Across from us, Lucien’s booth is already half set up, a testament to his centuries of experience with efficient organization. Polished wood shelves gleam under the string lights, filled with carefully curated pieces that look like they belong in a museum rather than out in the open air. Ezra stands beside him, carefully placing a delicate antique clock onto a velvet-lined surface, his movements precise and careful, like even the act of setting something down deserves his full attention and respect.
Lucien glances up as we approach, his eyes roaming over me in a way that feels too perceptive, like he can read every detail of the last hour written across my skin. The faintest smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.
“You’ve recovered,” he says softly.
I lift a brow, feigning ignorance even as heat creeps up my neck. “Recovered?”
“From whatever mischief the two of you got into behind the shop,” he replies, entirely too calm for someone who definitely knows exactly what kind of mischief we were up to. His tone is matter-of-fact, like he’s commenting on the weather rather than my thoroughly rumpled state.
Maceo chuckles, completely unbothered by the observation. If anything, he seems pleased by it, chest puffing out just slightly with male satisfaction. “You’re welcome to join us next time.”
Ezra clears his throat as two children push past us in a blur of sugar-fueled energy, though the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth gives him away. Behind his glasses, his dark eyes hold warmth and something that might be anticipation.
“Maybe we all should,” Lucien says with a slow, knowing smile that promises all kinds of delicious trouble, before returning his attention to the careful arrangement of his display.
I shake my head and turn back to my own setup, focusing on lining up the bottles in neat, precise rows. The familiar motionsteadies me, gives my hands something productive to do as my mind tries to catch up with everything happening around me.
Because now that I’ve stopped moving, now that I actually look around and take it all in, I can truly see it. The town in all its supernatural glory.
Wolves move through the growing crowd in both forms, some fully shifted, their massive bodies weaving between groups of people with ease. Children laugh as they run alongside them without fear, small hands tangling fearlessly in thick fur, faces bright with joy. Others walk in human form but retain that predatory awareness, their eyes glowing faintly amber and gold in the growing dark, their energy sharp and alive and utterly untamed.
Witches and Wizards stand in comfortable clusters, hands moving as they weave small spells into the evening air, lighting candles with casual flicks of their fingers, lifting decorations into place without ever touching them. Magic dances openly here, unhidden and unapologetic, as natural as breathing. I watch a teenager levitate a string of lights into perfect position while her grandmother creates tiny dancing flames that spell out ‘Welcome’ in the air.
Vampires drift at the edges of the light like elegant shadows, composed and watchful, their presence a quiet contrast to the liveliness around them. Their eyes reflect every flicker of flame and movement like mirrors, patient and eternal as they wait for full darkness to fall and their time to truly begin.
The smell of food drifts through everything, rich and overwhelming in the best possible way. Bea’s booth is already surrounded by a hungry crowd, the scent of perfectly grilled burgers, hot dogs, and her famous baked goods pulling people in from every direction. She moves behind the counter with practiced efficiency, calling out orders while Zane handles the register with competence. The Cackling Hen has set up justbeyond her, coffee steaming in industrial-sized urns, pastries stacked high in tempting displays, Toni and Lin barking good-natured orders at their team of helpers while somehow managing to make it all look effortless.
Music starts somewhere down the street, soft at first, then building as more instruments join in from the bandstand in the middle of the square. The melody is something old and folksy, the kind of tune that gets into your bones and makes you want to move.
One word comes to mind as I take it all in, as I feel the weight of belonging settle into my chest like coming home. Safe.
No one has to hide here. No one has to pretend to be merely human here in Ruby Springs. The people of this town have no need to mask who they truly are, no need to dim their light or suppress their nature. They are not afraid, and Founder’s Day honors this, celebrates it with every laugh and spell and shifted form.
“So, this is what freedom looks like,” I murmur, more to myself than anyone else.
Lucien hears me anyway, as he always seems to.
“Yes,” he says from across the way. “This is what it was always meant to be.”
As true night falls and the festival reaches its full glory, the square fills with the joyous noise of celebration. My booth, despite the town’s initial wariness toward me, draws a steady stream of customers. People laugh and cluster in groups, shopping for handcrafted goods, eating Bea’s incredible food, and enjoying the revelry and celebration around them. Children run through the maze of booths, cotton candy and popcorn feeding the ground more than reaching their mouths, their faces sticky and bright with pure happiness. Fireworks begin to erupt overhead in brilliant bursts, lighting the sky in a kaleidoscope ofcolors, and I marvel at the magic, at the wards that hold it all together in perfect secrecy from the outside world.
The crowd begins to shift gradually, attention pulling toward the center of the square where a small stage has been erected in front of the ornate bandstand. The music dies down to a respectful murmur, and the sound of applause ripples through the gathered people, drawing my focus in that direction.
A familiar figure steps up onto the dais, and my hands automatically clench into fists at the sight of my aunt.
Lenora Thorne stands tall beneath the lantern light, every inch the commanding presence she’s always been. She’s dressed in deep crimson that catches every flicker of gold around her, the color making her dark skin glow and her eyes seem even more intense. She looks every bit the mayor, every bit the woman who has held this town together for years through sheer force of will. Every bit in control of everything and everyone around her.
Her gaze sweeps over the crowd with practiced precision, pausing just long enough when it finds me that I feel the weight of her attention like a physical touch. A chill crawls up my spine despite the warm evening air.
Then she smiles, turning her attention back to the rest of the town with practiced, polished perfection, every word calculated for maximum impact.
“My fellow residents of Ruby Springs,” she begins, her voice carrying easily over the crowd, warm and commanding all at once. Each syllable is perfectly enunciated, designed to reach every ear and settle into every heart. “Tonight, we gather as we always have, to honor the legacy of our founder, Ruby Thorne, and the sanctuary she built for all of us.”
A murmur of agreement ripples through the crowd like a wave, heads nodding, smiles spreading across faces both human and otherwise.
“She created this town as a place of refuge,” Lenora continues, her voice rising slightly to embrace the entire square. “A place where we could live freely, without fear of the outside world. A place where our magic is not something to hide, but something to celebrate.”
Applause rises again, stronger and more unified this time, filled with genuine emotion and gratitude. I feel it in my chest, that same pull, that same sense of belonging that has been building since the moment I first set foot in Ruby Springs.
