A flutter of hope stirred in my belly, mingled with guilt. My dad was still out there, being held captive, while I sipped tea and studied spells.
Even so, a wave of calm took hold, reminding me of the steps we needed to take.
We couldn’t just rush in mindlessly. We need the right magic and the right plan.
Stella walked over with a teapot and set it down in front of Bella.
The aroma of steeping lavender and honey wafted from the teapot set in the center of our table, providing an odd sense of comfort in the middle of turmoil.
“A little something for you, Bella.” She slid an empty teacup in front of her. “Thank you for making your way out of the Academy for this.”
“How did you know lavender and honey is my favorite combo?”
“It’s my job. After many years of selling tea, I’ve learned a few things.” She winked at Bella.
I frowned and eyed Bella’s tea, and before I could ask, Stella shook her head and frowned.
“And no, I did not give Bella magical tea. It’s straight lavender and honey. No funny business. It’s amazing how long you’re holding onto that, Maeve. It was one time.” She held up her index finger. “Once.”
Bella settled back in her chair, crossing her legs elegantly. “What did I miss?”
“My first time stepping into this store, I ordered some tea, and the next thing I knew, it was changing colors and making me faint.”
“We don’t know that it made you faint. That could have been all Nova’s doing, andyouordered the tea for your information. I didn’t do anything to it other than steep it andserve it. It’s not my fault you picked the one magical tea on the menu.”
Bella chuckled. “In her defense, it doesn’t work on mels. The non-magical folk just don’t have the same receptors, I suppose.”
“Lucky me,” I sang with a chuckle.
A few minutes of silence passed as I thought about tonight.
Keegan and Nova would need to hide in the shadows and be ready to battle, if needed. Stella should be hidden in plain sight, and I wasn’t sure about Ember and Bella.
“You must miss the Academy, though. Aren’t you itching to poke around the library more often?” Her fox-like eyes sparked with a hint of teasing.
“Oh, without a doubt. There’s so much hanging in the balance.”
“Have you seen the classrooms yet?” she asked.
“No, I haven’t. They aren’t open yet.” I exhaled, feeling a sudden ache in my chest. “I do miss it. I miss the opportunities that are being hidden away. That’s what I miss.”
“That’s what your grandma mentioned. I thought it was just that they weren’t open to me.”
“Nope. From what I gather, they’re closed to everyone until the time comes…”
She nodded thoughtfully.
“Before all of this with Shadowick and my dad’s kidnapping, I was excited about opening the Academy first. I wanted to witness the old corridors thrive again, meet the teachers, watch new students fill those halls.” My gaze flicked tothe closed book, a powerful reminder of what was waiting. “And after my dad’s safe, I can’t wait to get back there again and push forward.”
“You’re the only one who can open it. Everyone in Stonewick sees it. Grandma Elira sees it. Heck, even the Wards themselves sense you belong.” Stella nodded, a note of pride in her voice.
“I still haven’t been to the Maple Ward,” I said, shaking my head. “Every time I think I should go check it out, something happens.”
“Yeah, life hasn’t been smooth sailing recently,” Stella agreed. “But your grandma will point you in the right direction. The Maple Ward is special.”
“How so?” I asked.
“You’ll see.”
