Page 32 of Magical Melee (Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy #1)

Moonlight had bathed the grounds when I first arrived, but now, as I reached the place where the tunnel’s trapdoor should have been, sunlight filtered through the trees.

Morning.

How long had I been inside the Academy? It had felt like mere moments had passed, but time had clearly slipped away from me.

I crouched, brushing my hands over the mossy ground, searching for the hidden hatch. But the spot where Twobble had unveiled the tunnel was smooth and undisturbed as if it had never existed.

“Twobble?” I called, my voice echoing softly in the stillness.

There was no answer, no sign of him. My gut twisted. He wouldn’t have just left me, would he?

I stood and turned in a slow circle, scanning the garden for any hint of my goblin companion.

The vines and trees swayed gently in the morning breeze. Their shimmering glow was now muted in the daylight.

But Twobble was nowhere to be seen.

Panic set in.

That’s when the figure’s words came back to me: The Academy will guide you. Follow the path you took to enter, and the way will reveal itself.

It wasn’t just a poetic send-off—it was literal. The Academy knew the tunnel would be gone when I left. I was meant to find my way back on my own.

Taking a steadying breath, I started walking, retracing my steps through the twisting pathways of the garden.

The plants seemed to shift and part for me, guiding me forward. I wasn’t sure how, but I trusted the path would lead me where I needed to go.

It wasn’t long before I emerged from the garden into the familiar woods surrounding the cottage. But a cold chill ran down my spine when I stepped out from under the dense canopy.

Dark figures were perched high in the trees. Their forms were barely distinguishable from the gnarled branches.

They crouched like grotesque birds of prey with their long limbs twisted in unnatural angles. Their eyes glowed faintly like dying embers.

Shadowick’s forces had penetrated the property.

I froze as my heart pounded in my chest. The figures watched me in eerie silence. They tilted their heads slightly, observing my every move. Their presence made the air feel heavier, like the forest itself was weighted with anticipation.

It was so different than what I’d just experienced at the Academy.

The scene before me became even more surreal as I edged closer to the cottage. The garden surrounding the house was filled with the same dark figures.

Their silhouettes shifted like shadows, giving them a new form. They circled the cottage slowly and menacingly, waiting for the right moment to strike.

But they weren’t alone.

Above the cottage, a squadron of gargoyles filled the sky. My heart skipped a beat as I watched their stone wings slice through the air with a sound like grinding rock. Seeing them gave me the adrenaline I needed.

They swooped and dove with precision, driving back any dark figures that dared approach the cottage too closely. Their massive forms cast long shadows over the garden, and their claws gleamed in the daylight.

I watched in awe as one of the gargoyles let out a deafening roar, diving straight at a shadowy creature perched on a low branch. The creature leaped away just in time, vanishing into the trees, but the message was clear: the gargoyles were defending their territory, and they weren’t backing down.

“Keegan,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Stella. Nova.”

The woman had told me they were here, fighting to hold the line.

I had no time to waste.

Keeping low, I darted toward the cottage, my heart racing. The dark figures in the garden didn’t move. Instead, their glowing eyes tracked me like the predators they were. Perhaps they hadn’t yet decided what to do with me—or perhaps they were waiting for Gideon.

As I reached the garden’s edge, one of the gargoyles swooped low, its massive wings stirring up a gust of wind, nearly knocking me off my feet. I ducked instinctively, realizing the gargoyle had chased away one of the shadowy creatures.

I couldn’t help but marvel at its sheer power.

And then I realized it was Karvey.

Up close, his stony skin was covered in intricate carvings, symbols that glowed faintly with a pale blue light. Karvey had looked so plain, and…now he was regal.

His sharp and unyielding gaze scanned the battlefield with fierce intelligence. These weren’t mindless protectors—they were warriors, as alive as any of us.

“Maeve!” a gruff voice called from the cottage.

I looked up to see Keegan standing in the doorway. His eyes were dark with determination.

“Get inside!” he shouted, beckoning me with a quick wave. “Now!”

Without hesitation, I sprinted toward the cottage, the weight of the dark figures’ stares pressing heavily on my back. Just as I crossed the threshold, the doors slammed shut behind me.

Inside, the air was thick with tension.

Stella stood near the window, her hands glowing faintly as she traced protective symbols in the air.

Nova was by the hearth. Her face was calm but focused. She held a staff of dark wood clutched tightly in her right hand.

“You made it,” Stella said. Her voice was laced with relief but not without a touch of her usual humor. “We were starting to think the Academy decided to keep you.”

“Close enough,” I said, trying to catch my breath. “What’s going on out there?”

“Gideon,” Nova said simply, her voice as steady as ever. “He’s leading this attack, but he hasn’t shown himself yet.”

Keegan moved to the center of the room with a grim expression. “He’s testing our defenses, waiting for the right moment to strike.”

I looked around, trying to piece everything together. “And the gargoyles?”

“They’re part of the cottage’s protection,” Stella said. “Old magic. They only awaken when the danger is severe. They’ve come from every ward in Stonewick.”

“Severe,” I repeated, glancing back at the door. “That’s an understatement.”

Keegan crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on me. “You shouldn’t have come back.”

“I wasn’t going to stay safe at the Academy while you three fought Gideon alone,” I said firmly.

“Good,” Stella said with a grin despite the tension in the room. “Because we’re going to need all the help we can get.”

Before I could respond, a deep, resonant hum filled the air, different from the Academy’s soothing buzz. This was darker, more ominous, vibrating through the walls like a warning.

“He’s coming,” Nova said quietly.

We all fell silent as the weight of the moment pressed down on us.

Outside, the gargoyles roared once more. Their cries mixed with the distant rustle of the dark figures in the trees.

The battle for Stonewick had begun.

The tension in the room was palpable.

Stella glanced out the window. Her hands still glowed faintly from the protective sigils she’d been tracing.

Keegan paced near the fireplace. His brow furrowed in thought while Nova remained calm but alert.

I could still hear the faint cries of the gargoyles outside, their guttural roars mingling with the occasional rustling of the dark figures in the trees.

Stella finally turned to me, her sparkling eyes narrowing slightly.

“So,” she said, her tone casual but laced with curiosity, “did you speak with anyone at the Academy?”

“Is now really the time to talk about it?” I hesitated, the weight of the robed figure’s words still heavy on my mind.

“If not now, when?” A twinkle in her eyes told me life was about to get real.

“Yes,” I admitted. “I’m welcome to go back.”

Stella arched an eyebrow, her curiosity clearly piqued. “And? Who was it? What did they say?”

“I don’t know who it was exactly,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “She wore these indigo robes, and her face… it was like looking at a starry sky draped by a hood. She told me I was expected.”

“Expected?” Nova echoed, her voice calm but probing. “The Academy doesn’t open its doors lightly. If it lets you in, it sees something in you. We were right.”

I nodded, the memory of the encounter still vivid. “They told me I had a choice: stay at the Academy and learn the ways of magic or come back here to help you fight. They said if I stayed, the Academy could teach me everything I needed to know, and it could protect me. But if I came back to the cottage… I might never get another chance.”

Stella crossed her arms, leaning against the windowsill. “And you chose to come back.”

“I couldn’t leave you,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt. “Not with Gideon out there, threatening everything.”

Keegan stopped pacing as his hazel eyes locked onto mine.

“You should have stayed. You were safer there,” he said, his voice low and nearly a growl.

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I chose to stay behind and let you all fight.”

“We would have been fine,” he said gruffly.

My eyes narrowed on him. “You don’t know that.”

“The Academy doesn’t issue ultimatums lightly. If it’s offering you that kind of opportunity, it’s because it knows what’s coming. You should have stayed.” He folded his arms over his chest and glared at me.

A heavy silence fell over the room.

“I care about you, too,” I said sarcastically.

A quick smirk covered his face as Nova chuckled.

He dropped his arms and walked over to the window, ignoring my statement further, and stared outside.

“Fine. It’s nice to have you back,” he said wryly.

The thrum of magic that had filled the air earlier seemed to grow louder, pressing against the walls like an unseen force.

The distant sounds of the gargoyles defending the cottage grew sharper as their cries echoed in the morning light.

Without warning, a new sound filled the air—a deep, rhythmic beating, like massive wings cutting through the sky.

It grew louder and louder until it seemed to shake the very walls of the cottage.

“What is that?” I asked.

Before anyone could answer, the roof gave a sudden, violent shudder.

“What is going on?” My eyes widened as I glanced at Stella, who scribbled letters into the air.

A series of heavy thuds shook the walls. It sounded like something—or some things —had landed with the force of a small earthquake.

“Eagles?” I squeaked out.

Keegan’s expression darkened. “Gryphons,” he said grimly.

“Gryphons?” I repeated, my voice rising slightly. “As in half-lion, half-eagle, legendary creatures of lore? Mystical, magical, imaginary beings?”

“The very same,” Stella said, her tone almost too calm. “And if they’re here, it means the stakes just got a whole lot higher.”

A loud screech echoed from above. The sound of talons scraping against the roof tiles shuddered through the air. The cottage trembled slightly.

“Are they friend or foe?” I asked, my heart pounding.

“Friend,” Nova said, her voice steady. “For now.”

“For now?” I frowned.

Keegan moved to the door, peering out the small window beside it. “The gryphons are part of Stonewick’s ancient defenses,” he explained. “They only awaken when the balance is severely threatened. But they’re not here to take orders from us. They’ll act as they see fit.”

“Let’s hope they see fit to help us,” Stella muttered, her hands glowing once again as she continued to fortify the protective spells around the room.

The thudding continued, followed by another loud screech as one of the gryphons took flight. Its massive wings cast a shadow over the garden outside. Through the window, I caught a glimpse of its powerful form.

It was a creature of both grace and ferocity, with its golden feathers gleaming in the daylight and its leonine hindquarters rippled with muscles.

“Beautiful,” I whispered.

“Don’t get too attached,” Keegan said, his eyes scanning the treetops. “They’re here to do a job, not make friends. And if they sense the tables are turning, they have no problem jumping ship for their survival.”

“Great.”

The dark figures in the trees began to stir. Their glowing eyes flickered more erratically.

It was as if the gryphons' arrival had disrupted whatever dark magic was holding them in place.

Some figures dropped from the branches and landed with an unnatural grace on the forest floor before slinking closer to the cottage.

“They’re advancing,” Nova said, her voice calm but commanding. “We need to be ready.”

“Ready for what?” I asked, feeling the weight of my earlier decision more acutely than ever. “I barely know what I’m doing.”

Stella shot me a quick grin despite the tension. “You’ll learn fast. There is nothing like a life-or-death situation to sharpen magical instincts. Remember that protection spell?”

I gave her a wry look but didn’t have time to respond.

Outside, the battle was escalating.

The gargoyles and gryphons worked in tandem, driving back the shadowy creatures with a combination of brute strength and calculated precision. Every roar and screech sent tremors through the air, a symphony of chaos and power.

“Maeve,” Keegan said, his voice cutting through the noise. “You’re going to need to trust your instincts. If the Academy opened its doors to you, it means you’re more capable than you realize, even now.”

I swallowed hard, trying to summon the same resolve I’d felt when I chose to leave the Academy. “What do I do?”

“Start simple,” Nova said, her staff glowing faintly as she raised it toward the window. “Focus your energy. Let it flow through you. The other wards around town will respond to your magic, our magic, strengthening them against whatever Gideon throws our way.”

I nodded, my hands trembling slightly as I held them out in front of me. I closed my eyes, focusing on the thrum of magic in the air.

It was different from the Academy’s steady pulse—wilder, more chaotic—but it was there, waiting for me to tap into it.

If only I knew how.

Alchemy’s warmth spread through my fingertips.

As I opened my eyes, I saw faint tendrils of light swirling around my hands. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

“Good,” Stella said, her grin widening. “Now, let’s show Gideon what happens when he messes with Stonewick.”