Page 27 of Magical Melee (Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy #1)

“You look to be in good spirits,” Stella nearly chirped as a group of customers left with their teas.

The afternoon rush hit, and hours went by at the speed of light.

“I’m feeling a little more grounded.”

And it was true. I felt somehow…lighter?

I didn’t know if it was from spending time with Keegan or because I might actually have some connection to the one place that could open doors to the magical world to me.

“Based in reality or…” Stella prompted.

My brows lifted in surprise. “Isn’t it one and the same?”

“Good, girl.” She smiled, and a bit of fang emerged.

It was really puzzling. I didn’t know if those canines had always been there, and I had chosen to ignore them, or if she was just letting loose around me.

“I’m meeting Keegan again soon.”

“It surprises me that he’s bringing a smile to your lips.” She eyed me with an amused glint in her gaze.

I spotted Keegan walking toward the shop and shrugged. “What can I say? Maybe he’s warming up to me.”

“If only it were that simple,” Stella said, shaking her head.

I wanted to ask what she meant, but Keegan opened the door before I had a chance.

“Evening, Stella.”

“Evening to you,” Stella said, smiling.

“I’ll be back,” I promised and walked out the door with Keegan.

The late afternoon sun dipped low in the sky. Keegan and I went through Stonewick’s winding streets as dark shadows lingered along the sidewalks. Darkness was minutes away, but the quiet buzz of the town felt different today. If I didn’t know better, it was like the air itself waited for the next move.

Keegan walked a few paces ahead, his usual brooding expression in place. I followed closely, but my heart raced with anticipation. Part of me wondered if he regretted this arrangement, but it was too late now. He’d committed, and I was pretty sure Keegan was always a man of his word.

We stopped in front of the tall building with the iron gate I’d seen during my late-night wanderings. Its worn facade and intricate carvings of candles and wicks still gave off an air of quiet authority, as if it had been standing watch over the town for centuries.

“Nova told me this was a ward, and I’ve read so much on so many things, but not much is ever written about wards,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Keegan gave a curt nod. “They’re one of our main defenses, so we say little about them.”

“Okay. Well, what goes on inside?”

“You’ll have to go in someday to find out.”

I smiled. “Today, possibly?”

He laughed and shook his head. “You’re like a kid in a candy store.”

“Is this the Flame Ward?” I asked.

Surprise darted through his gaze as a smirk surfaced on his lips. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

“Awesome. That just leaves me to find out about the Maple one since I’m pretty certain the Butterfly Ward is the secret garden I saw.”

His left brow lifted as he shook his head.

“I know. I know. Okay, one step at a time. So, what do we do to make this puppy reveal for me?” I asked, sliding my hands together before blowing into my palms. I didn’t realize it would snow, or I would have brought gloves.

“Well, let’s just see if it responds to you again,” he offered.

“All I saw Nova do was trace the image. I tried that the other day, and nothing happened.”

He nodded. “Correct.”

“Correct, that’s all I had to do, or correct nothing would happen?”

The familiar smirk ran across his features, and he reached for my hand. I was surprised by the gesture but let him loop his fingers through mine. His touch was nice, and for a brief second, I let my mind wander to something I shouldn’t.

He cleared his throat. “Close your eyes.”

I obeyed, and my mind went blank right before words flashed briefly.

Guardians of Stonewick, steadfast and wise,

Through courage and knowledge, our spirits shall rise.

My eyes blinked open to see Keegan studying me.

“That was beautiful,” I said, shaking my head. “You…”

He nodded. “It’s far too dangerous to speak those words. I had to send them to you somehow.”

Keegan let go of my hand as the chant ran through me, and I looked at the looming building ahead.

“Go on,” he said softly.

I nodded and stepped up to the gate, letting my fingers trace the flame as I silently chanted the words that held so much hope.

But the metal felt cold.

Lifeless.

He looked at me with a nod. “You ready?”

“I think so.”

I followed him down the sidewalk, hoping the alley would be visible, but something felt off as we approached.

The alley that should have opened didn’t. The buildings that should have separated to allow for the small alleyway stayed as tight as ever, and disappointment washed through me.

I stared at nothing. Just the tiny opening between two mismatched buildings and the same tuft of weeds I’d spotted the last time I tried.

My heart sank as I looked over at Keegan.

“This can’t be right,” I said, stepping closer and running my hands over the cold, unyielding bricks.

Keegan stood silently for a moment, his eyes narrowing. Then he turned slightly, his gaze flicking toward the shadows. “Maniakats,” he muttered.

“Maniawhats?” I asked, glancing at him.

He nodded. “You can’t see them, but they are here.”

“What are they?”

“Bursts of energy sent by those who want to harm.”

Dread filled me.

“So Shadowick hasn’t left us alone these last few days,” I said quietly, wishing I could go inside the Academy walls and learn things that would actually help this small village. “Are they spirits or…”

“They can take different forms, but locking you out is the town’s way of saying things aren’t what they seem. Stonewick can shift when it senses something is off—whether to protect itself or you, I’m not sure.”

I pressed my palm against the wall, frustration brewing. “Could Stonewick ever be wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“How do we know it always knows what’s best? It shut itself down a hundred years ago and, in all that time, couldn’t open up again to train magicals and mystics? In all that time, it couldn’t find someone to teach?”

“Do you know what makes magic so powerful, Maeve?” he asked.

“I can think of lots of things.”

“There’s one thing. Only one.” His index finger waved in front of me.

“Okay…”

“And it’s trust.” His eyes stayed steady. “You have to have trust in the systems and the constructs around us in order to believe truly.”

“Trust,” I whispered, nodding.

Oddly, trust was the one thing I had more than anything in these people suddenly encompassing every part of my life.

“I trust Stonewick to know what is best for it, the town, and its people,” he said simply. “And I trust you.”

A flicker of something I didn’t recognize flashed through his gaze.

“I’ve just never been that patient in life.” I shook my head. “I mean, even with my divorce. The moment I found out he was sleeping with everyone but me, I wanted out. I didn’t care what I did or didn’t get from ending the marriage. I just wanted it over. It couldn’t happen fast enough.”

Keegan drew in a slow breath. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Maeve. I never liked Alex, but I didn’t think he was that much of a dirtbag. I didn’t expect that kind of betrayal.”

His words hung in the air. “You knew Alex?”

“I knew about him.” He studied me. “I knew about you.”

“How?” I shook my head. “Why?”

His words stirred something completely unexpected deep in my soul. His look was so tender and…loving?

“I promised your dad that I’d always look out for you.”

It felt like I’d been punched in the gut. “I don’t understand. You were only a few years older than me.”

“I was old enough to understand the gravity of the situation.” He glanced over my shoulder before bringing his gaze back to mine. “I vowed never to interfere, no matter how difficult it was to abstain. You were physically safe, and that was all that mattered.”

“Keyword there.” I half-smiled. “Emotionally, I’m not sure.”

“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

“Thanks. And thank you for watching over me. It’s kind of nice thinking that I wasn’t alone.”

“You’ll never be alone, Maeve. Not as long as Stonewick stands.”

“Then I better make sure it continues to be strong.” I let out a wistful sigh and smiled. “I’ll be more patient, and I’ll trust .”

“Good.”

Something was shifting between us, but I knew better than to go down that rabbit hole.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded and started toward the tea shop but stopped.

My skin prickled. I turned sharply and scanned the street behind us, but it was empty. The soft glow of streetlamps illuminated the cobblestones.

Many of the shopfronts were closing. The only hint of someone inside was the dim lights in the windows.

“What’s wrong?” Keegan asked, his voice low and gruff.

“I felt…like someone was watching us,” I said, my eyes still searching the empty street. “But there’s no one there.”

Keegan stepped closer, his body tense. “That could explain why the alley isn’t opening. Stonewick reacts to threats. If it thinks there’s an intruder, it’ll shut itself down. It could be something more than the Maniakats.”

Another shiver ran through me. I reluctantly followed him down the sidewalk. The absence of the hidden alley lingered in my chest, but there wasn’t a thing I could do about it.

I needed to be patient and let it remind me of what lay just out of reach.

The tea shop was quiet. The soft glow of the lanterns spread a cozy warmth over the store as I flipped the sign to Closed .

Stella hummed softly as she wiped down the counter. Her shimmering blouse caught the light with every movement, and her signature bright red lipstick had been recently reapplied.

It had been a long day, but the quiet rhythm of the shop had been a welcome distraction from the looming worries of Shadowick and Gideon.

I’d finally understood the importance of the cryptic answers and vague acknowledgments. What was going on was far bigger than anything just one of us could solve. Too much information, and I could become dangerous to the one thing I wanted to save, and too little information, and I wouldn’t understand why trust mattered.

But a thought had occurred to me: What if I needed to do it alone? Without Keegan.

I owed myself that much.

Frank sauntered over to where I folded the town’s newspaper and placed it in the recycle bin.

“Alright, buddy,” I whispered, scratching behind his ears. “One more whirl.”

“I’ll be right back,” I hollered to Stella.

She popped out from the back room and waved. “Don’t get into too much trouble.”

I chuckled and stepped outside with Frank. The streets of Stonewick were eerily quiet. It reminded me of the night with Nova. I made my way back to the tall building, my footsteps echoing against the cobblestones. I rested my hands on the lock and silently recited the chant.

But I didn’t feel a thing. It was just like before. Disappointment wedged its way inside, but I refused to believe this was it for the day.

I turned and slowly walked toward the hidden alley with Frank. As we approached the brick building, I realized it was as tight as always—no larger gap, no tiny alleyway. I closed my eyes and heaved as I placed my hands on the building’s cold brick.

“Please,” I whispered. “Let me in.”

The pull was far too great. I knew where I belonged, and I was trying to be patient, but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity either.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, just as I was about to step back, I felt a faint warmth beneath my palms. I opened my eyes to see the bricks shimmering slightly, their surface rippling like water.

Frank barked softly, and I glanced down at him. “You see that too, right?”

He wiggled his short tail as his body tensed with eagerness.

The ripple faded, and the bricks returned to their solid state

“Why won’t you open?” I murmured.

And then I felt it again—that prickling sensation. I spun around, but the streets were empty, with only the flickering lanterns lighting the sidewalks.

But I knew someone—or something—was there.

“I know you’re watching,” I said, my voice steady despite the unease curling in my stomach. “And I’ve already managed to leave a broken marriage with my head held high. Whatever you are, you don’t worry me.”

The silence was deafening, but I refused to back down. I turned back to the wall, placing my hands on it once more.

“Please,” I whispered again. “Let me in.”

This time, the wall seemed to sway beneath my touch as a deep sound moved through my body.

The bricks shimmered again. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw the alley start to unfold a dark path winding toward the garden.

But then the shimmer faded, and the wall returned to its unyielding state.

I let out a shaky breath and stepped back. The pull was stronger than ever, but it seemed the Academy wasn’t ready to let me in.

Not yet.

Frank nudged my leg and looked at me with his kind and reassuring gaze.

“It’s okay,” I said, scratching his head. “We’ll try again. When the time is right.”

As we turned to leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the unseen watcher was still there, lurking in the shadows. Stonewick was keeping its secrets from more than just me, but I knew it was only a matter of time before the Academy revealed itself again.

And when it did, I would be ready.