Epilogue

S ix months later…

"I'm getting married!" Everly whispered the words, still too tickled to believe it was actually happening. It seemed like a dream and a magickal secret as he peeked down at the backyard from the bedroom window.

The sun was setting and string lights and paper lanterns glowed softly as Everly's friends mingled and waited for the ceremony to begin. Everly was in charge of the evening's playlist and he had picked all of his favorite Louis Armstrong songs. The cheerful trumpet with the happy chatter on the back deck made the evening all the more cozy, but Everly's heart soared as Bryn and Arawn strolled out together, arm-in-arm and took their places with Merlin at the altar.

Dressed in matching navy tuxedos with bluebell boutonnieres, Everly thought they both looked dashing, but Bryn made his tummy flip when he laughed and hugged Fletcher. They were celebrating and Bryn was so happy! That someone so beautiful and brave would celebrate their love for Everly was a miracle in itself and he felt extraordinarily lucky to have been chosen by Bryn.

Over the altar, an arch had been raised and strung with pale blue ribbons and pink roses and the hydrangeas, lilacs, and violets were blooming, adding to the dreamy splendor of the evening. Merlin was dressed in silver and his cape was embroidered with roses and trimmed with crystal beads. Everly thought he looked like a magickal priest and was honored to have Merlin officiating the ceremony.

Instead of a traditional wedding, Bryn and Everly chose to celebrate their love and commitment to each other with an amalgam of pagan and druid traditions. Merlin had lit an ancient copper cauldron and was smudging the altar with various smoking herbs and flowers as he danced and chanted.

A soft knock had Everly turning. "Come in," he called before Nox opened the door and leaned around it.

"It's time, buddy!" he said, then groaned as he pressed a hand against his chest. "You look so handsome. You're gonna knock Bryn right off his feet."

"Do you think so?" Everly went to the standing mirror for one last look. He had tried on a few different suits and tuxedos but Everly felt like he was overdressed and drowning in too many layers and too much tailoring. Merlin had helped Everly settle on a simple powder blue shirt, vest, and trousers. He adjusted the crown of pale blue flowers bobby-pinned to his hair, smiling at Nox's reflection. "I made it myself!"

"You look like magick," Nox said and sniffed as he swiped at a cheek and nodded. "I'm so, so happy for you, Everly, and I know that you and Bryn are going to take good care of each other."

"Me too," Everly stated with utter certainty.

They had always taken good care of each other, from the moment they had met, and it was what made them happiest: caring for each other.

The music stopped and they heard a low, echoing bong! from the backyard as Merlin summoned them with the gong. "That's our cue!" Nox said as he offered Everly his arm.

Outside, Howard dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief as he leaned on Tony, and Nelson and Fletcher looked so sharp in their suits. They were wearing powder blue ties and holding the matching bouquets Everly had made for them.

"What A Wonderful World" began to play and Everly started crying as Nox walked him down the back steps to meet Bryn.

"It really is a wonderful world!" he whispered shakily to Nox. "I always knew it was, I just didn't think I'd ever get to be a part of it. But it's even more wonderful than I ever imagined, now that I have Bryn and all of you!"

The groom was crying as well when they reached him and he accepted a tight embrace from Nox. "Enjoy every moment with Everly. He's so damn special," Nox told Bryn before stepping back.

"I will," Bryn vowed, then promised to cherish and honor Everly for the rest of his days as their hands were bound over the cauldron.

Merlin faced each direction, chanting with a feather and a flame as he cast a protective ring around them. They kissed and Everly felt blessed as the sun set, filling the sky with pastels as fireflies flickered around them.

"Thank you!" Everly told Bryn as they danced to "A Kiss To Build A Dream On."

"You don't have to thank me," Bryn replied, tilting Everly's chin back and pecking at his lips. "I feel like the luckiest man in the world right now because I have you."

Everly smiled up at him, so happy he felt like he'd burst. "Me too!"

They were content to sway in each other's arms and hum along with the music until Nox tried to tease Tony into dancing with him.

"He hasn't been right since Pooles Island," Bryn said and pushed out a heavy sigh. "I only met him once before he was attacked, but Nox says Tony used to be a big goofball and a little too laid back. Now, he barely smiles."

"Do you think it's our fault?" Everly asked, concerned, but Bryn shook his head.

"I heard that Tony was really in love with another professor named Aubrey. She was wrapped up in that awful business with the missing girls and Walter Forsythe and Nox said she couldn't put it behind her, no matter how hard she and Tony tried. She took a position with a university in the UK and moved on and Tony was doing okay, according to Nox, but he was never the same after he came back from Pooles Island," he explained, then stopped dancing when Nox let out a shout and caught Tony as he fainted.

"Oh, no!" Everly cried, rushing over with Bryn.

Nox had helped Tony into a chair and was patting his cheek as Merlin used a silver beaded fan to cool him.

"Drink this," Nelson said as he arrived with a glass of water.

Tony thanked him, taking a careful sip. His skin was pale, he was sweating, and his hands were shaking as he drank. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare everyone."

"Don't be silly," Nox scolded and pressed the back of his hand to Tony's forehead. "You don't have a fever, but you don't look good, T," he said and Tony grimaced and nodded.

"I haven't felt right all day. I think it's Ronan." He hugged his middle and stifled a swear. "I think he's in trouble."

Nox and Merlin exchanged worried looks. "Ronan? Why would he be in trouble and how can you tell?" Nox asked, earning a caustic snort from Tony.

"If I had to guess why, I'd say it's because he's a miserable dickhead," he muttered, grunting in pain as he doubled over. "We…mated before he cut me loose and now, I always feel what he's feeling. You lousy motherfucker!" he wheezed in agony, turning red as he held onto Nox. "I think he might be dying."

"Dying?" Everly echoed in panic and looked around him. "What are we going to do? Ronan needs our help!"

"Your help, maybe," Tony said as he shook his head. "To hell with Ronan O'Sullivan," he declared, just before his eyes rolled and he fainted again.

Nox was able to catch Tony before he slumped and toppled off of the chair, giving everyone a hard grimace. "Looks like we're headed back to Pooles Island. Ronan needs our help and we need to figure out what the hell happened between these two," he said as he gestured at Tony. "Who's in?"

The End