Page 86 of Magical Mayhem

I smiled faintly. “Maybe. But it’s not reckless. Not this time.”

He arched a brow. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

I hesitated, clutching the book tighter against me. For a heartbeat, I almost told him about Gideon and about the way he lay in the inn, shadows curling over him just as they curled over Keegan. The words clawed at my throat.

But not now.

Not when his breath was steadier, and when his eyes had a spark of fire again. I couldn’t risk shattering that fragile progress.

So instead, I took a deep breath and said, “I’ve been thinking about Malore. About what he feeds on. And I know now that the only way to defeat him is to turn the game he’s playing.”

Keegan tilted his head, frowning. “How so?”

“Division,” I said firmly. “He thrives on it. On splintering clans, on driving wedges, on making us believe we’re too broken to fight. But Stonewick isn’t falling apart anymore. It’s strengthening. Sure, the shadows stretch in the skies above, but there’s something below them building, and he can’t stop that.”

A smirk traced his lips.

“The students are back,” I went on. “The Academy is alive again. My mom is here. She walked into the Academy like it had been waiting for her.

The Silver Wolf is circling. Fae, shifters, witches…they’re all being pulled back, whether they like it or not. Whether we like it or not, unity is on the horizon. The land is stitching itself together.”

“And Malore hates it,” he whispered.

I leaned closer, my voice fierce despite the tremor in it. “So we show him it’s working. We show him that his techniques aren’t scaring us apart anymore. We make him see Stonewick united. That’s the only way to win. That’s the only reason to invite your mother back with open arms.”

Keegan stared at me for a long moment, his breath shallow, his eyes unreadable. Then, slowly, the corner of his mouth curved upward.

“You sound like someone I almost believe,” he murmured.

“Almost?” I asked, raising a brow.

He huffed, a sound halfway between a laugh and a growl. “Almost. Because you’re forgetting one thing: Malore won’t just sit back and admire the view. He’ll fight harder. He’ll push back twice as strongly. He always has.”

I nodded. “Then so will we.”

Silence stretched between us, filled only by the crackle of the fire.

Keegan shifted, grimacing as he tried to sit straighter. “You’ve got more fire than sense, Maeve. But… maybe that’s what we need.”

His words warmed me, even as my heart pounded harder.

Because the truth was, I wasn’t sure I had more fire than sense. I only knew I had to keep moving because once I stopped, I might not move again.

I reached for his hand, clasping it in mine. His skin was warm, his grip faint but steady. “You’re not alone in this, Keegan. None of us are. Stonewick’s stronger than it’s ever been, even if it doesn’t look like it. And Malore needs to see that.”

His gaze softened, the storm easing for just a moment. “You really believe that?”

I squeezed his hand tighter. “I have to.”

He closed his eyes briefly, exhaling like he was letting go of something heavy. When he opened them again, there was a spark there—a small one, but real.

“Then I’ll hold on,” he said quietly. “For you. For Stonewick. For whatever comes.”

My throat ached. I wanted to lean down, to press my lips against his forehead, to promise him it would all be okay. But I knew better. Promises like that broke too easily.

So instead, I just sat there, holding his hand, letting the fire’s warmth seep into the silence.

For now, it was enough.