Iris, don’t worry about your last name anymore. One day, you can have mine if you want it. Or anything else your heart desires.
Together, here or in the Otherworld, they’d make everyone’s dreams come true.
EPILOGUE
CHRISTMAS
Violet gables was full to the brim.
When Iris had set out to have a holiday party and invited everyone, she hadn’t imagined that they would all come. But the old Victorian house was full of candles and pine boughs and visitors in every room. Ethel’s whole coven was here along with the usual residents of the house, plus Liz, who had made the move to St. Claire just a week ago.
Hazel was here—without her cat—and Sally had agreed that Howard could come as Hazel’s date. Really, Howard and Sally were learning how to be friends who had divorced instead of a former couple who disliked each other. Bruce and Mitch came because Sally was here, and Kim would be stopping by later with Megan. Iris made the rounds, chatting with small groups of people, unable to believe this was her life.
Eli kept a watchful eye on Iris from across the room, ever attentive in case she needed to be extricated from an awkward conversation. But he never pushed. And she loved that about him.
Eli’s grandmother was drinking with Rain and Fen, and someone rapped on the door as Iris was about to make a toast. When she answered, she found Olive on the front porch with a suitcase and a bag of presents. Iris’s mortal dad waited in her shadow, none too sure of his welcome, but the fact that he’d shown up meant everything. Iris let out a little scream and hugged them both. It was dark, and a light snow had just started, bespangling the trees in winter white. The outside of her house was still covered in violets, and they didn’t die, regardless of what the weather was like. In the distance, she heard carolers.
She urged Olive inside with one hand, grabbing Dad with the other. He went in uncertainly, and his eyes widened when he saw the crowd. “I didn’t realize you already knew so many people. You’re so happy, flower. It does my heart good seeing you like this. Have you…talked to your mother?”
“We email sometimes. We’re both processing.”
“That’s good.” He wandered off in search of snacks and drinks, leaving Iris with Olive.
“You said you might bring someone.”
“It…didn’t work out,” Olive said in a careful tone. “Let’s not talk about me. It seems like everything’s come up Iris?”
“Finally feels that way, yeah. Let me introduce you to everyone!”
Since there were so many guests, it took quite a while for Iris to make the full circuit with her sister in tow. She ended her jaunt with Rain and Fen, who were chatting with Eli. “These are my fae folks. And this is my boyfriend, Eli Reese.”
“I’ve heard of you,” Olive said. “You’re the app mogul, right?”
Iris groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Am I the only one who hadn’t seen news about him online? I still feel like such a—”
Eli pressed a quick kiss to her mouth, likely to stop her from saying something derogatory about herself. It was cute when he did that. “Let’s not think about that tonight.”
“Fair enough,” Olive said.
“Have you eaten?” Iris asked.
Olive shook her head, so Eli fixed her a plate, and Iris basked in the glorious sensation of having brought all these people together. Everyone seemed to be having an awesome time, so she opened more wine and continued playing hostess. She chatted with Leanne Vanderpol-Montgomery, who was running for mayor, and got some tips from Trev Montgomery on how to promote her site more effectively.
Glowing from that convo, she headed for the next group—Ethel, Sally, Hazel, and Vanessa. They seemed to be planning a glamorous vacation, which didn’t need Iris’s input, so she kept moving, offering food and beverages until the smile cut into her cheeks and she wanted to kick off her shoes.
After a couple of hours, she darted off to steal a few quiet moments in the kitchen. And of course, Eli found her. Because he was drawn to her like a lodestone.
“Can’t function without me, huh?”
“Not really,” he admitted.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you too.”
She leaned in for a tender kiss.
“Ugh, if you two were any more adorable, they’d put you on a greeting card.” Eli’s grandmother stood in the kitchen doorway, smiling in delight. Her expression didn’t match her teasing words. “Everyone’s looking for you, by the way. Rowan wants to do the gift exchange before Rain and Fen open the fae wine.”
“Oh no,” Iris breathed. Without another word, she raced into the other room. “I’m here! Let’s open presents.”
To avoid anyone feeling financially pressed, they’d agreed to a Secret Santa–type swap, where they handed out a single name to different guests. Iris watched in delight as Fen got a plushie and Rain a set of bath salts; the two fae stared at each other’s presents and then silently traded them. All around the room, the people she loved were laughing and spilling joy into the universe, so warm and tangible that she could practically see it. Iris didn’t even register her own lack of a gift until all eyes were on her.
Sally frowned. “Did you leave yourself off the list?”
Then Eli sliced through the crowd, bearing an exquisitely wrapped box. “This is from all of us. We left it until the end because we wanted to focus on your reaction.”
It was too big to be jewelry, and she didn’t think he’d propose this way anyhow. Iris made a show of hefting the package. “It’s heavy.” Bouncing a little, she untied the ribbon and tore the paper while Mira recorded the unboxing for posterity.
Carefully, she extricated the gift from the tissue package, and when she realized what she was holding, tears filled her eyes. Iris held up the wooden plaque for everyone to see. Then she found Rowan and Henry Dale in the crowd. “You two made this, right?”
“Beautiful,” said Eli’s grandmother.
It truly was a work of art. They’d crafted a beautiful piece using Henry Dale’s woodworking skills and Rowan’s artistic gift. Fanciful creatures gamboled about the edges, hiding in the floral border. Somehow, it was both charming and carefully wrought, done in shades of purple and green. And in the center, in bold letters: VIOLET GABLES.
“Thank you so much! I love it. I’m hanging this up right now,” Iris declared.
And she meant every word, so the party went on hiatus while she used her newly discovered magic to bond the plaque with the house. Delicately, carefully, and soon, it looked as though it had always been there. Everyone rushed back inside, eager to warm up and continue the festivities.
“This is it,” Eli whispered.
“What is?”
“All we were missing. Now every last piece is in place.”
She agreed with a happy sigh, nestling into his side. Here in St. Claire, she’d found everything she needed. Not success, but happiness.
Forever.
Discover more from Ann Aguirre
Acknowledgments
Thanks to my agent, Lucienne Diver, for giving the best suggestions and always being in my corner.
Thanks to my amazing editor, Christa Desir, for believing in our beautiful books and polishing them to a diamond shine. She truly turns dross into gold. Thanks to Alyssa Garcia for making my books stand out from the crowd, and the rest of the wonderful team at Sourcebooks. I treasure our partnership and enjoy making art with everyone on the team.