Page 141 of Magical Melee

Twobble’s grin returned, his sharp teeth catching the moonlight. “Ah, that’s the fun part. The Academy shut off the tunnels. Completely sealed them.”

I blinked. “It can do that?”

“Apparently,” Twobble said, his tone mock-serious. “I had no idea the Academy evencaredabout what I do. Makes me wonder if it secretly likes having me snoop around.”

I laughed despite myself, shaking my head. “So, you think the Academy has a soft spot for you?”

“Why not?” Twobble said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I’m charming, resourceful, and clearly indispensable. Who wouldn’t want me around?”

“True.”

Twobble leaned in slightly, his tone dropping to something more serious. “You’re not convinced about the whole missing time thing, are you?”

“Not really,” I admitted. “It just seems… impossible.”

“Well, believe it,” he said, tossing the last bit of pastry into his mouth. “Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving.”

That stopped me cold. “Thanksgiving? No, that can’t be right.”

“Check the date if you don’t believe me,” Twobble said with a shrug. “People have been talking about time getting all twisted around the Academy for years. Go in for an afternoon stroll and come out a week later. Happens more often than you’d think.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. “But days… how did it happen so fast?”

“The Academy plays by its own rules,” Twobble said. “And if you’re asking why, well, that’s something only it knows.”

I shivered slightly, pulling my coat tighter around me. The idea that I’d lost days without even realizing it was…unsettling. Yet, as unnerving as it was, a part of me longed to go back, to learn more, to understand the pull I’d felt the moment those grand doors opened.

Twobble watched me for a moment, his gaze unusually perceptive. “You’re scared,” he said softly.

“Yeah,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “A little.”

“Good,” he said, surprising me. “Means you’re not stupid. Fear keeps you sharp.”

I chuckled and nodded. “Thanks for that.”

I looked out toward the woods, the moonlight casting long shadows between the trees. “But it also makes me hesitate,” I said. “And we don’t have time for that. It also makes me wonder if I should have stayed at the Academy. When I came back to the cottage, I could see you all had it handled. I’m not sure I did anything much to help, but honestly, maybe it would have been more helpful to stay there and learn actual magic.”

A wry grin slipped across his lips. “The Academy presented you with the choice?”

I nodded with a shrug.

“Oh, Maeve. There is so much you don’t know.”

“Then tell me.” I glanced over his shoulder to see Keegan inside the cottage. There was something about the latest events that pulled me closer to him. “I haven’t had any time to actually learn what I need to know. Did I choose wrong?”

“That’s for the Academy to decide.” Twobble nodded slowly. “But you’ve got something better than time—you’ve got us. You have heart. And trust me, Maeve, no matter how bad it gets, you’re not doing this alone.”

His words warmed me, easing the anxiety in my chest. I reached out and placed a hand on his small, bony shoulder. “Thanks, Twobble. For everything.”

“Anytime,” he said, flashing me a grin. “But if you really want to thank me, bring some pastries next time. Fighting evil works up an appetite.”

I laughed, the tension easing just a bit more. “Deal.”

We sat in companionable silence for a while, the quiet hum of the night settling around us. Despite the lingering unease, I felt a small spark of hope. Twobble was right—I wasn’t alone in this fight.

Eventually, I stood, brushing the dust from my coat. “I should get some sleep. Tomorrow’s… Thanksgiving, apparently.”

Twobble smirked. “And you’ve got a cottage full of magical misfits to celebrate with. What more could you ask for?”