Page 4 of Magical Melee (Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy #1)

Disoriented whispers.

“Dehydrated?” A familiar voice questioned.

The fuzziness swirling around my mind was nothing compared to the onslaught of questions buzzing around me.

“Eat today?” An older woman’s voice scratched at my brain, but I couldn’t place it.

My eyelids were too heavy to open, but I knew I was no longer crumpled under the tarot table. I rolled my head back and forth. The words swirled around me like a little gnat that I couldn’t catch.

Just bits and pieces of sentences.

Someone picked my hand up in theirs. The roughness of their fingers and the strength of their grip felt soothing as I tried to lift my eyelids.

“She will be fine.”A man’s rumbly voice wrapped around me unexpectedly.

He held my hand as a commotion erupted not too far away.

The sound of beads tangling and bouncing on the floor, followed by heavy breathing.

“What the hell happened?” Skye’s voice brought clarity. “Did someone call an ambulance?”

“She doesn’t need an—” the man stopped.

“Says who?” Her voice went an octave higher as she dashed over.

I slowly lifted my lids and smiled. “Skye…”

“I am so sorry. I will get you out of this place and back to reality. This is unacceptable.” She pulled out her phone. “Pretending magic exists and believing magic exists are two entirely different things.”

“What are you doing?” I asked, clearing my throat with each word.

“Calling emergency services.” She looked up at the man holding my hand.

I turned to see Keegan. Concern etched his expression as he looked at my friend.

“She is fine. We will take her back to the hotel.”

“Over my dead body.”

“Not much of a challenge,” the older woman chided. She snickered, and I looked behind Skye to see the woman from the tea shop.

Shoot. What was her name?

Skye glared at this group of strangers, ready to take them all on for me.

But something in my soul told me I didn’t need protection.

I removed my hand from Keegan’s and started to prop myself up on my elbows. Looking around the tarot room, I realized they’d cleared off one of the tables against the wall and laid me on it.

“What…what happened?”

“I’ll tell you what happened,” Skye started again. “We came to crazy town, and it’s time to get out.”

I slowly sat up and reached for Skye’s hand. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

Nova stepped forward. Softness drifted through her eyes as she took a deep breath. “I’m afraid things get a little drafty in these old buildings. A gust came through, and the lights went out.”

I scowled and shook my head. “But…”

“But what, dear?” the woman from the tea shop stepped forward.

“I heard a loud crack or boom right before everything happened.”

Nova smiled, glancing at Keegan. “Yeah, we all did. The door that leads to our storage room slammed shut. It happens from time to time in this old, creaky building.”

I pushed my index finger gently around my temple as I tried to remember exactly what happened.

What she said was plausible.

“You’ve been through a lot,” Nova said softly. “Your emotions are extremely high, and doing a reading might have just been too much.”

“You’re trying to tell me that my friend passed out because you flipped a few cards?”

I squeezed Skye’s hand and shook my head.

“Nova very well might be right. I didn’t eat anything today. Shoot. That tea might have been the first thing I drank all day.”

Keegan kept his gaze fastened to mine, and I swore a hint of a smirk surfaced.

I swung my legs over the table and felt dizzy.

Not wanting Skye to pick up on it, I laughed and shook my head. “The reading was just getting good.”

Nova smiled. “Indeed it was.”

I glanced around the room, feeling sheepish. “Maybe we should just get back to our hotel room and rest up for tomorrow.”

Skye cocked her head slightly. “You still want to stay?”

Seeing this room of people brought a smile to my face. I didn’t know them, but I wanted to.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “I do. This wasn’t their fault.”

She took a deep breath. “If you say so.”

“I’d love to finish where we left off,” Nova offered. “When you’re feeling up to it.”

I nodded with a smile. “Absolutely. It might be once the ink has fully dried on my divorce papers. I think everything is just too fresh.”

And then I remembered it.

“Stella!” I hadn’t meant to say her name aloud.

She turned around and smiled.

“Yes, dear. Did you need some more tea?” Her eyes sparkled with mischievousness. “It might be good to help you fall asleep.”

Skye shook her head. “I think water will do just fine.”

I smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Stella. But I think Skye is right. I should just stick to water.”

Stella flashed a wicked grin. “I also have a little gin if you’re interested.”

I chuckled as she pulled a shot-sized flask from her belt and raised it. “I always keep this on me. You just never know when you might need it.”

I smiled and glanced at Skye, who seemed to have calmed down.

“You know what?” I brought my gaze back to Stella. “I will remember that tomorrow, but I think tonight, I’m just going to go back to the room with my bestie, gossip, eat some room service food, and collapse.”

Keegan took a step back and looked over at Nova. A silent communication passed between the two, and I wondered if maybe they were together.

Not that it mattered to me.

I just ran into him after nearly forty years.

Forty years.

Where did the time go?

My cheeks blushed as he caught me looking at him, and Skye pulled me off the table. My feet hit the floor with a thud, and I got my bearings before nodding to the eclectic group standing around the reading room watching me.

“I hope to see you around tomorrow,” I said with a little wave as I followed Skye through the beaded doorway, through the shop, and out the door to the sidewalk, where people meandered in costumes and lines began at cafes and bars along the main street of Stonewick.

“This town has it down,” I said with admiration.

Skye spun around with wide eyes and grabbed both my hands. “I am so sorry for dragging you to that place. I had no idea things would go so awry.”

For some odd reason, I had a pull to defend the people inside the shop. I’d barely just met most of them, but they felt like…

I cleared my throat and shook my head frantically. “Please, I’ve had a blast from the moment I arrived in this town. What happened to me in there wasn’t their fault. I just haven’t taken care of myself recently. I was dehydrated, and my emotions got the better of me.” I wasn’t sure that was entirely true, but it sounded perfectly plausible.

I felt a set of eyes on me, and I glanced across thestreet to the tea shop to see Frank’s two front paws on the interior windowsill. His big brown eyes watched me closely.

Skye followed my gaze and chuckled. “This place is something else. Anyway, I got us all checked into the hotel when you were fainting on everyone. Our luggage should be in our room.”

“Room service okay to you?” I asked, rubbing my temple.

A dull ache pounded between my ears, and dehydration seemed like the likely culprit.

I glanced over at Frank again, who still studied me intently.

“Absolutely,” Skye said happily. “I can’t tell you when I last ate in bed. I can see it now. A plate with a sloppy cheeseburger, garlic fries, a slice of cheesecake…mmhm,”

I chuckled as we made our way down the sidewalk to the boutique hotel.

A line of gargoyles stood saluting guests as they peered from the edge of the roofline.

I pointed toward the concrete sculptures and nodded. “Nice touch, huh?”

She chuckled and nodded. “I didn’t even notice those. We shall see if the rooms are as creepy as the rest of the town.”

I cocked my head and frowned. “You think this place is creepy?”

It felt like home to me.

Oddly.

“Yeah. A little.” She shrugged. “I mean, creepy in a good way.”

“Ah, right. Yes, in a good way.” I chuckled.

The front of the hotel was beautiful. Large boulders and wooden pillars, along with a portico, offered shelter from the Wisconsin elements.

At the moment, it just felt a little frosty from the crisp autumn air.

We stepped into the hotel lobby, and my breath caught as the heavy oak doors closed behind us with a soft thud.

The hotel was breathtaking. A charming blend of elegance and old-world mystique floated through the atmosphere, creating an ambiance that felt like we had stepped into a gothic novel.

And I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to leave.

“Isn’t this a kick?” She squealed and squeezed my arm.

“Beautiful,” I whispered, taking it all in.

Chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling above with crystals glinting like candlelight in the dim room. Shadows playfully danced across dark mahogany walls lined with intricately carved moldings. I squinted my eyes to get a better look, and a smile touched my lips.

“Are those gnomes or…”

“They are the woodland creatures that protect our lovely establishment,” a woman’s voice interrupted my focus. “Dryads, kelpies, bats, serpents, and, of course, the occasional dragon entering the battle never hurt either.”

My gaze flicked to the woman behind the counter talking to us.

She smiled graciously at me and nodded. Her blonde hair, curled in large waves, hung below her shoulders. She wore a magenta velvet dress trimmed with gold filigree. A pearl choker clutched her neck. She looked like a Victorian ghost. “There are countless other creatures that have come to our aid in the past, but those are the ones protecting the lobby right now.” She waved her hand around the room and smiled.

Each sconce flickered with their faux candles, and a chill skated over me.

The special effects in this place were dynamite.

I definitely ate up what they were dishing out.

“I bet,” I smiled, totally into it.

“I’m Ember,” she said, smiling. “Please let me know if you need anything tonight. I’m here until the morning.”

“You’re here all night?”

She nodded pleasantly. “It suits me.”

“Do you know when room service shuts down?” I asked.

“Midnight for the full menu, but we’ll serve the hot sandwiches all night, just chips instead of fries.”

“Oh, wonderful,” Skye said happily.

“Enjoy your evening,” Ember said, turning her attention to her monitor.

“You too.” I waved and followed Skye deeper into the hotel.

“Stairs or elevator?” she asked.

I glanced at the ornate staircase, spiraling gracefully from the lobby’s polished marble floors. The dark mahogany banister gleamed, and the ornate wall sconces resembled mythical creatures.

Burgundy carpeting rolled along each step, held down tightly with a brass rod. Every part of this hotel screamed another era, and I loved it. Even the chandelier sparkled majestically.

Skye started first and I followed behind. I was in awe of this hotel, and it kind of made me proud to know Keegan ran it. As we ascended the steps, we came to a landing that harbored a large stained glass window.

“I didn’t even notice that outside,” I said, shaking my head.

“What?” Skye asked, glancing in the direction I was staring. “Oh, wow. Beautiful. Is that a dragon?”

I nodded in awe. “Yeah…. They didn’t leave a stone unturned.”

“No pun intended.” She chuckled. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist. You know, Stonewick Inn.”

“Yeah. I got it.” I smiled and followed my friend up the stairs, wishing she’d slow down a bit to take it all in.

The wood creaked underfoot with each step as a reminder of the building’s age and charm. Above us hung portraits of stern-faced men and women in Victorian garb watching our every move.

A shiver ran through me, but I wanted more. Their piercing gazes were somehow inviting. It felt like they’d seen a lot over the years.

I chuckled to myself, realizing I’d gone off the deep end. These were nothing more than paintings and portraits.

For all I knew, they could be Keegan’s old ancestors.

Who knew?

But I couldn’t shake the fact that they didn’t feel entirely earthly.

When we reached our floor, she turned around and huffed. “Maybe we should have taken the elevator.”

“But then we would have missed the window and all the sconces and carvings and…”

Her eyes widened as she caught her breath. “You are really getting into this.”

I laughed and glanced down the long hallway filled with rooms.

“I think I’m rebelling against Alex.” I shrugged playfully.

She nodded with a wry smile. “I believe it. I mean, who doesn’t love a little theme town?”

“Right?”

Skye pulled out two cards from her purse. “A key for you and a key for me. We’re in room 201.”

“Ah, my birthday.”

She cocked her head slightly. “Yeah. I guess so.”

I started behind her as she glanced at each room number. “Come on. You can’t miss the coincidence. My birthday is February 1, so it is the second month and the first day. 201.”

She glanced behind her. “No. I got ya. That’s pretty cool.”

I snickered, knowing she probably didn’t actually get me, but Skye was a good friend and would humor me.

But I knew in my heart that this room number and my birthdate weren’t coincidences, and that’s all that mattered.

“Maybe this place is about to unravel some dark family curse or accidentally summon a long-lost ancestor,” I suggested, wiggling my brows.

“Right. Totally normal thoughts.” She chuckled, stopped in front of the door, and flashed her card onto the reader until we heard the magical click.

Skye pushed open the door and gasped. “Wow. This is gorgeous.”

I stood on my toes to look over her shoulder, and my eyes widened in amazement.

“With the way the rest of the hotel was decorated, I thought our room might look like we’re supposed to hold a midnight séance or something.” She stepped aside to let me in and shook her head. “But this is…”

“Enchanting?”

“Yes. Perfectly so.”

Unlike the dark, gothic rooms in the rest of the hotel, this suite was a breath of fresh air. Moonlight streamed in through the large, arched windows.

Sheer white curtains hung delicately on each side. The walls were painted a soothing cream with wallpaper on the lower half in a delicate floral motif. Two queen beds with ivory velvet headboards and white goose-down comforters looked extremely inviting. A large flat-screen television hung over a stone fireplace, and two double doors opened to a balcony. A navy couch in the far corner had several embroidered pillows.

A tray with potted herbs and flowers had been placed on a rustic coffee table.

“This is absolutely charming,” I said in disbelief.

Our luggage had been placed near a closet tucked by the bathroom.

Skye plopped onto the bed, bouncing lightly. “Now, this is where I could get used to hiding from the world.”

My eyes drifted around the room, settling on a stack of small, leather-bound books placed thoughtfully on a nightstand. I picked up one of them and started flipping through botanical images, lunar cycles, and something else I didn’t quite recognize. Poems, maybe?

“This is so cool.” I held it up, and Skye leaned over, eyebrows raised. “I bet I could spend weeks here and still not scratch the town's surface. They have paid attention to details I haven’t even thought of.”

“Let me see.”

I handed her the book, and she started flipping through the pages. “Impressive, right?”

“Oh.” Her expression fell. “I thought you were handing me the room service menu.”

I laughed and shook my head. “You’re a hopeless case.”

“A book full of spells is pretty awesome, though.”

I groaned with a chuckle. “Right. Spells. I just thought they were lovely poems.”

Skye rolled her eyes. “I have to admit. We’ve never stayed here when I’ve come with my family. We wander around town, shop, and eat. This, however, is next level.”

I nodded happily, glancing out the window at the town to see the sidewalks bustling below.

A sharp knock at the door made me jump as I touched my heart, and Skye started laughing.

“You go answer the door, and I’ll order some good food.”

“Deal.” I walked over to the door and flung it open wide, shocked by what I saw on the other side.