Page 23 of Magical Melee (Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy #1)

A knock sounded at the kitchen door, and I nearly shot through the ceiling.

“Should I get that?” I asked Twobble.

He frowned like that was the most ridiculous question in the world.

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because some glow-in-the-dark monster has been hanging out in my yard recently.”

“Ah, ah, ah?” He wiggled his finger. “Not your yard. No one can claim what’s not theirs. The earth belongs to everyone.”

I scowled at Twobble, and he snickered.

“Fine. But what do we do about the knock out back?” I asked.

“Why answer it, of course.”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” I tried again, standing to make my way to the door.

But I didn’t have to make up my mind because Keegan, Nova, and Stella walked right into the kitchen.

“You called?” Nova asked, staring at me.

“Uh. No…” I shook my head. “I don’t think I did. I don’t even know where I put my cell. But I’m grateful you’re here.”

Nova chuckled.

The fire’s warmth did little to chase away the chill in my bones as I took a seat. I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, and stared into the flames as if they held answers to the magical melee that had become my life.

Frank sat close by, his eyes flicking back and forth between the window and me, his little body still on high alert. Twobble lounged on the arm of the couch as if nothing had happened earlier.

“Is everything okay?” Nova asked, kneeling in front of me.

“Oh, it was fun. Delicious fun,” Twobble quipped, tossing a small pebble from one hand to the other. “A nice bit of evening drama to keep things lively.”

I shot him a look. “Fun? You call mysterious lights in the woods and potentially hostile figures hanging around fun?”

He grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the firelight. “Keeps things interesting, doesn’t it?”

Nova squeezed my hand and stood by the hearth.

“You’ve had a visitor?” Keegan asked.

Stella, Nova, and Keegan looked so at ease standing in the living room like they owned the place, their expressions a mix of concern and determination…but like this type of thing always happened.

“I think it’s a dryad.” Karvey gave a quick nod.

“I thought you said a wood nymph?”

“Same difference.” Twobble shrugged.

“Don’t let them hear you say that,” Nova warned.

“Okay,” I said, standing abruptly. “Is there some magical group chat I don’t know about? How did you all get here so fast?”

Nova offered a small smile. “You called for us.”

I blinked. “I… what? No, I didn’t.”

“Not out loud,” Stella said, shedding her sparkly coat with a flourish. “But I felt it. Your thoughts reached out loud and clear.”

“We came as fast as we could.” Stella smiled, but I had to admit it was hard to unsee the fangs.

I laughed, but it came out more like a nervous bark. “Sure I did. Next, you’ll tell me I’ve got telepathic powers.”

“It’s not telepathy,” Nova explained, her voice calm. “It’s a form of magical connection. You’re linked to Stonewick and, by extension, to us. When you’re in distress, we sense it.”

“Distress?” Twobble chimed in, his eyes wide with mock surprise. “Maeve? Distressed? Perish the thought.”

“Shut it, Twobble,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “I’m not buying this. You’re telling me I sent out a magical distress signal with my thoughts?”

“Whether you believe it or not,” Keegan said, his voice steady, “we’re here. And it seems like you needed us.”

Frank huffed in agreement, his tail wagging slightly as if to say, Finally, someone sensible.

Twobble leaned closer to Nova. “If she keeps doubting her powers, can we stage an intervention? Maybe a PowerPoint presentation? ‘So, You’re a Witch: A Beginner’s Guide to Freaking Out in the Magical Realm.’”

“Twobble,” Nova said without looking at him, “not now.”

Karvey, who had been standing silently near the window, finally spoke. “I should return to my post. The roof offers a better vantage point.”

“Great,” I said, throwing my hands up. “Leave me with the comedy duo and the cryptic trio.”

Karvey inclined his head. “You’ll be in good hands.” With that, he stepped outside, his wings spreading as he launched into the night. The sudden gust of cold air made me shiver, or maybe it was the lingering unease.

Twobble shut the door and locked it. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Nova settled into the armchair Karvey had vacated while Keegan and Stella remained standing. Their eyes scanned the room like they expected danger to burst through the walls at any moment.

The book I’d been holding slid off my lap with a thud, and I flinched.

“You’re jumpy,” Stella observed with a sharp gaze. “That’s understandable, but it’s not sustainable. It appears that you’re not safe alone, not yet.”

I sank back onto the couch, feeling the weight of her words. “I’m not exactly thrilled about being alone, but I can’t just keep calling you all over every time I hear a strange noise.”

“You won’t have to,” Nova said gently. “We’ll stay tonight.”

The idea of having them here was both comforting and unnerving. Comforting because, well, they clearly knew more about this world than I did. Unnerving because it meant things were serious enough that they felt I needed round-the-clock babysitting.

When I’d left the tea shop, I’d felt like we had this handled as best as one could. But I no longer felt that confidence.

Partially because my last defense was to throw a teapot at someone.

Twobble stretched, his arms comically wide for his small frame. “Since everyone’s here, I suppose I should enlighten you all about what I saw in the forest. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t a raccoon.”

“Twobble,” Keegan said, his tone sharp. “Focus.”

Twobble hopped down from the armrest and paced dramatically in front of the fire. “Fine, fine. Here’s the scoop. The light? Definitely magical. But not your typical ghost light or forest spirit. This was something—or someone—trying to get in. They were sent on a mission. How do I know this? Because they kept circling the cottage. Those things want inside.”

“Trying to get into the cottage,” I repeated, shaking my head. “Then what?”

Keegan frowned. “The forces around your cottage are strong but not impenetrable.”

“I keep hearing that.”

“We all misjudged,” Keegan said flatly.

“I blame myself,” Nova said softly. “I should have seen it coming.”

“Nonsense,” Stella said, pacing back and forth. “No one could have guessed that Maeve would become so appealing to so many so quickly.”

I frowned. “Uh, thank you?”

She chuckled.

“I can’t believe I’m a target of the magical world when I don’t know the first thing about alchemy.”

Nova leaned forward, her expression serious. “You’ve always been a target, Maeve. But now they know where you are. They’re testing the waters, seeing how prepared we are.”

“And how prepared are we?” My brows raised.

Keegan’s eyes met mine, steady and reassuring. “We’re ready.”

Twobble’s toothy grin widened. “And if we’re not, at least it’ll be one hell of a way to go. What an honor. Defending Stonewick…”

“Twobble,” Nova warned.

“What?” he said, holding up his hands. “I’m just saying, a little battle humor never hurt anyone.”

I shook my head, a half laugh escaping despite the tension. “You’re impossible.”

“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 can promise you that I’m not ready. I’m like that guy in Ghostbusters who 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. “You are a 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 my thoughts . 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.

I stretched out my legs, feeling exhaustion drip through me like a leaking faucet.

“I appreciate the support,” I said, my voice softening slightly. “I do. But can we at least acknowledge how insane this all is? I mean, two weeks ago, my biggest worry was whether or not I’d be able to extend my short-term rental because I was so indecisive.”

“And yet, you’re no longer indecisive,” Stella pointed out with a wink. “You knew you wanted to come to Stonewick.”

“In all fairness, that was before all the craziness.”

Nova’s brows raised in surprise. “Was it, though? You had a glimpse of what was to come.”

“Hardly.” I chuckled. “But fine. You’re right. I welcomed Stonewick’s invitation. I finally felt at home.”

“Do you still feel that way?” Keegan asked softly.

“More than ever.”

“Good.” He nodded and glanced at the others.

“Why do I feel like you’re not telling me everything?”

Stella chuckled. “Because we’re not.”