Page 30 of Magical Melee (Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy #1)

The tunnel finally sloped upward, and the air grew fresher with each step. The goblin’s gold along the walls dimmed, and I could see a faint shimmer of moonlight filtering through the cracks above.

We were close. My heart thudded in my chest, anticipation and nerves mingling in a way that made my palms sweat.

“This is it,” Twobble said, stopping to look at me.

He gestured toward a wooden ladder leading to a small trapdoor above. “Your grand exit.”

I glanced at him. “You’re not coming?”

Twobble grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. “Ah, Maeve. You wound me with your optimism. I may be many things—charming, resourceful, and devastatingly good-looking—but one thing I’m not is suicidal.”

“What are you talking about?” I frowned.

He leaned casually against the tunnel wall, crossing his arms. “The Academy’s grounds and I, well, we have a complicated relationship. Let’s just say the last time I tried stepping up there, I got blasted halfway across Stonewick. It’s not a great look for a goblin. Very hard on the ego. The Academy isn’t as gracious the second time around.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Blasted? Like... literally?”

Sure, I’d heard he’d gotten tossed halfway through town, but I guess I didn’t expect it to be literal.

“Oh, yes,” Twobble said, nodding solemnly. “It was quite the spectacle. There was smoke, a bit of screaming—mostly me—and I’m pretty sure some birds laughed. Not my proudest moment.”

Despite my nerves, I chuckled. “Sounds dramatic.”

“It was,” he said, smirking. “And I’d rather not repeat it. So, this is where I leave you.”

I hesitated, glancing up at the trapdoor. “And you’re sure I won’t get blasted?”

Twobble gave me a thoughtful look. “No promises. But the Academy’s already let you into the gardens once, so you’ve got better odds than me.”

I sighed, gripping the first rung of the ladder. “Well, that’s comforting.”

“Don’t worry,” Twobble said, giving me a thumbs-up. “If you become a fireball, I’ll be here to catch whatever’s left. Your daughter’s name is Celeste, right?”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I muttered, starting my climb.

The ladder creaked softly beneath my weight, each step bringing me closer to the trapdoor. I paused at the top, my hand hovering over the latch.

My heart raced as every instinct screamed at me to prepare for the worst.

Fireball?

Lightning bolt?

Maybe I’d just get blasted back to the cottage.

I took a deep breath, bracing myself, and pushed the door open.

Nothing happened.

No explosions, no sudden magical backlash.

Just the chill of the Wisconsin air nipping at my cheeks.

I stood there for a moment, half expecting the ground to reject me suddenly. But it didn’t. Instead, a strange sense of calm washed over me, like the gardens acknowledged my presence as I silently recited the words Keegan told me.

Guardians of Stonewick, steadfast and wise,

Through courage and knowledge, our spirits shall rise.

I didn’t get sucked into a void. Only the soft rustle of leaves and the freezing night air brushed against my face.

Slowly, I pulled myself up, emerging into the moonlit gardens.

“Well, look at that,” I murmured. “I’m still in one piece.”

Twobble’s voice drifted up from the tunnel. “Stay cautious, my friend.”

I smiled, shaking my head. “Thanks, Twobble.”

“Anytime!” he called back. “Now go find whatever it is you’re looking for. I’ll be here, guarding the tunnel. You know, heroically.”

I chuckled and turned my attention to the garden.

The moonlight bathed everything in a silvery glow. The strange, otherworldly flowers I remembered from my first visit were in full bloom. Their petals shimmered faintly and cast subtle blue, violet, and scarlet hues across the landscape.

But it wasn’t the flowers that caught my attention.

Something moved at the far end of the garden, where the path curved toward a cluster of ancient stone statues. The movement was subtle—a flicker of shadow, a disturbance in the air. I squinted, taking a cautious step forward.

And then I saw it.

Standing among the statues was a figure cloaked in deep indigo robes. The fabric seemed to ripple like water, reflecting the moon's light. A hood obscured the figure’s face, but her presence was undeniably commanding yet eerily serene.

Her graceful movements hinted to me that she was a feminine soul.

She didn’t move. She didn’t speak.

She simply stood there as if waiting.

I swallowed hard as my pulse quickened.

“Hello?” I called softly.

The figure tilted her head slightly, her movement almost birdlike. A strange energy pulsed through the air, gentle but insistent. It felt like a distant heartbeat connecting me to her—or this place.

I glanced back toward the tunnel, wondering if I should call for Twobble.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped closer to the figure.

As I approached, she raised a hand with her palm outward. A soft, golden light emanated from her hand and illuminated the surrounding statues.

Behind her, a large building I’d never seen before surfaced. The silhouette was enormous and inviting as she motioned her hands into the air. Vines crept up the brick exterior.

I stopped in my tracks, unsure whether this was a gesture of greeting or warning.

The light intensified. For a moment, the entire garden seemed to hold its breath.

Then, the figure lowered her hand. The light faded, leaving only the soft glow of the flowers.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she extended her hand toward me, offering something unseen. My instincts were at war with my curiosity. I hesitated a bit too long, and the figure slowly began to fade.

The indigo robes dissolved into the air, becoming one with the shadows until nothing remained but the statues and the moonlit path.

My heart pounded as I processed what I’d just seen.

Why did I hesitate?

I looked around the garden, feeling a knot tighten in my chest. The building had vanished along with the woman.

I blew it.

After a few moments, I forced myself to move, retracing my steps back to the tunnel. Twobble greeted me with an expectant grin as I climbed down the ladder.

“How’d it go?” His eyes lit up. “You didn’t die, so that’s a great start.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, but I blew it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw a figure, and I’m almost certain the Academy made itself present.” I shook my head. “But then it all vanished when I wouldn’t step forward. The energy felt like she was a female.”

Twobble’s eyes widened. “A figure in robes? Ooh, that’s a classic Academy kerfuffle. Did she say anything?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “But she showed me something. A light… and then a grand building appeared behind her.”

“Amazing. Truly amazing.” Twobble stroked his chin thoughtfully. “The Academy doesn’t do that for just anyone. I mean, the fact that you’re still alive is impressive. I wouldn’t have bet on your safe return, to be honest. But I knew one way or another it would be entertaining.”

“Are you serious? You’d gamble with my life?”

He shrugged. “I’m a goblin.”

Without warning, a brilliant flash of light moved through the tunnel from the opening. I shielded my eyes to see vivid colors bouncing through the trapdoor in the night sky.

“What is going on?” I whispered.

Twobble’s eyes grew as he slowly shook his head. “I don’t believe it.”

“Don’t believe what?”

“The Academy is awakening.”

His words sent a chill through me.

I bit my bottom lip for a split second. “Has this happened before? Who was that woman?”

The earth rumbled beneath us.

“Not in the last century. This is a kind of a dime-a-dozen type of thing, Maeve. I’d need a little more specifics on the lady. Ear shape? Eye Color? Humanoid? Creature?”

The sky lit up like a magical firestorm as the ground continued to rumble to life.

“I need to see what’s happening.”

Twobble’s bony fingers clasped my wrist. “You might not return. I don’t know what’s going on.”

But the pull was too great.

I shook my head and smiled at Twobble. “I need to.”

He let go of my wrist, and I climbed out of the tunnel and stood in the moonlit garden.

My heart raced, and the air felt charged with something electrical.

No.

Magical.

I glanced back at the open trapdoor leading to the tunnel. Twobble’s voice drifted up faintly, but I ignored it. Something was keeping me here, an invisible pull urging me forward.

The sky’s brilliant mosaic was nearly blinding until I saw the building again.

My fingers trembled with anticipation as I took a deep breath and stepped away from the tunnel. My gaze followed the winding path ahead. The garden shifted around me, and the flowers glowed brighter with each step I took.

Tall, twisting trees framed the path with their bowing branches arching overhead like a natural cathedral. Vines draped down, their leaves brushing against my arms as if trying to hold me back or guide me deeper—I wasn’t sure which.

The further I walked, the denser the foliage became. The path narrowed as the vines and trees clung more insistently. Their cool tendrils brushed my skin and caught on my clothes, but I wasn’t stopping.

Each step felt like an act of will. The forest tested my resolve, but the air grew warmer and richer.

I thought about Nova and Twobble’s teaching about the earth being so alive and connected with us and with…Stonewick.

The faint sound of a distant song vibrated in my ears like the low notes of an ancient incantation.

“Almost there.” I wasn’t sure how I knew that.

Finally, the dense canopy began to thin. The path widened, and my breath hitched as I stepped into a clearing.

There it was.

The Academy.

The building rose before me. The structure was a masterpiece of ancient stone and living alchemy.

Its towering spires pierced the night sky. Each one was adorned with intricate carvings that seemed to shift and flicker in the moonlight.

The walls were covered in ivy. The dark green tendrils glowed faintly as if the very plant life was part of the structure’s heartbeat. Stained glass windows, each depicting scenes of mystical lore, cast fragmented light patterns across the ground.

The front entrance was massive. A pair of intricately carved wooden doors framed by stone columns looked like they had grown naturally from the earth. An archway above the doors bore a glowing inscription in a language I couldn’t read but somehow understood.

I took a hesitant step forward, and my boots crunched softly on the gravel path. The hum I’d heard earlier was louder now, resonating in my chest. It was as if the Academy acknowledged me, waiting for me to decide whether I would come closer.

The air around me was thick with power, making my skin tingle and my heart race. This place was alive, a living entity, just as Twobble and the others had said. It watched, it listened, and it chose.

I stood there, staring up at the grand building, a mixture of awe and trepidation washing over me. The pull that had brought me here was undeniable, but what lay beyond those towering doors? Would the Academy welcome me or would it turn me away?

Whatever the answer, I knew there was no going back now.

And I hadn’t turned to ash yet.