Evocation

The Epilogue

Echo:

After thirteen months of not seeing my crew, my men, or my ship, you'd think it would get easier not missing them. But I do. Every day I wake up and hope they'll come visit. I hope they'll come home. After all, we have a new islander to introduce them to.

I still visit the beach and watch the horizon for a familiar oak ship when I have a minute alone, but those moments are few and far between. Hadrien and Bradley are on baby duty this morning. Fenix is fishing with Robby's family down by the beach. That leaves Daegan and I tending the farm.

We were surprisingly underprepared for the cold months last winter and we had to live off of meat rather than fruits or vegetables. I was used to it, on account of being a pirate most my life, but we're trying to grow our crops so we can increase what we preserve when the crops die out again.

The winter isn't bad. We get a lot of rain and wind and it's too cold for most of our vegetables, but it's always good to be prepared anyways.

"Echo!" I hear Fenix's voice shouting from far off.

I straighten and wipe the sweat off my forehead. I look to Daegan, making sure he heard the panicked call as well. Daegan stares into the distance looking as worried as I feel. I start to run towards where the call came from.

"Echo!" I see Fenix charging at me, pouring sweat and panting heavily.

"What's wrong?" I meet him and grab his forearms, steadying him.

Fenix mumbles, trying to catch his breath.

"What?" I ask. I push his dirty blonde hair off his forehead to see his face. I hear Daegan run up beside us. "Did you hear what he said?" I ask Daegan when Fenix doesn't immediately respond.

"The Evocation," Fenix says, his eyes feral with excitement and his body shaking. "She's here!"

I look to Daegan again and he smiles, dusting the dirt off his hands and onto his pants. I take off running towards the beach. Before I know it, I'm sweating and panting like Fenix was, desperate to get to there and see for myself.

The land descends and turns sandy and soon I'm able to see the row boats approaching the rocky transition from sea to sand. I squint and pick out who I can see. Frank, Bart, O'Neal, Blake, and Morgan. Totem, Arlo, and Robby are in another boat. Robby's parents and siblings whoop and holler at him from the beach, waving excitedly. Another boat pulls into the bay and I see Lorcan and Dean with two women. I think one may be Adrie, but I'm not sure.

As the boats knock into the rocks, I rush over to the one with Lorcan and Dean and pull the edge of the boat up onto the shore to keep it steady. I am instantly pulling on Lorcan's hands, as he's closest to the front of the boat. He falls out and splashes water on my bare feet.

I don't even take a moment to look at his face or ask how he's been. I wrap my arms around his stomach and bury my face into his thick chest. His salty, woody scent is familiar and instantly transports me back to a nostalgic time. I feel Dean's arms wrap around me the next moment. I know it's him by the scent of alcohol. I take deep breaths, enjoying the reunion for all it is worth.

After several minutes, we pull apart and I step back, looking at them. I check Lorcan's hand first, which is red and discolored, but otherwise looks like it is healing. Lorcan's beard is trimmed and shaped perfectly around his neck and cheeks, his mustache trimmed nicely around his lips. He got himself ready for me. His bright blonde hair has grown back out, the soft locks falling to his collar bones. His grey blue eyes sparkle back at me as he eyes me up and down, checking me out as well. He grins, his eyes repeatedly going back to my hips and thighs.