Page 31 of Magical Moonbeam

The halls buzzed with the shuffle of boots and soft spell chants. Charms hummed above arched doorways.

Twobble, after dramatically announcing that he wasoff to face the horrors of fungal classification,had bolted toward Bella’s greenhouse with a biscuit in one hand and a quill that looked suspiciously like it was borrowed from an enchanted owl in the other.

Somewhere in the east wing, someone’s cauldron exploded with a not-so-reassuringwhump,followed by the faint smell of toasted marshmallows and regret.

Stella was off as well, trailing incense and glamour as she declared she was going to teach the ladies how to faint convincingly. Ardetia had passed by in a shimmer of mint-scented wind, already halfway to her classroom before I even realized she'd nodded good morning.

And for a brief, beautiful moment, I was alone in the entry corridor, finally able to think.

Until the chime rang.

Three deep tones echoed through the halls, low and resonant, pulsing up through the flagstone floors.

The Visitor Summons.

My spine straightened.

Not many people knew how to reach the Academy’s threshold, let alone trip the summons. And it didn’t happen without purpose.

I made my way quickly to the main doors, the scent of dew and blooming Ward-flowers drifting in through the archway.

I took a breath, gripped the handle, and opened the door.

And there he was.

Standing like he owned the entire front steps, arms folded, one foot tapping against the stone, and surrounded by what could only be described as an entourage of chaos gremlins in floral cloaks.

Twobble.

Or so I thought.

Until he looked up and grinned.

“Oh, look who’s decided to grace me with her presence,” he drawled. “I was beginning to think you were afraid of handsome visitors, and I’d have to break in.”

I stared, blinking.

His sparse hair was too tidy. His vest wasn’t patched. It was embroidered. And he was holding a handful of polished pebbles, clicking them together like he had nothing better to do and was also deeply annoyed about it.

“Twobble’s in class,” I said slowly.

He gasped and clutched his chest. “You wound me, Maeve. Really. Here I come all this way, and you don’t even offer me tea?”

“Skonk, you threw stones at me.”

“Pebbles and took you long enough. I could see those wheels spinning, wondering if I were Skonk or Twobble.” The grin widened into something irritating and smug.

“What do you want?”

“Well, first of all, a proper welcome. I had to walk uphill in the sun. There wereducks.I hate ducks.”

I blinked. “What?”

He waved that away. “Never mind. Theyknowwhat they did.”

I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “And the women?”

He looked over his shoulder at the gaggle of mismatched magical beings behind him. One had leaves for hair. Another was holding what looked like a sleeping squirrel in a sling. All of them stared at me like I might turn into something entertaining at any moment.