Page 56 of Stolen Magic (All That Glitters #2)
Then I upended the vial, spilling the magic out in a swath and sending a wave of my own violet power to mingle with it, entwined with threads of Mother’s magic.
With a burst of sparks, the magic collided and arced far out of sight above us, following the magical paths that encompassed the world and renewing the life force of Eldoria.
Long after the sparks faded, Callan and I stood there as the guests gradually returned to the grand hall, which was now lined with tables of food, interspersed with vases of violets.
We finally made our way back inside and moved from person to person, accepting their well wishes and their thanks for the renewed magic.
Though it was every bit the fairytale spectacle, I had a quieter, more romantic story in mind.
Callan and I slipped away long before the final toast. His fingers brushed mine as we passed beneath the ivy-covered archway into the garden that had become our sanctuary, back when I was still a girl in borrowed silks and sharpened lies, hiding behind masks I’d once believed I couldn’t survive without.
Now, I wore none.
Lanterns flickered gently in the trees, their glow soft as candlelight. Wild blooms unfurled beneath the stars, the caressing breeze rich with the scent of earth, blossoms, and memory. This was our place, one of many that, against all odds, now felt like home.
We said nothing at first, just walked shoulder to shoulder until we reached the stone bench by the fountain surrounded by the shrubs he’d planted for me long before we’d ever met. I curled beside him, resting my head lightly against his shoulder.
After several minutes of enjoying the peaceful evening, I reached beneath the bench, where I’d hidden his wedding gift earlier. His eyes widened as I pulled out a cylindrical leather case and handed it to him. He frowned, glancing at me with a flash of guilt.
“I didn’t bring anything for you.”
I fixed him with my sternest look. “You spent hours carving Mother’s sigil and making it into a bracelet so I can still wear her mark on my arm.
” My mock frown softened as my fingers brushed the delicate bracelet he’d given me the day before so I could wear it for our wedding.
“For years, I hated this symbol, not realizing it was a mark of love. Mother’s last gift wasn’t just protection from Eldoria, but from my own anger that wanted to destroy my enemies.
Now, it will be a daily reminder of her love, and the importance of using my magic for good. ”
Satisfied, Callan opened the case and unrolled the thick sheet of vellum inside. Ornate scrollwork edged the border, but the rest was blank, save for a squiggly outline. “What is it?” he asked, puzzled.
I leaned over and turned it the other direction. His eyes lit up.
“It’s the outline of Eldoria! It’s a…map?” He looked at me expectantly.
“It’s the beginning of one.” I handed him a mother-of-pearl quill.
“For you to fill in as we explore the kingdom together. I don’t think there’s a single map of magical plants in the entire royal library, certainly none that show each hamlet in such caring detail.
Yours will be the first.” I smirked. “Wedding clothes or not, I know you’ve got your notebook in your pocket.
Do you want to fill in a village or two? ”
To my surprise, he shook his head.
“This is the most meaningful gift anyone has ever given me, reminding me once again that you truly see me , not just who you want me to be.” His thumb grazed the edge of the vellum.
“I can’t wait to begin filling it in and sharing every discovery with you.
But as glorious as this map is, tonight…
” He smiled and reached for my hand. “Tonight I just want to look at you.”
Contentment flooded me as I snuggled up against him, and we fell into a comfortable silence as we listened to the song of crickets and the occasional croak of a frog.
His hand found mine without searching. “You’re quiet,” he murmured.
“I’m just remembering all the versions of me who stood here before…especially the one who finally chose to become someone different.”
Callan leaned and pressed a kiss to the crown of my head.
He didn’t need to ask which versions I meant; he knew them all: the girl who came to the palace chasing revenge, the imposter who wore a stolen crown, the daughter who mourned a mother taken too soon, the mage who was never meant to survive. Each one had led to this moment.
A laugh escaped me, joyous and real, one of many that had filled the beautiful days we spent together, laughter I’d once thought forever lost, now an intricate part of me.
We sat together beneath the stars, reminiscent of another night long ago when we stood on the terrace shortly after his rescue of me, a silence thick with things unsaid as the darkness slowly welcomed the sunrise.
I thought of that girl I had been—the one who believed love was weakness, who wore grief like armor, who thought pain was the only thing strong enough to shape a future.
She was gone now. I closed my eyes, breathing in the familiar earthy scent of my beloved herbs and rain-kissed roses. “This isn't the life I thought I wanted, but it’s the one I chose.”
His soft voice was warm and steady as he drew me closer. “This is the life I choose, too.”
We sat together for a long time beneath the starlit hush of velvety night, long after the lanterns dimmed and the last stars faded into dawn, enveloped in a silence that didn’t need to be filled.
Not every story ended in grand declarations or flawless redemption; some ended in a forgotten garden beneath the hush of stars, with two broken people who had rebuilt, who had chosen one another and love that would last forever.
For the first time, I didn’t feel like a villain pretending to be something more. I simply felt…whole. Loved. Free. And that, after everything, was more than I had ever dared to dream.