Epilogue
Ifollowed a trail of memories through the castle, a scavenger hunt of carefully placed clues—just as Evander had done for me in the dream world, often leaving clues in obscure places, most notably the dungeon.
Some were found in obvious corners, but most were discovered in the most obscure places.
I rolled my eyes fondly, imagining Evander’s smirk as he left them behind.
He was trying to best me, and though he often succeeded, this was one round I was determined to win.
The corridors of the palace had become intimately familiar this past year since I started living here. I’d explored every inch to my heart’s content, mostly with Evander, who’d learnt early on which outings made me the happiest during our lengthy courtship.
In order to gain approval from Their Majesties to marry me, Evander had agreed to wait a year, during which he had to prove himself worthy of the throne.
The days he’d been known as the carefree prince eventually faded into legend as he fulfilled his duties seriously, finding joy in serving his newly awoken kingdom and helping restore order to the land where neglect and shadow had once reigned.
I found great fulfillment in helping him, both with his royal duties and the royal family’s efforts to rebuild the kingdom after the neglect cast by the curse.
Our outings offered a welcome reprieve from princess lessons as I learned my new responsibilities that would come with our marriage.
I’d never imagined, when I woke up to a castle calling me “Princess,” that one day I would be voluntarily accepting the role.
I rounded a corner into a familiar corridor containing the guest room I’d lived in during the dream and prior to our marriage. Footsteps that didn’t belong to my beloved husband suddenly sounded. I hastily ducked behind a suit of armor, waiting for them to pass.
While I had been doing my best to live up to my new royal title, I’d already spent long afternoons in meetings and assisting the queen.
My fears that she wouldn’t accept a common thief for her son proved unfounded; she was just as motherly to me as she’d been in the dream world.
It was surreal, going from a life of being alone to having a family that welcomed me as their own.
I’d initially been hesitant to open my heart to her and the gruff king, but gradually I’d expanded my trust beyond Evander to his parents, then to the servants and courtiers, and now to our subjects.
Each time I made room for another person, I was amazed how much my contentment expanded, and just how much trust someone so guarded and reserved had to give.
Even without my previous thrill that came from heists and stealing others’ stories, I was happy.
Because now I was creating my own memories, especially ones that included Evander’s determination I had something to pursue…such as today’s quest.
I peered out from behind the suit of armor to check the corridor.
As I did, a memory took shape in my mind—not a stranger’s I’d found and stolen with my powers, but my own—waiting with bated breath as I peered into the hallway from the ajar door, the clang of metal against stone as Evander created his distraction.
My reminiscences took on a glowy haze as the memory continued in its tender direction, slowing in the alcove where we’d stood in one another’s arms and almost shared our first kiss. My heart gave a pleasant flutter, an urgent reminder to continue the pursuit of my coveted quarry.
The moment the coast was clear, I continued my hunt, drawn by the enchanted lure of the magic that always led me to the perfect object to steal…and this one was greater than any I’d claimed so far.
My heart beat in anticipation the moment I spotted my target, standing on our balcony, aglow with the rosy hues of approaching dusk—such an obvious hiding place it was almost insulting.
He stood with his back facing me, peering out over the kingdom with his hands clasped behind his back, a dashing pose that left me momentarily breathless.
I slowed, unable to resist watching him, basking in the warmth enfolding my heart from his presence. I shook my head to dislodge the pleasant but distracting thought. Catch him now, ogle later.
I crept closer…but stilled when I suddenly noticed that he’d disappeared during my momentary lapse in focus. I looked wildly around. I uttered an oath beneath my breath. Where had that attractive and thoroughly aggravating man gone?
I crept closer…but froze as he turned towards me, revealing not my beloved husband but one of his guards with a similar build, wearing Evander’s coat. He laughed at my discomfiture before attempting to school his face, offering a polite bow.
Before I could look around, firm arms grabbed me from behind, pulling me cozily against a firm and thoroughly inviting chest. “Caught you. What are you trying to steal now, my darling thief?”
As happy as I was to be enfolded in his arms, I was miffed that once again he’d emerged conquerer in this round of our constant game.
“You scoundrel. Where were you hiding?”
“Not telling,” he said lightly. “I thought you welcomed the challenge of discovering such mysteries on your own?”
He swept a kiss across my cheek, silencing the second curse burning my lips. Even his much welcomed affection wasn’t enough to completely quench my irritation. “How did you detect me? I thought I was quiet.”
“You were,” he assured me. “Since I’m feeling so generous, I’ll let you in on a little secret.” His warm breath tickled my ear as he leaned down to whisper in my ear, causing an involuntary shudder to ripple over me. “Your perfume is rather intoxicating.”
Ugh, an amateur mistake. I always seemed to make them with him. I tried to glare, but my irritation was lost beneath the force of his mischievous dimpled smile; the man looked far too handsome for his own good.
With a frustrated groan thoroughly unbefitting a princess, I attempted to wriggle free, but the effort was half-hearted.
Instead, I found myself leaning against him, trying to be subtle as I allowed him to cradle me so he wouldn’t realize what I was doing it.
However, I should have known better than to think I could get away with such trickery.
“I know what you’re up to,” he said in a sing-song tone. “You’re not supposed to be enjoying your imprisonment.”
“You know that being a prisoner is merely a challenge to overcome.” But I still didn’t move; for all my sharp retorts, I wasn’t foolish enough to relinquish this coveted position so easily. I heaved a frustrated sigh. “I must be losing my touch.”
“Not at all. You just have an obsessive husband who knows his beloved wife better than anyone.” He swept another kiss across my cheek, effectively appeasing the last of my annoyance.
Though he’d definitely won, I couldn’t help but seize the earliest opportunity to snatch what I’d tracked him down to steal. I slipped free from his slackened hold and took the crown from atop his head, waving it tauntingly. He blinked in surprise.
I smirked at my victory. “You let your guard down. Once a thief, always a thief.” Though the identity would always be a part of me, I’d finally accepted that it wasn’t who I truly was…or really who I’d ever fully been. I was Mirelle, Evander’s wife.
My husband chuckled. “You are dedicated…and greedy to take more from me after you’ve already acquired the most priceless possession in the kingdom.”
My eyebrow quirked up. “And what is that?”
Once more he leaned down to my ear, taking his time to part my hair and kiss my temple. “My heart.”
I did my best to keep my lips pursed in disapproval, another game of mine that for all my efforts I almost always lost. Not that I minded with the way his grey eyes lit up at having gotten me to smile, as if he treasured each sign of my happiness as if it was the most precious jewel.
“You can’t hide that smile from me.” He gave the corner of my twitching lip a soft poke, causing me to wrangle my resistance into submission and allow my smile to break fully free. His eyes widened innocently. “Too much charm to resist?”
“I’m not sure charm is the right word. It’s a wife’s duty to keep her husband humble, no matter how dashing.”
But I secretly loved his attempts to flirt, each making me feel cherished, each treasured moment woven into my new life. I placed his crown back on top of his head at a crooked angle, just to tease him.
“Since you won this round, what prize will you claim this time?”
Without hesitation, he swept me back into his arms, nestling me close.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “Don’t you want me to give you your prize?”
“You are.” He nestled his face against the back of my neck with a contented sigh that caused joy to swell my heart.
“It doesn’t seem fair when this prize is more mine than yours.”
“Seems befitting after your efforts to track me here,” he said. “Did you enjoy the clues I left behind? I tried to create a challenging game for you.”
“It was fun,” I said. “But I’m much happier now that the game is over and I found what I was looking for.”
His eyes smoldered as he stared into my own. For a moment we simply basked in one another’s presence. At first we started a new game of “who would yield first,” but after awhile both of us stopped caring and simply quenched our need for one another.
“I don’t think I can wait a moment longer for our victory kiss,” he murmured.
With a yearn of longing, we both came together and our lips met in a fervent kiss.
His arms wrapped around me, almost possessively, and I held him tightly in return, my fingers getting lost in his hair.
It still wasn’t close enough, and when I couldn’t stand the distance a moment longer, I stood on tiptoe to deepen the kiss.
Time lost all meaning as we lingered in one another’s arms, allowing the new memory to unfold, one I wouldn’t need magic to remember.
This was only one of many beautiful memories we’d been creating together.
I now saw my own everywhere, both from before the curse and after.
Not all were bright—such as my tension from meeting the king and queen for the first time, my nerves that plagued me during court functions, my discomfort in a dress—but even the dark ones contained a silver lining considering they included the man who filled my heart with joy.
Some of my rediscovered memories were of heists from my life as a thief; while I remembered these with fondness, they didn’t contain the same fulfillment they once had.
I always thrilled to find some of Evander’s from his childhood growing up, ranging from moments of mischief that made me smile to glimpses of his previous insecurity that made me yearn to hug and reassure his past self.
I would take all of them—the good with the bad, for they all belonged to our love story, woven together one memory at a time. I didn’t need my powers to preserve any of them—I was certain I would never forget them.