Page 78 of Magical Melee

And for now, that was good enough for me.

Chapter Twenty

The tea shop was eerily quiet after the chaos of the afternoon. Stella had turned the open sign to closed.

The broken teapots had been swept away, and Stella was busy brewing another pot of calming chamomile, but the tension in the air lingered like a heavy fog.

I sat at the center table, and Frank curled up at my feet. His snores were the only sound that broke the silence.

And that was when part of my dream surfaced. Something that Gideon had said…

“Who—or what—exactly isShadowick?” My voice cut through the silence of the shop.

Nova and Stella exchanged glances with grim expressions.

Keegan leaned against the counter, arms crossed, while Ember perched on a stool near the window. Her sharp eyes scanned the street outside as if expecting Gideon to return at any moment. I couldn’t help but notice how her ethereal quality brought a distinct calmness.

“It’s not a ‘what,’” Nova said finally, her voice low and serious. “It’s a place. A dark reflection of Stonewick.”

“A dark reflection?” I repeated, frowning. “Like an evil twin?”

“In a sense,” Stella said, setting the teapot down on the table with a soft clink. “Shadowick falls in one of the three rival factions that exist in parallel villages like ours. They thrive on chaos and destruction, feeding off the darker aspects of magic.”

“There are more places like this?” I asked, leaning forward.

Nova nodded. “The country is divided into three factions. In simple terms, each faction has a good and evil district. The magical population used to be one community in this country. But over time, the nation split into three factions, and each faction grew into two distinct districts. In our case, Stonewick uses positive, light magic based on stone and fire, while Shadowick is dark and uses shadows and fire to produce chaos. Their goals are opposed to ours.”

“Very opposed,” Keegan said flatly.

“Each faction has their own issues between the districts,” Keegan added, his tone bitter. “But the rivalry between Stonewick and Shadowick has always been the most fierce and wicked.”

“Wait,” I said, holding up a hand. “You’re telling me there are six magical towns scattered across the country, all constantly at odds with each other?”

“Not constantly,” Ember interjected, her voice sharp but measured. “There have been periods of peace, mainly in the East and West Factions. Some fragile truces. But Shadowick doesn’t play well with others. They’ve always been power-hungry, always looking for an opportunity to tip the scales in their favor. And a century ago, the scale tipped.”

“And what happened to Stonewick? It fell?” I asked, my stomach twisting.

Nova sighed. “Over a hundred years ago, Shadowick managed to weaken us. They infiltrated our community and planted seeds of doubt and fear. It was a dark time, and Stonewick nearly fell completely. Our Academy closed for its own protection, and the town’s safety. We’ve been unable to train new witches since then. That will be our downfall if something doesn’t change soon.”

“But we fought back,” Stella added, her voice resolute. “We rebuilt, strengthened our wards, and drove them out. The victory was temporary and wasn’t whole. It won’t be until we can open our Academy again with our new headmistress or headmaster. Our Academy remaining closed is our greatest weakness. We can’t harness new energy or teach seasoned witches what they are capable of.”

“What about Shadowick?” I asked. “Do they have an Academy?”

“Indeed, they do.” Stella squished her thin lips into a frown.

“They’ve been waiting,” Keegan said, his eyes dark. “Biding their time, gathering strength. Gideon’s arrival isn’t just a coincidence. They’re ready to finish what they started. They know that you are a vital piece to our success.”

I felt a chill run down my spine. “What happens if they succeed?”

“Stonewick falls,” Nova said bluntly. “And with it, the balance of magic in this district. It would only be a matter of time before it trickled to the East and West factions.”

Keegan sighed. “And the world.”

I sat back, trying to wrap my head around it all. “Okay, but why me? Why is Gideon so interested in me?”

“Because you’re a connection point,” Stella said. “Your family has always been deeply tied to Stonewick. Your magic—whether you’ve tapped into it fully or not—is a key part of our town’s defenses.”

“And Gideon wants to exploit that connection,” Ember said, her tone grim. “If he can turn you, he can weaken Stonewick from within. The Academy won’t be able to open.”