Page 93 of Magical Melee

“That’s why you love me,” Twobble said with a wink.

Frank snorted, clearly unimpressed with the goblin’s antics. He settled back down by the fire, but his eyes remained on the window. It made me love him even more.

“So,” I said, looking at the group. “What’s the plan? Do we just sit here and wait for them to make their next move?”

“For now,” Stella said, “we strengthen the forces. Tomorrow, we’ll strategize.”

“And I’m just supposed to… what? Relax?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Try,” Nova said with a small smile. “You’ll need your strength.”

Keegan sat down on the couch beside me. His presence grounded me in a way I hadn’t expected. He looked down at the large volume I’d pulled off the shelf and had yet to read.

“You’re not alone, Maeve,” he said quietly. “Whatever comes, we’ll face it together. I want you to know that.”

“Thank you.” I nodded, letting a deep breath out. “I never expected this…not in a million years.”

I looked around the room at Stella’s calm resolve, Nova’s quiet wisdom, Twobble’s irreverent humor, and Keegan’s steady confidence.

But it suddenly felt like family.

My family.

“We just need to stay focused, keep a clear mind, and let the energy wash through us,” Nova said calmly.

“Alright,” I said, exhaling slowly. “But I have to say something. It’s been worrying me since the whole talk of magic and witches came up.”

“What is it?” Keegan asked. He kept his eyes locked on mine, and I frowned in deep thought. The truth was they didn’t know me. Keegan knew me when I was a kid, and everyone else knew me from the blink of an eye.

“I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble, but I canpromiseyou that I’m not ready. I’m like that guy inGhostbusterswho was told to empty his mind, and what pops in? The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. I. Am. That. Guy. It’s what worries me about you guys thinking I’m a witch. What if I’m supposed to imagine one thing, and something else pops into my head?”

Twobble snorted, clearly amused, but Keegan didn’t seem to share his humor. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, and shook his head.

“It’s not a theory,” he said firmly. “Youarea witch.”

“But that doesn’t solve the issue of…me.” I shrugged. “Not to mention that since I hit forty-five, I can’t even find my car keys half the time.”

“You don’t need to fully believe it yet,” Nova said gently, her tone far more soothing than Keegan’s. “But it’s real. Whether you’re ready to embrace it or not, the magic in you has already started to awaken. That’s why Gideon’s after you.”

“Right,” I said, leaning back against the couch and crossing my arms. “So, just to recap for the night: I’m a witch, Gideon wants me for some nefarious plan, and I managed to summon you guys here with mythoughts. Which, by the way, I didn’t even know was possible. Does that about cover it?”

Stella grinned, her fangs peeking out ever so slightly. “You’re catching on faster than you think.”

“Catching on?” I let out a laugh that teetered on the edge of hysteria. “Stella, I haven’t even had twenty-four hours to process this, and you’re talking about me like I’m some prodigy. I’ve been dumped in the middle of chaos, and my only weapon thus far has been a teapot.”

“You don’t have to be a prodigy,” Nova said calmly. “You just have to be willing to learn and willing to teach.”

“Willing to learn?” I repeated. “Look, I’m all for learning. I love learning. But I was thinking more along the lines of mastering sourdough or picking up a second language in this second half of my life. Not defending a magical town against a centuries-old threat.”

Twobble, ever the opportunist, piped up. “To be fair, sourdough is pretty complicated. You have to feed the starter and everything.”

Twobble might have understood me better than I knew.

“Maeve, I get it. You feel like you’ve been thrown into the deep end.” Keegan cocked his head slightly.

“That’s because I have!” I shook my head. “And I don’t even know how to doggy paddle.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re here,” he said, his tone steady.