Epilogue
Sometime later—time seemed to move differently here—Xander and I were strolling across the pink sand of one of those perpetually sunny islands at the surface of his underwater realm.
This particular island was where Xander brought his salvage and did his tinkering.
It was funny to see random remnants of my old world in this new one, but also oddly comforting.
It made the island seem like it wasn’t just his. It was ours.
“So, we’re off to see the Wizard?” I asked Xander with a teasing grin as we made our way down to the water. Now that I wore his necklace, the translation charm was still working, but apparently in the other direction.
“Yes,” he said. “We’re off to see the Wizard.” When I couldn’t hold in my giggle at that, he looked at me curiously. “Why is that funny?”
“It’s an Oz thing,” I told him.
“An Oz thing?”
I nodded. “It’s a line from an old movie,” I explained. “In the story, folks would travel to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard of Oz to grant their wishes.”
“And he gave them magic necklaces?” asked Xander. “Like the Sea Wizard?”
“Not exactly,” I said. “See, as it turned out, the Wizard of Oz didn’t have any real magic.”
Xander stopped walking. “Hannah,” he said. I stopped too and turned to face him. “You aren’t worried about this, are you?”
“Oh, no,” I said quickly. In fact, I was thrilled.
Since my arrival here, things had been a whirlwind of introductions—to the merpeople, to this place, and to this new way of life.
I’d been able to survive it by wearing Xander’s necklace.
But today, I was finally getting a necklace of my own.
One with custom-created magical charms that would enable me to experience this world without limitations.
I’d be able to communicate underwater, swim faster—basically, do everything the merpeople could.
Plus, Xander hinted there might be one or two surprises, just for me.
“I know the Sea Wizard’s magic is real,” I assured him.
“And I’m excited to see what charms he gives me. ”
Xander’s eyes searched mine. “It doesn’t bother you that you don’t get to ask him for what you want?” he asked.
“Oh, please. I have everything I want right here,” I said, putting a hand on his chest. His bare chest. FYI, we were both full-on naked.
Shortly after I’d entered this world, I’d abandoned my bra and panties.
Here, clothes attracted more attention than the lack of them.
More attention even than my lack of a tail.
Xander continued to look at me. When he was satisfied that I was telling him the truth, he nodded. We walked on toward the water.
“What sorts of things did people want from the Wizard of Oz?” he asked after a bit.
“Well, there was a scarecrow,” I said. “He wanted a brain.”
“You don’t need that,” said Xander, shaking his head. “You’re already far too clever for your own good.”
I smiled. “And then there was a tin man,” I said. “He wanted a heart.”
“And you already have a heart that’s bigger than the sea,” he said.
My heart swelled at that, and my smile grew bigger. “And there was also a cowardly lion,” I said. “He wanted courage.”
“And you, my love, are already braver than anyone I know,” he said.
My smile got so big my face was starting to hurt.
“And finally,” I said, “there was Dorothy.”
Having reached the edge of the water, we paused.
“And what did Dorothy want?” asked Xander.
Squinting against the brilliant sunlight, I turned to peer up at him. “She wanted to go home.”
Xander blinked at me. When he’d asked for my consent to seal the portal leading back to my world, I’d given it—but silently.
And we’d never discussed it out loud. But now, as his eyes scanned my face, I knew the time for talking had come.
“And is that something you would want from the Wizard?” he asked me. “The means to go home?”
“You’re my home, Xander,” I said. “I love you.”
“But if it were possible?” he persisted.
“But it’s not,” I said.
He frowned.
“What?” I asked. “What is it?”
“There’s a legend,” he said. “About a back door to the realm.”
“A back door?”
He nodded. “According to the legend, it was sealed long ago. Against a different threat to the kingdom. But if the legend is true, then perhaps that threat is past? And the back door can be opened again?”
I tried to get my head around this.
“Where does the back door lead?” I asked.
“To a different body of water,” he said. “A gulf. Off the coast of a place called Florida.”
Florida. Just a short flight or a long-distance drive down the coast from the Jersey Shore.
“You mean…there’s a chance we could see everyone again?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “And I didn’t want to mention it before. I didn’t want to give you false hope to color your decision to come here. But now that you’re here…” He smiled that wonderful smile of his. “I think we should ask the Wizard.”
I’d come here with the full knowledge of what I was leaving behind. I’d made my choice, and I’d never looked back. I knew my happiness lay with Xander. And I loved my new life.
But now, to know that I might also be able to visit my old life…?
I threw my arms around Xander. “I love you,” I told him.
“I love you too.”
I’d meant for it to just be a quick hug. But with both of us naked, it was tough to keep things chaste. Before long, my tongue was in his mouth, my hand on his cock.
With a nip at my bottom lip, Xander drew back to gaze down at me. “Shouldn’t we be off to see the Wizard,” he asked hoarsely.
“Let him wait,” I said. “First, let’s make some magic of our own.”