Page 125 of Magical Melee

With all its wonder and promise, the Academy stretched out before me—a place where I could finally understand the magic I had only begun to glimpse. But the thought of Keegan, Stella, and Nova standing alone against Gideon and his forces sent a pang of fear and guilt through me.

“What happens if I stay?” I asked quietly.

The figure’s tone softened, though her words carried the weight of inevitability. “If you stay, the Academy will protect you. You will grow stronger, learning from its vast knowledge. But your friends… their fate will rest in their own hands.Shadowick’s grip will tighten, and Gideon will not stop until he has what he seeks.”

“And what does he seek?” I pressed, my voice shaking.

“You.” The figure hesitated with a stoic expression. “Gideon seeks to harness the magic that binds Stonewick to this Academy. He wants to corrupt it and bend it to his will. The Academy is a part of that magic, as are you. If he cannot control it, he will destroy it. He will destroy you.”

“I don’t know if I’m strong enough,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

The figure took a step closer. Her presence was commanding yet strangely reassuring, strangely familiar.

“Strength is not only measured by power, Maeve. It is also measured by the choices you make, the risks you are willing to take, and the people you are willing to stand beside. Your path is your own. Just like it was for your father. There are no guarantees that the Academy will have a use for you if you leave, but we will understand.”

Her words gutted me. Had he faced this same choice?

Was that why he was no longer here?

I stared at the fountain. Its shimmering waters reflected the golden light of the foyer. The pull of the Academy was strong but so was the pull of my friends.

These were the people who dared to show me the illogical and impractical.

Finally, I looked back at the figure as I made my decision.

“How do I get back to the cottage?”

The figure inclined her head, and a faint smile played on her lips as if she had anticipated my choice. “The Academy will guide you. Follow the path you took to enter, and the way will reveal itself.”

She raised her hand once more, and the soft hum of magic filled the air as fear filled my soul.

I turned to leave but paused, looking back at the figure. “Will I see you again?”

“Perhaps,” she said. “The Academy has many guardians, and its wisdom takes many forms. Trust in yourself, Maeve. Your journey has only just begun.”

With a nod, I turned and walked toward the doors. They swung open silently as I approached, revealing the moonlit garden beyond. The vines parted for me, their soft glow lighting the way back to the tunnel.

As I stepped outside, the icy night air filled my lungs, but a renewed sense of purpose steadied my nerves. The Academy had offered me sanctuary and knowledge, but my place—at least for now—was with my friends.

I hurried down the steps and through the garden. The urgency of the moment drove me forward. Whatever awaited me back at the cottage, I would face it head-on. Gideon would not take the cottage without a fight.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Moonlight had bathed the grounds when I first arrived, but now, as I reached the place where the tunnel’s trapdoor should have been, sunlight filtered through the trees.

Morning.

How long had I been inside the Academy? It had felt like mere moments had passed, but time had clearly slipped away from me.

I crouched, brushing my hands over the mossy ground, searching for the hidden hatch. But the spot where Twobble had unveiled the tunnel was smooth and undisturbed as if it had never existed.

“Twobble?” I called, my voice echoing softly in the stillness.

There was no answer, no sign of him. My gut twisted. He wouldn’t have just left me, would he?

I stood and turned in a slow circle, scanning the garden for any hint of my goblin companion.

The vines and trees swayed gently in the morning breeze. Their shimmering glow was now muted in the daylight.