Whatever else lay in store for them in the future, there were bound to be more surprises along the way.
Epilogue
Laidlaw Hall was a beautiful place, but never more so than when it was all done up for the holidays, with a real tree decorated in every reception room, and other adornments scattered throughout. Outside it was chilly and damp, but inside all was warm, cozy and full of life, voices floating down the hall from where she stood alone, admiring the huge, decorated tree in the library.
Wood fires crackled in the grates and heat radiated from the huge Aga cooker in the kitchen. Strands of white and multicolored lights made everything twinkle and glisten, glowing against the oppressive darkness outside, revealed by the windows.
To Ivy, it was nothing short of magical.
She couldn’t remember having a real Christmas. She’d been abandoned when she was a toddler, then put into an orphanage before being taken into the Valkyrie Program. For her, Christmas was something other people got to celebrate with friends and family, and something she saw in movies.
Ivy had accepted their invitation to stay with them for a few months. She and Mr. Whiskers had moved into the gatehouse where Megan and Ty had once lived.
“I think it’s almost that time.” Kiyomi came into the library in a gorgeous red velvet dress that hugged her slender curves.
She hadn’t been much of a cook before coming here, surviving on whatever she could throw together with minimal effort that would give her some fuel. Since coming here, Marcus had taught her more than a few tricks in the kitchen, and she now cooked dinner for the three of them twice per week.
Making a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings for a crowd this size, however, was a different matter.
“It’s kind of like prepping for an op,” she said. The planning. Gathering supplies. Prepping. Making contingency plans. And that was all before the actual cooking part happened.
Kiyomi laughed. “It feels exactly like that, minus the weapons. Unless you count the knives.” She bounced her eyebrows, then looked past Ivy and pointed to the tree. “There’s a little something tucked inside the branches there I wanted you to take a look at.”
“What?” Ivy followed the direction Kiyomi indicated, stepped closer and saw the small package wrapped in shiny red foil paper. “Hey, Christmas isn’t until next week,” she protested.
“I know, but I couldn’t wait. Go on, open it.”
Secretly thrilled, Ivy pulled the present from the pretty blue-green spruce branches, biting her lip as she undid the paper. Corner by corner, afraid to tear the paper. Wanting to draw out the delicious anticipation and savor every second of opening her very first Christmas gift.
Lifting the lid of the box she unveiled, she gasped at what lay on the black satin bed. “Oh, its gorgeous.”
“I ordered it special from Japan.”
She took out the necklace, the delicate chain bearing a single jet bead decorated with any ivy leaf surrounded by a wreath of little cherry blossoms. The significance was impossible to miss.
“It represents you and me, and that I always have and always will hold you in my heart.”
Ivy bit her lip, her eyes filling.
“Nooo, don’t cry,” Kiyomi begged, coming over to take it from her. “Here, let me put it on you.”
Ivy half-turned, struggling not to cry as Kiyomi fastened it around her neck. The heavy black bead nestled perfectly in the little hollow between her collarbones. She put a hand to it, sniffed hard and blinked fast until the lights on the tree stopped blurring. “It’s beautiful,” she rasped out, overcome.
Kiyomi turned her around and pulled Ivy into a tight hug. “No crying. It’s Christmas. Joy to the world and all of that.”
She nodded, gave a watery laugh. “I know, but… Gah, you hit me in all my feels at once.”
“That just means I made the right choice when I had it made for you.” Kiyomi pulled back and put her hands on Ivy’s shoulders. “Love you, forever friend.”
She smiled back, her heart overflowing. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for this woman. “Same. Thank you for this. It means so much.”
“You’re welcome. Glad you like it.” Kiyomi stepped back, looking pleased with herself. “I’m gonna head to the kitchen now and put my game face on to help Marcus so we can get dinner on the table at some point tonight.”
“I’ll be right there. Just need a few minutes to…” She gestured to her tearstained face and puffy eyes. She didn’t want the others to see her until she was fully composed again, still uncomfortable with anyone but Kiyomi seeing any sign of weakness in her.
“Sure. Take all the time you need.” Kiyomi breezed out of the room.
Ivy faced the tree again, examining the precious bead she held in her fingers. She hadn’t expected anything like this. Not the gift, not being welcomed here so warmly.
Her life was completely unrecognizable from what it had been before. She no longer had to look over her shoulder everywhere she went, expecting someone to try and kill her at any moment.
She had a home, even if it was just temporary, and people who cared about her. Loved her, even. Her Valkyrie sisters and their significant others had become not just her family, but also her friends.
She looked up at the star glowing at the top of the tree. Marcus had insisted she place it there when they’d decorated it together last week, holding the ladder steady for her while she’d climbed to the top to put it in its position of honor. At first it had been hard to accept that this was real. That she wasn’t going to be charged with anything or face jail time.
Rycroft had come through for her. Not only that, her clear record and shiny new US passport meant she was free to go wherever and do whatever she wanted.
She’d had a lot of time to think about what that was. All the others were doing inspiring things, some of them raising a family.
Ivy didn’t think that would ever happen for her, but she liked what Amber and Kiyomi were doing. In addition to helping them combat human trafficking and prevent orphans from being preyed upon like they had been, she wanted to set up a consulting business of her own and use her skills to help take down criminal networks across the globe.
She was free to pursue that now, and make a positive difference in the world on her terms. It was the most amazing gift anyone could ever have given her. Aside from the heartfelt symbol she wore around her neck.
A burst of laughter carried down the hall, breaking her from her thoughts. When she walked into the kitchen moments later, Marcus and Kiyomi looked up at her from the counter where they were finishing up several dishes at once.
Ivy rolled up her sleeves with a smile, happy to be part of the team. To finally feel like she belonged. “Right. Where do you want me to start?”
****
Once again the lovely old house was bursting with guests and filled with conversation and laughter. It looked and smelled amazing, the air perfumed with the smells of a full turkey dinner and spiced with the crisp notes of the evergreen garlands and bowls of orange pomanders studded with cloves.
Kiyomi sailed into the kitchen to grab more platters, smiling at Ivy, who was busy at the stove stirring a big pot of gravy, her new necklace clasped around her neck. Kiyomi liked having her around for company, and Ivy living in the gatehouse meant she and Marcus still had plenty of privacy.