"Marvelous gourds, as always, Miles!"
"Only the best in town!" Miles responded jovially.
Nearing the town square, Clive tipped his tweed cap to Leahnora as the mysterious High Priestess drifted by, ravens circling above her.
"Good day, Madame High Priestess," Clive greeted cordially. Leahnora inclined her head, the ghost of a smile on her wine-colored lips.
Their next stop was Spellbinders bookshop, where Clive arranged a basket of apples on the stoop with care. Colin and Gloria, who were bustling about inside the bookshop, both stopped and waved a Clive hung a wreath of woven branches and crimson leaves on the purple door.
"There," he said, satisfaction warming him like the cider they'd just delivered. "Our choes are complete Cona."
“Now we visit the quad.” Cona took off ahead of Clive and romped to the center of town. The quad teemed with activity - vendors sold fresh breads and preserves while children chased each other around mounds of fall leaves, weaving expertly through the crowd. A trio of musicians played a lively reel that conjured images of the coming Fall Harvest Festival.
Breathing in the sights, sounds and scents of the vibrant scene, Clive felt profound gratitude to be part of the Cauldron Falls community. Though a year had passed, he still missed Lily dearly, and the town continued pulsing with life and purpose thanks to bonds of friendship and care they extended to one another. With Cona trotting happily at his side, Clive wouldn't trade these precious days for anything.
Once they returned home, Clive settled into the creaky wooden rocking chair on Lily's porch. His faithful companion curled up at his feet. The setting sun bathed the orchard in a warm golden glow as a light breeze rustled the leaves.
"It's a beautiful evening, isn't it, boy?" Clive said, taking a sip of mulled cider. Cona gave a soft nod of agreement.
"Do you remember the first time I came here?" Clive asked wistfully. "She invited me to view the orchard at sunset. I thought I'd seen beauty before, but that night was something else entirely."
Cona's tail thumped happily as Clive described how the fading light had illuminated Lily's hair into a halo, her eyes more radiant than the emerging stars.
When he fell silent, lost in memory, Cona raised his great shaggy head. "Lily loved this time of evening too," the wolfhound remarked in his gravelly voice.
Clive smiled softly, stroking Cona's fur. "Tell me more about her."
Cona obliged, reminiscing in his deep timbre about Lily's fierce love for the orchard, her little quirks and habits, her infectious laughter. As twilight deepened, a peaceful melancholy settled around them.
"I miss her greatly too," Cona said after a while. He rested his head on Clive's lap with a weary sigh.
Clive rubbed the familiar’s ears understandingly. Though loss still clung to them, sharing memories was healing. He and Cona would carry Lily in their hearts as they tended to her beloved home and trees. On quiet evenings like this, Clive could almost feel Lily's presence there with them, her vibrant spirit eternal as the seasons.
He took up his newpaper and read. There on the front page was an announcement that soon, a new resident would join their community - a wandmaker named Gwen, who needed a fresh start. Colin Scott had written an article forThe Curious Moon, announcing Gwen would be taking over Gregg Abbott's failed shop.
"A new chapter for Cauldron Falls," Clive remarked. He looked forward to meeting Gwen and showing her the same kindness Lily had shown him.
Epilogue: What's Coming Next?
Asbefore,theirongates creaked open on their own as Honey approached the imposing estate alone. Leahnora met her at the door, an inscrutable smile playing about her blood-red lips.
"Glad to have you back, my dear? To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Honey stood tall, resolved to not be intimated by Leahnora’s mere presence. "I believe we have more to talk about."
Leahnora arched a brow. “Come in.” She glided silently down the hall, beckoning for Honey to follow. Apprehension prickled across Honey's skin, but she complied, determined to uncover the unknown.
At last, they reached the candlelit chamber again. Leahnora turned, her eyes flashing.
"There are always secrets in Cauldron Falls. We all know that," she whispered. "Dark secrets beneath our glittering facades. You’ve yet to stumble upon your own secret."
Honey's pulse quickened. "What do you mean, my own secret?"
Leahnora hesitated. "I really shouldn’t speak of such things. But perhaps you are ready for the truth..."
Confusion flooded Honey. "What do you mean? What truth?"
Leahnora's gaze bore into hers. "As you know, I was once a renowned fortune teller, known as a gazer to some, before I turned against the knowing. It was too painful to always see what was coming. I’ve struggled for years to keep my visions at bay. But one night last year, unbidden, a vision came to me."
