The Dragon Finds Forever
“Something I should have done years ago.” She lifted her chin. “Now, please, leave. Or I will ask Van and his two gargoyle friends to escort you and Sean out in whatever way they see fit.”
“You little—you think threats are going to stop me?” He snapped his fingers and pointed to the spot beside him. “Get over here. Then I’ll leave.”
She stiffened. Then relaxed with a hearty laugh. “You don’t affect me anymore.” She looked at Van. “It worked.” She grabbed his arm. “It really worked. I’m free.”
Pandora and Willa started clapping, while Harlan and Nick both let out loud whoops of celebration.
Van pulled her into his arms and off her feet to whirl her around. “This is very good.”
“Monalisa Devlin, you will do as I say—”
“Not anymore I won’t!” She tapped Van’s shoulder. “Put me down for a second.”
He did as she asked, and they both faced her father. She pointed toward the door. “I am no longer yours to control. You gave me a coin and set me free. Your words have no effect on me. None. Do you understand?”
His gaze said he didn’t believe her. “Come over here, Monalisa.”
“Not a chance.” She crossed her arms and shrugged. “See? Nothing. Not even the slightest twinge of a headache.”
His mouth fell open.
“That’s right. I’m free. And you need to get out. This is your last chance before I set these three on you.”
To add menace to her threat, Van called up his dragon, turning his eyes glowing red and letting curls of steam escape his mouth.
Nick and Harlan added a few rumbly growls of their own for good measure.
Padraig’s eyes widened, and he backed up. “You stupid girl.” He poked a finger in Van’s direction. “He still owes me a fight.”
Monalisa shook her head. “I don’t think so. Not after I tell the League’s commissioners what you forced me to do during the last one. And if that’s not enough, well, I guess I’ll just use my gifts to persuade them otherwise.”
Padraig’s chest was heaving with anger, but he seemed to be out of words as he backed out of the chapel. Then he found a few. “You will regret this. You both will.”
Monalisa smiled. “Not in a million years.”
Nick and Harlan went after him and Sean, but stopped in the lobby just outside the doors. After a couple seconds, Nick turned to them and nodded. “They’re gone.”
“Wow,” Pandora said. “That was crazy.”
Monalisa took a deep breath. “I’m free. I can’t believe it, but I am.” She put her hands on Van’s chest. “If you hadn’t given me that coin…”
“We probably could have scrounged up some change,” Pandora said. “But it was good you had that.”
Monalisa looked at the witch. “No, regular change wouldn’t have worked. The coin had to be gold.”
Pandora’s brows lifted. “In that case, nicely done, Van.”
Nick and Harlan strode back into the chapel. Nick looked at Van. “So…is this wedding still on?”
Van opened his mouth to answer, then closed it. Monalisa no longer needed to marry him to gain her freedom. “Perhaps Monalisa and I could talk for a moment?”
Nick nodded. “Everyone into the lobby.”
They all followed him out, including the officiant, and shut the doors behind them.
He faced her, taking her hands. “I love you, Monalisa. But you no longer need to marry me. That is a good thing.”
“It is?” Confusion filled her eyes.
“Yes. Now you can marry me when you want to. When you’re ready.”
“I’m ready now. I think.” She laughed. “Okay, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to get to know each other a little more. I know I love you, but I wouldn’t mind getting to know you even better. And taking our time means we could plan something a little more elaborate than a quickie chapel wedding.”
“Yes, but…what I mean is, you have never lived on your own. Never experienced life as a completely free person. Move to Nocturne Falls and see what you think about that first.” A sadness settled over him at the thought that her new life might not have a place for him. “Give yourself some time to find out what that is like. Maybe you will like that life very much. Maybe so much that you don’t want to tie yourself down again.”
Her expression turned serious again. “My feelings for you aren’t going to change with the passing of time. Except that I’ll just love you more. Look, new life, old life, same life, I’m still me.”
He smiled a little. “Time will tell.”
She smiled a lot. “Yes, it will. You’ll see. And don’t forget, you’re about to embark on a new life too. Life as a retired fighter. You’ve got to figure out what that means to you. Maybe that will change how you feel.”
“Never.” He spat the word out like an oath.
“So you’re okay retiring without being champion?”
“I am.”
“Then let’s spend six months being boyfriend and girlfriend. That should be enough for both of us to realize our feelings aren’t going to change.”
“Six months?” He nodded. He could do that standing on his head. “That is good.”
“Then it’s a deal. But I do have one stipulation.”