“She was definitely smoking. I got my ass trampled after that, though. Dùbhghlas waspissed offat me and let me have it.”
“Probably because you killed his missus,” Nox said with a hard grimace.
“What?” Nelson’s brain started to do the math but he recoiled. “No! I don’t want to know.”
“That’s for the best. But this is an exciting development! You’re healing quickly and should be back on your feet in no timeandyou're developing some of my powers. You have magick too!”
“The quick-healing thing is nice and I want to have as much time with you as I can get away with. I just don’t want any of the other stuff.”
“I’m afraid there isn’t much we can do about that,” Nox said with feigned heaviness. “Unless we want to move to opposite sides of the globe and let nature take its course with you.”
“Hmm…” Nelson pretended to consider before shaking his head. “I don’t plan to be in a different zip code ever again so I’m going to have to learn to accept it.”
“Look at how easy that was for you!” Nox said as he pointed at Nelson. “I had an existential crisis and planned to hide in the bathroom. I’ve had to make this whole losing-my-humanity business as complex and painful as possible, but you just…accepted it.”
Nelson stifled a yawn as he shrugged. “The alternative is unacceptable and making it everyone else’s problem isn’t going to change the outcome. I might as well accept it and make the best of it.”
“Is that…how you feel about us?” Nox asked quietly. “Am I a duty you’ve accepted and is this you, making the best of something awful?”
“It might be,” Nelson conceded. “If falling in love with you wasn’t the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I did damn near everything out of duty but I was alone and miserable until I walked into your fire symbology lecture.”
“I love that lecture!” Nox’s voice wavered as he stretched toward Nelson’s lips and kissed him. “And I love you, more than anything in the universe and on either side of the veil.”
“That’s pretty serious,” Nelson noted. “I love you too and there’s nothing else I’d rather do and no place I’d rather be than with you.”
Epilogue: New God Rising
Part One
Hella, Iceland. Four months later…
Coudersport was theonlychoice of venue for Nox and Nelson’s union celebration but there was a tremendous amount of work to be done to cleanse and restore the cabin and the meadow so they decided to go on their extended honeymoon first. They started in January, with two weeks in Alaska, where they were taken by dogsled to tour glaciers and hot springs and sleep under the Northern Lights.
After that, they headed to New Zealand for two weeks of glorious summer, starting with the Hobbiton set and Waitomo's glowworm constellations before pausing for a relaxing spa weekend at a vineyard. They saw seals, penguins, and dolphins in Milford Sound and Nelson survived a short boat ride to a small island resort in Fiji where they did nothing but swim, touch, fuck, eat, and sleep for a week.
In Greece, they dressed like tourists and visited all the historic sites where Nox showed off, offering impromptu lectures and astounding tourists and locals. He was recognized a few times by academics and documentary fans, delighting Nox with requests for his signature and pictures. They spent most of their time in Mykonos and Zakynthos, soaking up the sun and each other’s company. The food was amazing everywhere, but Nelson loved the food they ate in Greece the most.
The final stop of their “bucket list” extended honeymoon was Iceland. There, they hiked glaciers and went climbing, rode horses on black beaches, saw glorious waterfalls, and spent Nox’s birthday sleeping under the Northern Lights again in aglass lodge on a steamy, peaceful, private lagoon.
They had experienced every season and countless natural wonders and Nelson had captured all of his favorite moments with his camera. The Nikon Z fc was an early gift from Merlin, and Clancy had given Nelson a beautiful set of albums for the photos from their trip and union celebration. Most of the pictures Nelson had taken before their honeymoon had been for investigative purposes, but he was actually good when it came to taking pictures of nature and Nox.
Finally being able to capture the animals and moments that stirred Nelson with a camera, instead of a bow or a blade, had soothed wounds and sparked a passion he didn’t know existed within him. Having something tangible to hold that wouldn’t spark guilt later had unlocked a creative thrill Nelson had rarely encountered. He tookhundredsof pictures and couldn’t wait to get home and see all the treasures he had brought back with them.
Nox hadravedabout the few he had already seen and Nelson would have suspected that he was doing it to be kind but a surprise text from Smoak—of all people—had put the matter to rest.Hethought Nelson had a gift and should give up hiscareer with the FBI because photography was clearly his calling. That wasn’t happening but Nelson loved taking pictures of Nox wherever they went. There were plenty of pictures of them together and a wall at the townhouse had already been dedicated to be converted into a gallery.
He didn’t want a career in photography but Nelson was ready to leave the FBI. The politics and red tape were no longer of any interest to him and he had his hands full with Nox and Merlin and their growing family. Apparently, Merlin had adopted another kitten for the townhouse in their absence. Clancy and Ingrid were headed back out to sea and Sigrid had been chosen for an internship in the UK so Freya was moving into the townhouse for her remaining semesters at Georgetown.
Nelson wanted to help out more at Bippity Boppity Books and convert the newly available upstairs unit into an efficiency for Howard with a stairlift to make his commute safe and comfortable. The twins, Fletcher, Everly, and Shelby had already offered their services and Tighe was thrilled to be their apprentice. With Howard safely settled and surrounded by a new family, a circle would be closing for Nelson.
His connection to Howard Sherwood and the rest of the Moon Murder victims began the first time he entered the clearing in New Castle. The surviving girls had families, friends, and partners to support them in their healing journey but Howard had lost his only family and best friend when Julian lost his heart and his mind to a sick cult.
Howard and Heidi of Adelphi, Maryland, were the loose ends that Nox and Nelson couldn’t leave dangling. Together, Nox and Nelson had built a new support system around them and had adopted Howard when Heidi’s life began to grow in other directions. For Nelson, helping them had healed things in him and were part of the magickal life he had built with Nox outside of the FBI.
He would hand in his resignation when they returned to Georgetown but first, Nelson had a very special birthday to celebrate. Nox was turning thirty and it was the anniversary of their union at Coudersport. They had showered each other with small gifts and acts of love as they made their way around the globe but Nelson had gathered pebbles from his favorite spots and during his favorite moments and had them polished and strung into bracelets.
There were six that Nox could wear together or in different combinations and Nelson had found an exquisite, hand-beaded bag to present them in. He had purchased it from a Native craftswoman in Alaska while Nox was receiving lessons on how to handle their sled team. They had dined on a creamy fish stew and langoustines cooked over a fire with berry Skyr cake for dessert and Nelson was ready to give Nox his gift.
“I have something for you,” he told Nox, taking his hand as they shared chilled champagne under a wave of glowing light.
