Three Witches #1: Magnus and Magnolia

Epilogue (Magnus): The Right Way

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

"I love you, baby," Cody screeched at the dog. Mink, for his part, looked adoringly at the bird and wuffed three times at her. Cody flew to the floor so Mink could gently snuffle her.

The two had somehow fallen in love, Magnolia had told me in all seriousness. I've learned never to doubt my witch when it came to love, even if a dog-cockatoo romance seemed unlikely. She was always right about matters of the heart. Out of habit, I pressed my hand against the scars that formed a heart on my pec. I often traced the M branded onto my other pec.

Every time I saw those scars, I remembered everything.

Every stab, every drop of blood spilled, every bone that snapped, every Trial I almost didn't survive...it was all worth it. I'd go through everything again because they were all steps that led back to Magnolia.

I still relived the months without her. The emptiness and the absolute fear that Noli was falling in love with another man and would be lost to me forever.

Because I'd cheated.

It was the wound that never healed properly. Noli would always have that moment of discovery in her mind, and I would always hold the knowledge of hurting her so deeply that her heart broke.

I slipped two pieces of wheat bread into the toaster and brewed a cup of ginger tea. When the toast popped up, I put a thin layer of butter over both pieces, plated them and put them on a tray with the tea. I headed outside and looked at the choices available. Yesterday had been a pink rose, but I was thinking a daisy with white petals and a yellow center for today.

I put the single flower in a tiny vase and headed to our bedroom, tray in hand.

"Morning, witch," I called softly.

"Morning," she said quietly.

I put the tray down on the end of the bed and walked over to Noli, giving her a deep kiss. "Ready?"

In answer, she smiled at me, and I helped her sit up in bed. She was due any time with our twins. Her doctor had been amazed she'd lasted this long. At thirty six weeks, whenever she looked at herself in the mirror, she laughingly said it looked like she'd swallowed a house.

To me, she looked gorgeous and I always told her that and made sure she knew just how attractive I found her.

Two weeks later, Noli was sleeping after our rough night, and I'd taken our boys out to the living room where we had two bassinettes set up.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I demanded as the three little fuckers appeared. I was too sleep-deprived to try to be polite.

Sumrak looked at me. "You'll be happy to know this is the last time you'll see us."

"Unless..." Tarek's voice trailed off.

I bit. "Unless what?"

"Unless you hurt the witch again," Sumrak said while he pretended to examine his tiny fingernails.

"Then we'll come and make you wish you'd never been born," Yonaka said.

For many years, I had wished that. Until I'd met Noli. Then I'd gone back to wishing I'd never been born when I'd lost her. When I found out there was a chance I could win her back, slim though it was, I was determined to do whatever it took to show her I had changed.

"Two babies," Tarek said in wonder as they flew over the twins' bassinettes. "Two boys this time."

This time? Noli had been pretty adamant that we were done. Shit. I knew from Butcher that the fae loved babies. I just didn't think Noli wanted more than two.