Page 9 of Hex Appeal (Grimm Mawr #5)

T he mahogany doors of the Grimm Mawr Academy board room had never looked more imposing. Ceries took a deep breath to steady her nerves as she and Malachai waited to be called in. His face was carefully composed, but the slight twitch of his jaw betrayed his tension.

"Whatever happens in there," she said quietly, "I want you to know I don't regret anything."

Before he could respond, the doors swung open with ominous precision.

Inside, thirteen board members sat around an enormous table that practically radiated authority. Magical ledgers floated at attention while self-writing quills stood ready to record the proceedings. Thorncraft occupied the chairman's seat like a king on his throne, his satisfaction barely concealed behind a mask of professional concern.

Notably absent was Headmistress Raven, whose seat at the right hand of the chairman remained conspicuously empty.

"Principal Starcatcher. Ms. Frostwind." Thorncraft's voice held manufactured disappointment. "Please be seated."

Their chairs positioned themselves with military precision—notably far apart, as if proximity alone might trigger another scandal. Ceries lifted her chin defiantly as she sat. Malachai's posture remained impeccable, though his tie seemed to be attempting to strangle him.

"The board has convened," Thorncraft began with pompous formality, "to address serious concerns about professional conduct." He gestured, and a series of magical projections appeared in the air. "These incidents have been documented thoroughly."

The first image showed them at The Enchanted Cork, heads close together over wine glasses. Another captured their dance at the Valentine's celebration. More followed: stolen moments in corridors, lingering looks during classes—all seemingly innocent separately, but damning when compiled.

"We have multiple witness accounts," Thorncraft continued with barely disguised satisfaction, "of inappropriate behavior between a principal and his subordinate. The romantic nature of their relationship has been observed by students, staff, and even school fixtures throughout the building."

Through the board room windows, several practice dummies peeked in with obvious concern before a stern suit of armor shooed them away. In the corner, a gargoyle that normally guarded the eastern entrance was pretending not to eavesdrop.

"Furthermore," Thorncraft gestured to a stack of floating reports, "Principal Starcatcher's judgment appears compromised by this relationship. His opposition to Ms. Frostwind's curriculum proposals, followed by their sudden approval after intimate encounters suggests serious ethical concerns."

"That's not true," Ceries interjected, unable to remain silent. "He's been fighting me every step of the way on the advanced hexes. He's been nothing but professional about the curriculum."

"And yet here you are," Thorncraft's smile was cold as winter, "defending him rather passionately, I might add."

Malachai sat very still. Ceries felt sick as understanding dawned with terrible clarity.

"You hired me because of the Bewildering Fog Hex," she realized, the pieces finally clicking into place. "You knew Malachai would oppose it. You wanted this conflict."

"I hired a promising young teacher with progressive ideas about defensive magic," Thorncraft corrected smoothly. "That she and the principal would end up in such a compromising position was a disappointment."

The magical ledgers rustled disapprovingly while several board members exchanged shocked looks. Ceries met Thorncraft's gaze unflinchingly.

"This was your plan all along," Malachai said, his voice deadly quiet. "Create a conflict over curriculum, then force me out."

"Nonsense. You've done this to yourself. The board has no choice but to act," Thorncraft declared with a well-rehearsed sigh. "We cannot have a principal who's romantically involved with his staff. The potential for abuse of power—"

"The only abuse of power," Ceries interrupted, rising to her feet, "is you manipulating this situation for your own agenda. I quit."

The self-writing quills dropped in shock, splattering ink across the pristine reports. One particularly dramatic quill fainted into an inkwell.

"Ms. Frostwind," Thorncraft's voice hardened to granite. "Your curriculum has been approved by the board. The students need your expertise. Unless you'd prefer I make it known throughout the magical education community that you engaged in an inappropriate relationship with your superior?"

Malachai straightened in his chair. "I accept the termination of my position, effective immediately." His voice was formal, controlled, though his eyes held a storm. "There's no need to threaten Ms. Frostwind's future career."

"Excellent," Thorncraft smiled like a cat with a canary. "Ms. Frostwind, you'll continue with the approved curriculum."

"No. I meant what I said. I quit too."

"Don't be foolish. You fought for these reforms. The board approved your lesson plans. This is everything you wanted."

"Not like this." She looked at Malachai, at the man who'd finally trusted her with his deepest professional failure, who'd challenged her even as he'd fallen for her. "Not at this cost."

"The cost?" Thorncraft laughed, the sound hollow and triumphant. "You've been fighting him on this hex since day one. Now you can teach it exactly as you planned."

"I believed in my curriculum. I still do. But I won't be your pawn to force it through." She gathered her papers with dignity. "Find someone else to teach your hexes."

A slow clap from the doorway cut through the tension like a knife. Every head turned to see Headmistress Raven standing in the entrance, her midnight-black robes billowing impressively despite the absence of wind. Her raven familiar, Edgar, perched on her shoulder, fixing Thorncraft with an unnervingly intelligent stare.

"How theatrical," the Headmistress observed dryly.

"Headmistress," Thorncraft's smile faltered slightly. "We weren't expecting you. I was informed you were away on urgent business."

"How convenient for you." Her voice was silk over steel. "Yet here I am, and with such interesting company."

She stepped aside, revealing two stern-looking witches in the formal robes of the Educational Standards Authority. Between them floated a stack of files that radiated official displeasure.

"These representatives from the ESA have some fascinating questions about your educational supply company, Thorncraft." Headmistress Raven's smile could have frozen lava. "Particularly about how it secured exclusive contracts with every school that recently adopted your 'modernized' hexes curriculum. The very same curriculum you've been pushing so aggressively here."

The boardroom erupted into murmurs. Thorncraft's face drained of color.

"That's—that's preposterous," he sputtered. "My business dealings are completely separate from my educational concerns."

"Are they?" Headmistress Raven raised an eyebrow. "Then perhaps you can explain these documents we found in your other office. The ones detailing your plan to force out experienced educators who questioned your curriculum changes, to be replaced by those more amenable to your business model."

The ESA representatives stepped forward, unfolding a document that glowed with magical verification spells.

"Or these communications with your manufacturing facility," Raven continued relentlessly, "discussing the profitability of required new equipment for the Bewildering Fog Hex—equipment that only your company produces, at highly inflated prices."

Edgar the raven cawed triumphantly from her shoulder, sounding remarkably like he was laughing.

"You set them up," Raven said, gesturing to Ceries and Malachai. "You manufactured a conflict, knowing Principal Starcatcher's history with the hex would make him resist, and that Professor Frostwind's innovative approach would put them at odds. You counted on their professional friction to either force Starcatcher out or provide grounds for his dismissal. What you didn't count on was them finding common ground—or something more."

Thorncraft stood, blustering. "These accusations are completely unfounded. The board will not—"

"The board," interrupted an elderly witch who'd been silent until now, "will most certainly review all evidence immediately. And suspend you pending a full investigation."

The self-writing quills had recovered from their shock and were now frantically documenting every word, occasionally underlining particularly damning statements for emphasis.

Thorncraft looked around the table, finding no allies in the faces of the board members who moments before had been ready to follow his lead. "This is absurd. I've devoted my life to educational advancement—"

"And your bank accounts," added one of the ESA representatives helpfully.

"Principal Starcatcher, Professor Frostwind," Headmistress Raven turned to them, her severe expression softening slightly. "While the personal aspect of your relationship should have been handled with more discretion, it seems clear you were manipulated into an impossible situation. The board will require a full hearing on the matter, of course, but I see no reason for immediate action regarding your positions."

The elderly witch who had spoken before leaned forward. “I warned this board six months ago about the unusual pattern of equipment purchases. Magical schools across the country suddenly requiring identical specialized supplies from a single source? The coincidence stretched credibility.”

“Yet you said nothing,” Headmistress Raven observed coolly.

“I was gathering evidence,” the witch replied. “As, it seems, were you."

Thorncraft was now being escorted from the room by the ESA representatives, protesting loudly about persecution and misunderstandings. The last thing they heard as the door closed behind him was his indignant yelp as Edgar swooped down to peck at his expensive hat.

The silence that followed was broken by the headmistress clearing her throat. "I believe we could all use some tea. And privacy." She fixed the remaining board members with a steely gaze that sent them scurrying for the exit.

Once alone with Ceries and Malachai, Raven settled into the chairman's abandoned seat with a satisfied sigh. "I've been watching Thorncraft for months. Suspected his schemes but couldn't prove anything until now. Your situation provided the perfect opportunity to catch him in the act."

"You knew?" Malachai asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Please." Raven's lips quirked in what might have been a smile. "I'm the headmistress. The school itself reports to me. Those practice dummies that have been following you around? Excellent surveillance devices."

Ceries felt her face flame. "So you saw..."

"More than I wished to, I assure you." Raven waved a hand dismissively. "Your personal lives are your own business—provided they don't interfere with your professional duties."

"And the Bewildering Fog Hex?" Malachai asked cautiously.

"Should be taught with proper safeguards and experienced supervision. Perhaps," Raven gave them both a meaningful look, "by two talented educators working together, combining experience with innovation."

They left the board room together, walking through the empty hallway in stunned silence. The reality of what had just happened—their near termination, Thorncraft's exposure, their unexpected reprieve—seemed too much to process.

"You know," Ceries said finally, "this doesn't solve everything. People still know about us."

"True." Malachai's expression was thoughtful rather than worried. "But it changes the context. We're no longer sneaking around or breaking rules. We can figure out a proper professional arrangement."

"Like what?"

"Like you reporting directly to Headmistress Raven instead of me," he suggested. "No conflict of interest, no inappropriate power dynamic."

Student artwork lined the walls around them, practice spells creating dancing patterns of light. Everything they'd nearly lost but somehow kept.

"Would that be enough?" she asked, suddenly uncertain. "For you to risk your reputation? Your career?"

Malachai stopped walking and turned to face her fully. "Ceries, when I thought I'd lost my job, my only regret was that I hadn't been brave enough to choose you openly from the start. Proper procedures are important—but not more important than what we've found together."

Down the hall, several practice dummies had appeared, watching with obvious interest.

"You know," Ceries smiled slowly, "I never did get to properly teach you my modified approach to the Bewildering Fog Hex."

"Is that so?" His lips quirked in that almost-smile that always made her pulse race. "I'm a quick study."

"And I'm an excellent teacher." She stepped closer, professional boundaries reconfiguring into something new and exciting. "We could start private lessons immediately."

"Professor Frostwind, are you suggesting we engage in after-hours educational activities?"

"Principal Starcatcher, I believe I am." She grinned up at him. "Unless you need to file the paperwork in triplicate first?"

"For you," he said, finally giving in to the smile that transformed his normally serious face, "I might be persuaded to use the expedited filing system."

"You rebel."

"I learned from the best."

He kissed her then, no longer caring who saw. After all, some rules were meant to be broken, some procedures worth expediting, and some magic too powerful to be contained by mere professional boundaries.