Most of the familiars who’d refused so far were very likely being pressured by their wizards and houses.It would take time to sort out who was under undue influence.Houses Refoel and Seraphiel were teaming up to begin the process of communicating with familiars and providing safe spaces for them.
At House Elal, Alise had been able to start what would be her own very long process of assuming the mantel of Lady Elal—the youngest in Elal history, it turned out, something that gave her no pleasure.Her first decree had been that any familiar who wanted to become a wizard would receive safe and free passage to Convocation Center, and that any wizard even making a sour face about it would be expelled from House Elal.She’d also taken care of one very important, outstanding piece of business.Under her leadership, House Elal would honor its debts.
And then, she’d accompanied Cillian to House Harahel.She’d met his parents and accepted the chagrined apologies from Lady Harahel.Bertie had been the one to ensure the Anciela Archive, as they’d come to call it, had stayed safe.Hanneil—and Uriel, a subterfuge that still stunned her—had tried their best to infiltrate House Harahel.But the Harahel traditional distrust of strangers and Bertie’s vigilance had saved the day.
Alise had sincerely been able to forgive and reassure Órlaith, sharing her own marrow-chilling experience with psychic magic and mind control.
Cillian was over the moon to finally show her all the charms of the house of his birth, which apparently included a long-held fantasy of his to teach her to ice skate.
Facing down a demon had been easier.
“Just watch,” Cillian said, and Alise sat gratefully on the bench.The winter landscape shone serene white and it was hard to believe that they’d already come around to midwinter again.The last months had been so very busy, flying by in a flurry of change.Cillian, dark curls a contrast to the ivory shades surrounding him, wearing a jaunty red scarf, skated around the pond, demonstrating the technique.Then he gained speed and leapt into the air, spinning several times before landing on one foot, the other leg extended.
Alise clapped her mittens together.“That’s amazing!I didn’t know you could do that.”
He skated up to her hands extended, cheeks rosy with cold and pride.“I know.All this time I’ve waited to show you I have more talents than reading books.Well, one other talent,” he amended.
She stood and took his hands, letting him guide her off the safe snow and onto the ice.“I’ve always known you were a wizard ofmanytalents.But I don’t know about this…”
“Trust me,” he said, squeezing her hands and holding her gaze.
“I do.”
And she did, forever and always.
~Epilogue, Too~
Winter in Meresin,though it wasn’t as cold as in other regions of the Convocation, was a chilly, miserable season of greeting rain and persistent mud.
It was good to be home.
Nic laughed as Bria, who’d determinedly pulled herself up using a table leg, tipped back and fell on her rump, green eyes wide in surprise.“Every wizard has to learn the steps gradually,” she reassured her daughter, savoring the sheer, blissful relief of knowing her children would never know the pain of being “only” a familiar.
“She’ll be pacing around the library like you do before long,” Gabriel observed.
“Ha ha.Just wait and—”
A knock came on the door, GF poking his head in.“Ah, Nic?There’s a delivery out here for you.”
“What is it?”She asked, gathering up Bria with anoofof effort.The child seemed to double her weight every day.
“Let me,” Gabriel said, taking Bria from her.Bria adored her daddy.She squealed and sank her little fists in his silver-white hair.
“Beats me,” GF answered Nic, leading the way out to the front entrance.“It’s got your name on it, but I’ve never seen anything like it.A dozen wagonloads of dead branches is what it looks like.”
Nic stopped on the steps, gazing in shock.Warmth spread out from her heart.“Thank you, Alise,” she murmured.
Gabriel came up beside her.“What are they?”
She gave him a wide, supremely happy smile.“Grape vines.”
