Page 72 of Magical Mischief

Chapter Seventeen

I paced slowly along the worn kitchen floor, clutching a half-empty mug of spiced tea. The winter sun poured through the windows and lit up the rustic kitchen, and I was trying to convince myself to reorganize the kitchen cupboards so I knew where everything was located.

Every squeak of a floorboard and every speck of magic dust along the rafters felt like home, and after Bella, Stella, and Nova left, I finally had a little peace and quiet to think about what had just happened in the last week.

They might be used to spinning spells and dashing off to mend Wards, but I was still trying not to blow things up or hurt myself.

And I still had an entire world outside the village limits that I couldn’t leave behind. I missed Celeste like crazy, but that was expected as she spread her wings and flew, and I desperately wanted to see Skye and hear all about her pregnancy cravings.

But I just never expected the one person to show up on my cottage doorstep to be my mom. She’d always spoken about Stonewick as a waste of time.

Of course, I could see it for what it was now. She had reasons to flee with me, and now it was my time to get as many answers as possible before she explored the world again with my stepdad. I expected this little tiff with him not to last too long.

I walked into the living room where my dad slept, curled up near the fireplace, occasionally stirring to let out a muffled snort.

It absolutely baffled me that she’d shown up unannounced, trailing a red suitcase and a spinning tide of old resentments. She’d once lived here, but left Stonewick andmy historybehind.

I wanted answers, but I wasn’t sure if she’d open up. She’d always had a way of brushing off uncomfortable truths with a glib remark. Still, she was here, and if I wanted any chance at unraveling Stonewick’s mysteries or my dad’s past, I might have to beg for her to give me answers.

Miora hummed softly, stepping from the kitchen with a dusty rag in one hand.

She paused when she saw me, her eyes flicking to the tea mug in my grip.

“Did you need help, Maeve? I heard rummaging a few minutes ago.”

“Just me being restless.” I set the mug aside. “But I was actually hoping to talk to you.”

She tilted her head and tucked the rag into her apron.

“Of course. Everything all right with your dad? He’s back to normal, yes?”

“Definitely normal,” I confirmed, glancing fondly at him. “But since my mom showed up today, I’m trying to piece some things together.”

A flicker of unease surfaced in her expression.

“Your mother,” she repeated, folding her arms as though bracing herself.

“She used to live here, right? I was too young to remember properly, but you two overlapped. I was wondering if… You recall anything about her? The reason she left, maybe. She breezed so easily back into town today, and I’m, well, confused.”

Miora smiled and nodded.

“I remember her, yes.” Her voice was subdued. “But I tried not to be in her path if I could help it. She never seemed… keen on spell mastery or cottage upkeep. And I was always around. I tried to stay in the cellar as much as possible or not let myself become visible to the human eye, but sometimes, things just happen. I think that made her edgy.”

“Really? How?”

“She’d complain if I came upstairs.” Miora’s eyes darted to the floor. “Said I was creeping around. That I was meddling in spell work when all I wanted was to keep the cottage strong, so after a while, I hid. Spent more time downstairs. I got the feeling she didn’t like having me here. I wasn’t sure she was pleased with being a witch.”

A pang lanced my heart.

“I’m sorry. That must have been awful. It’s your cottage, too.”

Miora shrugged, a sad little smile tugging her lips. “I made do. And once she left for good, I could roam freely. But… I guess she’s back.”

“Yeah, apparently tired of cruises. She’s at Keegan’s hotel now, but I don’t expect her to stay long. She gets antsy being in one place too long. But I hope she can tell me what she experienced when the curse fell on Stonewick.”

Miora’s eyes clouded with sympathy. “I really wouldn’t know, Maeve. Sorry. She rarely talked about much.”

“Thanks anyway. I appreciate it. I just feel like… I’m so close to opening the Academy, or at least I want to, if it will let me. But if Mom does know something about the curse or the Academy, I might have to push her for it.”