Page 37 of Magical Melee

“Hey,” Skye said, nudging me. “You okay? You got quiet all of a sudden.”

I forced a smile, nodding. “Yeah, just… thinking. It’s been a lot these past few days.”

“Yeah, I get that.” She paused, her gaze softening as she looked at me. “Maeve, you know it’s okay if you want to stay a bit longer, right? We don’t need the car back right away. Stonewick seems to have a hold on you. And maybe that dream was a sign.You’ve been through so much—maybe this town has something for you, too. Maybe you can finally relax a little. Let go.”

I nodded and grinned, remembering something I’d asked Nova last night in my dream.

“Last night, I asked Nova for a job,” I whispered to Skye, “in my dream.”

The words hung between us, resonating with a truth I hadn’t fully acknowledged. I’d come here looking for a break from reality, a reset button to help me let go of the past. But what if Stonewick was more than just a retreat? What if it was where I was meant to start fresh?

All the women stopped knitting and stared at me. Before I could respond, the bell above the shop door jingled, and Patrick stepped in, flashing us both a sincere smile. “There you two are! Ready to go, Skye?”

“Go on,” I said, squeezing her back. “I’ll let you know when you can have your car back.”

I nearly forgot I’d be moved out of my home in two days…forever.

Skye grinned, hugging me tight. “You take care of yourself, okay? Call me the second anything interesting happens. Or if you just feel like talking.”

I nodded, hugging her back, and tried to ignore the prying eyes on me while she left.

Chapter Nine

The sun hung high in the sky, casting Stonewick in a white hue that made the cobblestone streets seem to glisten.

I walked slowly, tracing my steps from the night before, searching for the alleyway with the iron gate that had led to the garden.

The details of my dream—or memory, or whatever it had been—were etched vividly into my mind, so much so that I could almost feel the cool, damp stones beneath my shoes and smell the earthy aroma of the strange plants in the moonlight.

I stopped right where the alley should have been and saw nothing but two buildings nearly touching one another, complete with dead weeds in between. I frowned and glanced down the road to see the building from last night. It didn’t look as lively and enchanting as it had, but I recognized the wrought-iron gate out front.

I wandered toward the large building, which I was sure Nova called a ward last night, and stopped in front of the gate. The candle and flame stood out just like I remembered.

But none of the feelings from before washed over me.

Maybe it had all been a dream.

In broad daylight, Stonewick felt different.

Friendlier, perhaps, but no less mysterious. Each alley I passed seemed to have a life of its own, but none led me to the iron gate with the butterfly-shaped lock. I paused, looking up at a tall, ivy-covered building.

Were they watching me, too, waiting for me to find what I was looking for?

It was official.

I was losing what marbles I had left.

The divorce and empty-nest syndrome were too much for me.

After nearly an hour of wandering, I sighed, realizing that I’d either been wrong about the dream or that Stonewick was hiding things from me.

Either way, I was getting nowhere, and my stomach growled, reminding me to stop by the hotel’s lobby and have someone page Keegan.

I gave a last, lingering glance down a narrow street and headed toward my hotel.

As I approached the double doors, Keegan was waiting outside.

“I thought I might catch you. I heard you were doing some knitting, but the class ended an hour ago.”