Velline found a painted stone bowl, so large she needed help to carry it back to Moonvale Medical.
Lunette bought a tall, gorgeous vase, enchanted to keep flowers alive for weeks instead of days.
My Ma found herself a small bracelet that was delicately hand-carved with swirls and sigils.
Pa grabbed a pair of teacups. They were made with steel instead of pottery so they would never break during travel.
Tandor purchased a collection of colorful, stained-glass tonic bottles.
Everyonepurchased something. And everyone smiled as they left. My shelves were half empty by the time the last customer walked out the door.
All day, Redd stood in the corner, arms crossed over his chest, a slight smile lifting the corner of his mouth.
As evening fell, I sat at Ginger’s pub with Kizzi and Redd, each of us with a cider in hand. Lavender blueberry, of course. My pouch of silvers sat heavily against my hip.
“Well, I’d say this day deserves a toast,” Kizzi declared, lifting her goblet out in front of her. “To success, and happiness. And to my badass businesswoman best friend.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Redd said warmly, clinking his goblet against Kizzi’s. The two shared a smile before both taking a gulp.
I rolled my eyes, holding my own goblet out. “And to you two, because the gods know I wouldn’t be here without you.”
“Hells, I’ll drink to that too!” Redd laughed. We all took another swallow.
“So,” Kizzi mused. “How does it feel being mated? Think I’m cut out for the mate life?”
I laughed, glancing fondly at Redd before turning back to the witch. “It’s better than I could possibly explain. Hells yeah, you’re cut out for it. Everyone deserves to feel this happy. You just need to find someone who can handle you.”
Kizzi scoffed in fake outrage. “Handle me?Handleme? Excuse you, Fi. That’s rude.”
I nudged her shoulder. “You know exactly what I meant. You need someone you won’t squash like a bug.”
“I suppose that is true…”
I was exhausted, and my cheeks ached from too many smiles, but my heart was fuller than it had ever been. I could feel the echoes of my mate’s pride, his joy, his contentedness deep within my own chest. I glanced around at Ginger’s Pub, at the familiar patrons, at the comforting atmosphere, at my two favorite people sitting next to me, and I finally felt whole. Completely, entirely whole.
All it took was a few anonymous letters and a mishap with thirst tonics.
Ani, the oldest witch in Moonvale, sat on a bench in the town square, shimmering magic swirling around her fingertips and coiling up her wrists. She had a handwritten sign clutched in her grasp and a self-satisfied smile on her face. Three cats sat perched beside her feet–one grey, one orange, and one striped. She leaned down and whispered to the critters, pausing to listen as they meowed back. She straightened, nodding.
Ani waited patiently, lingering on the bench until every folk was out of sight. When the coast was clear, she stood andapproached the stone mailbox, humming a magical tune to herself as she did so.
Slowly, quietly, the magic in Moonvale was growing stronger.
THE END
