Page 101 of Magical Melee

The vines that curled over my toes.

“That was part of the Academy?” I shook my head. “But I didn’t see anything.”

Nova gave a small nod. “Yes. The gardens are the outermost part of the Academy’s grounds. A place where its magic still lingers. The fact that you didn’t ignite into a fireball gave me hope.”

My brows raised. “And what if I had?”

Keegan laughed. “Then we were wrong about you.”

I let the irony wash over me.

“I want to go back. And I want to go inside.”

“You’ve got guts, Maeve. I’ll give you that.” Nova shook her head, folding her hands in her lap.

“You’re joking about the fireball thing, right?”

Nova didn’t respond. She returned her gaze to the fireplace.

I turned to Stella, my lifeline in all this madness. “She’s joking, right?”

“Nova’s not one for jokes, darling. But she does have a flair for dramatic delivery. Let me clarify. The Academy doesn’t accept intruders lightly.”

“Maybe I’m not an intruder.”

Keegan’s voice cut in, steady and unyielding. “The fact that you made it into the gardens without the Academy rejecting you—or worse—means something. But going inside is another matter entirely.”

“Rejecting me?” I said, my throat suddenly dry. “Worse?”

Stella offered a tight smile. “It protects itself. It doesn’t allow just anyone to wander its halls.”

I frowned, trying to process this. Twobble did say he got tossed on his ears a mile away, but I didn’t take him literally.

“We’ve told you that the Academy decides. I wouldn’t rush it.” Stella pressed her lips together.

“But it decided to let me into the gardens,” I said slowly, piecing it together.

Nova nodded. “That’s a good sign. But the gardens are the Academy’s threshold, its outer shell. Beyond that… well, let’s just say the Academy isn’t known for rolling out the welcome mat. Keegan, Stella, and I are free to wander the gardens, but if we tried to step inside, we’d get blasted a mile away like Twobble…or worse.”

I leaned forward, my determination hardening.

Nova hesitated, then nodded. “It’s ancient, powerful, and overwhelming. It’s a place where time and reality shift…not unlike our town. But Maeve, the truth is, it’s not up to us. That answer is not going to change.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, glancing between them.

Keegan crossed his arms. His gaze was heavy with unspoken knowledge. “You don’t choose to enter the Academy, Maeve. It chooses you.”

My stomach tightened. “And if it doesn’t?”

“Then you’ll never set foot inside,” he said bluntly.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “So I just have to wait for it to decide whether I’m worthy or not? And for some new headmistress or headmaster to open it right up? I could be too old to learn a thing by then.”

“It’s not about worthiness,” Stella said, her voice gentle. “It’s about readiness. The Academy opens its doors when it senses you’re ready for what’s inside. And even then, it’s not guaranteed. Not to mention, we’ve got Gideon stomping around like a toddler. The point is nothing is guaranteed.”

“Not guaranteed,” I echoed. “So this magical Academy holds all the answers I need, but it might never let me in.”

Frustration bubbled inside of me. “And in the meantime, what? I’m supposed to just sit here and hope it sends me a magical RSVP so I can help keep Shadowick at bay?”