Page 58 of Magical Melee

And then there was the little creature problem back at the cottage.

I could not shake my earlier meeting with a certain goblin on my porch.

The more I thought about Twobble and his bizarre introduction, the more I realized I couldn’t just shrug it off. Stonewick was proving to be a town where the impossible seemed disturbingly routine.

And Nova? She was right at the center of it all.

So was Stella.

And Keegan.

Not to mention the kaleidoscope tea?

I shook my head in disbelief at everything odd that had happened since I drank the darn tea.

It had to be the tea, right?

Maybe it was some long-lasting hallucinogenic tea or something.

I pulled into a small parking lot near the end of town, not far from Nova’s shop, and killed the engine before grabbing my keys and sliding out of the car.

Frank plopped down after me, his nails clicking on the pavement as I shut the door. The air was sharp and cold, and the distant buzz of the town had quieted, leaving only the sound of the wind whispering through the streets and buildings of Stonewick.

As I approached the shop, my steps slowed. The glow from within pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat. I hesitated at the door, glancing down at Frank, who stared up at me with his usual unflappable calm. His presence was reassuring, supporting me in reality even as my mind churned with questions.

But one thing I continually noticed about this town, whether it be my cottage, the tea shop, or the tarot place, was that an energy possessed them all.

Taking a deep breath, I rapped lightly on the door. “Nova? It’s Maeve.”

No answer.

I knocked again, a little louder this time. “I know it says you’re closed, but I really need to talk to you.”

The flickering light inside didn’t falter. I squinted through the window, but the view was distorted by the old glass. Shadows danced in the room, but I couldn’t make out much else.

I reached for the doorknob, expecting it to be locked, and the door opened with a low groan of the hinge.

Frank pressed his little body against my leg as if urging me inside.

“Nova?” I called again, stepping into the shop.

The warmth hit me first—a gentle, almost inviting heat that contrasted sharply with the cold outside. The familiar scent of incense and dried herbs filled the air, mingling with something stronger.

The flickering light I’d seen from outside came from a cluster of candles on a center table that wasn’t here the last timeI came. Their flames danced from the draft I brought in behind me.

The shop was empty—or so it seemed. The shelves, lined with the familiar jars, crystals, and tarot decks, stood like silent monuments. The wooden beads leading to the reading room swayed slightly as if moved by invisible hands.

I walked further in, the wooden floor creaking under my boots. Frank stayed close with his ears perked and his nose twitching as he sniffed the air.

“Maeve.”

The voice, low and calm, came from the far corner of the room. I turned quickly as my heart leaped into my throat.

Nova slowly emerged from the shadows. Her green eyes gleamed in the candlelight. She moved with an almost ethereal grace. Her long shawl trailed behind her like a specter.

“You’re late,” she said, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Late?” I repeated, bewildered. “Your sign says closed.”