Experimental Magic ✔

Epilogue: 2

And if the house just keeps on winning, I got a wildcard up my sleeve

Scottie held himself together just long enough to make it down the hallway. As soon as he turned the corner, he had to lean over with his hands on his knees for support. His cheeks felt hot and his stomach in knots. Up until then, he had been working off pure adrenaline, but now that it was all over, he couldn't deny how sick he truly felt. Even though his health was failing him, Scottie felt confident in his decision. He wasn't going to die, he was sure he wasn't. Because in true Scottie fashion, he had a secret weapon.

He knew a healer of his own and she was the best of her kind. No one knew about her, not even The Assembly. For her safety, she had kept herself hidden and Scottie had kept her secret. She was the one he went to heal all the scars and bruises his grandfather had given him. She was a lifelong friend that had always been there for him. He knew if anyone could make it antidote, it would be her.

Scottie went to his garden, checking behind him periodically to make sure no one was following him. He closed the doors behind him and double-locked it. He walked through the grounds, passing by his koi fish and stepping through pink flower petals. He came to an old cherry blossom tree that had lived a much longer life than he had. Its size was substantial and it was the centerpiece that completed the beauty of the garden. Without it, nothing else would make sense.

He stood at its trunk and admired its power and wisdom. You're my only hope, he whispered with his heart. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand upon its bark. He closed his eyes and a soft, yellow glow emitted from his hand. The bark twisted and turned and the flower petals began to shake. He continued on, the glow from his hand growing bigger and brighter. It engulfed the entirety of the large tree, and slowly it started to become transparent. He opened his eyes and the tree disappeared. Well, not so much disappeared as replaced by something else.

Scottie looked down, and kneeling on the ground in front of him was a young woman. She wore a pure white dress that fell delicately off her shoulders and splayed out on the earth below her. Placed on top of her long, curly chestnut hair was a crown made of cherry blossoms. Her piercing green eyes flickered upwards and met Scottie's.

She knew right away that he needed her. The years she spent in hiding was coming to an end and she was more than ready.

"What do you say, Raina? Wanna come out and play?"

***

So, that's it! We made it! I honestly cannot believe how far we've come. When I first started this story just about a year ago, I had no idea whether I'd even finish, let alone get readers. This is a huge accomplishment for me, and believe me when I say this could not have been possible without you. Every read, comment, or vote kept me motivated, inspired me, and flat out made my day. I am so grateful for your support and I cannot say thank you enough.

Endings are a little hard for me (as I'm sure you can tell since I basically wrote 3 of them), so I hope you got some closure and feel satisfied. I know I left things on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I apologize for that. My ultimate guilty pleasure is all those CW dramas that are non-stop cliffhangers. Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Riverdale, I can't get enough of them. They're always such a wild ride, and I personally love it when they end with something incredibly wild that leaves you saying "what??" When I was writing this story, it was always more of a TV show in my head rather than a novel. So, think of this as more like the end of Season 1 rather than the completion of a book. Since this is the "Season Finale," so to speak, there of course will be a sequel!

I also have a few other upcoming projects in mind. One is in the Magic series (yes, it will be a series!) and the other is something completely new.

So, without further ado...

Island Magic, the sequel to Experimental Magic

Magic in the Making: The Story of Miles and Mary-Beth, the prequel to Experimental Magic

(Shout out to @xdanielletee for sparking this idea)

My Heart's in Alabama, a coming of age story of love, friendship, and life in the south

I also now have Spotify! writewithaj

For more information, sneak peeks, and tentative release dates, be sure to check out the Upcoming Projects page at the end of this book.

Until we see each other again, I'll leave you with this:

Nothing lasts forever, even cold November rain