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LUCAS

Three Years Later

L ife in Octavia Falls had never felt more joyful. The Miriamic Conflict was over, and our coven was a prosperous community again. The dark magic that had once shadowed our town had been phased out by the light of thousands of witches.

Octavia Falls looked nothing like it did three years ago. After the demon’s assault, a handful of shops were still standing, and an entire section of residential houses had remained untouched, but most of our city had been demolished. The historical society had preserved what they could, and we rebuilt from there. Still, the windows of these old shops along Main Street seemed to reflect the summer sun brighter than ever before. I inhaled a deep, refreshing breath as I strolled down the street, the sunlight warming my face.

“Catch me, Daddy!” Marcus yanked his hand out of mine and took off running down the sidewalk.

“Not so fast!” I teased playfully as I chased after him.

I caught up with him quickly and looped my arm around his tummy, then flipped him over my shoulder. He was three years old now, and I couldn’t believe how big he was getting. He could talk in full sentences, and if I didn’t keep a close eye on him, he’d go running off and disappear like a little escape artist. This kid marched to the beat of his own drum, that was for sure. Marcus let out a high-pitched squeak when I caught him, and the most glorious sound of my son’s gleeful laughter filled the air.

If there was anything that shone brighter than our magic, it was my family. They were the most brilliant light in all my life, the very song that made my heart sing. I tickled Marcus, and he giggled happily.

Marcus gasped when he saw something that caught his attention. “Put me down, Daddy!”

I set Marcus back on the ground, and he ran over to a shop painted to look like a pumpkin. Plastic jack-o-lanterns sat on a display outside, and Marcus shoved himself between them.

“Take my picture!” he begged, flashing a big, cheesy smile.

I conjured my phone and snapped a few pictures. He struck a few poses like he was modeling for a fashion magazine.

It was early morning, and the shops were just opening. The lock on The Jolly Pumpkin’s front door slid open, and Hattie stepped outside to place a sign on the sidewalk. Everest barked as she followed behind her Elementai.

“Priest Lucas,” Hattie greeted. She’d spent some time in Hok’evale after the evacuations, but Hattie had been back since the end of the war. She spent the summer and autumn here in Octavia Falls and the rest of the year in California with her tribe.

“Please, just call me Lucas,” I requested.

“It’s an official title, and an important one at that,” she countered. “When your term expires, we can all stop calling you priest.”

After the end of the Miriamic Conflict, my friends and I told the coven it was time for us to step back from the Imperium Council, as our place running the coven was always meant to be temporary. Now that the power had been returned to the people, it was their choice on whether to keep the Imperium Council as it was, or to dissolve the council altogether and install a new system. We told them that Octavia Falls was theirs, and if we weren’t welcome anymore, we wouldn’t stay.

“ This coven is yours as much as ours ,” Judge Calloway had said. “ You are the ones who brought us all together to end the Waning and save our town. We want you to stay. I do not believe that we need to abolish the Imperium Council system, but perhaps we can change the way in which we approach it, with elections every four years. ”

We agreed wholeheartedly. Everyone in the coven deserved to be listened to, and we would all get a voice now.

When it came time to hold an election, the coven voted us back onto the council. Talia and Grant had politely declined, as they wished to return to school full-time to finish their degrees. I agreed to serve one term until the coven got back on their feet, when another Mortana could be elected and take my place on the council. Personally, I wanted to get back to focusing on journalism. Nadine and Chloe were natural leaders, and they had no reservations about sitting on the Imperium Council for as many terms as the coven would have them. Something told me they’d be running this town for quite a long time.

In place of Grant and Talia, Professor Richards had retired as a history professor to serve as the Alchemy priest for the time being, while Dr. Mack had stepped up as our Seer priestess. Like me, she agreed to serve for only one term. She wanted to help the coven, but I didn’t think her heart lied in politics. She talked about leaving the coven after the next election so she could reconnect with witches who’d left for good, and help counsel those coven members living in other societies.

Most of the coven had returned to Octavia Falls when our magic returned, but there were others who couldn’t bear to ever come back. I understood that and respected their choices, but I wished they could see how much things had changed.

We’d rebuilt so much of the town in the past three years. Even the Imperium Council wasn’t the same as it once was. We were no longer overworked, and while it was still our job to make sure everything in town was running smoothly, we didn’t need to have a hand in everything anymore. Committee members managed their own sectors, and they did it better than a few singular council members ever could. When people were given creative freedom, they were passionate and motivated about their jobs, and they were proud of the work they’d done. The rate at which homes and businesses had been rebuilt was astounding, and our economy was thriving.

Hattie turned to Marcus. “I see you like my pumpkins, my dear.”

“Jacker-lanterns are cool,” Marcus said, not quite getting the word right.

“I have jack-o-lantern candies inside,” Hattie offered. “They make your eyes glow orange like a pumpkin. You can have one if your dad says it’s all right.”

Marcus yanked on the bottom of my shirt. “Please, Daddy!”

“One candy,” I agreed. “We don’t want to spoil your lunch. Mommy’s at home making your favorite.”

Marcus gasped dramatically. “Apple pie!”

“Yes, and that will be enough sugar for one day,” I teased.

Hattie went inside and returned with a jack-o-lantern lollipop. Marcus tore off the wrapper and popped the sucker in his mouth. He crossed his eyes as they started glowing orange, as if he could look at his own eyeballs.

“I hear the big ceremony is today,” Hattie said.

“Yeah. Construction has finished on Miriam Mansion, and we’ll be unveiling it at a ribbon-cutting ceremony this afternoon,” I told her. “Marcus and I came into town to pick up the last of the items we need for the ceremony. It’s a big day. The mansion has been one of our biggest projects these past few years. It wasn’t easy piecing back together the remains of the building, but our construction crews are very talented, and they’ve managed to reconstruct as much of the original structure as possible. There’s a new wing that’s brand new, but most of it is material from the original building.”

“I drove by the school last week,” Hattie said. “It’s amazing what they’ve been able to do.”

“It really is,” I replied. “You should come to the open house. We’ll be casting a space-bending spell during the reopening to expand the classrooms again. The college really needs the extra space.”

“I bet the students will be happy to get out of the community center and back into a real school building,” Hattie said.

I nodded. “Grant and Talia have continued their classes, and there have been times when they have to rush from the community center to the courthouse to get to their next class, because we don’t have the space to keep classes in one building. It will be good for everyone to get students and professors back in one location. Students will be able to move back to the dorms this fall.”

“Will you or your friends be staying there?” Hattie asked.

“No. It wouldn’t make sense for Nadine and me now that we’ve started a family. We don’t live too far from campus now, so it’s not a problem for us to get to classes.”

“You must be graduating soon,” Hattie said.

“Within the year,” I replied. “Nadine and I have been taking classes part-time to finish our degrees. I have only one semester left until I graduate with my Journalism degree, and Nadine will be done next summer with her degree in Criminal Justice. Miles accelerated his schoolwork and already graduated from his Criminal Justice major, and Chloe just got her degree in Public Administration. She graduated with Grant, who got his degree in Culinary Arts, and Talia double majored in Music and Counseling. Grant and Talia are talking about buying a house soon now that they’re done with school.”

“That’s lovely,” Hattie said. “I’m so proud of you all. Well, I won’t keep you long. It sounds like you have a big day ahead of you. I’ll see you at the open house.”

Hattie waved goodbye, and Marcus and I continued down the street. As the town came alive in the early hours of the morning, lively chatter began to fill the air. A café door stood propped open, and a beautiful melody from a woman playing the flute spilled onto the street, backed by the distant twinkle of wind chimes hanging from a shop a few doors down. Witches and warlocks gathered on patios and conversed kindly over morning tea. The smell of burning cedar filled the air as shop owners cleansed their doorways to ward off bad energy, before whispering prayers to bless their shops with good fortune for a profitable day.

We passed by shops where skeletons who were dressed in long, flowing dresses danced in the window displays, then past a pet shelter where kittens pawed at balls of yarn while waiting to be adopted. A nearby bookstore had leatherbound journals in the window display that flipped their pages on their own.

We walked past the visitor center, which was something our town had never had before, as it was unusual for Octavia Falls to welcome visitors. Now, we had a center set up to help guide visitors from other supernatural societies during their stay here. Our protection spell still kept out those who wished us any harm, but we now welcomed more visiting professors and supernatural tourists than ever before.

All kinds of flyers were hung on a bulletin board near the visitor center entrance, advertising community festivals, group dance classes, and assistance programs. I noticed a flyer for the health clinic, and my heart filled with pride for all the coven had done together. With our magic back, the economy was booming, and we were able to use the money flowing into the coven to restore our healthcare system. More than that, we’d set up a new walk-in clinic that provided free resources to witches and supernatural refugees alike.

Marcus finished his sucker, and the orange glow faded from his eyes. I helped him toss the stick into a nearby garbage, and he got a big smile on his face when he turned.

Marcus ran over to the window of a wand shop. He banged his tiny palm on the window and jumped up and down excitedly. “The dragon man is here!”

The owner of the shop caught sight of Marcus, and he hurried outside to greet us. A miniature cat with dragonfly wings fluttered beside him.

The old man tipped his newsboy cap at me. “Lucas. Good to see you.”

“Beau,” I replied kindly.

Beau Blankard was the half-fae, half-warlock friend of Helena’s whom we met in Hok’evale . He’d been the one to tell us about the Warlock’s Trial. Beau had been driven from our town decades ago when the coven found out what he was. They’d poisoned his mate simply for existing in Octavia Falls as fae. Beau had talked about returning to Octavia Falls to reopen the wand shop he’d run for twenty years when he was younger, and that’s exactly what he did once the Miriamic Conflict ended. He’d managed to purchase the same building he once owned all those years ago.

Marcus yanked on my pant leg. “Daddy, can he shift?”

I chuckled lightly. “That’s something you’ll have to ask him .”

Marcus dropped his gaze and slowly stepped up to Beau, bashfully skidding the tip of his shoe across the ground. “Can you do the dragon?”

“Why, of course, Marcus!” Beau said happily. “Anytime you ask, although you may want to stand back.”

Marcus scurried backward, but his eyes stayed locked on Beau.

Beau cleared his throat and loudly announced, “I’m going to shift into a dragon now!”

All down the street, children ran over to watch. You’d think they were all witnessing Santa Claus on Christmas Day. In Octavia Falls, a fae shifter like Beau was equally mystical, and the kids absolutely loved him.

Beau stepped out further onto the empty street to make room. Then his limbs began to elongate, and his nose turned into a snout as he shifted into a dragon before our eyes.

All Marcus’s shyness melted away as he threw his hands in the air and giggled. The pure joy of a child never ceased to amaze me.

Beau was a relatively small dragon compared to other fae shifters, but he was still bigger than any vehicle parked on the street. He was entirely black, though his scales shimmered a dark purple. Even in dragon form, he looked like the Mortana he was. Two black horns protruded out of his head, but those were the only sharp spikes on him, as he had a smooth spine and tail.

Beau spread his leathery bat-like wings and kicked off the ground. He flew above the buildings and spiraled one rotation through the sky before landing back on his feet. Then Beau turned his snout upward and breathed fire that rained harmless embers down on the crowd of kids. The children clapped and cheered in absolute delight.

Beau shifted back into human form, hobbling a bit as he returned to the front of the shop. “By the gods, I’m getting too old for such tricks.”

“You don’t have to fly on my son’s account,” I told him.

Beau laughed. “If I’m going to die, I’ll die happy. These kids love it!”

“One day, I’ll be a shifter,” Marcus claimed.

“Is that so?” Beau entertained.

“Yep,” Marcus stated proudly. He got down on his hands and knees and bared his teeth at Beau. “Rawr!”

I didn’t get this kid. He had a weird obsession with the fae.

Beau jumped back and placed his hand over his heart to play along. “Oh, my! You’ll make a very fierce shifter indeed.”

“I’ll be scarier than you, but pretty, with feathers on my head like a peacock!” Marcus ran his fingers through his dark waves to make them stand straight up.

He was always making up stories that didn’t make a whole lot of sense. I couldn’t always follow where his imagination took him. No one had ever accused my son of being anything less than theatrical, that was for certain.

Beau cocked his head toward the door. “Come on in. Your order’s all finished.”

Beau led us inside the wand shop. Hundreds of expertly crafted wands lined displays on the walls. They were all different sizes, shapes, and colors, and each one was entirely unique. Beau only sold wands he’d made himself, and each one was more incredible than the last.

A TV played a news station quietly behind the counter. Marcus scurried behind the register and climbed onto a chair to make himself perfectly at home while he stared mesmerized at the television.

I sighed. “Marcus.”

“It’s okay,” Beau said kindly. “He’s more than welcome to sit. It’s just a supernatural news station based out of Malovia. They’re doing a segment on the royal family. I like to know what’s going on back in my home country. Makes me think of Sebastian…”

Beau got a faraway look in his eyes when he mentioned his late mate.

He quickly snapped out of it. “Right, your order. I have it right here.”

Beau pulled an intricately carved wooden box from under the counter. It was beautiful, with all kinds of Miriamic symbols twisting together, along with depictions of crystals and the moon phases.

I ran my fingers over the carvings. “It’s beautiful. You really didn’t have to do all this.”

Beau waved his hand like it was nothing. “The coven has been nothing but kind to me since I returned to Octavia Falls. Lending my talents is the least I could do.”

“Thank you. The coven will cherish this for quite some time,” I told him.

“It’s already been paid for, and I know you’re in a hurry, so I’ll let you get back to your day,” Beau said. “Thank you for letting me do this for you.”

I took the box under my arm. “It’s no problem at all. We’re grateful for your contribution.”

I turned to my son, who was completely glued to the TV. The newscast showed a faraway shot of the Malovian royal family leaving the palace in Dolinska, though I could hardly make them out.

The angle shifted, and it focused on a little blonde girl that looked around Marcus’s age. I guessed she must be the child of someone important.

“Princess!” Marcus cried, pointing at the television.

“Yes, she does look like a princess,” I told him.

Marcus hopped up on his knees and growled at the TV like he was playing shifter again. He started barking at the girl on the screen, letting out a wolfish howl.

I sighed. “Usually he pretends to be a cat, but I guess he’s a dog today.”

Beau laughed. “He’s adorable.”

“Most of the time,” I agreed. “I try to support his imagination as much as I can, but it can get away on him—like the time he cut holes in his bed sheets so he could play with the ghosts inside his closet.”

“Real ghosts?” Beau asked.

“Imaginary,” I said. “We had the sheriff check the whole house, and there’s nothing but a ghost cat living there.”

“Hmm…” Beau eyed Marcus curiously. “Don’t discredit his imagination and stories. Children can be very perceptive.”

Marcus barked at the TV again.

“Perceptive, or maybe just a bit fantastical,” I said. “I’m not sure. Marcus, time to get home to Mommy. We don’t want to miss apple pie.”

At the mention of apple pie, Marcus seemed more alert. He climbed down from his chair and followed me out of the wand shop and back to the car.

I drove toward the edge of town, past the school and to a long driveway lined with trees on all sides.

“Where are we going, Daddy?” Marcus asked from his car seat.

“We’re going home.”