“Thank you.”

“And I would thank you for the suet cakes, and the recipe for them Fallon brought me on Christmas Eve.”

It had touched him, deeply, to find her on the doorstep of his cabin that night, with the suet, and the feeder she’d made him from a branch of a fallen tree near his childhood home in Wales.

Because it made him sentimental, he cleared his throat, drank the wine. “I’m told there is a game of cards in the room below?”

“Poker?” Katie angled her head to study him. “You play poker?”

“I’ve lived a very long time.” He smiled, gave them a slight bow, and went downstairs.

Duncan and Fallon sat on the steps where they could look down at the movement, hear the voices and music. They drank wine, shared a plate.

Simon paused at the base, then climbed up. “Why aren’t you dancing with my daughter?”

“Well, we were—”

“I thought you were playing poker,” Fallon interrupted.

“I was until Mallick came along and cleaned me out. Cleaned most of us out.” He looked down to where Hannah mimed emptying out her pockets before plopping down beside Fred.

“Dad, he’s a centuries-old sorcerer.”

“And a cardsharp. Come dance with your old man.”

“I don’t see an old man, but I’ll dance with you.” She passed her wine to Duncan, took Simon’s hand.

“I just wanted a minute.” He pressed his cheek to her hair. “It’s getting close to midnight. New year, new changes.”

“I’ll visit so often you’ll get sick of me.” She smiled.

“Couldn’t happen. I want this for you, this life. Even that boy up there. He probably loves you almost as much as I do.”

“There’s still work to do. I’ll depend on you for so much.”

“Don’t think about work tonight. Be happy.” He gestured to Duncan, waited, then gave Fallon’s hand a squeeze before he put it in Duncan’s. “Dance with the girl,” he ordered, and stepped back.

“I’m crap at dancing.”

“Just hold me and sway.”

“I can do that.”

“This is good. It’s good for everyone. Tonia’s back all the way, and she’s having fun.”

“Yeah, she’s— Who is that?”

“That’s Filo. He was one of Mick’s friends, and helped take The Beach.”

“Well, now he’s hitting on my sister.”

“She’s hitting right back.” Deliberately, Fallon turned his head so they were face-to-face. “I’m hitting on you, so pay attention.”

“I just want to—”

Tonia danced by, pinched Duncan’s arm. “Mind your own business. He’s gorgeous!” she told Fallon. “And he thinks I’m amazing. And he’s transferring to the barracks.”

“What—” Duncan began when she danced away again.

“Do you have a problem with elves?”

“Only when they’re hitting on my sister. And who’s that guy who just muscled in on Hannah?”

“I love you, Duncan.”

“I just don’t think—” He looked back at Fallon and fell, just fell. “And I love you.”

“It’s nearly midnight. I’ll end the year with you, begin the new with you. And I promise myself to you all the years after.”

“With you.” He kissed her hand. “The end, the beginning, and all the years after.”

“It’s ticking by. Do you feel it?”

“Yeah. With you.”

People began to count down, a unity of voices lifted in hope for the year to come.

He pulled her into a kiss that held as the old year died and the new was born.

And with the kiss, like the kiss, the light shimmered, settled, held.