Page 28 of Magical Melee (Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy #1)

“You ready to head back?” Stella asked, tossing the cleaning rag into a bin with a practiced flick of her wrist.

“Yeah,” I said, pulling on my coat. “It’s your turn to babysit me, after all.”

Stella laughed, locking the register with a soft click . “Don’t sell yourself short, darling. You’re hardly a chore to look after. Besides, you’ve got a charming little cottage, and Frank is excellent company.”

“Frank does have a certain grumpy charm,” I agreed as we stepped out into the cool night air.

Frank trotted ahead, his little bulldog legs moving with surprising determination.

The drive back to the cottage was peaceful. The streets of Stonewick fell quiet under the light of a quarter moon.

By the time we reached the property, I felt more relaxed than I had in days. I was finally getting into a new routine, not just here in Stonewick but also for my post-divorce life.

I was alone.

But not really.

And I was okay with it.

We walked toward the cottage with Frank by our side. The gargoyles watched over us, and I got the impression that some other guardians were in the woods.

When I reached the door, I pushed my key into the lock and gave it a simple twist.

Everything inside was just as we’d left it. The fire had burned low but still glowed warmly in the hearth. Frank gave the room a cursory sniff before plopping down on his favorite spot near the fireplace.

Stella shrugged off her coat and hung it by the door. “Well, everything seems calm. That’s a nice change.”

“For now,” I said, though I couldn’t help but smile.

The cottage did feel a bit like a safe haven. Even better, it was starting to feel like home.

I needed to make my way to the storage unit to pick up some more of my personal belongings, but I had everything I needed here.

As I headed into the kitchen, Stella followed. She had a goofy look on her face.

“You know,” she said, leaning against the counter, “since we’ve got a quiet night ahead, how about I teach you a few spells?”

I paused, turning to her. “Really? You’re offering to teach me magic?”

“Of course,” she said with a grin. “You’ve been carrying the world's weight on your shoulders since Gideon showed up. It’s time for a little fun. Besides,” she added, “it’s good practice.”

Before I could respond, Stella opened the large hutch against the kitchen wall.

I’d always assumed it was just for storing dishes, but she pulled open a hidden compartment, revealing rows of neatly labeled jars, vials, and bundles of dried herbs.

My eyes widened. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

“More like the cottage.” Stella chuckled. “But I do like to keep a few tricks up my sleeve. Now, let’s start with something light.” She reached for a jar filled with tiny, shimmering sand and set it on the counter. “This one’s for a bit of harmless fun.”

I leaned closer, unable to hide my intrigue.

My heart quickened as the sand bits turned glittery. This was all new, and I had to do my best to shove logic aside, or I’d be worried that I was looking at something radioactive. “What does it do?”

“This is called Figgle Sand. It’s used for so many spells, but tonight it is for a really good one,” Stella said, winking. “Very much needed, if you ask me.”

“Tell me more.”

“Your first spell is called a ‘Forget My Ex’ spell. Perfect for a recent divorcee, I’d say. Sprinkle a pinch of this Figgle Sand into a glass of wine, let it dissolve, and it’ll make your ex’s name taste like vinegar for the night whether you think it or say it. Trust me, it works.”

“So, I’m not exactly forgetting. I’m just conditioning myself not to think of him.” I burst out laughing. “That’s… actually brilliant. I’ll take it.”

“Isn’t it? That way, you don’t erase your memories, which could also include Celeste or anyone else with whom he may have shared headspace. Conditioning with magic is way more practical than outright erasure and more permanent practices,” Stella explained. “And for those especially tough days, I’ve got this.” She pulled over a small vial of bright pink powder. “The ‘Clean Slate’ spell. You write down all your ex’s worst qualities, burn the list with a dash of this, and poof ! Instant catharsis.”

“What is that stuff exactly?”

“This pink stuff is called Mitterfizz Fuzz.” Her eyes brightened. “It is a multi-purpose ingredient. A little for this and a little for that…”

“How do we get our hands on ingredients like these?”

“It’s not always easy. Sometimes, trolls help us collect items, or we swap with goblins. Some of us hunt for and gather the herbs, fungi, and other substances.”

I laughed again, feeling some of the tension I’d been carrying start to melt away. “Okay, I’m officially impressed. What else have you got in there?”

They all seemed harmless.

Stella smirked, pulling out a bundle of dried lavender and a small vial of clear liquid. “For our more practical purposes, here’s a simple warding spell. Keeps out unwanted visitors—magical or otherwise.”

I nodded, filing that one away for future use. “All right, show me how it’s done.”

For the next hour, Stella walked me through the steps of each spell, her patient and playful teaching style making it feel less like a lesson and more like a fun experiment. We laughed as I accidentally spilled some of the pink powder onto the counter. Stella watched me write my list of Alex's annoyances and smiled.

“Darling, you’re practically carving it into the paper,” she said, shaking her head. “You’ll scare off more than bad memories with that intensity.”

“What can I say? I’m committed to the craft,” I replied, grinning as I carefully burned the list in the sink. The pink powder sparked and fizzled, and I felt a genuine sense of release for the first time in days. I didn’t care if it was psychosomatic or real-life alchemy. The feelings washing over me were real to me, and that was all that counted.

By the time we finished, the kitchen smelled of lavender and smoke, and my spirits were noticeably lighter.

Stella leaned against the counter and smiled. “Take this and always keep it near.” She handed me the bundle of herbs. “And if you ever feel in danger, just recite, By light and will your darkness be gone. Time will cast you to the beyond. ” Her eyes steadied on mine. “You think you can remember that?”

I nodded, feeling the weight of the words settle around me.

No matter how much I tried to forget the incident with Gideon, it was always lurking in the back of my mind.

“Will this work with Gideon or his goons?”

“It depends. It never hurts to try.” She smiled. “You did well, Maeve. You’ve got a natural knack for this.”

“So, he’s too powerful for my beginning spells.”

“Nobody is ever too powerful for something as pure as your heart, Maeve. It will catch him off guard. But he is powerful. Almost as powerful as Keegan.”

Just hearing Keegan’s name made my heart skip a beat, and I prayed Stella couldn’t tell.

Since she feasted on the very liquid that pulsed through my body, something told me she probably noticed if my heart’s rhythm ticked faster.

But, thankfully, she didn’t say anything.

I smiled, feeling a genuine sense of accomplishment. “Thanks, Stella. This was… exactly what I needed.”

“Good,” Stella said, pouring us both a cup of tea. “Because magic isn’t just about fighting off dark forces or saving the day. Sometimes, it’s about finding joy in the little things. Even if those little things involve making your ex’s name taste like vinegar.”

We both laughed, the sound echoing warmly through the cottage.

And after several sleepless nights spent hunched over ancient alchemy books, tracing symbols with my fingertips, and trying to decipher cryptic formulas, I decided enough was enough. My mind buzzed with half-formed ideas and half-understood theories, but my body screamed for rest. Even magical adrenaline had its limits.

“Stella,” I said, stifling a yawn as I closed yet another thick tome. “I’m calling it a day. I need a full night’s sleep.”

“Good,” she said, not looking up from the tea she was brewing. “You’ll be sharper for it. Besides, even witches need their beauty rest.”

A witch.

I kinda liked it.

Chuckling with heavy eyelids, I found myself hugging the tiny vampire.

Frank followed me to the base of the steps as I climbed to the loft. His quiet snuffles were a reassuring presence, but the moment I hit the mattress, I felt the tension drain from my body.

I tugged up the blankets and closed my eyes as I let my mind drift to quiet for the first time in days.

But the peace didn’t last.

I woke suddenly. The darkness of the loft pressed in around me. My heart pounded erratically, but it wasn’t from fear.

It was from clarity.

There was no dream that stirred me awake. It was a knowing, a deep, unshakable sense of purpose that gnawed me to alertness.

It felt like invisible vines, not unlike the ones from the hidden garden, were drawing me into the Academy. The thought of what was inside made my fingers prickle with excitement and desire—the books, the history, the spells.

I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, and took a deep breath.

“I know what I need to do,” I whispered steadily.

The pull I’d been feeling for days, the nagging sense that I was on the edge of something important—it all clicked into place. The Academy’s gardens, the pedestal in the cellar, even the alchemy texts I’d been devouring. They were all pieces of a larger puzzle, and now I understood the next step.

But it had to be done alone.

The cottage was still except for the occasional pop and crackle from the dying flames in the hearth below.

Stella’s soft, rhythmic breathing drifted up from the couch where she’d made her bed for the night. I’d offered my bed, but she refused.

Frank was sprawled out in his usual guard-dog fashion, snoring.

I glanced at the steps leading to the main floor before eyeing the loft’s small window. I'd have to be careful if I wanted to get out without waking anyone. Stella had the hearing of a bat, and Twobble—wherever he was—had a knack for showing up exactly when you didn’t want him to.

I moved as quietly as possible, slipping the photo of my dad and me into my bra, which I hadn’t even bothered to take off, and tiptoed over to the loft’s small window. I pushed my feet into some boots I had propped near the wall and didn’t bother lacing them.

Pulling a green sweater over my pajamas and wrapping a red scarf around my neck before pulling on some purple knit gloves made me crack a smile. I’d finally become the woman who didn’t give a crap.

I glanced at the loft’s stairs and pursed my lips into a frown.

If I used the steps, Stella would hear me for sure.

But the window? That had potential.

I unlatched it with a slow, steady hand, wincing as the hinges gave a faint creak. I froze, waiting for Stella to stir, but her breathing stayed even. I pushed the window open as the cold night air brushed my skin, leaving a shiver to skitter down my spine.

Step one: complete.

I swung each leg out the windowsill and braced myself with my arms. The edge of the porch’s tiny roof was within reach.

Not exactly the most graceful escape plan, but I could manage.

My boots hit the shingles with a soft thud as I lowered myself down.

“So far, so good,” I whispered.

“Well, this is unexpected.”

I yelped, nearly losing my balance as a voice came from the shadows. “Who—?!”

“Relax. It’s just me.” Twobble’s voice nipped at me like a persistent mosquito.

“What the—Twobble?” I whispered harshly, my heart pounding. “What are you doing up here?”

“Me?” he said, feigning innocence as he crossed his tiny arms. “I could ask you the same thing.”

My heart pounded as my mind raced to calm down from the sudden goblin surprise.

Twobble shrugged and waited for my reply. His small frame shifted slightly. “Fine. I’ll go first. I got bored. Figured I’d stretch my legs. Good thing I did, too, or I would’ve missed this little adventure of yours.”

I sighed, realizing there was no point in trying to shake him. “I just need to go somewhere, and I’d rather not wake Stella.”

His eyes narrowed with interest. “Where?”

I frowned at him.

Twobble leaned in. His grin widened. “So, where are we sneaking off to? Midnight snack run? Ooh, or are we breaking into something magical?”

“ We are not going anywhere.” I couldn’t help but smile at Twobble. “But I do have plans.”

“I’m offended.”

“By what?”

Even in the night, I could see his scowl. “I open up the cottage grounds to you, and this is how you repay me?”

He had a point.

“Alright. I’m going to the Academy’s gardens,” I said, keeping my voice low. “And I’d prefer not to wake Stella.”

His ears perked up. “The gardens, huh? Bold choice. Dangerous, mysterious, probably forbidden... I’m in.”

“No,” I said, pointing a finger at him. “You’re not.”

“Oh, come on,” he said, clasping his hands together dramatically. “You can’t go on a perilous quest without your trusty goblin sidekick! It’s like against the rules of adventuring.”

“I’m hoping there is no adventuring about it,” I said with a chuckle. “I just want to get in and get out peacefully and possibly learn something helpful along the way.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

I sighed, realizing I was not going to win this argument. “Fine. But no loud commentary. I don’t need constant narration the entire time I’m out and about.”

Twobble saluted. “You have my word. I shall be as silent as the night. A shadow, if you will.”

“Great,” I muttered as I crouched toward the edge of the roof and tied my boots. “This is going to go perfectly.”

Twobble gave me an enthusiastic thumbs-up. “We’ve got this, Maeve. What could possibly go wrong?”