Page 67 of Evergreen

Three Months Later

Water sparkled on the Aegean Sea, the brightness of it forcing me to lift a hand to shield my eyes. It was warm, sunny, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The breeze made the seagrass dance, the leaves making a sort of droning white noise that I’d come to love over the past few months. Nerion’s little cottage in Greece was a dream. And being there with Linden, well, that made it almost perfect.

“Sparks!”

I turned to see Linden striding toward me, a folded piece of paper clutched in his hand.

“There’s a letter from Elder Briar Hall,” he said, trudging through the sand to join me on the beach. “I didn’t want to open it without you.”

I felt my heart skip a beat. Three months we’d been waiting for news, three months of uncertainty about what was happening back home. About the Elder Council, about the grove, about everything. And now, finally, something.

“Open it,” I said, moving closer to him. The sand was warm beneath my feet, and I could still taste the salt from the sea air on my lips.

Linden carefully unfolded the letter, his green fingers trembling slightly. I wrapped an arm around his waist, needing the contact as much as he seemed to need it. His magic hummed against my side, a familiar comfort that had become as essential to me as breathing.

His golden eyes scanned the page, and I watched as his expression shifted. It started as confusion, then something that looked like cautious hope.

“What does it say?” I prompted when he didn’t speak.

“Read it,” he said, passing it over. “I’m not really sure what to make of it.”

I took the letter with both hands and turned it to the sunlight.

Dear Linden and Mr. Reed,

I apologize for not writing sooner. As you can imagine, the attack on the Elder Council has caused quite an uproar. And I’m afraid I don’t have much good news to share with you.

Firstly, five of the Elder Council members were killed in the attack. One, Elder Voss, is related to one of your friends, Theodore Voss. I believe she was his aunt. I imagine he’ll be hearing from the family soon on that matter. This significant loss of leadership has caused a vacuum in the Elder Council and stopped any potential recruits from stepping up to fill their positions. As such, the Elder Council has temporarily issued a state of emergency and unanimously given Elder Thaddeus, our oldest and wisest member, full control of the council until the Purity Front can be stopped.

Needless to say, I urge both of you to stay on your guard. The Purity Front doesn’t look kindly upon mixed relationships like yours. There are many witch families that would report you in an instant should they have connections with the Purity Front.

Please rest assured that both Elias and I are alive and well and working toward a solution that will benefit the entirety of the paranormal world.

As for my good news, I’m happy to say that Elder Thaddeus has agreed to give Linden full control and ownership of his grove once more. After the death of Jackson Rose during the attack, Rose Development has come unraveled. Their company, sustained by no small amount of magic, fell apart within days of his death. That means the land is no longer contested.

For your benefit, I have already transferred the deed to the land into your name and attached it to this letter.

Please be sure to pay your property taxes to the correct human governmental agency so this doesn’t happen again. Perhaps I could suggest a PO BOX or a small house so you can receive their mail on the subject.

You may reach out to me at any time via letter, although, with the state of the world right now, I can’t promise a swift answer. It was nice getting to know you and please take care of yourselves in the coming turmoil.

Be safe,

-Elder Wilderain Briar Hall

P.S. Widdershins Academy is set to resume in the fall under heavy security.

“Wow,” I breathed, looking up from the letter at Linden. “This letter is… whiplash.”

“Yeah,” Linden nodded, shaking his head. “I’m not sure if I’m relieved, terrified, or both.”

“Both,” I said, squeezing his waist and feeling the same uncertainty. “Definitely both.”

The deed was tucked safely into the folds of the letter, and I could see the official seal of the Elder Council stamped across it in silver ink. The grove was his. After everything, the attack, the uncertainty, the months of waiting in limbo, Linden’s home was finally, legally his again.

“You got your grove back,” I said, the words still feeling surreal as they left my mouth. “You can go home now.”

Linden turned to face me fully, and I could see the conflicting emotions playing across his features. Relief, yes, but also something darker lurking beneath the surface. The reminder that the Purity Front was still out there. That we weren’t safe just because his legal battle was won.