Epilogue
Twenty-three days later…
A lot can happen in a little under four weeks.
Especially when you’ve just thrown your entire world into social and political upheaval.
In fact, so much about our lives had changed, that when I finally chose to respond to the summons from the Shapeshifter Council, it was with a rather different set of fears than the ones I’d first envisioned.
“Absolutely no roaring,” I admonished the dragon standing beside me at the top of the stairs. “You promised.”
His scowl was so adorable, I could have kissed him.
“If they don’t want me to roar at them, then they’d better be reasonable. Nobody in their right mind still thinks you and Blake were allies.”
That much at least was true.
But of the Shapeshifter Council’s two counts against me, that was the one I was least concerned about now.
Thanks to the thousands of human witnesses with camera phones at our final battle, it was downright impossible for them to continue claiming that I was actually in league with Blake.
Not after he’d tried so very hard to turn me into a crispy midday snack.
It was their other charge that still worried me.
“You’re right,” I agreed, bumping Callum with my shoulder. “I’m definitely not a traitor. But I am technically a criminal. Also a dangerous unknown, with unpredictable powers and far too much influence over their king.”
“I should hope so,” my mate protested. “Those are some of my favorite things about you.”
“Oh really.” I skewered him with a side-eye. “So what you’re saying is, you only chose me because I terrify your enemies.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
I nearly snorted.
Even in moments of stress, my dragon always knew how to make me laugh.
“Seriously though, what are we going to do if they still object to us being together?”
Callum just took my hand in his, laced our fingers together, and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “You, my love, may do whatever you please. I will tell them where to stuff their objections, and then we will run away to live happily ever after.”
“No, we won’t,” I retorted. “You forget that I know you better than that.”
Callum-ro-Deverin would never run away when there was work to be done.
And no one could deny that we were facing a difficult uphill climb. But thankfully, in the aftermath of the battle, both human and Idrian governments had seen the need for change and begun taking steps in the right direction.
The initial stages were bound to be rocky.
But thanks to Faris and his relationship with the city government, Oklahoma City was on the leading edge of these changes, and had become the first in the country to establish an official Idrian advisor to the mayor.
Much to our delight, Seamus had accepted the position, but only after numerous reassurances that he could still bartend on evenings and weekends.
Meanwhile, across the country, other state legislatures had already begun debating the inclusion of Idrian representatives and enacting policies to integrate Idrians into law enforcement positions.
On the national level, most of the staff of the Bureau of Idrian Affairs had been fired after an audit revealed extensive corruption and bribery concerns.
Deverin was made the new head of the Bureau, and his first act was to ensure that the department hired equal numbers of human and Idrian staffers.
He also established a response team that would work together with local law enforcement in cases of violent crimes involving both humans and Idrians.
And as for the one who’d sparked these changes?
Blake and all of his people who’d participated in the attack on Oklahoma City were arrested and charged with enough crimes to keep them in court or jail until the end of their lifetimes.
While possessing or using stolen magic artifacts was not yet a crime by human law, all fifty states had begun the process of adopting such a law, while also making a comprehensive review of their policies regarding the protection of Idrian refugees.
Someday soon, we hoped, Idrians would no longer be refugees, but something more. What that would look like? Well, that would take time to determine.
There would always be a need for the courts. Always be a place for Idrians to embrace their magic and their culture. And yet, we could also find common ground. It would be a long road, but we’d taken the first steps, and I had every hope that we would eventually find our way.
Hopefully, though, that road wouldn’t involve quite so many steps as it took to get from Callum’s apartment to the first floor of The Assemblage.
“Wait, aren’t you dragons rich enough to build a new elevator if you wanted to?” I grumbled as we made our way down the first flight.
“Of course.” Callum grinned evilly. “But far fewer annoying people tend to bother you if they have to climb five flights of stairs to reach your door.”
He had a point.
“It’s also excellent for defense. Funnels all your enemies into one place for easy incineration.”
I shot him another warning glare. “No setting anyone on fire either.”
His “who me” expression would have put my six-year-old to shame.
“You know you’re already pushing your luck with this ancient law business, so play nice.”
Not only had we waited the full twenty-eight days to answer the shapeshifter summons, Callum had somehow uncovered an old law that required the Shapeshifter Council to convene at whatever location the king requested.
So of course—with Faris’s permission—he’d summoned them to Oklahoma City, where he’d declared he would be working remotely during the interim.
The council wasn’t happy, but they’d agreed, not least because of Callum’s role in ending the threat posed by Blake and his minions. It was hard to argue with a dragon who’d been injured while single-handedly defeating an enemy twice his size.
We finally reached the bottom of the stairs and pulled up short in surprise.
We’d expected a few people, but not the entire crowd that awaited us in the foyer.
Angelica guarded the door to the event space, but she was flanked by Ryker and Yolande, the bear shifter who’d helped to defend the city. Standing nearby were Faris, Logan, Kira, Draven, and Morghaine, who held Ari’s hand as she bounced up and down on her toes.
And that wasn’t all. All of my friends from The Portal were there—Seamus, Marilee, Niko, Oliver, Irene, Kyle, and Emberly—plus Hugh and even Waffles whining as he strained at his leash.
And standing somewhat apart but also curiously close together were Tairen-li-Corva and Deverin-ro-Finnbar.
“I thought you were in Washington,” I exclaimed, before glancing at Tairen in surprise. “And I thought you were in Arizona for your health.”
“I was,” she replied serenely. “And I found it… very healthful indeed.”
Well that wasn’t concerning or anything.
“What are you all doing here?”
“Moral support, duh,” Kira responded tartly. “And also to prove to the council that they should think twice before trying to bully you.”
I would have hugged her if we hadn’t already been late.
“Thank you,” I said, a little tearfully. “This means a lot. All of you…”
My heartfelt speech was interrupted by the front door opening to admit two more familiar faces…
“You’re back!”
Ethan grinned, his ears turning a little pink at the enthusiastic greeting, and I reflected that while the world may have changed a great deal, Ethan had changed even more.
His hair was pulled into a knot at the back of his head, and his eyes were bright. He actually smiled now. Even joked with Logan and played with Ari. And just two days ago…
“Then…” I turned an anxious gaze on the other newcomer. “Did it work? Is he…”
Vinrath Elduvar, heir to the fae throne, looked utterly exhausted and haggard, but he smiled and nodded. “Yes. Thanks to Ethan, my father will make a full recovery.”
Once we’d revealed the truth of Heather’s deal with Callum’s would-be assassin, the Fae Court had turned on Lysarian Galavor, the most vocal opponent of Rath’s claim to the throne.
His execution had been swift and decisive, and in the midst of the upheaval that followed, Rath had held the court together with a steady hand, proving himself a fit successor to his father.
And now, thanks to Ethan’s miraculous healing ability, Dathair would have many more years in which to uncover the traitors responsible for poisoning him.
There were only a few questions yet remaining, and we could only get the answers by facing the Shapeshifter Council.
“I guess we have to face this,” I muttered. “If only so we can get to the after-party.”
“And you’d better hurry up,” Faris threatened me with a half-hearted scowl. “The grand re-opening is in only a few hours, and I have something to show you first.”
Thanks both to Ethan’s magic and the efforts of the entire Idrian community, The Portal had been rebuilt in only a few weeks. I knew Faris had made a few changes, but he’d been hiding them behind boards and scaffolding, saying we’d get to see them when he was ready.
I took a deep breath and turned to Callum.
“Shall we?”
Hand in hand, we approached the doors, and Angelica opened them without a word, standing aside to allow us to pass before closing them again behind us.
We’d spent three days ensuring that the space was ready for this moment, equipping it with tables and chairs, providing refreshments, and determining the correct seating arrangement for the occasion.
So you can imagine my consternation when we stepped into the room and found it empty of people, but for a single man, seated at the head of the council table.
Landon Harrison—the younger of the two men who’d come to inquire after Callum’s well-being.
He watched our approach without comment, and for some reason I had the distinct impression he was biting back a smile.
“Where is the rest of the council?” Callum demanded, and I could hear the dragon-sized annoyance building beneath his words.