Lynn made her way to Lark’s study and began to go through his books one by one. The books on the shelves in his study were all genuine as far as she could tell. There was a large variety of fiction and non-fiction books on the shelves. There was not a single one about magic that she could see. She began to take books off the shelves and to check the backs of the shelves for hidden buttons and levers that would reveal a secret opening in the wall that would grant her access to a secret library filled with magical books and knowledge.
She could just imagine what she could do with the knowledge Lark must have stored somewhere. She had an alternative plan if she failed to find the books or Lark’s secret storage place. She didn’t want to set that plan in motion but it was beginning to look like she had less and less choice in the matter. It was beginning to look like she would have to activate her plan ‘b’ as people called it.
Lynn was so engrossed in searching for a hidden room or door that she forgot about Lark altogether. As she bent over studying one of the lower shelves in the study, she heard a voice behind her.
She cried out in surprise and spun around to see a still sleepy and dazed Lark standing in the doorway.
“Lynn? What are you doing?”
She straightened and smiled as she crossed to Lark. “I was looking for something to read. Are you okay? Is the spell broken?” she asked feigning excitement.
“I… I think it is,” Lark replied as he looked at his hands and then touched his face. He was still sleepy and had not yet regained his senses altogether. He looked confused. “Did we actually kiss?”
Lynn reached him and put her arms around him. “We did. You frightened me. You passed out. I feared there was a second spell and that it had killed you as opposed to doing anything to me. You were out cold. I listened for your breathing and confirmed you were still alive. I didn’t know how long you were going to be out so I started exploring your books looking for something to read.
“Here,” she said looking up at him. She stood on her toes and kissed Lark again on the lips. Lynn felt Lark tense and brace in her arms as she kissed him. He was still expecting a reaction since he had passed out when they had kissed the first time.
Lynn stepped back and looked at him confused. “Why are you tense? Do you not remember our first kiss?”
Lark shook his head. “No.”
“Well, I’ve just kissed you now and nothing’s happened,” Lynn smiled. “See? The first kiss did it. The curse is broken!”
Lark looked at his hands again and finally the truth sank in.
“Oh my God,” he said as he realized he was no longer cursed. “I’m free! I’m free!” he began to shout as he realized he no longer had the fur of the monster he became whenever Lynn was near him. He no longer needed to hide, or worry that people might see him as the monster he transformed into.
Lark could not control his joy and tears streamed from his eyes as the truth sank in. After hundreds of years, he had at last been released from the curse.
“Thank you! Thank you!” he exclaimed taking hold of Lynn and pulling her close to him. He squeezed her tightly and she hugged him back. They stood together like that for a long moment until Lark finally released her. He was still excited but calmer now. He realized he felt exhausted.
“I am exhausted,” Lark said.
“Well, I imagine you would be, considering you just escaped from the power of a curse placed on you hundreds of years ago. I’m sure that being released from such a spell will have a big effect on you. Perhaps you should lie down.”
“Do you believe me now? What happened when we kissed?” Lark was full of questions.
“I still can’t say if I believe what you told me. I thought you might have passed out from the wine. I mean I felt nothing strange.”
“Me? Pass out?” Lark asked surprised. “Never. I had nowhere near enough wine to pass out. I don’t even remember us kissing. But we must have because… because I’m not transformed anymore!”
Lark looked at Lynn smiling broadly. She met his gaze and smiled too. “I have never seen you this happy. Judging by your reaction it must have been true. You look like a man that’s been released from prison at last.”
“And how would you know what that looks like?” Lark teased.
“I can just imagine,” Lynn smiled.
“I suppose it’s quite an apt description,” Lark said. Looking into her eyes he said, “Let me kiss you again.”
Lynn lifted her lips to meet his and Lark smiled as he bent to kiss Lynn again and again as he celebrated the fact that he was able to kiss her freely with no concerns. Lynn let him kiss her repeatedly so he could satisfy his belief that the curse had indeed been broken.
He surprised her then and suddenly lifted her off her feet. He carried her down the passage to his room where he laid her on his bed. He fell on her then and kissed her long and deep, over and over. Lynn responded and their hands began to explore.
Lark had never made love to Erin at all and after a hundred years, to finally have the chance to do so drove him wild with desire. Lynn responded well enough for Lark to believe that she wanted it as much as he did. Lynn did not care what she had to do to get what she wanted. She would do anything that would give her access to Lark’s world and the ability to finding where he stored his secrets. Now that he was so happy at being released from the curse, she even began to think of asking him to teach her the magic he knew. Surely he would trust her enough and would be more than willing to do so. After all, he loved her so much she was sure he would do anything for her. Almost without question. But she knew she couldn’t simply jump in and ask him. It had to be subtle. She had to guide him to the idea and make it his own so that he would be more receptive to teaching her. And once he started teaching her, she did not doubt that he would reveal his library of knowledge to her. That was her goal. Then she would be free to take all of it and become the greatest witch alive that she knew of.
They made love quietly and Lark kissed her tenderly, hungrily, and passionately. When he was finished making love to her, he pulled her close and held her in his arms. They fell asleep like that and both slept soundly.
Lynn woke the next morning to the aroma of a delicious breakfast being prepared. Lark had woken early and was preparing breakfast for them. She did not bother to get up but relaxed as she lay in bed. She thought she could get used to this way of life. If Lark loved her this much, she could make the most of it and enjoy it.
Lark eventually entered the room carrying a tray. Lynn pushed herself up in the bed and leaned against the pillows as Lark placed the tray over her legs and kissed her.
“Good morning, gorgeous,” he smiled.
“Good morning,” she smiled back. The aroma of the freshly brewed coffee was strongest and smelled fantastic. There were two plates on the tray. One for each of them along with two mugs of coffee. Lark placed Lynn’s coffee on her bedside table and his coffee on his side. He then removed his plate of breakfast and climbed back into bed beside her. Lynn used the tray which helped her to avoid messing crumbs on the bedsheets. Lark wasn’t as successful and had to brush the crumbs off the sheets.
“Thank goodness that’s your side of the bed,” Lynn smiled. “I don’t want to sleep on prickly crumbs.”
“I’ll clean it later,” Lark smiled. He couldn’t stop looking at Lynn.
“What?” she demanded at last.
“I still can’t believe it’s over,” Lark replied. “At last, we can be together without anything standing in the way.”
“And if this is how you love me every day, I assure you I’ll be here for the rest of my life,” Lynn joked.
“I’ll love you every day better than this,” Lark smiled.
“Even better,” Lynn smiled and kissed Lark with a mouthful of toast.