Page 23 of Magical Moonbeam

I nodded slowly.

“You won’t let me go alone, will you?”

“Not a chance,” he said. “You’ll have the whole chaos brigade at your back. Nova with her sage, Bella with her mischievous sass, and Ardetia with her mysterious glow. And me.”

“With your magic?”

“With my magicandmy attitude,” he said. He puffed his chest out proudly.

The room warmed again, the magic pulsing softly through the floorboards like the cottage was exhaling with us. The danger hadn’t lessened, but the weight of it felt shared now.

“I won’t forget who I am,” I whispered.

“Good,” Twobble said, his voice firm. “Because Shadowick will try to make you.”

And we both sat there, quiet and still, as the sun dipped low behind the trees and the long night began.

Chapter Six

The stone walls of the Academy were quiet at night in the way ancient places were when they’d seen too much and were finally allowed to rest.

I’d returned late, after stopping by the cottage’s garden to thank Karvey and the others. They’d remained perched just beyond the protective edge of the Ward, wings furled, watchful even as the stars brightened overhead. Karvey had nodded solemnly at my gratitude, though one of the smaller gargoyles gave me a wink that made me think Twobble had somehow rubbed off on the whole lot of them. Even if Skonk wasn’t dangerous, they chased him off on behalf of Twobble’s pride. The loyalty threaded throughout Stonewick never ceased to amaze me.

Back at the Academy, my room greeted me like an old friend. The fire in the hearth had sprung to life with barely a word, casting a gentle flicker across the stone walls. My dad was already curled up near the warmth. His snoring was slow and even, a quiet rhythm that helped calm the thrum still pulsing in my chest. Twobble lounged on the window seat, one leg kicked out as he gnawed at a biscuit that looked like it predated most ofthe furniture. Judging by the dust, it had been pilfered from the depths of some teacher’s long-abandoned drawer.

I hadn’t even bothered to change out of my clothes. Just flopped on the bed, shoes kicked off, and stared at the ceiling like it might unravel all the threads I couldn’t quite piece together myself.

Shadowick. Skonk. The reversed Tower. The idea that I might be the key to something I didn’t ask to open.

I let out a long breath, and then—

Knock knock.

I sat up instantly.

The knock was gentle. Familiar.

“Maeve?” came Nova’s voice, muffled through the thick oak.

A surprise, yes—but not an unwelcome one.

“Come in,” I said, smoothing my tunic and swinging my legs over the side of the bed.

The door creaked open, and there she was with raven hair loose over her shoulders. She was wrapped in one of the Academy’s embroidered cloaks that shimmered faintly in the moonlight. She held two steaming mugs in one hand and a bundle of scrolls tucked under one arm, and she felt like an old friend from childhood.

“Still awake?” she asked.

“Barely, but I’ll take whatever that is.”

She handed me one of the mugs and made a sound of approval. “Chamomile and apple. With a splash of honey. You looked like you needed grounding.”

“I feel like I need to be planted and watered.”

Nova gave a soft chuckle and lowered herself into the chair beside the fire. Frank grunted, then repositioned himself slightly to rest his head against her foot. She didn’t even blink.

Twobble twisted on the window seat and pointed dramatically with a crumb-covered finger. “You’ll never believe it. Skonk showed up at thecottage.Started digging in the garden, tossing pebbles at Maeve like some sort of angry woodland theater troupe.”

Nova snorted and nearly spilled her tea. “Of course he did. That little fungus never could resist moon-cycle energy.”