ask, not just about the school but about our future together.
Lorian's eyes glow with intensity as he looks at me. "Now, we live," he says.
The school bell rings, signaling the start of a new day as children's voices begin to fill the air. Lorian needs to get to his clinic, and I have to prepare the nurse's office for the inevitable scraped knees and tummy aches that will find their way to me today.
It's all the same. The same routine, the same school, the same colleagues.
But it all feels different now. I'm no longer just getting through each day. I'm looking forward to what comes next. To building a life with Lorian. To waking up beside him every morning. To creating our own family, perhaps with children, one day.
I reach up and touch his face, not caring who might see. "I love you, Lorian Reizenhart."