Page 10 of Hex Appeal (Grimm Mawr #5)

"P rivate lessons" had to wait. Running footsteps interrupted Ceries and Malachai's moment as Juno raced around the corner, her herbology robes fluttering wildly.

"There's a situation," she gasped, clutching a stitch in her side. "Private lessons" had to wait. Running footsteps interrupted Ceries and Malachai's moment as Juno raced around the corner, her herbology robes fluttering wildly.

"There's a situation," she gasped, clutching a stitch in her side. "East courtyard. Two students practicing hexes and—" She hesitated, looking between them with an expression that mixed alarm with reluctant amusement. "One of them tried the Bewildering Fog Hex. To prove they could do it safely."

Malachai's face went rigid. "How bad?"

"The students are fine, but..." Juno grimaced. "They accidentally hit Thorncraft while ESA agents were escorting him from the grounds. He's very confused. Keeps trying to organize the garden gnomes into some kind of sales force."

"Of course he does," Ceries muttered. She and Malachai exchanged looks of professional concern that barely masked their mutual delight at the thought of Thorncraft getting a taste of his own curriculum.

The scene that greeted them in the courtyard was pure chaos. Thorncraft, his expensive suit disheveled, was enthusiastically trying to persuade a circle of thoroughly unimpressed garden gnomes to participate in what appeared to be a business presentation. One ESA agent was frantically taking notes while the other tried unsuccessfully to lead Thorncraft away.

The garden gnomes were having none of it. One particularly grumpy specimen had crossed his arms and was tapping his tiny stone foot impatiently. Another was pretending to fall asleep standing up, complete with exaggerated snoring. A third was making rude hand gestures that shouldn't have been possible with stone fingers.

"No, no," Thorncraft was saying earnestly, seemingly oblivious to their reactions. "You're not thinking big enough. Limited-edition hex protection equipment should be in every school. Think of the profit margins. Oh wait, I wasn't supposed to mention those. Just like I wasn't supposed to mention how brilliantly I planned this whole curriculum scheme."

The grumpy gnome rolled his eyes so dramatically his entire body moved. "We're garden ornaments, not venture capitalists," he muttered.

Tomme Wensleydal, the older of the two students responsible, stepped forward immediately upon seeing them. "It was my fault," he admitted. "I was showing Chaumes how the hex worked. I thought I could do it safely."

"After we specifically said it was too advanced," Malachai finished, but his voice was gentle. "Why?"

"I know. I'm sorry." Tomme looked down. "But after everything that happened with you two and the board meeting, I wanted to prove the hex could be taught safely if students were properly trained. That Professor Frostwind was right."

Ceries felt a rush of affection for the student, even as she maintained her professional demeanor. "That was brave but reckless."

"Like someone else I know," Malachai murmured, just loud enough for her to hear.

One of the ESA agents approached them. "Principal Starcatcher, Professor Frostwind. Perhaps you could assist? This is rather informative for our investigation, but we do need to get Mr. Thorncraft to our offices."

"Ah, the lovebirds!" Thorncraft exclaimed upon seeing them, his expression delighted. "My best work, you know. Paired them up perfectly, even if it did go a bit sideways. Say, did you know that garden gnomes understand business strategy better than most administrators?"

The gnome in question was making a gesture that definitely wasn't about business strategy. In fact, he was demonstrating exactly what Thorncraft could do with his proposal, using anatomically unlikely suggestions.

"Mr. Thorncraft," Malachai said formally, "I believe these agents need your expertise on some financial matters."

"Financial matters? Oh yes, I'm brilliant at those. Did I ever tell you about my seventeen offshore accounts? No? Well, the first rule of hidden profits is—"

"Perhaps we could discuss this privately," the ESA agent cut in smoothly, looking like she'd just been handed a career-making case.

"Yes, yes. Very hush-hush." Thorncraft nodded conspiratorially. "But first—" He turned to Ceries and Malachai. "You two need to stay at Grimm Mawr. Absolutely essential. Best educational team I've ever accidentally created."

Malachai raised an eyebrow. "You fired us twenty minutes ago."

"Did I? That was silly of me." Thorncraft waved dismissively. "You're rehired! With conditions, of course. She—" he pointed at Ceries, "—reports to Headmistress Raven, not you. Can't have married couples in direct supervisory roles. Very improper."

"We're not married," Ceries said.

"Oh?" Thorncraft looked genuinely puzzled. "When's the wedding?"

"We're not—" Ceries started.

"Sir," Malachai interrupted, something shifting in his expression. "Could you clarify the school's policy about married faculty?"

"Malachai," Ceries hissed, but he caught her hand, squeezing it once.

Thorncraft's confused gaze drifted to where the garden gnomes were making increasingly rude gestures at him. "Married faculty? Oh, yes. They convinced me—" he nodded at the gnomes, who immediately froze in exaggeratedly innocent poses, "—that married faculty can absolutely work together. The board fully supports it. As long as there's no direct supervision."

The moment Thorncraft looked away, the gnomes resumed their pantomime, now acting out what appeared to be a garden gnome wedding ceremony, complete with a tiny stone gnome playing an invisible harp.

"And the Bewildering Fog Hex?" Malachai asked. "Should it be taught at Grimm Mawr?"

"With proper safeguards, absolutely." Thorncraft nodded enthusiastically. "Advanced students only, naturally. And with both of you supervising. You—" he pointed at Malachai, "—understand the risks better than anyone. And you—" he turned to Ceries, "—have the innovative approaches to make it safer. Perfect team. Meant to be together."

"He's not wrong," Juno murmured from behind them. "About you two being a good team, I mean. Not the genius part."

The ESA agents had clearly heard enough. As they led him away, Thorncraft called back over his shoulder, "Remember, the wedding invitations should be hex-proof. Very important detail."

The courtyard fell into stunned silence before students and staff began whispering excitedly.

"It's oddly fitting,” Malachai said. “His scheme involved pushing a hex he didn't understand, and now he's affected by it.”

“There's a lesson there about respecting the magic you're trying to control,” Ceries agreed. “Maybe we're both right in our own ways about the Bewildering Fog Hex."

The garden gnomes, finally free of unwanted attention, burst into silent celebration. Two high-fived with a barely audible clink of stone. Three formed an impromptu conga line. The grumpiest one performed a victory dance, spinning his pointy hat on one finger like a basketball.

Malachai turned to Ceries, still holding her hand. "So."

"So," she repeated, fighting a smile. "That was interesting."

"Apparently we're both rehired. And the curriculum is approved. With proper safeguards."

"Exactly what we wanted." She tilted her head. "Though I'm not sure Thorncraft's confused ramblings carry much legal weight."

"Already taken care of," said a crisp voice behind them. Headmistress Raven approached, holding official-looking documents. "Full reinstatement for both of you, curriculum approval for advanced classes with joint supervision, and—" her eyes gleamed with something that might have been amusement, "—an updated policy on faculty relationships."

"Joint supervision?" Ceries asked, hope rising.

"I believe you two working together will provide the perfect balance of caution and innovation." Raven handed them the papers. "Your experience with what can go wrong—" she nodded to Malachai, "—combined with your fresh approaches—" she turned to Ceries, "—creates a safety net neither could provide alone."

"And the relationship policy?" Malachai asked carefully.

"Faculty may pursue personal relationships provided there is no direct supervisory role between parties," Raven recited. "Which there won't be, as Professor Frostwind will report directly to me."

Around them, students pretended not to eavesdrop while failing spectacularly at it. Several practice dummies had appeared at the edge of the courtyard, watching with obvious interest.

"It seems," Malachai said softly, turning to Ceries, "we've been given a second chance. At everything."

"So it would appear." She squeezed his hand. "Though I'm not sure how I feel about Thorncraft being responsible for our happy ending, even accidentally."

"I prefer to think we managed it despite him, not because of him." Malachai's expression turned serious. "About what he said—"

"The wedding invitations?" she teased. "I agree, hex-proofing seems prudent given our track record."

"Ceries." The way he said her name made her heart skip. "I meant what I was going to say before we were interrupted. Not because it's convenient for our careers or because a hex-addled trustee suggested it, but because I can't imagine my life without you challenging everything I thought I knew."

Students were now openly staring. A freshman dropped her books with a clatter.

"Malachai Starcatcher," she said, feeling her face flush, "if you're going to propose to me in front of the entire school and a bunch of judgmental garden gnomes, I expect it to be properly romantic."

"Properly romantic?" His eyebrow arched in that way that still made her want to kiss him senseless. "I'm afraid I might need some guidance on that. Perhaps a demonstration of your innovative approach?"

Without hesitation, she rose on her tiptoes and kissed him thoroughly, causing a nearby practice dummy to fan itself vigorously. When they separated, Malachai looked pleasantly dazed.

"I see," he said, his voice slightly unsteady. "Very educational."

"I'm an excellent teacher." She grinned up at him.

"And I'm an attentive student." He straightened, composing himself. "Though perhaps this particular lesson should continue somewhere more private?"

"Is that so?" She raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were about to propose."

The students around them had given up all pretense of not watching. One girl was frantically taking notes. A boy nearby was making encouraging "go on" gestures.

Malachai glanced around, seeming to fully register their audience for the first time. His ears reddened slightly, but instead of retreating, he straightened his shoulders and took both her hands in his.

"You're right. Some things shouldn't wait for privacy." He took a deep breath. "Ceries Frostwind, you drive me absolutely crazy with your unorthodox methods and your disregard for proper procedures."

"This is a unique proposal strategy," she commented, trying to mask her thundering heartbeat with humor.

"I'm not finished." His eyes held hers, serious yet warm. "You challenge me daily. You make me rethink everything I thought I knew about teaching. About magic. About myself." His voice softened. "And I've never been happier than since you came into my life and turned everything upside down."

A collective "aww" rose from the gathered students.

"Marry me," he said simply. "Not because of school politics or hexes or faculty policies. Marry me because I love arguing magical theory with you over breakfast. Because I love watching you teach with such passion. Because I love you, Ceries Frostwind, hex mishaps and all."

The silence that followed was absolute. Even the garden gnomes seemed to be holding their breath, leaning forward slightly from their positions. One had produced a tiny stone handkerchief and was dabbing at suspiciously moist eyes. Another was frantically gesturing for Ceries to say yes while pretending to be a statue whenever anyone looked directly at him.

"Well," Ceries finally said, her voice suspiciously wobbly, "that was properly romantic."

"Is that a yes?" Malachai asked, vulnerability showing through his composed exterior.

"Yes." She beamed at him. "But we're still going to argue about hexes."

"I would expect nothing less," he said, pulling her close for another kiss.

Applause erupted around them. Juno let out an approving wolf-whistle. Headmistress Raven nodded once, satisfied, before gliding away with a dramatic billow of her robes, though not before Ceries caught what might have been a smile on her usually stern face.

"Bet you didn't see this coming when you first explained shield charms to me at The Crooked Wand," Ceries murmured against his lips.

"I believe I was too busy being lectured about my organizational habits and sock-ironing practices," he replied. "Though looking back, I think I started falling for you somewhere between 'swimming won't turn someone into a toad' and 'what's wrong with recreational amphibian transformation between consenting adults?'"

"I have excellent pick-up lines," she agreed. "Though I may need to modify my approach for our wedding vows."