Final Truth

Chapter 83: Epilogue

Spring nestled in with the unspoken promise of starting over.

The barren trees recovered quickly from winter's touch, shrouding themselves in liveliness and allowing the color green to live once more. The air was warm, and gentle winds soothed away the bad memories of yesteryear.

Life in the city had begun anew, and its people were quick to busy themselves.

Adam elected to escort some of the former prisoners back to their homes, a journey that would see him traveling for at least a month. He'd been gone for a couple of weeks already, reporting his findings regularly and making connections between the city and unmarked settlements. So much had been discovered, and there was still so much to be found. He vowed to learn it all, to chase down this new knowledge so that it could be shared, so that it would never be forgotten.

Those former prisoners who asked to stay in the city had been made citizens, and Susan led them through a program that would help them assimilate. She valued the work, knew it kept her busy and brought her happiness. It helped her cope, helped her grow back into herself as she guided others. It was how she honored Kyle, choosing to engage in life instead of merely sitting back and letting it pass her by. Rather than hoarding her power, letting it wither away, she vowed to extend it outwards, to see it reflected in others so that they might be joyous, too.

Cassia remained married to her job, continuing as the lead doctor down at the hospital while also teaching new healers. It was grueling work, taxing and exhausting, but she never ceased loving it. It was how she put herself back together, seeing her own light and life reflected in everyone she healed. The only thing that came close to the fondness she had for her job was her love for Cade, with whom she found herself falling deeper and deeper for with each passing sunrise.

He became the chief of police, fitting in well with the new life he'd been adopted into. New standards had been set, and new leaves had been turned over. Long gone were the days of his tragic past, days forcibly spent serving tyrants. He fancied himself an agent of peace, inwardly proud with each good thing he found himself doing. And at the end of the day, he came home to Cassia and felt as if his world had truly been put right again.

The two had become so close that it was almost as if they'd been stitched together, blessed with the kind of love that had no capacity to cease. It grew as they did, allowing them to carry out their tasks as individuals while also knowing that each was treasured beyond words. And while they never spoke specifically about plans for the future, they knew they didn't need to. All it took was for one to look at the other to know that this was here to stay, that this would last until the end of their time.

Everyone found themselves nestling back into the comfort of easier days, of lives so peacefully simple in the face of everything that had happened in the prior year.

Even Julia was no exception.

She realized it herself as she sat outside on a bench in town, basking in the crystal skies and quiet bustle of people milling about. A pen and paper were in her hands, and she continued to write down all the bad memories she could remember before burning the paper at her fingertips. She wasn't doing it because she felt panicked or afraid this time, but rather because it brought her peace. The wind would lift the ashes away, and she felt lighter.

Some days were still a struggle, and it was likely she would always experience them from time to time. But they became less frequent, and even she could see that she was healing. She'd never forget what happened to her, but the memories were becoming less vivid as time went by. Even though it still hurt, she liked to think it was a consequence of moving on, of trying to leave her past behind as she came back into her own.