“How so?” I asked.
“Under normal circumstances, Malore wouldn’t have caused so much damage to the Ward.” Nova glanced at Keegan and then at me. “The Ward was busy protectingyou. It wasn’t protecting itself or even the Academy. Its sole focus appeared to be keeping you out of harm’s way. Malore wouldn’t have inflicted so much damage if the cottage and everyone around it had focused on strengthening the Ward.”
A chill skated over me. “How is that possible?”
“I honestly don’t know,” Nova said softly as she looked at Twobble.
A faint blush ran across his green cheeks as I focused on him.
“And you? Aren’t you supposed to be more worried about the cottage than me? You were trying to protect me, trying to get me to flee to the Academy.”
“So, shoot me. I’ve grown fond of you.” His tiny arms flew into the air. “Besides, what good are the Wards or the Academy if we don’t have someone to run it?” He tapped his bony skull. “See? Always thinking ahead.”
I looked back at the cottage and felt a mix of hope and despair as I thought about my poor dad. He was so helpless in the state he was in.
But I would find him.
We would rescue him.
Not recklessly.
I let out a sigh and closed my eyes to center my world. So much had been thrown at me in a very short amount of time. I just needed a second.
“We do need to devise a plan,” Nova said quietly.
Keegan brushed a stray hair from my face, and I blinked my eyes open.
The gentle sweep of his touch surprised me.
“We’ll get my dad back,” I said more to myself than anyone.
Our new fox friend nodded as she stepped next to me.
“Yes, we will get him back.” Her eyes connected with mine and lent a smile. “And I feel like now is the time to introduce myself properly. I’m Bella Sandro.”
“Nice to meet you, Bella,” I said, glancing at Keegan, who slowly turned to look at her.
“That’s Keegan, Stella, Nova, Ember, and Miora inside.”
She tipped her head. “Nice to meet you all.”
“And you,” Nova said firmly.
A bit of dust rolled out of the cottage as Miora cast another strengthening spell, and I turned my attention to Keegan.
There were so many questions about him that I could barely focus on Bella. Keegan’s strength slowly returned from the fight with my grandfather’s decoy.
His broad shoulders were no longer hunched. His spine straightened…a smile touched his lips. It was difficult to reconcile that he’d turned so quickly, gracefully, and without hesitation when he had such a disdain for shifting.
When Keegan’s gaze landed on me, I felt a little flutter of something confusing. I turned to face him better and moved a little closer. My mouth nearly touched his ear as I leaned in and asked the question that had haunted me since I saw him change.
“How did you shift so easily, Keegan?” I whispered, the memory of our previous battle echoing in my mind. “You’re supposed to struggle with that… power.”
He gave me a small, wry smile as he moved closer.
“It isn’t about ease, Maeve. It’s about necessity. And sometimes, we have no choice. Every decade, I’m facing something that was cursed upon me. Not my choice.”
I nodded.
