Page 19 of Starlight Spells

Faron hesitated for a moment, then said, “I’ll call you tomorrow. I’m starting a temporary job that I committed to for a little while, but I’m sure I could give notice there. Meanwhile, thank you for helping Elphyra. And the rest of us.”

As the medics arrived and we made way for them, Fancypants shifted in my arms. I leaned down and kissed him on the forehead, his scales cool to the touch.

“Let’s get you home,” I said. “May can check you out and make sure you’re okay. You’re safe now, and I’ll do everything I can to ensure this never happens again.”

Even though he was too groggy to speak, his eyes told me he was grateful to be back, and the song in my heart told me that our bond was as strong as ever, and I vowed to make sure that nothing ever endangered him again.

Six months later…

Bran, Grams, May, and I sat in the front row. There were only a handful of families here, but it was as big of a day to us as it would have been if we were at a graduation with hundreds of families. I had left Fancypants with Bree, not trusting to leave him alone with the cats. Even though we had beefed up our security system — after finding it had been disabled by the MacFarland brothers — I never wanted to go through that again.

And speaking of the MacFarland brothers, they were in prison, a maximum security prison at that. They wouldn’t be seeing the light of day for quite a long time. Not only had they been convicted of kidnapping and theft — sadly cats were still considered property and not family — but in the investigation following their arrest, they had been extradited to several other states for crimes including kidnapping, poaching, murder, and various assaults. They wouldn’t ever get out of prison again.

I drew my attention back to the stage, where one of the satellite Academy professors was giving the graduation speech. And then it was time. As the officers walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, I found myself grinning maniacally. Because the first one to shake the professor’s hand and receive his diploma was Faron. And next week he would begin his new job with Daisy, as a deputy in the sheriff’s office.

During the past six months, we had managed to find a pattern and rhythm to our relationship, and he and Bran had become best friends. My tarot business was thriving, and I was learning about my heritage from Grams, and about kitchen witchery from May. It’d been quiet, blissfully so, and I looked forward to a summer and autumn filled with the mundane things in life. Because too much excitement was as exhausting as too much boredom. All I wanted right now was a calm, happy life with the two loves of my life, the two women who were teaching me how to grow into my powers, my best friend, the cats, and — of course — the little dragonette that had bonded so deeply into my heart that I couldn’t imagine life without him.