Page 84 of Magical Melee

“He’s not a wizard,” Stella said, patting Frank’s head. “But he is remarkably perceptive for a dog.”

Nova raised an eyebrow. “You’re assuming dogs can’t have their own kind of magic.”

I gave Frank a skeptical look. “If you’ve been holding out on me, buddy, now’s the time to come clean.”

Frank just snorted and laid his head back down.

Stella laughed, and the sound rang like a bell. “See, Maeve? You fit right in.”

The funny thing was that it felt like the biggest compliment I’d ever received, besides being told I was a good mom.

Nova leaned forward. Her green eyes turned serious. “And you’ll need to keep fitting in. The more you understand our world, the better you’ll be prepared for what’s coming.”

My smile faded, and I nodded, feeling the weight of her words. “Right. Shadowick, Gideon, and whatever else is out there.”

“We’re not going anywhere,” Stella assured me.

I looked around the table at Stella’s sparkling confidence, Nova’s calm wisdom, Keegan’s steady strength, and Ember’s stealthy determination. Despite the chaos, I felt the familiar sense of belonging.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t facing the unknown alone.

I turned to Keegan, still processing everything I’d just learned about Stella and Nova. If a vampire and a half-elf were sitting at this table, what did that mean for the brooding, enigmatic man who always seemed to be lurking in the background?

“So,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “What about you, Keegan? Are you a mel like me? Or do you have some supernatural secret, too?”

He let out a low chuckle, the sound rough and surprisingly warm. “A mel? Maeve, you’re no ordinary human yourself.”

“Right,” I said, crossing my arms. “You mean the whole witch thing? Still wrapping my head around that, by the way.”

Keegan’s grin deepened, but he didn’t comment. Instead, he sipped his drink. His eyes glinted with amusement.

“Fine,” I pressed. “If I’m not ordinary, what about you? Are you a witch, too?”

Before Keegan could respond, Stella pushed back her chair and stood, brushing imaginary crumbs from her sparkly blouse.“I’ll leave you two to it.” She winked. “Some of us have scones to bake.”

Nova and Ember followed. Each offered a brief nod before heading toward the small kitchen. I could feel the air shift as they left, the tension between Keegan and me growing thicker with every passing second.

Once the door swung shut behind them, I turned my full attention back to him. “Well?”

Keegan leaned back in his chair, his arms crossing over his chest. “You’re persistent.”

“I’ve been told it’s one of my better qualities,” I said, matching his posture. “Come on, Keegan. You’ve dodged this question long enough. What are you?”

He tilted his head, studying me for a long moment before finally speaking. “I’m a warlock.”

I blinked, not quite sure what I’d expected, but that wasn’t it.

“A warlock,” I repeated. “Okay. And what does that mean exactly? Are you just a male witch, or is there more to it?”

Keegan’s mouth twitched like he was holding back a laugh. “There’s a bit more to it than that.”

“Enlighten me,” I said, leaning forward.

“A warlock is someone who’s forged a bond with magic through ancient rites. It’s not just about casting spells—it’s about channeling energy, tapping into forces that most people can’t even comprehend.”

I nodded slowly, trying to absorb this new information. “So, you’re like… supercharged?”

“You could say that,” he said, his tone carefully neutral.