Page 87 of Magical Melee

Frank huffed, clearly unimpressed, and plopped down near the fireplace. His eyes never left the gargoyle.

“So,” I said, turning back to Twobble and Karvey, “why is there a gargoyle in my living room? Aren’t you supposed to be, I don’t know, guarding the roof?”

Karvey folded his arms with a firm expression. “We don’t just sit on roofs all day, you know. Gargoyles have lives, too.”

Twobble chimed in, nodding vigorously. “Karvey’s been guarding Stonewick for centuries. He’s got stories, Maeve. Oh, the things he’s seen!”

Karvey inclined his head. “Indeed. And when the forces around this cottage weakened earlier, I thought it prudent to pay a visit inside.”

I frowned. “The forces? What do you mean, weakened?”

“Shadowick’s influence is growing,” Karvey said, his tone serious. “That fellow who got through last night was testing the boundaries, looking for cracks in our defenses. I sensed a disturbance and have been investigating.”

My blood chilled. “What do you mean, the fellow who got through?”

Karvey looked at me. “Gideon. He was here last night.”

I shook my head slowly, trying to decipher fact from fiction.

“He was in my nightmare last night,” I whispered.

He nodded. “That would explain it.”

“You’re saying he was in my cottage?” A chill ran down my body.

“No.” Karvey cleared his throat. “No. By all accounts, he did not get past the woods. My partner and I did our best to keep him out. But he got close enough to infiltrate your energy. And that can’t happen again.”

Twobble cleared his throat. “Maybe I need to invite more…”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Twobble, I don’t think my life has room for more magical buddies right now.”

“Nonsense!” Twobble said, waving a clawed hand. “You can never have too many allies. Especially ones as seasoned as Karvey.”

Karvey gave a solemn nod. “Your goblin friend is right. The challenges ahead will require strength, knowledge, and unity.”

“Great,” I said, sinking onto the couch. “First a goblin, now a gargoyle. What’s next? A dragon in the basement?”

Twobble’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that would be amazing! Do you think we could find one?”

“No,” I said quickly. “That was a joke, Twobble. Let’s not make this any weirder than it already is.”

Karvey settled back into an armchair. His wings shifted slightly as he adjusted. “You’ll find, Maeve, that weird is relative in the magical world.”

I sighed, leaning back and rubbing my temples. “You know, it would’ve been nice if someone had given me a crash course on all this magic stuff before I got thrown into the deep end.”

Twobble and Karvey exchanged a glance, and then Twobble grinned. “Consider this your crash course! Lesson one: magical creatures come in all shapes and sizes. Lesson two: always expect the unexpected. And lesson three: Alchemy is your friend.”

“Yeah, I’m getting that,” I said dryly. “So, Karvey, do you have any tips for dealing with guys like Gideon?”

Karvey’s expression darkened. “Stay vigilant. He’s cunning and relentless. But most importantly, trust your instincts. You have more power than you realize. You just haven’t learned how to guide it, but I’m sure Nova and Keegan will ensure you get proper training.”

I let out a sigh. The thought of curling up in my fluffy quilt upstairs did little to entice me.

Funny how quickly things could change around here.

Twobble hopped onto the arm of the couch beside me. “Oh, don’t be like that, Maeve. I sense your melancholy, but we’re here to help! And think about it—how many people get to say they have a gargoyle and a goblin on their side?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Though I’m not sure this is something I’ll be bragging about.”