Epilogue

One Year Later

T he pack had shown up right after sunset on the night of the full moon. Micah hadn't quite finished The Year of the Wire, so he still couldn't shift and run with them.

He could make them breakfast, though.

"Have fun." He'd kissed Anders, who had a wild look in his eye and smelled strongly of wolf. Anders had kissed him back a little absently, as if his mind was already in the forest. Micah just smiled and let him go. It was a Thursday night, and it was his twelfth full moon since moving in with Anders. While the pack was running, he'd be busy putting together breakfast for a dozen hungry wolves.

He'd already shopped: three dozen eggs, mushrooms, onions, a big block of cheddar, and enough bacon to make the salesclerk raise her eyebrows. Once he got started prepping, he realized he needed more butter. It was only ten o'clock, so he locked up and headed for the closest all-night grocery store.

When he came out, there was a flyer on the CR-V's window.

Carnival of Mysteries. Thrill to the unknowable and unexplained. Your future awaits .

"Aw, hell no," Micah muttered, hitting the key fob to open the driver's door. "Been there, done that, burned the tee shirt."

He meant to toss the flyer on the ground, but somehow, when he started the engine, it was on the seat next to him. "No." he told it firmly, as if he meant it and wasn't just yelling at a piece of paper.

Opens Friday, July 11 th . Come and marvel at the mysteries awaiting you .

"The only mystery awaiting me is whether I'm going to have enough food for the pack."

He put the car in gear and drove to Anders' big house. The place they shared. Home.

Once in the kitchen, he put the butter and milk in the fridge. The Carnival of Mysteries flyer ended up on the kitchen counter, though he was sure he'd thrown it away. By the time he had muffins in the oven, the veggies chopped, and the cheese shredded, he'd seen it enough times to start thinking maybe he better go.

If for no other reason than to find out how the hell that Errante dude had… made the scene in the black tent happen.

Because that had been some fucking strong magic.

He set his alarm for three thirty in the morning and lay down to catch a nap. The wolves would be back around an hour after that, right before sunrise, and they'd be dirty and hungry. And peaceful. He'd cook, they'd eat, and then he and Anders would go to bed for the day.

Everything went according to plan, at least until Anders saw the Carnival of Mysteries flyer. "Were you thinking of going?" he asked, brow furrowed as if he wasn't sure which way Micah would answer.

They sat at the kitchen island, the dishwasher humming as it took care of the breakfast dishes. "At first I didn't think I would, but now I'm not sure." Micah swigged the last of his orange juice. "I kinda want to know how he did it."

Anders rested his head in his hands, weary after his night of wildness. "I guess. I just…" He glanced at Micah. "You're done with the deep revelations, right?"

He smiled as he asked it, though there was something tentative in his gaze. Micah smiled back. "Yeah, no more true confessions."

"Good." Anders shook the hair out of his face. "Because next month, you can run with us." As part of the pack . He didn't say it out loud, but it was there, a thing they were already counting on.

"Let's get some sleep." Micah covered Anders' hand with his own. "When we wake up, if we're in the mood for a carnival, maybe we can check it out."

"And maybe we'll decide to go to the dentist and have our teeth drilled."

Micah shook his head. "Dude."

"Baby."

"Let's go to bed."

That afternoon found them driving onto that same field and into the same makeshift parking lot. Cars were still arriving, and this time, there was a line to get in.

A young woman sat at the ticket booth. She had light brown skin and her hair was done in a thousand tiny braids held back from her face by a tie-dyed scarf. "Come in and welcome," she said, greeting each group and waving them in.

Micah was half afraid she'd make a scene of some kind when they reached her, but she smiled and waved them in just like all the other customers. This time, Micah was ready for the spell and didn't stumble over the threshold. His skin didn't crawl, either, though he could sense the magic surrounding them.

It helped that he had hold of Anders' hand.

"Where do you want to start?" Anders asked, and Micah surveyed the scene. The big top had the central place, with a midway to the left and other colored tents to the right. Crowds of people wandered the grounds—parents smiling, children running and laughing, young couples teasing each other with cotton candy and garish stuffed bears.

"I'm not sure." He didn't want to play games and he sure as hell didn't want to have his fortune told. "I'm really just here to figure out what happened last time."

Rafe the Ringmaster strode through the crowd, the gold braid on his red jacket glowing in the late afternoon sun. "Welcome, Travelers, to the greatest show in the multiverse! Prepare yourself to witness sights that will amaze and delight, intrigue and terrify!"

He glanced in their direction, and for a moment, his practiced patter paused. "Gentlemen," he said, veering in their direction. "Welcome back."

Anders took half a step in front of Micah. "We were surprised to see you back in the neighborhood."

"Errante takes us where we're needed." He spoke low, his words for Micah and Anders alone.

"Where, uh, is he?" Micah asked, his gut roiling. "Errante, I mean."

"I am here." And he was. The same man, dark and mysterious, his eyes drawing Micah in. "You are safe here, changeling. Feel free to enjoy all the pleasures my carnival can offer."

The crowd faded away until it was only the four of them. Micah met that hypnotic stare and steeled himself for what he had to do. "How did you? Before?"

Errante's smile soothed something that had long been bothering him. "We simply helped you along the path you needed to take."

"We?"

"Me, Persephone, Mephistopheles, even Rafe here had a hand in it."

Micah nodded, pretty sure that was all the explanation he'd ever get. "Well, uh, thanks. You were right. I needed to change some things."

Errante and Rafe shared a glance. "You and the wolf have a long life ahead of you, but the night is young," Errante said. "Go. The Carnival is here for you to enjoy."

"We will," Anders said, tugging on Micah's hand.

Micah followed him, still murmuring his thanks. Arm in arm, they headed down the midway. There were new games to play and a few rides Micah hadn't noticed the last time they'd visited. The sun wouldn't set till after nine o'clock, so they had plenty of time to enjoy everything. They ran into Willy and Simon, and Micah waved to the grocery store clerk.

As evening came on, strings of lights turned the midway into a kaleidoscope of color and sound. And when they were both tired, Micah put his arms around Anders. "Come on," he whispered in his wolf's ear. "Let's go home."