Page 15 of With the Potion in the Courtyard

"Okay, it's about time to head back," Jessie said, her voice firm as she pulled the black stone from her pocket. We stood huddled together in the alley where we’d arrived, the quiet of Moonbeam Cove wrapping around us like a thick shawl.

"Back to Rune Academy." Jessie closed her eyes and held the stone out in front ofus. The air shimmered for a second before a portal cracked open, its edges sparkling with unknown energies.

CHAPTER SEVEN

I was just slippingon my shoes, ready for the usual dinner at the academy's dining hall while trying to think of a way to get ahold of Ms. Ingow’s notes, when a knock came at the door. I opened it to find Robbie, his hands tucked in his pockets and a nervous smile playing on his lips.

"Hey. I was wondering if you'd like to go out on a romantic date… through the portal?"

My heart did a little skip. A date? With Robbie? The corners of my mouth must've reached my eyes because they crinkled as a grin took over my face.

"Really? That sounds... amazing, yes," I said.

"Great. Let's not waste any time then," he said, his nervousness now replaced with eagerness.

I said a quick goodbye to my cats and turned their new toy on. A bird "swooped" overhead, and both cats lay on the floor, their tails swishing as they "hunted" the bird.

"Neat," Robbie said.

"Right? Magic can be pretty fun sometimes."

When I closed the door to my room, he slipped his hand in mine and gave me a tentative smile. My heart ached at that smile. When was the last time someone looked at me like that? Probably never, but I found I liked it when Robbie looked at me like that.

Alicia exited a room and nearly came crashing right into Robbie. Her big brown eyes widened, along with her smile. "Are you off to the cafeteria? I swear their food is so good that I’m gaining weight left and right, which is kind of weird after watching my weight so carefully for years while working as a flight attendant." Her gaze slipped down to our joined hands. "Oh! So you? So she? Oh!"

I couldn’t help but lean forward, smiling with excitement. "Yup, and we’re going to grab dinner somewhere other than the cafeteria today."

She didn’t look exactly thrilled to be talking to me, but she kept a forced smile. "Sounds like just so much fun!"

"It will be," Robbie said, squeezing my hand.

She started down the hall but called over her shoulder. "Well, have fun!"

When she disappeared from view, Robbie and I exchanged a look and laughed. I wondered what the gossip around school would be after this. We’re not a big group, but someone dating a would-be murderer seemed like it’d be a major point of discussion.

We hurried down the hall toward the portal room, our footsteps echoing against the stone archways that loomed above us. The chatter of my classmates faded away as we approached the dimly lit portal room. The air buzzed with magic, the kind that tingled against my skin and made me feel like anything was possible.

Robbie stood beside me, his hand still in mine, steady and warm. "Readyfor this?" he asked.

"More than ready," I said.

We both reached out, our fingertips brushing the swirling surface of the portal. It felt like dipping your hand into a cool stream on a hot day, that initial shock that sends shivers up your arm. The room blurred around us, colors melting together until there was nothing but the sensation of moving, of being pulled by an invisible string through space and time.

And then we were there.

The rush of energy subsided, leaving me breathless and wide-eyed as I took in the scene before us. A meadow unfolded under a sky painted with strokes of orange, pink, and purple, the colors blending like they'd been applied with a paintbrush. In front of us, a small lake sparkled.

"Robbie, it's beautiful," I whispered.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, and I could hear the smile in his words. "I wanted to show you something special. It took asking around, and exploring a few places, before I found this one, which I thought was perfect."

"Special doesn't even begin to cover it," I let out a little laugh of disbelief. I looked over the landscape,taking in every detail, the way the sunset seemed to set the whole world ablaze with light, the gentle sway of the grass in the breeze, and the peacefulness that enveloped us like a warm blanket.

"Come on," Robbie said gently, leading me toward the lake. "It gets even better up close."

Robbie led the way to a flat stretch of grass near the lake's edge, his movements filled with an eagerness that made me smile. He knelt and smoothed out a soft blanket, its colors a bright checkered pattern that matched the whimsy of our surroundings. With a flourish, he produced a picnic basket from behind a nearby bush shaped like a tuft of cotton candy.

"Ta-da," he announced with pride. "Our dinner for the evening."