Page 129 of Magical Melee

“For now?” I frowned.

Keegan moved to the door, peering out the small window beside it. “The gryphons are part of Stonewick’s ancient defenses,” he explained. “They only awaken when the balance is severely threatened. But they’re not here to take orders from us. They’ll act as they see fit.”

“Let’s hope they see fit to help us,” Stella muttered, her hands glowing once again as she continued to fortify the protective spells around the room.

The thudding continued, followed by another loud screech as one of the gryphons took flight. Its massive wings cast a shadow over the garden outside. Through the window, I caught a glimpse of its powerful form.

It was a creature of both grace and ferocity, with its golden feathers gleaming in the daylight and its leonine hindquarters rippled with muscles.

“Beautiful,” I whispered.

“Don’t get too attached,” Keegan said, his eyes scanning the treetops. “They’re here to do a job, not make friends. And if they sense the tables are turning, they have no problem jumping ship for their survival.”

“Great.”

The dark figures in the trees began to stir. Their glowing eyes flickered more erratically.

It was as if the gryphons' arrival had disrupted whatever dark magic was holding them in place.

Some figures dropped from the branches and landed with an unnatural grace on the forest floor before slinking closer to the cottage.

“They’re advancing,” Nova said, her voice calm but commanding. “We need to be ready.”

“Ready for what?” I asked, feeling the weight of my earlier decision more acutely than ever. “I barely know what I’m doing.”

Stella shot me a quick grin despite the tension. “You’ll learn fast. There is nothing like a life-or-death situation to sharpen magical instincts. Remember that protection spell?”

I gave her a wry look but didn’t have time to respond.

Outside, the battle was escalating.

The gargoyles and gryphons worked in tandem, driving back the shadowy creatures with a combination of brute strength and calculated precision. Every roar and screech sent tremors through the air, a symphony of chaos and power.

“Maeve,” Keegan said, his voice cutting through the noise. “You’re going to need to trust your instincts. If the Academy opened its doors to you, it means you’re more capable than you realize, even now.”

I swallowed hard, trying to summon the same resolve I’d felt when I chose to leave the Academy. “What do I do?”

“Start simple,” Nova said, her staff glowing faintly as she raised it toward the window. “Focus your energy. Let it flow through you. The other wards around town will respond to your magic, our magic, strengthening them against whatever Gideon throws our way.”

I nodded, my hands trembling slightly as I held them out in front of me. I closed my eyes, focusing on the thrum of magic in the air.

It was different from the Academy’s steady pulse—wilder, more chaotic—but it was there, waiting for me to tap into it.

If only I knew how.

Alchemy’s warmth spread through my fingertips.

As I opened my eyes, I saw faint tendrils of light swirling around my hands. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

“Good,” Stella said, her grin widening. “Now, let’s show Gideon what happens when he messes with Stonewick.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Frank, come on!” I hissed, gently tugging at his collar as he planted his stubby legs firmly on the floor. His wide and wrinkly bulldog face glared up at me, and his jowls trembled in protest.

“I know you want to fight,” I whispered urgently, “but right now, I need you safe. You’re my backup plan, okay? I need you more than you realize.”

Frank let out a disgruntled snort but begrudgingly shuffled forward as I led him toward the cellar door. The sound of the battles outside—the shrieks of gryphons, the roars of gargoyles, and the unearthly cries of Shadowick’s creatures—filtered through the cottage walls, but inside, it was eerily quiet.