Page 76 of Magical Melee

Nova exchanged a dark look with Keegan, who nodded almost imperceptibly.

“You’re sure he didn’t touch you?”

I nodded. “Positive.”

“Maeve,” Nova said carefully, “did anything else happen? Did he say or do anything that felt… familiar?”

I hesitated with a racing heart.

Glancing at Stella, she gave me a slight nod of encouragement.

“Last night, I had a dream about him. Except it didn’t feel like a dream. It was like I was in another town, and he was there, trying to lure me to some big house. He said things about Stonewick, about me, like he knew everything. It was so real. It was just like the dream or reality or whatever it was I tumbled into with you.”

Nova’s face hardened. “That wasn’t a dream. It was a calling. He’s a seer like I am.”

I blinked. “A what now?”

“A calling,” she repeated, her voice laced with urgency. “Gideon has been reaching out to you, trying to draw you into his world. The fact that you experienced it so vividly means his connection to you is stronger than we anticipated.”

Keegan’s jaw tightened. “We should have seen this coming.”

“Seen what's coming?” I snapped. “Would someone please explain what the hell is going on? Why is this guy after me? And what does he mean by ‘destiny’? Do I need to be worried about my daughter?”

Nova took a deep breath, and her expression softened slightly. “Gideon is dangerous, Maeve. He’s been trying tomanipulate Stonewick’s magic for years, twisting it to serve his own purposes. But he’s been waiting for someone like you.”

“Like me?” I echoed, my voice incredulous. “Why? I don’t even know what I’m doing here!”

“That’s exactly why,” Keegan said with a lowered voice. “You’re new to this. You’re connected to the town, but you haven’t fully tapped into its magic yet. Or yours. That makes you vulnerable—and valuable.”

“He wants to use you,” Nova added. “To break the barriers that protect Stonewick and harness the town’s power for himself.”

“For Shadowick.”

They nodded.

I let out a shaky laugh, rubbing my temples. “Great. So I’m not just some clueless woman stumbling into small-town magic—I’m a target for a power-hungry sociopath. I did not sign up for this. I just wanted a nice place to stay and a fun job while I got my feet on the ground.” I eyed Stella. “But none of you answered my question. Will Celeste be okay?”

Keegan’s eyes softened a fraction. “She is not part of this. Not yet.”

My brows lifted as my stomach tensed into a painful ache. “Not yet?”

“She hasn’t been here. So, she’s safe.” He acted like that solved the problem.

“But if she comes here?” I asked.

“We don’t know the answer to that,” Stella said quietly.

I flashed my gaze to Nova. “What about you? Can you see if she would be safe? That’s what you do, right? You see things?”

“I would need to meet her, which would require her to come here.” She pressed her lips together. “Which I would highly advise against until we get this all sorted.”

“Sorted? Is this something that can actually be sorted?” My anger jumped about ten notches. It was one thing to play fantasy with my own life, but I wouldn’t endanger Celeste.

“I can’t do this. Not with my daughter.” I shook my head. “It’s been fun while it lasted, but I’m out.”

Frank took two steps in front of me and sat down.

“Celeste will be protected if she were ever to come to Stonewick.” Keegan kept his eyes on mine. “You have my word.”