Epilogue

I satat my desk in Theon’s study, drawing out wedding plans because why not? Winter was in full force outside—a steady snow that streamed down and coated the landscape in a pretty way. I said pretty because it was outside and I was inside with a roaring fire. Just as I preferred.

No, I was not a winter person, what made you suspicious?

Anyway, it was a quiet afternoon, and I enjoyed the peace. I wanted to get something of wedding plans down, as we’d been sucked into city planning ever since coming home. We’d had quite a few takers on my offer to immigrate, which the stupid monarchs hadn’t been happy about, but I couldn’t give two fucks about them. Served them right.

Anyway, we had a good three hundred people with their families coming this way come spring, so we had a lot of building to do. Theon had already gotten a jump start on that because he had both brains and beauty. We had a dozen houses ready to go. The snow had been light enough that we’d gotten the foundations and framing in before a blizzard had hit, and of course with the frame up, they could work easily indoors and finish the houses at their leisure. Hopefully that would handle the first wave, but we needed to be braced for all the waves thereafter, hence planning.

Coin sat on my desk, giving a little hum, shimmering now and again like it was quite pleased with itself. Did I find this suspicious? Profoundly.

I stopped writing ideas down and frowned at it. “And what are you up to over there?”

It gave a laugh. “Nothing to do with you, don’t worry.”

“And yet I sit here, worried.”

“No, no. It really has nothing to do with you. Truth is, my mission here is complete. Got a great show from watching you wrangle this world into submission. Truly, I’m going to laugh at how you handled the monarchs for years to come.”

“So glad I entertain you,” I drawled.

“That you have. You really were the perfect choice for this place. I do have a good eye.”

“I thought you had no clue until I picked you up off the street?”

“Semantics. Anyway. I found another shiny in another world, so I’m off. There is trouble I must stir and brew, you know. Can’t just hang around watching you. Be good, or be good at it!”

Then, in a flash, Coin was gone.

I blinked, staring at the blank space where it had rested, and honestly didn’t know how to feel about this. As much as Coin had annoyed the fuck out of me on a regular basis, it had been something of a friend in bad times, too. I knew it could still see and hear me even though it had left, so I decided to say my own goodbye.

“Turns out you did me a favor bringing me here. Thanks for that. And stop by sometime, say hello.”

There was a shimmer, a faint sound of laughter, then nothing at all.

I’d take that as confirmation enough that Coin had heard me.

The door opened to the study, Theon coming in with a very odd gait. I didn’t need to look over my desk to recognize why he was limping that way. Dragon-limpet on the leg. Only explanation.

“Jake, about the Wall, how do you feel about dismantling it for building materials?”

“I think that’s genius. It’ll take some work, sure, but it’ll be easier to take the Wall down than to quarry more stone. Plus it’s free. We don’t need it anymore, anyway.”

“No, we don’t.” Theon paused at the desk, acting for all the world like he didn’t have Ashe nuzzling his kneecap.

Despite the fact the dragonlings were the size of small ponies, they still glomped us whenever possible. I did not look forward to the day when I explained they couldn’t climb on top of me anymore because they’d squash me. That would not go over well.

Theon paused, looking me over carefully. “Something wrong?”

He really did know me well. “Not wrong, per se, but Coin just left.”

“Left, left?”

“As in utterly gone, off to another world. It said it was done here, there was something shiny that had caught its attention elsewhere, and off it went. I kind of miss it?”

“It was a companion for you from the very moment you landed here until now.” Theon came in closer, using one arm to hug me against his chest. “It’s all right to be a little sad at the parting.”

Maybe that was what it was. I knew a chapter in my life had ended and would never come my way again, and it was a bittersweet feeling.

“I do feel a little sad, I guess. But you know what? I’m also glad. With Coin gone, it means I really am staying here. There’s no possibility of going back to Earth.” I tilted my head back, looking at this man who had been my stalwart support and friend even when he’d barely known me. “I finally feel home, if that makes sense.”

Theon leaned in, kissing me with sweet, slow heat. Above my mouth, he murmured, “You are home.”

I felt those words like I hadn’t before. There was a confidence in them, a surety, and I felt as firmly planted here as a mountain would.

After a lifetime of searching, working, dreaming, hoping, and yearning, I was finally, finally home.