Epilogue

“This really is an intricate spell you’ve got on this place,” Zel said late one afternoon, two months after the curse had broken. He had shown up that morning, Prince Ishiah in tow, and had made himself at home. Kiki actually didn’t know whether he wanted to stop Zel from invading again, but mostly he wanted to know why Zel had appeared after so long.

“It’s a simple calling spell,” Nicole replied, disagreeing with Zel’s assessment.

Zel laughed. “Not even close. You managed to set a calling spell to a specific age group, socioeconomic class, and amount of desperation, and have it spread throughout multiple nations. It’s master spell work.”

“You’re just jealous you didn’t think of it yourself,” Ishiah replied, and then laughed when Zel only flipped his long purple hair at him.

Gabriel and Sean joined them a second later, filling the downstairs sitting room to capacity. They passed out the tea they had gone to the kitchen to brew before settling into the lone empty couch together.

Zel and Ishiah had arrived during afternoon weapons practice, which had then been followed with dinner, evening chores, and bedtime. This was the first moment any of them had had to actually talk.

“The number of children we’ve received has suddenly doubled in the last two months,” Nicole said. “I don’t think the spell was designed to notice that we doubled our teaching staff.”

Sean and Gabriel hadn’t seemed interested in leaving, either. Despite their rocky start, Kiki had to admit he was definitely finding himself becoming friends with them, and he didn’t really want them to leave.

“Intent. It’s always about intent with magic,” Sean explained.

“I know of a few retired or near-retired weapons masters who would be happy for free room and board in return for teaching your youngsters,” Ishiah said. “That would allow you to continue traveling.”

Kiki watched Sean and Gabriel exchange a look full of silent conversation, but it was Sean who answered aloud. “I don’t think we’re done traveling the world to enhance our spell craft just yet, but it might be nice to take a few years off to see where this school might go. I wouldn’t say no to more teachers, though. If Kiki will have us, that is,” he added hastily, turning toward Kiki apologetically.

Before Kiki could answer, Zel started speaking again. “Ah, yes. Kristopherson Kistingeir Kingsman of the Kron Keep, Emperor of the North.”

Kiki couldn’t help wincing at his full name. So much alliteration, and it was clear his parents had a cruel sense of humor. Besides, Kron Keep had fallen with the empire, so his title was beyond pointless now.

“Kiki, please,” he said insistently.

“Kiki, then,” Zel continued. “I received a letter stating you might be up to some of your old tricks again. Ish and I immediately started traveling north, but then I felt my spell on you break and I knew better. I know I forced you through considerable pain. I won’t apologize for that.”

Nicole opened his mouth in protest but stilled when Kiki reached out to grip his hand. He settled, his arm pressed against Kiki’s shoulder, but his chin was jutted out slightly in anger.

“You desperately needed to learn a lesson about the price of power, and I admit, I was angry you had managed to accomplish such terrible things while I was distracted. Perhaps my spell was harsh, but looking at you now, I can’t say I regret my actions.”

“Then why are you here?” Kiki asked, since he knew if he left it for an angry Nicole to answer they might induce Zel to cast another curse.

Zel smiled. “To ensure the curse is well and truly gone. The rose has vanished forever, and I sense no traces of the spell remaining.”

Kiki could have told Zel that. He remembered the morning after the curse had lifted, going down to breakfast with the kids and watching their initial reactions. Shock, surprise, and even some who didn’t recognize him at all, but only for a few seconds. Kiki could practically see the forgetting spell rewriting Kiki’s image in their minds, and suddenly the kids were asking him whether he was feeling better. The story of Nicole being sick in bed had changed almost immediately to Kiki being ill, and their vague memories of seeing Kiki bent and hobbling around were just times they had seen him while he was sick. The kids had continued on with their day without giving Kiki’s appearance a second thought.

The forgetting spell wouldn’t have taken effect so thoroughly if his curse wasn’t completely gone.

“We won’t stay more than a day or so before getting out of your way,” Ishiah added.

“Stay as long as you like,” Kiki said, his voice firm. “You’re welcome here as long as you don’t cast any more curses. Just be aware if you stay too long you’ll probably get co-opted into teaching.”

Ishiah shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind teaching some of the knight classes. My training in the army probably gives me more range and understanding than one measly knight. I think I could bring a lot to that class.”

“You wish, old man,” Sean retorted. “I can spar circles around you.”

Nicole let out a soft yawn. Kiki reached out to put his tea cup back on the table, trying not to visibly marvel at how effortless that movement was. He hoped he never lost that sense of wonder, but he had a feeling Nicole would help keep him grounded.

“We have an early morning ahead of us, so we’re going to say good night,” Kiki said, cutting into the budding argument before it could escalate. He stood and held out a hand for Nicole to take. “You’ll show Zel and Ishiah to a guest room?” he asked Gabriel, who nodded.

“I’ll show them somewhere far away from the kids’ wing, so they might be able to sleep in tomorrow morning. Have a good night.”

“Night,” Nicole echoed. He followed Kiki out of the sitting room and through the halls to their shared suite.

They got ready for bed in silence, moving around each other without getting in each other’s way. Kiki found his pajamas, noted he would have to do laundry this weekend, and cleaned his teeth in the wash room. Nicole did the same at Kiki’s side, and Kiki couldn’t help admiring how normal and comfortable they were together. Then again, they had been living together for a hundred and fifty years; it was only the last step in their nightly routine that had substantively changed.

Nicole pulled back the blankets from the bed and climbed in. Kiki walked around to the other side—to what had become his side of the bed—and slid under the covers too. Nicole immediately slid closer, forcing Kiki to wrap an arm around Nicole’s waist.

“We got a letter from Robbie today,” Nicole said into Kiki’s shoulder. He let out another yawn and shifted around until he could use that shoulder as his pillow.

“How’s he doing in Monrath? Is he enjoying learning to be a scribe?”

Nicole nodded. “Seems to be. Says he misses us, but Alex is taking care of him, and I think he’ll settle in fine.”

Kiki smiled, glad to have another success story for a kid that had only needed a bit of a helping hand to turn his life around. He awkwardly glanced down at Nicole and had to stifle a laugh when he saw Nicole had fallen asleep midconversation. Kiki waved a hand at the lights, which went out a second later, and closed his own eyes.

On the surface, it might seem like Nicole was another of Kiki’s successes, but Kiki knew it was the other way around. Nicole had saved Kiki in so many ways, and as Kiki followed Nicole into sleep, he couldn’t help also being glad Nicole had brought him a happily ever after as well.