Epilogue #2
“Remember what you promised,” I reminded him through clenched teeth, while also jabbing him in the ribs with a surreptitious elbow. “No roaring. No biting. No setting things on fire. This is your building, and you’d just have to pay to fix it.”
“As it happens,” Landon said calmly, “the council has already met. We have reviewed the evidence against Raine Kendrick, and arrived at a judgement.”
I didn’t need our bond to know that Callum was clinging to his temper by a thread.
“And before you snap, ro-Deverin, recall that this is well within the bounds of precedent. And as you yourself have stated the need for more equitable governance and a stronger council, we hope you are willing to abide by our decision.”
“We are,” I answered, before Callum could growl at him. My heart sank at the implications of Landon’s statement, but I reminded myself that it didn’t matter. Callum would never abandon me, and I refused to give him up. We would simply have to find a way.
“Then let it be known,” Landon announced, “that the council has determined Raine Kendrick is indeed dangerous. Her magic is troubling in nature—not least because of its origin—and the influence she holds over our king remains sufficient grounds for caution.”
It was everything I’d feared. My hope sputtered and died, my stomach lurched, and I thought I just might throw up.
“However…” He paused, and I began to wonder if he was keeping us in suspense on purpose.
But after a long, searching look at both of us, he sighed and continued.
“While we remain concerned by the potential for misuse of Miss Kendrick’s powers, we have also seen undeniable evidence of her remarkable loyalty and tenacity. ”
I almost stopped breathing.
“Indeed, it is thanks to her that our king still lives, and given her actions during the battle for Oklahoma City, the council has decreed that all shapeshifters are permanently and deeply in her debt.”
Wait, what? He was complimenting me?
Not that I actually deserved the credit for any of that, but I wasn’t about to contradict him.
Ethan had decided against making his abilities public, so thanks to a very careful and deliberate obfuscation of the facts, most Idrians believed I was responsible for Callum’s miraculous recovery from being poisoned.
“So…”
“So you have been officially acknowledged as a part of the Shapeshifter Court,” Landon said, as his face finally relaxed into a genuine smile.
“We have also called for a review of the laws created during the Symposium, and will be pushing for an amendment that limits their application to the possession and use of magic artifacts.”
He held out both hands, palms up. “That is as far as our authority extends. However the two of you choose to proceed from here… is up to you.”
I was so relieved I couldn’t even speak. I just turned, wrapped my arms around Callum’s waist, buried my head in his chest, and cried.
Landon was kind enough to give us a few moments before interrupting.
“I have a flight back to New Mexico in just a few short hours, so I won’t overstay my welcome. But it may interest you both to know that Heather Claudel was given a choice of being tried by the shapeshifters or the fae.” He grimaced. “She chose the fae.”
I doubt I was very successful in concealing my dismay. Not that I truly felt sorry for her, but she likely had no experience with the Fae Court’s concept of justice—which was often swift and brutal, if not outright cruel.
“Any idea what will happen to her?”
Landon shrugged. “We have been assured that she is unlikely to be seen again, and will no longer pose a threat. Frankly, I have no desire to ask questions.”
Probably wise. “And what of Hector Ademar?” I still had a score to settle with the naga—both for attempting to kill Faris, and for his role in poisoning my mate.
Landon’s expression turned studiously blank. “The only thing I have to report is that he has not been heard from in several weeks. He apparently disappeared while on a business trip somewhere in Arizona.”
My mouth opened. Closed. Callum looked as if he’d just swallowed a live eel.
“Naturally we are concerned,” Landon added, “but given Mr. Ademar’s business dealings, it would not be highly surprising to discover that one of his unsavory connections has finally caught up with him. If any evidence of his whereabouts turns up in the future, you will, of course, be informed.”
“I, uh… thank you.”
“And with that”—he offered both of us a nod—“I have a flight to catch. Accept my best wishes and please know that the court would be pleased to welcome both of you as soon as it is convenient.”
He walked away and out through the doors, leaving Callum and me to stare at each other in a haze of disbelief.
“Did that really happen?”
“It did.” He ran an unsteady hand through his hair. “Should I say anything to Mom?”
I shuddered. “You can if you want, but I’m not brave enough to bring it up.”
No doubt Tairen and I would be having a conversation eventually—about my bond with her son, among other things. But just for today, I decided to pretend that I didn’t know my mother-in-law had likely done something violent and irreversible to Hector Ademar.
“We should go find out what Faris’s surprise is,” Callum murmured.
“Yes, please.”
I almost couldn’t process that it was already over. That the thing I’d feared for the last four weeks was done, and Callum and I were free to be together without constraint.
It didn’t feel any more real as we left the room and were surrounded by our family and friends. Nor did it quite sink in as we walked out together, crossed the street, and approached the newly restored front of The Portal.
The scaffolding was gone, revealing an entirely new brick facade. The door was a lovingly aged replica of the original, and the windows were framed in restored wood.
What was quite conspicuously missing? The sign that had once hung permanently on the front door, proclaiming the premises closed for renovation.
Nor was there any glamour to conceal what went on inside from the casual eyes of passers-by. The windows were bright and clear, and a new sign hung over the entrance—a gorgeous, traditional wooden pub sign framed in steel, with a brand new logo burned into the center.
The Portal Supernatural Nightclub and Bar
I turned to Faris. “You’re going public?”
He nodded. “If humans and Idrians are going to find a way to live together, we need more spaces where both can feel safe. I think it’s time to drop the glamour and try to be better neighbors.”
A bold move, and one that wasn’t likely to make his life any easier.
That didn’t mean it wasn’t the right one.
Faris folded his arms across his chest and glowered down at me. “You still looking for a job, Kendrick?”
I grinned. “If you’ll have me. Seems like this might be a pretty interesting place to work.”
“The hours are terrible, and the pay is even worse,” he informed me. “But I hope you’ll consider staying.”
There was so much Callum and I hadn’t talked about yet. So much still to be decided. Kes, Ari, Logan, and Ethan were here in Oklahoma City, along with the rest of my friends and my family. But Callum’s life was at the Shapeshifter Court. How we were going to work this out…
“Of course we’re staying,” Callum scoffed, tucking an arm around my waist and pulling me closer. “Raine’s family and her work are here. I can work from anywhere, and the only thing I really need to move is my cat.”
I whirled to face him. “Callum, are you sure? This is a big decision, and I don’t want you to regret it.”
“Regret?” he echoed, tugging me towards him and pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I regret nothing when it comes to you. Wherever you are, that’s my home. The heart of my hoard. Everything else…”
“We can fix!” everyone around us chorused in unison.
Faris huffed and rolled his eyes, but he was smiling beneath his beard. And so it was on a tide of laughter that we crossed the threshold into a new future—not only for me and for Callum, but for our families, for The Portal, and for the entire city that we called home.